LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Nov. 30, 1999 - ALLTEL has reached an agreement to resell Cisco Systems' real-time Internet customer support and inbound e-mail management system.

Cisco's Customer Interaction Suite of software provides companies with real-time Internet customer support and inbound e-mail management capabilities. The software allows companies to quickly respond to e-mail requests and to engage in interactive contact while browsing Web pages, jointly completing Web-based forms and instantly downloading desktop files.

In October, ALLTEL announced a turnkey product for Web-enabled call centers. The Cisco Customer Interaction Suite is yet another Web-enabled call center offering which ALLTEL can provide financial services institutions. ALLTEL's newest offering meets the needs of companies desiring to manage their applications in-house.

"Cisco software enables a company to add the personal value of human interaction to its Internet site," said Martin Prunty, vice president of call center solutions for ALLTEL. "Solving that problem can add revenue to the bottom line of virtually every business with Internet customers."

The Cisco applications can be integrated with current computer and telephony infrastructure, including ALLTEL's award-winning Call Center Workstation application, allowing businesses to not only maximize technology investments but also present a consistent face to customers.

"We are pleased to partner with ALLTEL to help its customers further enhance their online customer service offerings," said Dan Keshian, vice president and general manager for the customer contact business unit in Cisco System's applications technology group.

In addition to providing the technology, ALLTEL also offers its clients comprehensive consulting services designed to integrate these new capabilities with existing call center operations.

"ALLTEL's Web-enabled call center products are an important facet of our e-drive suite," said Randy Watson, ALLTEL's senior vice president of strategic solutions. "The addition of the Cisco Customer Interaction Suite to our offerings moves us another step closer to delivering full-scale e-based customer interaction."

ALLTEL will be showcasing its call center products, including a live demonstration of the Cisco Customer Interaction Suite at the Bank Administration Institute's Retail Delivery Show scheduled Dec. 6-10 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. ALLTEL will be in Booth 1371.

ALLTEL's e-drive suite of products encompasses the key components necessary for financial services institutions to engage in e-commerce activities, including Web-enabled call center, integrated Internet banking, turnkey virtual banking, electronic bill payment and presentment, wireless banking and Internet-based loan origination.

Ten of the top 25 U.S. banks rely on ALLTEL Information Services' systems for core account processing, and ALLTEL's Advanced Loan System is the retail lending application chosen by more of the top 100 U.S. banks than any other single vendor application. Additionally, more than 34 percent of the total dollar volume of outstanding U.S. consumer loans, including mortgages, is processed on ALLTEL Information Services' software applications.

ALLTEL Information Services, with customers in 55 countries and territories, provides information processing management, application software, outsourcing services and consulting services to the financial, mortgage and telecommunications industries.

ALLTEL is a customer-focused, information technology company that provides wireline and wireless communications and information services.

Cisco Systems

Cisco, Cisco IOS, Cisco Systems, Catalyst, and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any of its resellers. (9907R)