News March 09, 07:44 Eastern Time
MICROSOFT: Go2Net selects TransPoint as exclusive e-bills provider
MAR 9, 2000, M2 Communications - ENGLEWOOD, Colo., and SEATTLE -- TransPoint LLC
and Go2Net Inc. (Nasdaq "GNET") today announced an exclusive agreement that will
allow users of the Go2Net Network to receive and pay bills offered by the
TransPoint online bill payment service in spring 2000. The agreement gives users
of the Go2Net Network access to both the TransPoint e-billing service and the
Pay Anyone feature that was launched Feb. 1, 2000, enabling users to pay and
manage all of their bills via TransPoint. Today's agreement also includes a
multimillion dollar promotional component, through which TransPoint will be
marketed across several of the Go2Net Network's most popular sites.
Initially, Go2Net will feature the TransPoint service on four of its primary
properties, including Go2Net.com, Dogpile, HyperMart and Silicon Investor. The
Go2Net Network was among the fastest growing of the Internet's top 20
destinations in 1999, according to the Media Metrix Web measurement service.
Go2Net becomes the latest Web site to commit to the TransPoint service this
year. Earlier this year, TransPoint announced a letter of intent with Intuit
that includes distribution through AOL, Quicken and Excite. In addition, Compass
Bank and InterWest Bank went live with the service in February. The TransPoint
e-bills service is also available to consumers through the MSN MoneyCentral
online personal finance service and the TransPoint Web site.
"TransPoint's service adds tremendous value to the online financial capabilities
we offer the millions of people who visit the Go2Net Network each day," said
Thomas M. Camp, vice president of business development at Go2Net. "We also
believe that this sort of application encourages more frequent site visits by
our users, who will be able to pay and organize all their bills in a fraction of
the time, and with much less effort than it takes in the offline world."
"As a leading Internet destination, Go2Net has made a commitment to providing
its visitors the valuable resource of online bill payment," said Lewis Levin,
president and CEO of TransPoint. "The easy-to-use TransPoint service will
empower Go2Net visitors to more effectively manage their finances." Through
TransPoint's online payment service, consumers can view and pay bills that
arrive electronically through TransPoint, pay bills that arrive through the U.S.
Postal Service, and pay nearly anyone else they want. With one fully integrated
and convenient service, consumers with Internet access can pay all their bills
with a few clicks of a mouse. Companies that deliver bills electronically
through TransPoint benefit from targeted marketing, greater control over the
billing process, and personalized customer care. Their customers benefit from an
easy, convenient service that is fast, flexible and secure.
About Go2Net
Go2Net (http://www.go2net.com/) is one of the Internet's leading networks,
providing consumer services, business services and enabling services. The
company offers through the World Wide Web a network of branded properties and
aggregated content in the categories of search and directory, personal finance,
multiplayer games, small-business services and e-commerce solutions. The company
also develops Internet technologies for its own network and for license to
strategic partners. The Go2Net Network is home to many of the Internet's leading
vertical destinations, including MetaCrawler, Silicon Investor, the HyperMart
Network, PlaySite, Dogpile and 100hot.
About TransPoint
TransPoint, established in June 1997, is a joint venture of Microsoft Corp.
(Nasdaq "MSFT") and First Data Corp., with Citibank as a minority equity
investor. Englewood, Colo.-based TransPoint is a leader in the emerging
electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP) industry with a seamless e-bills
service built from the ground up. The TransPoint system uses innovative
technology and integrates easily with billers and banks' existing payment
systems.
The TransPoint service is designed to be the fast, easy way for consumers with
Internet access to make all of their payments online from a single, secure Web
site. Consumers can pay their bills at multiple Internet locations, including
the MSN MoneyCentral online personal finance service, the TransPoint Web site,
and at the Web sites of participating financial institutions.
On Feb. 15, TransPoint entered into a definitive merger agreement with CheckFree
Corp., a leader in electronic billing and payment.
The combined technologies and relationships of the two entities are expected to
accelerate moving the billing and payment process from paper to the Internet and
to advance the rate at which consumers sign up for electronic billing. The
transaction will be accounted for as a purchase by CheckFree, and is expected to
be final in four to six months. More information about TransPoint is available
at transpoint.com.
This announcement contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties, including those relating to the company's ability to grow its
user and advertiser base. Actual results may differ materially from the results
predicted, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of
future performance.
The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, the company's
limited operating history, the competitive environment in which the company
competes, the early stage of the Web as an advertising and electronic-commerce
medium, the company's dependence on advertising, sponsorship and commerce
revenues, the company's dependence on strategic relationships to drive traffic
to its Web sites, consumer acceptance of the company's new products and
services, the company's ability to develop and integrate new technologies and
services into its existing services and into new platforms, such as broadband,
and the increased use of the Web for commerce. More information about the
potential factors that could affect the company's business and financial results
is included in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Sept.
30, 1999, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on
First Data, please visit the First Data Web page at
firstdatacorp.com. If you are interested in viewing additional
information on Citibank, please visit the Citibank Web page at
citibank.com.
((M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within
M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2
PressWIRE can be obtained at presswire.net on the world wide web.
Inquiries to info@m2.com)).
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