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Technology Stocks : Metro One Telecommunications--MTON -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: joe inti who wrote (462)	9/21/1998 12:24:00 PM
From: MIKE	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 608

Metro One Launches Business Category Thesaurus Providing Fast Intuitive Search Capability Business Wire - September 21, 1998 09:16 Product Release db-One Provides a Powerful Thesaurus Enabling Easy and Accurate Directory Searches FAIRPORT, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 21, 1998--Metro One Telecommunications (NASDAQ:MTON), a leading developer and provider of Enhanced Directory Assistance(R) services for the telco industry, today launched its Business Category Thesaurus (BCT), the newest enhancement to its db-One product offering. Developed to expedite directory searches, the BCT is a comprehensive database that relates a national listing of Yellow Page headings to their relevant SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes and the terms that people use to search for them. By bridging the gap between how business data is stored and how people search for it, the BCT eliminates the frustration of Internet searching. The BCT contains over 21,000 Yellow Page categories published by major telcos and business data providers. By linking more than 41,000 common terms and brand names to the appropriate Yellow Page categories, BCT simplifies searches and ensures greater search accuracy. The BCT will support the new NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) codes, which state and federal governments will use to replace SIC codes over the next five years. "Our research shows that Internet Yellow Pages (IYP) are considered an attractive advertising venue by businesses, and a source of valuable information to consumers. The percentage of purchases associated with online visits, and the increasing number of visits to these sites is noteworthy," stated John F. Kelsey, III, President of The Kelsey Group, a Princeton, NJ, based research and consulting firm. "Assuring that 'non-technical' users or 'consumers' are able to obtain high quality search results quickly will be key to the widespread acceptance and use of IYP as a standard reference guide for buying decisions." Internet searching can often be a frustrating experience, because most people search the Internet for common terms, rather than using Yellow Page headings. "Bookstores" and "Bookshops" are not Yellow Page headings, but when people search with those terms the BCT connects them to relevant categories, which are used to list those businesses. The BCT eliminates searching frustration through its ability to relate terms. Users are able to complete searches quickly, increasing the likelihood of their return to the directory site. "The Business Category Thesaurus is a significant new addition to our db-One product," said Mike McCourt, vice president of Metro One's Database Software Division. "Users of online directory services can now input everyday terminology and quickly find the businesses they are looking for. BCT increases user satisfaction and enhances a host site by delivering relevant information to its visitors." Metro One's Business Category Thesaurus works as a standalone database or as a library for industry standard operating systems. As a leader of enhanced directory assistance services and technology, Metro One continually expands and refines the thesaurus content and capabilities to meet the changing needs of the Yellow Page industry.