CONTACT INFORMATION

SPL World Group
www.splwg.com

PricewaterhouseCoopers
www.pwcglobal.com

ORLANDO, FL., May 25, 1999 - PricewaterhouseCoopers and SPL WorldGroup, Inc. (SPL) have formed an alliance to help utility companies acquire, service and maintain customers by leveraging the SPL CIS PLUS? software system. This alliance combines SPL WorldGroup's strength in providing customer management technology solutions with PricewaterhouseCoopers' utilities industry knowledge, and customer management and information technology consulting experience. The announcement was made today at the 1999 Customer Information System (CIS) Conference in Orlando.

As part of the alliance, PricewaterhouseCoopers will be a premier provider of consulting and implementation services to companies using the CIS PLUS product line. PricewaterhouseCoopers has implemented more than 30 CIS utility solutions and is developing skilled CIS PLUS consultants through training workshops and collaborative implementation teams.

“In preparation for deregulation, utilities have to make effective customer management a primary business objective,” said Bob Brnilovich, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers. “By working with SPL WorldGroup, we can provide utilities with an integrated customer solution that will enable them to strengthen their current customer relationships while providing them with the tools necessary to expand their customer base.”

As utilities move to compete in a newly deregulated environment, they are faced with management challenges previously unseen in their industry. These challenges stem from the fact that their once-stable customer base no longer needs to depend on them for their electricity or other utility needs. To prepare for this new environment, PricewaterhouseCoopers and SPL have aligned to help global companies strengthen their customer relationships using the CIS PLUS solution.

SPL's CIS PLUS is a customer information system (CIS) that is designed to automate and support all aspects of customer service and management for both the regulated and deregulated utility market. The solution addresses areas such as billing, management of customer contact information, marketing, customer usage patterns and customer service data. By automating this information, utilities are in a better position to improve customer satisfaction and anticipate customer needs.

"Coupling PricewaterhouseCoopers successful track record in the utilities industry with SPL WorldGroup's leading customer information system for utilities will provide our customers with a complete best-of-breed solution,” said Jim Reardon, senior vice president of SPL WorldGroup's Utility Solutions Practice. “The blend of skills and industry experience provided by both organizations will add significant value to our current and future utility clients across the country and around the world.”

SPL WordGroup's CIS PLUS product can be integrated with leading ERP packages such as PeopleSoft's General Ledger, Accounts Payable and HRMS which already provides increased efficiency for posting transactions, generating checks and overall employee HR functions.

SPL WorldGroup, established in 1994, is a leading international provider of information technology (IT) consulting and enterprise solutions. With over 1,000 professionals in 10 countries and 30 years of experience through its subsidiaries, SPL delivers IT solutions to Global 2000 companies in utilities, financial services, healthcare, higher education and the public sector industries. In the early 1990's, SPL formed the Utility Solutions Practice comprised of dedicated product development, sales, marketing and support staff to help address the specific needs of utilities, in particular those facing deregulation. SPL WorldGroup is on the World Wide Web at www.splwg.com

As part of PricewaterhouseCoopers' Global Energy and Mining group, the Utilities practice, is focused on providing world-wide consulting services and resources to clients undergoing major business transformation. Spurred by current or pending deregulation, re-regulation and the unbundling of the entire industry, utilities are expanding multi-nationally, restructuring operations and investing in technology. PricewaterhouseCoopers delivers integrated solutions that create a competitive advantage for clients. With increased efficiency and decreased technology costs, these clients can successfully adapt to the industry change they face.

The Management Consulting Services practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers helps clients maximize their business performance by integrating strategic change, process improvements and technology solutions. Through a world-wide network of skills and resources, consultants manage complex projects with global capabilities and local knowledge, from strategy through implementation. PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.pwcglobal.com), is the world's leading professional services organization. Drawing on the talents of more than 155,000 people in 150 countries, the organization provides a full range of business advisory services to Leading global, national and local companies and to public institutions.

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