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CONTACT INFORMATION
Lucent Technologies
Kenan Systems, USA
www.kenan.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lucent's Kenan Systems Receives
First Contract for New Energy Billing Software from Wessex Water Services,
Ltd.
Arbor/Energy solution will provide
Internet-based customer support
CAMBRIDGE, MA., - February 22, 2000 – Lucent Technologies'
(NYSE: LU) Kenan Systems announced today that Wessex Water Services
Ltd., the largest subsidiary of Azurix Corp. (NYSE: AZX) is the
first European utility customer to license Lucent's Kenan Systems'
new Arbor®/Energy solution for billing, customer care, order management,
and customer analysis. Lucent's Kenan Systems' solution will support
1.1 million water supply customers, replacing Wessex Water's two
existing legacy systems. This will enable the company to further
improve service through both the Internet and call centers, and
increase operational efficiencies - thus helping to lower overall
system and call center costs.
Wessex Water licensed Arbor/Energy because of the Arbor family's
proven technology and open architecture, powerful and easily customized
billing engine, and key features such as the new intelligent debt
collection capability. Additionally, Lucent's Kenan Systems plans
to provide Wessex Water a competitive advantage by rapidly completing
implementation by the end of the year.
"The rapid deployment of Arbor/Energy is core to our business
strategy," said Chris Bishop, managing director, Customer Systems,
Wessex Water Services Ltd. "The solution will improve the effectiveness
of our customer service representatives, while offering customers
the option of Internet-based self-care. Additionally, we will rely
on Arbor/Energy's intelligent debt collection to proactively manage
customer accounts and assist customers with budgeting their water
services. These features provide a welcome addition to our customer
service capabilities."
The Arbor/Energy solution comprises the Arbor®/BP product for multi-service
billing and customer care; Arbor®/OM, an integrated order management
and workflow product; and Strategist®, an integrated decision-support
and analysis application providing competitive advantage through
enhanced customer knowledge.
"Wessex Water, recognized by the water industry regulator
Office of Water Services (OFWAT) as one of the most efficient water
and waste water companies in the U.K., is strongly committed to
providing outstanding service and real value," said Tanvir
Hussain, director, energy & utilities business unit, Lucent
Technologies' Kenan Systems. "The implementation of Lucent's
Kenan Systems' Arbor/Energy solution will enable Wessex Water to
further improve the level of service it is able to provide to its
customers."
Azurix Corp. is a global water company that owns, operates and
manages water and wastewater assets, provides water and wastewater
related services, and develops and manages water resources. The
company's stock is traded on the NYSE under the ticker symbol, "AZX."
Wessex Water provides water to 1.1 million people and treats sewage
from more than 2.5 million customers living in an area stretching
from Bristol to Bournemouth and from Minehead to Salisbury.
About Kenan Systems
Kenan Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lucent Technologies,
is an award-winning provider of software products and services for
billing, customer care, order management, decision-support and usage
mediation. The company offers its products to Leading providers
in the communications and utility industries world-wide, including
gas, electric, water, mobile and wireline voice and data services,
broadband, Internet, and value-added services. Kenan Systems is
headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. with offices throughout the Americas,
Europe and Asia-Pacific. Its more than 140 customers include @Home
Network, AT&T, BellSouth International, British Telecom, Casema,
Cegetel, France Telecom, GTE, Interpath, Level 3, MCI WorldCom,
Optus, PageNet, and Videotron. Additional information on Kenan Systems'
business alliances, products and services may be obtained by visiting
www.kenan.com.
About Lucent Technologies
Lucent Technologies headquartered in Murray Hill, N.J., designs,
builds and delivers a wide range of public and private networks,
communications systems and software, data networking systems, business
telephone systems and microelectronics components. Bell Labs is
the research and development arm for the company. Additional information
about Lucent Technologies is available on the company's web site
at www.lucent.com.
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