STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 12, 1999--

    ClickStamp(TM) Plus and ClickStamp(TM) Online Bring the Power of
    Pitney Bowes Patented Technologies to Small Businesses


    Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE: PBI), the inventor and holder of the most patents worldwide related to computer-based postage technologies, announced that it will demonstrate ClickStamp(TM) Plus and ClickStamp(TM) Online at the National Postal Forum, booth No. 428, in San Antonio, Texas on May 16-19.

Pitney Bowes is the only company to create two online postage solutions for the marketplace, giving small business owners the choice to either print postage from a Postage Vault attached to the PC using ClickStamp(TM) Plus, or download postage instantly over the Internet using ClickStamp(TM) Online. Both products allow users to refill postage via the Internet and print postage directly on envelopes using a common laser or ink jet printer, in addition to managing multiple address books, importing/exporting mailing lists, and verifying addresses so mailings get to the right place as quickly as possible.

"The two ClickStamp(TM) products bring together advanced patented technologies created by Pitney Bowes over nearly two decades with a thorough understanding of the needs of today's small businesses," said Patrick Brand, vice president of Pitney Bowes Office Direct, a division of Pitney Bowes focused on small business solutions. "This combination of innovative product development and market knowledge helps Pitney Bowes respond to customer needs with total solutions that range from leading-edge online offerings like ClickStamp(TM) Online to convenient stand-alone mailing solutions like the Personal Post(TM) postage meter."

Pitney Bowes owns patents worldwide that relate to fundamental PC-, network- and Internet-based postage technologies, including, for example:

-- Affixing a cryptographic "signature" on data in order to secure

postage dispensed from a vault like that used for ClickStamp(TM)

Plus

-- Coding a message, such as an address, on a mail piece and then

verifying the authenticity of a piece of mail by decrypting the

message

-- Keeping a record of the amount of postage to be printed, and

printing encrypted data on a mail piece as evidence that the

amount of postage has been used

-- Securely printing postage on a printer attached to a PC or

network as opposed to a printer housed in a postage meter

ClickStamp(TM) Plus is currently being tested in the Washington, DC and San Francisco areas as part of the United States Postal Service's rigorous beta testing process to certify reliability and security of all products in its PC Postage program. Phase three of the testing will expand the user base in the Washington, DC and San Francisco areas to 1,500 units, and the last phase will be a limited commercial launch with a maximum of 10,000 units in select U.S. markets. According to statements made by Norm Lorentz, chief technology officer for the USPS, at a recent industry conference, the testing process for all products in the USPS program is expected to continue through 1999. ClickStamp(TM) Online is currently under review as part of the program.

"Response from ClickStamp(TM) Plus beta testers has been positive and many have praised its Internet-based postage refilling capability, one-step mailing process, customized envelope formatting and ability to work with many common database applications," added Brand. "But we also know that small businesses require different solutions for different mailing needs. The beta test program continues to help us define how and why our customers will use the two ClickStamp(TM) products, either separately or in concert with our existing, comprehensive line of mailing, shipping and prospecting solutions."

The entire line of Pitney Bowes Office Direct solutions will be showcased at the 1999 National Postal Forum. These include the Personal Post(TM) postage meter, ValueShip(TM) personal shipping service and the Mail Essentials(TM) software suite jointly developed by Pitney Bowes and MySoftware Company(TM). Mail Essentials(TM) simplifies the way small businesses create successful mailings, find new customers and better manage existing customers. The suite includes TargetProspects(TM) for effective prospecting, Mail List Manager(TM) mail management software, Marketing Materials(TM) design templates and DirectNET(TM), Pitney Bowes' "one stop" Internet-based printing and mailing service.

Pitney Bowes Office Direct is also pursuing a variety of marketing and distribution partnerships to make its full range of mailing, shipping and prospecting solutions available to small business customers wherever they are.

Pitney Bowes Inc. is a global provider of informed mail and messaging management. For more information about Pitney Bowes' full range of services and products, please visit http://www.pitneybowes.com or call 1-800-640-7058. Customers interested in ordering a Personal Post(TM) postage meter or to get information on other Pitney Bowes Office Direct solutions can visit http://www.pb.com/soho or call 1-800-446-6406.

Ed note: "PC Postage" is a certification mark owned by the United States Postal Service.

     --30--rg/ny*

     CONTACT: Sheryl Y. Battles
              Executive Director,
              External Affairs
              Pitney Bowes Inc.
              (203) 351-6808
              battlesh@pb.com

              Dan Schutt
              Brodeur Porter Novelli
              (617) 587-2867
              dschutt@brodeur.com

     KEYWORD: CONNECTICUT TEXAS
     INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS COMED
INTERACTIVE/MULTIMEDIA/INTERNET TRADESHOW PRODUCT