Business Editors

    STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 21, 1999--

    Testing At Key Corporate Customer Sites To Follow

    Pitney Bowes Mailing Systems, a division of Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE:PBI), announced today that it will demonstrate a developmental concept for PC-based postage technology for mid-to-large sized companies that supplements traditional, meter-based systems. This integration of new and existing technologies is envisioned to better serve enterprise-wide mailing applications. These technologies will be demonstrated at the Postal Forum, a major mailing industry trade show, starting on September 26, 1999 in Chicago at the Navy Pier.

PC-based postage technology enables postage to be downloaded over the Internet or through a private network and printed directly onto envelopes, and Pitney Bowes has already developed two solutions for the small office environment that incorporate this technology. ClickStampTM Plus and ClickStampTM Online PC Metering Systems (both currently in the U.S.P.S. beta testing approval process) allow customers to print postage using a PC and desktop printer. With ClickStamp(TM) Plus, users will download postage via modem into a "postage vault" attached to the PC; or, for those with web access, ClickStampTM Online will enable users to download postage while on the Internet. Pitney Bowes is now working with the larger businesses in their traditional customer base to assess the opportunities for expanding these postage evidencing technologies into corporate environments.

"We will continue to explore with some of our key corporate customers how this breakthrough technology can be applied to their business processes in order to supplement performance and productivity", said Tim Bates, Vice President, Marketing, Pitney Bowes Mailing Systems. "For example, low-volume departmental mailings might be more efficiently handled at the source, leaving the mail center to concentrate on maximizing productivity and postal discounts for larger transactional and promotional mail runs."

"In addition", Bates continued "many of these large enterprises have employees in remote locations or travel situations who would really benefit from better access to postal delivery products. They are using stamps today and might significantly increase efficiency with a cost-effective and automated system for evidencing postage. This is another application we will evaluate in conjunction with our key corporate accounts."

While there is apparently a tremendous opportunity inherent in the application of PC-based postage technology to fulfill enterprise needs, there are challenges that will need to be evaluated. The existing regulations and products for PC-based postage systems were developed for small businesses. In order for this technology to benefit larger companies, all of the involved parties will need to address some issues like:

Speed - compared to the high-speed addressing and mail processing

systems currently uesd by large businesses, existing on-line

versions are slow.

Postage Capacity - the vaults of off-line systems are currently

limited to a maximum of $500 in postage, and this will have to be

increased to meet the needs of high volume mailers.

Postal Discounts - Information Based Indicia (IBI) meter

solutions do not currently qualify mail for postal automation

discounts, and this policy will need to be modified.

Pre-Addressed Material - the IBI program requires that the

address and postage be printed together, and this seemingly

eliminates window envelope and other pre-addressed mail

applications.

"We want to work with our customers and the Postal Service to understand the impact of these issues on business efficiency and costs. By doing this, we can create a `solution set' that offers the best mix of technology to enhance the way large businesses process their mail", continued Mr. Bates.

At this show, Pitney Bowes will demonstrate enterprise concepts with PC-based postage technology on two of its most popular products - an AddressRight(TM) high-speed envelope printer and the DocuMatch(TM) Integrated Mail System. (DocuMatch prints personalized documents and matching envelopes, adds preprinted sheets, accumulates and folds this material, adds a BRE, inserts the complete mailpiece and seals the envelope - all in one operation.) These departmental solutions could be complemented by the Personal Post(TM) Postage Meter and the ClickStamp(TM) Systems for remote personnel. And, perhaps most importantly for large firms, the Pitney Bowes devices will funnel information into a centralized server for integrated accounting and tracking of postage expenditures... a critical management tool.

"We have always provided the broadest and most comprehensive suite of mailing solutions for businesses of every size as well as the financial services to support them," said Mr. Bates. "As a result, the vast majority of business mailers have selected us as their single-source provider and strategic mailing partner. Our enterprise PC-based postage concepts are additional examples of Pitney Bowes exploring ways to deliver greater value to our customers. They also highlight our unparalleled experience and expertise in understanding the business mailing environment and the demands associated with it."

In addition to previewing the developmental versions of PC-based postage technologies for enterprise applications, Pitney Bowes will also display its full range of mail finishing solutions, including the Paragon(R) Mail Processor and the Galaxy(TM) Mailing Systems - the industry's only high-speed, digital metering system. And, recognizing that significant efficiency and value are created before the postage is ever applied to an envelope, Pitney Bowes will also demonstrate their complete line of systems for list cleansing and management, mail creation, envelope addressing, folding and inserting, weighing and rating, sorting, accounting, and much more. All this can be seen at booth no.1509 and no.1210 at the Postal Forum in Chicago, from September 26 - 29, 1999. Pitney Bowes is a $4.22 billion premier provider of informed mail and messaging management. For more information about the company, plea se visit its web site at: www.pitneybowes.com.

     --30--cl/ny*

     CONTACT: Pitney Bowes Mailing Systems
              Jim Berkovich, 203-351-7514
              berkovji@pitneybowes.com
              or
              LobsenzStevens
              Scott Tangney, 212-684-6300, ext. 313
              stangney@lobsenzstevens.com

     KEYWORD: CONNECTICUT
     INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMED COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS
INTERACTIVE/MULTIMEDIA/INTERNET