CBIS announces CDPD contract with Sprint Cellular

Business Wire, July 24, 1995

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 24, 1995--Cincinnati Bell Information Systems (CBIS(TM)) announced today the signing of a multi-year contract with Sprint Cellular Company under which CBIS will provide the Accounting Server Collector module of its CDPD solution.

CBIS will process Sprint's CDPD billing information at its data centers in a service bureau environment.

CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data) technology transmits data over existing wireless telephone networks. It uses the excess capacity available on these networks when voice channels are not in full use. Because CDPD changes channels as necessary to find an available frequency, its call records must be very different. They require a special billing arrangement for which CBIS is providing a complete, end-to-end solution.

CBIS's CDPD solution unites its billing systems with Accounting Server applications to provide real-time data collection for formatting and distributing CDPD records. The "back end" component provides proven billing capability, while the "front end," UNIX-based application provides sophisticated CDPD usage acquisition and distribution.

In this case, Sprint Cellular's CDPD call records will be transferred directly to the Accounting Collector, which feeds CBIS's CELLWARE(TM) billing system, to create a network-to-bill solution.

In its initial application, Sprint Cellular is providing CDPD service to a regional oil and gas company in Farmington, New Mexico. CBIS's Accounting Server Collector is supporting that effort.

The CBIS module will also support other CDPD applications for Sprint Cellular including wireless e-mail, location services, and credit card validation.

"Ultimately, what separates CBIS from any other provider of CDPD billing systems is the comprehensive knowledge we've gained as the leader of the cellular voice billing industry," said James F. Orr, President and CEO of CBIS. "That advantage, coupled with an Accounting Server that is both flexible and modular enough to operate as an Accounting Collector, allows CBIS to provide an efficient, end-to-end CDPD solution for Sprint Cellular. "

Sprint Cellular is one of the fastest growing major cellular carriers in the United States, providing wireless voice and data service to more than 1 million customers in nearly 100 markets across 14 states. It is a division of Sprint, a diversified international telecommunications company with more than $12.6 billion in annual revenues and the United States' only nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network. Its divisions provide global long distance voice, data, and video products and services, and local telephone services to more than 6.4 million subscriber lines in 19 states.

CBIS is the global leader in the provision and management of customer care and billing solutions for the communications industry. More than 75,000,000 wireless bills and more than 45,000,000 wireline bills are produced by CBIS software and in CBIS's advanced data centers each year. CBIS uses its extensive billing systems expertise and service bureau experience to create demonstrable advantages for leading companies in wireless, wireline, and emerging communications services. CBIS is a subsidiary of Cincinnati Bell Inc. (NYSE:CSN). -0- CBIS is a registered service mark and CELLWARE is a registered trademark of Cincinnati Bell Information Systems Inc.

CONTACT: Cincinnati Bell Information Systems, Cincinnati

John Pratt, Public Relations Manager

Follow Me: (500) 447-CBIS or (800) 327-3900

E-Mail: john.pratt(at sign)cbis.com