MPACT Immedia becomes a leading provider of Electronic Commerce on the Internet

Business Wire, March 13, 1997

MONTREAL, Quebec--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 1997--MPACT Immedia, a leader in Electronic Commerce, made a major move Thursday toward offering world-class EC solutions to corporations which want to do business on the Internet.

MPACT Immedia Corp. has reached an agreement to acquire an Internet services company, TotalNet Inc., for the purchase price of 2.6 million MPACT Immedia shares. The transaction is subject to due diligence and regulatory approval.

The acquisition will combine MPACT Immedia's market-tested EC capabilities with an established Internet network which has 41,000 clients. This number includes corporate clients such as Four Seasons Hotels, Bank of Montreal, Bombardier, Hughes Aircraft and Spar Aerospace.

"The integration of TotalNet into MPACT Immedia will significantly increase our revenues for 1997 and make a positive contribution to our operating profit ," said MPACT Immedia President and CEO Brian Edwards. "In strategic terms, we must have access to the vast opportunities of the Internet and, with TotalNet, we have acquired a solid company with a large corporate base and very strong management."

Edwards went on to say that MPACT Immedia's subsidiary, ISDN Wire Service which operates a financial disclosure network across North America, will form a powerful partnership with TotalNet because the two firms can now join client bases to market EC services to corporate customers.

"TotalNet recorded an operating profit in its most recent quarter and is on track to continue this trend," said MPACT Immedia's Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Barry Engel. "We anticipate that $1-million of restructuring costs will be incurred in order to integrate the operations of TotalNet into MPACT Immedia, a move that will enable MPACT Immedia to realize significant gains in the future."

The combination of the two companies will make MPACT Immedia a leading provider of EC services on the Internet. In the coming months, MPACT Immedia will announce a whole range of new Internet services which will enhance its already-popular purchasing system, BuyWay, as well as the Intranet and Extranet products being sold by TotalNet.

"Providing true Electronic Commerce on the Net is not an easy job and, for this reason, many Internet Service Providers have failed to penetrate the market," stated Edwards. "It takes an experienced EC company to provide these services on or off the Net and that's exactly what MPACT Immedia is."

MPACT Immedia has a proven background in developing Electronic Commerce solutions to large and small corporations. The firm provides comprehensive EC software and transaction services to the world's leading corporations such as Chrysler, Bank of America, Mercedes-Benz and British Aerospace.

Yet, the Company's products are designed to help all organizations move from paper-based invoices, payments, and correspondence to electronic transactions.

MPACT Immedia Corporation is headquartered in Montreal. It offers services through its three operating subsidiaries: MPACT Immedia Inc. in Montreal; MPACT Immedia Systems Inc. in Livonia, Michigan; ISDN Wire Service in Toronto, along with business partners around the world.

More information on the company can be obtained on the MPACT Immedia website at www.mpactimmedia.com/

CONTACT: MPACT Immedia Corporation

Barry V. Engel, VP, Corporate Affairs,

514/397-9747 (ext. 202)

or

John Davidson, Communications director

514/397-9747 (ext. 210)