Interpath Teams With OnSphere To Expand Its Microsoft eBusiness Application Capabilities

Business Wire, Oct 31, 2000

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2000

Interpath, a veteran full service Application Service Provider (ASP), today announced it has formed a strategic partnership with OnSphere Corporation, an eBusiness solution provider, to provide application design and implementation services for solutions built on the Microsoft e-Commerce Platform.

The agreement enables both companies to offer a best-in-class ASP solution based on Microsoft eBusiness technologies to their growing customer base.

The partnership will combine Interpath and OnSphere's world-class services and eBusiness solutions built on the Microsoft e-Commerce Platform, including Commerce Server 2000. As part of the agreement, OnSphere will provide application design, development and implementation expertise, while Interpath will deliver, host, manage and maintain the eBusiness solution, 24/7, in its state-of-the-art operations centers around the world.

Unlike many marketing alliance relationships in the industry, Interpath and OnSphere have defined tightly integrated project management, delivery, and maintenance procedures which will ensure that customers will receive the benefits of our respective areas of core competency while also receiving a seamless transition from implementation to production application management and maintenance.

Through this partnership, customers will benefit from the functionality of an industry-leading eBusiness solution without having to dedicate internal resources for implementation, applications management and support.

"This strategic relationship further validates Interpath's commitment to provide our customers with world-class solutions, seamlessly, quickly, and affordably," said Michael Fox, EVP of Strategy and Alliances for Interpath. "We are experiencing growing demand for ASP enabled Microsoft ebusiness solutions. OnSphere has a solid reputation for success with Microsoft solutions and is very visible within the Microsoft organization. This partnership will bring quality full-service ASP solutions that include design, implementation, deployment, and 24x7 application management and delivery to our customers."

"Security and reliability are of paramount importance to companies when choosing an Application Service Provider. Teaming with Interpath allows us to offer our customers a highly reliable 24/7 hosted application service," said Phillip Mosely, President of OnSphere. "The relationship between Interpath and OnSphere offers our customers a powerful, end-to-end outsourcing solution to ensure their eBusinesses are up and running smoothly."

About OnSphere

OnSphere Corporation provides eBusiness solutions to help maximize their clients' success. Using their uniquely comprehensive business and technical methodologies, they guide their clients through eBusiness assessment, development and implementation. Having over 12 years of business application development experience, OnSphere has been distinguished as one of the state's Fast 50 companies and listed by INC. Magazine as one of the fastest growing privately held companies in the nation.

About Interpath

Interpath is a full-service Application Service Provider (ASP) offering a broad range of managed application and consulting services. Interpath partners with customers to provide application development, integration and hosting solutions and services. Interpath's applications expertise, combined with its state-of-the-art data and operations centers, offers customers a single, high-quality source solution for application development and management.

In June 2000, Interpath announced that Bain Capital, Inc., a Boston-based $7 billion private equity fund, gained majority ownership of the corporation with CP&L maintaining a minority ownership.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Discussion of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from management's projections, forecasts, estimates and expectations may include factors that are beyond the company's ability to control or estimate precisely. Factors include, but are not limited to, actions in the financial markets, weather conditions, economic conditions in the company's service territories, fluctuations in energy-related commodity prices, conversion activity, other marketing efforts and other uncertainties. Other risk factors are detailed from time to time in the company's SEC reports.