Fortune 100 Communications Services Company Selects Business Objects Analytic Applications

Business Wire, July 23, 2001

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 23, 2001

Business Objects (Nasdaq:BOBJ), the world's leading provider of business intelligence solutions, today announced that BellSouth Corporation (NYSE:BLS) has selected the new analytic application framework from Business Objects for use in its network services group. The company purchased the BusinessObjects(TM) Application Foundation, a new analytic application framework that lets businesses quickly and easily develop powerful, integrated enterprise analytic applications.

BellSouth purchased the BusinessObjects Application Foundation to track, segment, and analyze the huge volume of data related to their network performance. This will allow BellSouth to maintain optimal network performance for their customers, including wholesale customers who depend on portions of BellSouth's telecommunications network to provide service to end users. BellSouth can leverage the powerful analytic engines built in to Application Foundation, to perform complex set-based analysis and time-series analysis. This will allow BellSouth Network Measurement managers to track key segments of network users, to make sure they are delivering the performance required.

"BellSouth's use of BusinessObjects Application Foundation demonstrates how the product's flexibility and integrated framework can be applied to address a specific business requirement," said Bernard Liautaud, president and CEO of Business Objects. "We look forward to working with BellSouth, a visionary and innovative company that is committed to serving and meeting the needs of their customers."

About BellSouth Corporation

BellSouth Corporation is a Fortune 100 communications services company headquartered in Atlanta, GA, serving more than 44 million customers in the United States and 16 other countries. Consistently recognized for customer satisfaction, BellSouth provides a full array of broadband data and to business customers, including Web hosting and other Internet services. In the residential market, BellSouth offers DSL high-speed Internet access, advanced voice features and other services. BellSouth also provides online and directory advertising services, including BellSouth(R) RealPagesSM.com.

BellSouth owns 40 percent of Cingular Wireless, the nation's second largest wireless company, which provides innovative wireless data and voice services.

About Business Objects

Business Objects is the world's leading provider of business intelligence (BI) solutions. Business intelligence lets organizations access, analyze, and share information internally with employees and externally with customers, suppliers, and partners. It helps organizations improve operational efficiency, build profitable customer relationships, and develop differentiated product offerings.

The company's products include BusinessObjects 2000, the industry's leading integrated business intelligence toolset and platform; and BusinessObjects Analytics, an integrated suite of enterprise analytic applications.

Business Objects pioneered the modern BI industry in 1990 by inventing a patented "semantic layer" that insulates users from the complexity of databases. In 1995, the company was first to focus on enterprise-scale BI deployments and today supports customers with more than 20,000 users. The company moved aggressively to the internet in 1997 by pioneering the market for BI extranets, a market that it continues to lead today. In 2000, the company delivered the industry's first interactive mobile BI solution. Today, Business Objects continues to innovate, creating and delivering a unique vision for enterprise analytic applications.

Business Objects has more than 13,500 customers in over 80 countries. The company's stock is publicly traded under the ticker symbols Nasdaq:BOBJ and Euronext Paris (Sicovam code 12074). It is included in the SBF 120 and IT CAC 50 French stock market indexes. Business Objects can be reached at 408/953-6000 and www.businessobjects.com.

Note to Editors: BusinessObjects is a trademark of Business Objects SA. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

A full-text copy of this announcement may be downloaded from the web; access http://www.businesswire.com/cnn and search on "Business Objects." Business Objects product inquiries should contact 800/527-0580.