CKFR Checkfree Corp (MM)

Itacable Chooses CheckFree i-Series To Launch Italy's First Comprehensive Business-to-Business Electronic Invoice Service ATLANTA and LONDON, March 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CheckFree Software, a business of CheckFree Corporation (NASDAQ:CKFR), today announced that Itacable, a leading provider of Internet-based direct marketing and payments services, has gone live with Italy's first business-to-business electronic invoice and payment (EIP) service, named ItaLock. The new service is based on the industry-leading CheckFree i-Series software platform and was implemented locally with the support of CheckFree's Italian partner Selesta S.p.A., one of the largest dedicated suppliers of electronic billing and payment (EBP) solutions in Italy. Itacable provides leading-edge direct marketing, data management and Web- based publishing services to the Italian and global markets. The company also handles payments and loyalty programmes for several credit card issuers in Italy. As Italy's first dedicated B2B biller service provider (BSP), Itacable is adding e-billing as a strategic and complementary fit for its core business management services. In addition to Itacable's existing customers, including Barclays Bank, Nokia and Alliance Insurance, the company plans to promote the new service to potential biller-customers in telecommunications, utilities, financial services, manufacturing, transport and publishing. Says Gianmarco Fedi, Itacable's managing director: "E-billing adds a whole new dimension to our CRM and marketing activities, generating valuable new customer-centric data. As the first service of its kind in the country, e- billing also gives us an exciting new flagship offering with which to open up additional markets." The decision to go with Selesta and CheckFree was straightforward. According to Mr. Fedi: "Selesta is the only Italian solution provider that is offering e-billing and CheckFree provides the most comprehensive technology suite available on the market today. We are particularly impressed with the flexibility of CheckFree i-Series, its data handling capabilities and the CheckFree i-Series Payment module with its data warehouse tools to support the payment process. CheckFree's Market Direct(TM) module will also enable us to leverage our CRM data to deliver customised marketing content with the bill. A speedy initial deployment in under three months has assured us a front-line position in this new market in Italy." Mr. Fedi continued: "Businesses in Italy are just now beginning to recognise the many benefits e-billing can offer. For corporations, e-billing can streamline the payment process, strengthen their connections with banking networks, reduce bill processing and postage costs and improve their customer services significantly." Itacable has now begun an aggressive marketing campaign to promote the service across the country. It is quick to point out to potential biller clients that as an outsourced service, Itacable can offer a fast, no-risk way of entering the market, requiring minimal up-front investment and no in-house EIP expertise. Mr. Adriano Prefumo, founder and President of Selesta SpA says, "the choice of Itacable as a BSP in close partnership with Selesta confirms our capacity to propose innovative solutions of important international level suppliers to the market, such as the CheckFree i-Series platform. I also think that the current legislative and cultural evolution of the Italian market on the theme of EIP is an important chance for Itacable and Selesta to operate successfully in a best of breed way." Comments Randy McCoy, Executive Vice President and General Manager of CheckFree Software: "This is a highly significant event for the e-billing industry in Italy. Our partner, Selesta, is Italy's first technology integrator to offer a comprehensive suite of e-billing solutions, and Itacable is the first BSP to bring that range of services to market. Underpinning these 'firsts' is CheckFree's world-class technology and proven EBP/EIP deployment expertise." About Itacable ( http://www.itacable.net/ ) Itacable SpA, founded in 2000, started business as specialists in the development of websites and e-commerce platforms for the consumer distribution, airline and telco industries. In 2003 the company added data management to its portfolio, extending its services to the finance and tourism sectors. Itacable also handles direct marketing and the management of large geographically referenced databases for leading European telecoms, finance, insurance and publishing companies. The company's other main services include the processing of electronic payment services (B2B and B2C) on behalf of corporates and multinational credit and debit card clients. A rapidly-growing organisation, Itacable SpA is headquartered in Milan with additional offices in Rome and Dubai (UAE). About Selesta ( http://www.selesta.com/ ) Selesta S.p.A., with over twenty years of activity, is one of the Italian successes, of international scope, playing a major role in the world of Information Technology, especially in large and medium sized enterprise environment. The innovative connotation of the solutions offered, the ability to listen to clients and the market, together with the great specialization acquired, make up the determining factors for the success that Selesta has reached in more than twenty years of activity on both national and international markets. Selesta S.p.A. stands out for distribution of specialised technologies accurately selected from those recognized as market leaders by analysts; supply of solutions based on the technologies offered and customized to the needs and objectives of our clients; use of supportive methodologies, fruit of the experience acquired the competence and experience of over 200 dedicated professionals. Selesta S.p.A. operates in Italy from the head office and historical seat in Genoa and the offices of Milan, Rome, Turin, Vicenza and Bologna. At the international level the branch offices are: Madrid, Lisbon and Paris. About CheckFree ( http://www.checkfreecorp.com/ ) Founded in 1981, CheckFree Corporation (NASDAQ:CKFR) provides financial electronic commerce services and products to organizations around the world. CheckFree Electronic Commerce solutions enable thousands of financial services providers and billers to offer their customers the convenience of receiving and paying their household bills online or in person through retail outlets. CheckFree Investment Services provides a broad range of investment management solutions and outsourced services to thousands of financial services organizations, which manage more than $1 trillion in assets. CheckFree Software develops, markets and supports software applications that are used by financial institutions to process more than two-thirds of the 10 billion Automated Clearing House transactions in the United States. The division also provides reconciliation, financial messaging, compliance and electronic billing and statement software to hundreds of organisations across the globe. Certain of CheckFree's statements in this press release are not purely historical, and as such are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These include statements regarding management's intentions, plans, beliefs, expectations or projections of the future. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the various risks inherent in CheckFree's business, and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in CheckFree's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including CheckFree's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2004 (filed September 3, 2004), Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2004 (filed November 9, 2004) and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2004 (filed February 8, 2005). One or more of these factors have affected, and could in the future affect CheckFree's business and financial results in future periods, and could cause actual results to differ materially from plans and projections. There can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements made in this press release will prove to be accurate, and issuance of such forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by CheckFree, or any other person, that the objectives and plans of CheckFree will be achieved. All forward-looking statements made in this press release are based on information presently available to management, and CheckFree assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. DATASOURCE: CheckFree Corporation CONTACT: Media, Judy DeRango Wicks, +1-678-375-1595, or , or Investors, Tina Moore, +1-678-375-1278, or , both of CheckFree Corporation Web site: http://www.checkfreecorp.com/ http://www.itacable.net/ http://www.selesta.com/

Copyright