FirstMark Communications France Chooses OSS And BSS From Cap Gemini Ernst & Young Utilising Convergys’ Geneva Software To Launch Service Portfolio

PARIS, FRANCE, CAMBRIDGE AND CINCINNATI, USA  29 October, 2001-The French entity of Telecom Media Networks, an industry practice of the Cap Gemini Ernst & Young Group, one of the largest management and IT consulting firms in the world and Convergys Corporation, the global leader in integrated billing and customer care services, today announced their collaboration to provide leading French operator, FirstMark Communications France, with a full set of business and operations support systems to manage its Broadband Access operation. 

The billing component of this best-of-breed solution is Convergys' Active Revenue Management (ARM) software, Geneva, and the implementation will support FirstMark Communication France's launch of its portfolio of broadband services aimed at Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) throughout France.

Cap Gemini Ernst & Young acted as an adviser on business processes and on IT architectural choices providing FirstMark Communications France with a solution specially adapted for the French market.  The solution, utilizing Geneva's ability to integrate seamlessly with other OSS products, ensures FirstMark Communications France maximum choice in serving its customers.  Convergys worked on the scope analysis, the installation of Geneva and product analysis for the IP and Voice Services. 

Thierry MILEO, Chief Executive Officer, FirstMark Communications France, says: "FirstMark Communications France is operating in an increasingly competitive marketplace, where success is linked to speed and flexible service delivery at a competitive price. Cap Gemini Ernst & Young's team delivered fast results, integrating the Geneva billing component with CRM and OSS systems to deliver a solution that will continue to provide tangible benefits into the future. We were able to launch our broadband services very quickly - so quickly in fact that we were the first French operator to do so, only six months after the award of our Licence."

Philippe Donche-Gay, Deputy CEO of Telecom Media Networks, commented: "The FirstMark Communications France project demonstrated how working closely with Convergys delivers tangible benefits to customers based on best-of-breed components. Telecom Media Networks has had the opportunity to experience over 100 implementations of billing systems with over 2000 of our staff dedicated to billing solutions all over the world."

Stephen Thomas, Managing Director of Convergys Europe, Middle East and Africa, says: "The growth of markets like broadband, third generation mobile and integrated communications has highlighted the need for products that can support converged offerings and be implemented quickly to reduce time to market. Working alongside Cap Gemini Ernst & Young enhances our ability to meet these needs.We are delighted to be supporting FirstMark Communications France's exciting business. The Geneva billing component gives the company considerable flexibility to position, cross-discount and package its range of voice and data services and introduce quickly new services to market.  These capabilities are essential to attract and retain customers in the competitive market for SME customers."

Geneva, Convergys' award-winning ARM software is a real-time transaction-based, best in class rating and billing component offering the performance required by major carriers handling large volumes of data.  Geneva can bill for any service or combination of services.

FirstMark Communications France is a consortium with the participation of major French groups to the extent of 67% - Suez, holding 19%, Groupe Arnault 18%, Rallye-Casino, BNP-Paribas, Francarep (Groupe Rothschild) holding 10% each and FirstMark Communications Europe which holds 33%. FirstMark Communications France obtained on 4 August 2000 the authorisation to build and operate a national wireless local loop network.

Cap Gemini Ernst & Young is one of the largest management and IT consulting firms in the world. The company offers management and IT consulting services, systems integration, and technology development, design and outsourcing capabilities on a global scale to help businesses continue to implement growth strategies and leverage technology in the new economy. The organization employs about 60,000 people worldwide and reports global revenues of about 8.5 billion euros (2000 pro forma).

More information about individual service lines, offices and research is available at www.capgemini.com

Telecom Media Networks

Telecom Media Networks, an industry practice of the Cap Gemini Ernst & Young Group, focuses on the consulting needs of communications service providers worldwide. More information is available on www.cgey.com/TMN

About Convergys

Convergys Corporation (NYSE: CVG), a member of the S&P 500 and the Forbes' Platinum 400, is the global leader in integrated billing and customer care services provided through outsourcing or licensing.  We serve top companies in telecommunications, Internet, cable and broadband services, technology, financial services, and other industries in more than 30 countries.  We also provide integrated, outsourced, human resource services to leading companies across a broad range of industries.

We bring together world-class resources, software, and expertise to help create valuable relationships between our clients and their customers. This commitment is validated by the more than 1.3 million individual bills our software produces each day to support more than 100 million subscribers, and by the more than 1.2 million separate customer contacts we manage each day, both live and via electronic interaction.

Convergys (TM) employs nearly 44,000 people in 46 customer contact centers and in our data centers and other offices in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Israel, and Europe.  Convergys is on the Internet at www.convergys.com, and has world headquarters in Cincinnati.

(Convergys and the Convergys logo are trademarks of Convergys Corporation.)