RosettaNet Press Release
Sterling Commerce’s RosettaNet Interoperability Achievement Confirms Supply Chain Integration Capability

Rigorous RosettaNet Tests Demonstrate Interoperability; Sterling Commerce Senior Architect to Present at RosettaNet Global Event, “RosettaNet: Solving Global Supply Chain Challenges”

For Release February 25, 2003

Redwood Shores, CA

RosettaNet has announced that Sterling Commerce’s Gentran:Server Windows, through its participation in the RosettaNet Software Interoperability Trials, has successfully proven its ability to transmit critical business data and communicate with other companies using the RosettaNet Implementation Framework (RNIF) version 2.0. Successful completion of RosettaNet’s rigorous performance testing program confirms that Sterling Commerce is a compliant solutions provider ready to implement the RosettaNet gateway for its business integration customers, connecting them to their trading partners and reducing the cost of implementation in budget, time, and resources.

Successful completion of these trials is the latest demonstration of Sterling Commerce’s commitment to RosettaNet and its leadership role in supporting open standards. Sterling Commerce has included RosettaNet support in its Gentran products since 1999 and, in addition, Sterling Commerce participates in the RosettaNet Ready™ software compliance program, sits on RosettaNet’s Solution Provider (SP) Board, and has provided senior software architect, Suresh Damodaran, Ph.D., as an on-loan resource to RosettaNet. He serves as the organization’s chief architect full-time.

“We congratulate Sterling Commerce on this achievement and appreciate its continued dedication and support of RosettaNet’s mission to help enable business-to-business integration across the supply chain,” said Jennifer Hamilton, CEO of RosettaNet.

The RosettaNet Software Interoperability Trials began last year and included Sterling Commerce and nine other companies. Each established an in-house RosettaNet implementation and testing focused on the ability to successfully transmit electronic information between companies. Sterling Commerce’s successful completion of the testing demonstrates its interoperability with other solutions providers using RosettaNet standards and the ability to implement a functioning, real-world RosettaNet application.

“These trials represent a significant achievement for Sterling Commerce and RosettaNet and we’re excited about the opportunities this represents for multi-industry supply chain integration. Interoperability testing ensures that RosettaNet implementations will connect with multiple partners easily, quickly and at low cost,” said Sam Starr, president and chief operating officer, Sterling Commerce. “Sterling Commerce is committed to open electronic commerce standards, like RosettaNet, that enable our customers to connect with their partners and trading networks quickly with an ROI-ready solution that’s right for their business.”

“Given the rapid and unpredictable sales cycles of components, assemblies, peripherals, and systems, the high-tech industry is fertile ground for standards that simplify transactions and streamline the order process. EDI and RosettaNet are the cornerstones of high-tech commerce, especially in machine-to-machine transactions,” Source: Jim Murphy, AMR Research, “ High-Tech Companies Should Turn Content from Albatross to Asset.” September 17, 2002.

Sterling Commerce will continue following through on its commitment to RosettaNet by participating in RosettaNet’s Global Event (“RosettaNet: Solving Global Supply Chain Challenges”) next week, March 6 and 7, 2003, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Suresh Damodaran, Ph.D., senior software architect, Standards and Applied Technology for Sterling Commerce and chief architect for RosettaNet will address the international attendees and discuss RosettaNet’s business-to-business roadmap, architecture and the convergence strategy with other standards. He will also provide an overview of solution provider models for effective RosettaNet implementation.

“The completion of interoperability trials and interest in the success stories and practical implementation models that we’ll share at the conference shows that momentum continues building behind RosettaNet,” said Damodaran.

RosettaNet is a non-profit consortium of more than 450 of the world's leading information technology, electronic components, semiconductor manufacturing and solution provider companies working to create, implement and promote open e-commerce business process standards. RosettaNet is recognized as being the first industry consortium to deliver an exhaustive set of standards that encompasses the entire high tech supply chain spectrum.

About Sterling Commerce and SBC

Sterling Commerce, a wholly owned subsidiary of SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE:SBC), is one of the world's largest providers of business integration solutions. For Global 5000 companies and their customers, suppliers and partners, Sterling Commerce software and services help maximize business performance and improve business metrics through integration of applications, external partner systems and people. With more than 25 years of experience serving more than 30,000 customers in a vast range of industries, Sterling Commerce is a recognized pioneer in electronic commerce through its longstanding expertise in EDI. Today, as customers explore new ways to improve business performance via the Internet, Sterling Commerce continues to innovate its software and services to further the global adoption of e-commerce while offering its customers strategic solutions that leverage existing technology. For more information, visit www.sterlingcommerce.com.

SBC Communications Inc.(www.sbc.com) is one of the world’s leading data, voice and Internet services providers. Through its world-class networks, SBC companies provide a full range of voice, data, networking and e-business services, as well as directory advertising and publishing. A Fortune 30 company, America’s leading provider of high-speed DSL Internet Access services, and one of the nation’s leading Internet Service Providers, SBC companies currently serve 58 million access lines nationwide. In addition, SBC companies own 60 percent of America’s second-largest wireless company, Cingular Wireless, which serves more than 22 million wireless customers. Internationally, SBC companies have telecommunications investments in 25 countries.