Riposte® will enable Cape Verde to automate and extend current postal business offerings

Boston, Mass. - January 4, 2001 - Escher Group Ltd, the world's leading provider of e-commerce solutions to the postal industry, today announced that its Riposte solution will be used to automate the Cape Verde Post Office. In an effort to commercialize the telecommunications infrastructure within Cape Verde a grant was given to the Cape Verde Post Office by Portugal Telecom Group - the strategic partner of Cape Verde Telecom. As part of the agreement Escher will provide the software solution while CTT Correios de Portugal has also agreed to provide other software components to the project.

"The Riposte implementation is a key part of our initiative to modernize processes and provide efficient and comprehensive service to our customers," said Elizabeth Silva, CEO of the Cape Verde Post Office. "Riposte also gives us the infrastructure to rapidly design and implement applications that will extend our current business and product offerings very easily."

During the initial phase of implementation, Cape Verde will deploy Riposte in two-thirds of its total network of post offices. Cape Verde Post Office will use Riposte to automate all customer-related activities, including mail and postage deliveries, bill payments, pension payments, money orders and retail transactions.

Riposte's unique messaging architecture enables postal networks of all sizes and in the most remote geographies to easily and securely automate mail services and other customer services. Its distributed messaging platform provides unmatched transaction processing speed and reliability.

"We are extremely pleased to partner with the Cape Verde Post Office as they strive to work toward the highest standards of service using the industry's most advanced technology," said a spokesperson for Escher Group. "Riposte has proven to be scalable and flexible enough to address the postal automation requirements of the most diverse environments. Cape Verde Post Office will serve as a good example of what smaller post offices are able to achieve using this system."

About Escher Group, Limited

Escher Group Limited is a leading provider of distributed transaction processing and data management solutions and services. The company offers a business-to-business XML-based transaction management environment, used in thousands of locations worldwide. Since its introduction in 1993, Riposte®, Escher's flagship messaging solution, has grown to become the market leader in post office counter automation.

Trademarks: WebRiposte and Riposte are trademarks or registered trademarks of Escher Group, Limited in the United States and/or other countries. All other product names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

Contact Information:

Escher Group Limited
information@eschergroup.com