ClearCommerce Engine to be Licensed by HP; ClearCommerce and HP's VeriFone Division to Expand Product Development.

AUSTIN, Texas, and PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- ClearCommerce Corp., a leading provider of back-end transaction processing solutions for e-commerce infrastructure, and Hewlett-Packard Company today announced that HP has licensed the ClearCommerce(R) Engine for sale to commerce service providers and enterprises worldwide as part of a multiyear agreement between HP and ClearCommerce. As part of HP's e-services strategy, HP will sell and support the ClearCommerce Engine in the global e-commerce marketplace. The scalability and reliability of the ClearCommerce Engine will permit it to be customized uniquely for e-commerce merchants.

Additionally, HP's VeriFone Division and ClearCommerce will collaborate on strategic product development for future releases of the ClearCommerce Engine. VeriFone's expertise as a global provider of secure electronic-payment solutions, coupled with ClearCommerce's leadership in online transaction processing and fraud protection, will be integral in defining new product features. The combination of VeriFone and ClearCommerce resources will also extend to professional services provided by both organizations, including level-three (purchase card and corporate card) support.

The agreement between HP and ClearCommerce is an expansion of an existing relationship between the companies. The ClearCommerce Engine was previously selected by HP for the HP Commerce for the Millennium and HP Enterprise Commerce initiatives. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"As HP implements its e-services strategy, customers and consumers will want increased levels of e-commerce abilities," said Patty Azzarello, general manager of HP E-solutions. "By partnering with ClearCommerce, we can more quickly meet the e-payment needs of retailers, service providers, financial institutions and others requiring high-quality, highly reliable e-commerce software."

"Collaborating with VeriFone on future product releases creates a strategic advantage for ClearCommerce by leveraging VeriFone's expertise in the e-commerce industry," said Robert J. Lynch, chief executive officer of ClearCommerce. "VeriFone and ClearCommerce will both find value in marketing and developing the ClearCommerce Engine."

The ClearCommerce Engine capabilities include real-time transaction processing with the credit-card processors, fraud analysis and protection, business reports for merchants, storefront integration, APIs to businesses' existing ERP or inventory systems, shipping and tax calculation, and Electronic Softgoods Downloads.

About VeriFone:

VeriFone (http://www.verifone.hp.com), a division of Hewlett-Packard Company, is the leading global provider of secure electronic-payment solutions for financial institutions, merchants and consumers. The division has shipped more than seven million electronic-payment systems, which are used in more than 100 countries.

About HP:

Hewlett-Packard Company -- a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services for business and home -- is focused on capitalizing on the opportunities of the Internet and the proliferation of electronic services.

HP plans to launch Agilent Technologies as an independent company by mid- calendar 2000. Agilent consists of HP's test and measurement, semiconductor products, chemical analysis and healthcare solutions businesses, and has leading positions in multiple market segments.

HP has 84,400 employees worldwide and had total revenue from continuing operations of $42.4 billion in its 1999 fiscal year. Information about HP, its products and the company's Year 2000 program can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.

About ClearCommerce:

Austin, Texas-based ClearCommerce is a leading provider of e-commerce transaction software for more than 15,000 merchants, including Apple Computer, Cardservice International, Chase Merchant Services, Cooking.com and E-Stamp. ClearCommerce software features real-time credit card processing and robust Internet fraud protection, as well as online reports, storefront integration, back-end integration, shipping/tax calculation and delivery of digital merchandise. Online businesses and commerce service providers alike rely on ClearCommerce's capacity to supply the essential transaction processing component that is required for full automation of the online sale. For more information about ClearCommerce, please visit www.clearcommerce.com.