COMPUTER ASSOCIATES AND cSTAR TRANSFORM VENDING INDUSTRY THROUGH OPTIMAL VENDING SOLUTION

Press Release
SOURCE: Computer Associates International, Inc. 

Computer Associates and cStar Transform Vending Industry Through Optimal Vending Solution

Highly-Scalable Solution Provides Wireless Management Of Remote Vending Resources

LAS VEGAS, March 29 /PRNewswire/ -- NAMA Expo -- Computer Associates International, Inc. (CA), the world's leading provider of eBusiness management solutions, and cStar Technologies, Inc., a leading developer of communication control devices, today announced the availability of the Unicenter TNG Optimal Vending Solution (OVS), providing the global vending machine industry with a powerful solution to efficiently manage worldwide resources remotely. This highly-scalable solution -- the latest result from CA's Mobile eBusiness Initiative -- is expected to streamline operations, while dramatically reducing operating costs and downtime.

The National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) estimates that the U.S. vending market to be $35 billion. Vending route managers are increasingly challenged to leverage the power of new technology to better manage their remote assets and enhance the efficiency of operations.

"The Unicenter TNG Optimal Vending Solution has the potential to transform the vending industry," said Terry McHugh, vice president, retail vertical solutions marketing, CA. "For the first time, managers of vending routes will be able to collect and visualize realtime device and inventory information from machines in the field, saving their companies significant costs and creating new opportunities to dramatically expand markets and profits."

OVS increases the role vending machines and kiosks play in the eBusiness economy, enabling them to participate as devices in an intelligently managed wireless network. Using a wireless local-area connection for curbside machine polling or a wide-area connection to the front office -- vending managers can now monitor line-item sales and inventory levels, schedule timely service calls and receive instant alerts when security or maintenance problems arise.

"One of the biggest challenges we face in the vending industry is the cost of servicing and stocking machines in the field," said Glenn Stern, chairman and CEO of California Food and Vending. "The ability to monitor the health of machines in the field, avoid stock outages, reduce damaged goods and track cash levels right from desktop PCs will be an enormous boost to every operator's immediate profitability and long-term capacity for growth."

OVS exploits several patented cStar communication gateway technologies, including those embedded in its SkyGate^®, DirectGate^® and ThruGate products. Among the capabilities provided by cStar's technologies are wireless network interfaces for vending machines and the ability to use existing power lines to network "banked" vending machines. By using the power cord of the machines, vendors eliminate the expense and logistics of installing cable or phone lines.

In addition, cStar's patented technology optimizes traffic and boosts bandwidth, utilizing compression and packet minimization methodology resulting in 50% customers' communication cost reduction." By connecting machines to wireless networks collectively pulled through power line carriers (PLC), vending machine operators will be able to monitor and control their revenue-generating equipment," said Solbyung (Stella) Yoon, CEO of cStar Technologies. "A great hi-tech solution which offers many benefits to customers remains only a great dream if customers cannot afford to use or buy it. The Optimal Vending Solution that cStar and CA have created by combining our core competencies delivers the end-to-end infrastructure that the vending industry professional can afford."

CA's mobile eBusiness initiative enables rapid and secure deployment, management and integration of enterprise applications for wireless systems and devices-including WAP gateways, laptops, PDAs and Internet-enabled phones and other supported equipment; cell towers, power management systems, ATMs, and shop floor machinery.

For more information please visit http://www.ca.com/solutions/mobile/.

About cStar Technologies, Inc.
Based in Toronto, Canada, cStar Technologies, Inc. has developed embedded, wireless transmission systems to integrate emerging communications technologies. Its patented SkyGate^® with DirectGate^® solutions exploit packet digital networks to make formerly incompatible networks talk to each other. Entering its fourth year of operations, the company is currently manufacturing and deploying wireless systems to monitor remote equipment and infrastructures.

For more information, visit https://www.cstartech.com.

About Computer Associates
Computer Associates International, Inc. (NYSE: CA - news) delivers the most advanced and comprehensive portfolio of software solutions that manage eBusiness. CA has more than 18,000 employees worldwide and had revenue in excess of $6 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2000. For more information, visit http://ca.com.

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