News

22/7/2003

Microsoft and SBC Communications Join Internet Home Alliance Board of Directors

Other New Members are SupportSoft, Arvida, Bell Canada, Catellus Urban Development Corporation, Cushcraft Corporation and Peapod

Internet Home Alliance, the leading cross-industry network of companies advancing the home technology market, continues to gain momentum, announcing today the addition of eight new members, including Microsoft (Nasdaq MSFT), the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing, and SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE:SBC), one of the world's leading data, voice and Internet services providers. Both companies have joined the Alliance as Principal members and been named to the board of directors.

In addition to Microsoft and SBC Communications, the Alliance's other new members are:

• SupportSoft (Nasdaq: SPRT), a leading provider of support automation software, which has joined as a Contributor;
• Arvida, a St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE), one of the nation's premier developers of masterplanned residential, resort and business communities, which has joined as an Associate;
• Bell Canada, Canada's national leader in communications; which has joined as an Associate;
• Catellus Urban Development Corporation, a subsidiary of Catellus Development Corporation (NYSE: CDX), a publicly traded real estate development company, which has joined as an Associate;
• Cushcraft Corporation, the global leader in the design, development and manufacture of enhanced antenna solutions for the Wi-Fi, broadband wireless access and cellular inbuilding markets; which has joined as an Associate;
• Peapod, the online grocer, which has joined as an Associate. Sunbeam Products, Inc. has upgraded its membership from Associate to Contributor status.

These new members join a stellar roster of leading firms - including Best Buy, Cisco Systems, Inc., General Motors, Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM, Invensys, Panasonic (Matsushita Electric Corporation of America), Sears, Roebuck and Co., Sun Microsystems and Whirlpool Corporation - that are working together within the Alliance to accelerate adoption of technologies that require a broadband or persistent Internet connection.

"Through a broad range of products and services such as Windows XP, XBox, and MSN, Microsoft already offers consumers great ways to make their lives more entertained, better connected, and more productive." said Jonathan Cluts, Director Consumer Prototyping and Strategy, Microsoft and Board Member, Internet Home Alliance. "The efforts of the Internet Home Alliance will enable Microsoft to work with other industry leaders to more quickly deliver consumers the enhanced Internet products and services they desire in the future."

"As the nation's leading DSL provider, SBC has built its reputation on listening to customers and responding to their needs with superior products and services. Working in collaboration with the Internet Home Alliance, we are carrying forward that tradition by identifying and developing broadbandenabled solutions that deliver clear benefits to customers," said Scott Helbing, Senior Vice President, Consumer Marketing, SBC Communications, Inc.

"This highly influential, diverse group of new members underscores the powerful collaboration opportunities that exist within the Alliance," said Kristine Stewart, president, Internet Home Alliance, and director of market development, Worldwide Commercial Marketing, Cisco. "Providing our members with opportunities to work on varied initiatives with companies from across the connected home value chain gives them the knowledge and information they need to gain a competitive advantage in the market."

www.internethomealliance.com