The document discusses electronic commerce (EC) and the initiatives of an EC group within an organization. It defines EC and compares it to electronic data interchange (EDI). The EC group's objectives are to exchange data effectively between internal and external organizations. The group has started 12 EC projects with various trading partners. The document discusses the group's options for EC solutions and their plan to first establish a batch solution for automating business processes to increase productivity and lay the foundation for future interactive solutions.

1. Electronic Commerce Initiative Mark R. Haff EC Consultant Intermedia Communications. Inc.

2. What Is Electronic Commerce? Narrowly defined, electronic commerce (EC) means doing business online or selling and buying products and services through Web based applications and/or by API solutions over private lines and the Internet. 1

3. What About EDI? Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is defined as the inter-process communication of business documents in a standardized electronic form . Electronic Commerce includes EDI, but recognizes the need for interpersonal communications and the sharing of databases as additional activities that aid in the efficient conduct of business . By incorporating a wide range of technologies, EC is much broader than EDI . 2

4. EC Mission Statement In order to be competitive in today’s industries it is necessary to automate and mechanize the exchange of data whenever possible. The mission is to eliminate the need of transporting hard copy data and to mechanize the manual business processes, in an effort to increase productivity and revenue. 3

5. EC Group’s Objectives Provide an effective means of exchanging data between internal organizations (that are not part of our enterprise network) as well as external trading partners. Provide the most effective Electronic Commerce solutions possible, to ensure the highest level of efficiency, productivity, and IS support, that Intermedia Communications and its business partners have come to expect. 4

6. What Are Our User’s Needs? An electronic solution for conducting the following business processes: PIC Processing DUF Processing Billing (CABS) ASR/LSR Processing Other business functions may be identified as candidates for EC, once the benefits are realized. 5

7. Where Are We Today? 12 Electronic Commerce projects were started on 3-27-98 for the following trading partners: Ameritech, AT&T, Bell Atlantic North, Bell Atlantic South, BellSouth, Cable & Wireless, Cincinnati Bell, GTE, MCI, Southwestern Bell, Sprint, and Wiltel. We are currently discussing our options with the trading partners. 6

8. The Original Time Line 7

9. EC Group Chart 8

10. Today’s Time Line 9

11. How Did We Get Here? The user group submitted the request for connectivity through IS Consulting. Preliminary meetings have been conducted to identify our business requirements and options. The EC group has initiated our connectivity meeting requests with the partners. 10

12. What Are Our Options? Batch Solution Advantages - quick to production, low cost. Disadvantages - not interactive, not real time. API Solution Advantages - partially interactive, mostly real time. Disadvantages - high initial cost, slow to production. Electronic Bonding Advantages - fully integrated systems, fully interactive, real time. Disadvantages - high cost, complex administration, complex security issues, and slow to production. 11

13. Today’s Solution Establish a level of connectivity justified by data volumes, and initiate a Batch Solution. Use the industry standard transfer software - Connect Direct. Automate and Mechanize as many of the business processes as possible. Position ourselves for the future. 12

14. What This Does For Our Users Reduces the amount of manual processing that we do. Simplifies the way we conduct our business processes. Increase our productivity. Decreases our cost. 13

15. Tomorrow’s Possibilities Once we establish a reliable means of conducting our business processes in a automated and mechanized way, we can focus on the future. By having this solid platform to stand on, we can look to the API and Bonding solutions of tomorrow with an experienced eye. We can, as a team, then identify the solution(s) that best serve our users, customers, and trading partners, and surpass their expectations by providing the most effective Electronic Commerce solution possible. By doing so we can insure the highest level of efficiency, productivity, and IS support, that we as a team deserve. 14