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Microsoft Selects Group 1's Geocoding Software to Enhance Leading Online Mapping Systems

Precision Geocoding Technology to Integrate with Microsoft Online Mapping Offerings for Enhanced Location Accuracy

LANHAM, Md., Jan. 3 -- Group 1 Software, Inc., a Pitney Bowes Company, announced that Microsoft Corp. has chosen to incorporate Group 1's GeoStan(TM) geocoding software and data into its online offerings, MapPoint Web Service and Windows Live Local, for real-time geocode assignment. Group 1's GeoStan will enable Microsoft to improve the accuracy of the address location on its online mapping systems.

"Group 1 Software provides broad experience and a successful track record for precise location accuracy," said Stephen Lawler, general manager for Windows Live Local and MSN. "The combination of Group 1 Software's geospatial expertise and Microsoft's commitment to the search and mapping industries delivers new business opportunities and access to data that will benefit our industry partners and customers alike."

GeoStan, a component of the company's comprehensive Customer Communication Management (CCM) solution, corrects, standardizes, and geocodes North American address information at successive levels of precision, including parcel, street segment, ZIP+4®, ZIP+2 and ZIP Code®. GeoStan provides a more comprehensive set of parcel and address-level geocodes by combining USPS® and CPC postal data with spatial data files from the world's leading data providers. Precisely defining the location of an address with latitude and longitude coordinates, the location is then displayed on the MapPoint Web Service map or Windows Live Local photo.

"As a leader in online mapping services, Microsoft requires the most accurate geocoding solution available," said Steve Walden, vice president and general manager, Group 1 Software. "We are pleased that Microsoft recognizes the high quality location accuracy of GeoStan and selected it for its online mapping solutions. Microsoft's selection for Group 1's geocoding solution provides testimony to our ability to deliver enhanced pinpoint accuracy for online mapping services."

About Group 1 Software

Group 1 Software, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Pitney Bowes, develops software that provides a comprehensive Customer Communication Management (CCM) solution, which maximizes the value of customer data and improves the efficiency and effectiveness of customer communications. Group 1 Software's solutions are an essential component of enterprise applications, serving to consolidate, cleanse and enrich corporate data, and generate personalized business documents for multi-channel delivery, customer care and efficient business processing. The company's solutions are utilized by over 3,500 organizations worldwide in the utilities, financial services/banking, GIS/mapping, retail, telecommunications, insurance and other industries, including Entergy, L.L. Bean, Microsoft, QVC, Siemens, Wal-Mart and Wells Fargo.

GeoStan, Group 1 and Group 1 Software are trademarks or registered trademarks of Group 1 Software, Inc. Other product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

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