TECHNOLOGY EXCHANGE

Public Broadcasting Service and Timetrade Systems Offer Web-Based Scheduling Solutions to
Higher Education Market

Alliance to help colleges and universities cut costs, streamline schedule-driven processes

Madison, WI - Distance Learning Conference - August 9, 2001 - TimeTrade Systems, Inc. and the PBS Adult Learning Service announced a broad marketing and technology alliance at the 17th annual Distance Learning Conference here today. Based in Waltham, MA, TimeTrade is the leading provider of Web-centric scheduling solutions to service businesses, universities, corporations, and government agencies. The PBS Adult Learning Service, based in Alexandria, VA, provides distance learning courses and related technology solutions to nearly 1,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada.

TimeTrade’s patent-pending TimeCommerce™ platform is used by organizations to transform schedule-driven processes, and to improve utilization of valuable resources such as people, equipment and facilities. TimeTrade can be deployed as a closed solution accessible by authorized staff members, and as a customer-facing application to enable self-service scheduling by end users. Featuring a comprehensive reporting engine, multiple levels of access, and standard APIs, TimeTrade’s platform is available as an ASP-hosted service and as a traditional software package.

TimeTrade’s TimeCommerce™ platform has broad applicability at colleges and universities:

• Distance Learning Centers can use TimeTrade to let students self-register for exams and academic advisement sessions in real-time via the Internet, instead of by telephone. TimeTrade automatically sends email confirmations and reminders to students, and manages resources such as proctors, advisers, classrooms, equipment, and so on. Benefits include reduced call volume, increased student satisfaction, and fewer missed appointments.
• University Help Desks (ResNets) can use TimeTrade to schedule service calls and manage help desk technicians more efficiently. TimeTrade lets ResNet managers quickly schedule the right technician for every job based on skill sets, availability, location, and other rules-based criteria. TimeTrade automatically informs technicians of each appointment, and lets technicians check their schedules with any Web-enabled device. Students can optionally self-schedule service appointments as well.
• Campus Health Centers can utilize TimeTrade for scheduling counseling sessions and other appointment-based activities. TimeTrade instantly confirms each appointment in real-time, and can send email reminders as well.
• Athletic Facilities Managers can use TimeTrade to let students reserve courts and enroll in fitness activities in real-time, 24x7. TimeTrade manages required resources automatically, and features a full suite of resource utilization and activity reports.
• Event Coordinators can deploy TimeTrade so students and faculty members can self-register for special events, training sessions, and other activities online.
• TimeTrade automatically closes events that become fully-enrolled, and sends confirmations and reminders via email.
• Career Placement Offices can use TimeTrade to efficently schedule on-campus interview, job fairs, and other career-related activities that bring students and potential employers together.

"Virtually every college and university can use TimeTrade to reduce expenses and provide better service to students and faculty members," said Michael Fragale, director of PBS Adult Learning Service. "We are pleased to offer TimeTrade’s proven solution to our members and to the higher education market."

The City Colleges of Chicago’s Center for Distance Learning is one of the largest continuing education programs of its kind in the nation. The school uses TimeTrade to let students self-register for nearly ten thousand exams each year, and has realized an 85% decrease in call volume and annualized direct labor savings of $100,000.

"Scheduling multiple exams for over 3,000 students at multiple locations was a challenging task," says Pam Lattimore, dean of CCC's Center for Distance Learning.

TimeTrade is used at leading colleges and universities across the country, including City Colleges of Chicago, North Carolina State University, Northeastern University, UCLA, and others.

"PBS is a trusted name in education for distance learning courseware and technology," said Marc Peterson, president of TimeTrade. "We are pleased that they recognize the value our technology brings to the higher education market."

About TimeTrade Systems, Inc.

Based in Waltham, MA, TimeTrade Systems, Inc. is the leader in Web-centric scheduling and resource management solutions. TimeTrade leverages Web, wireless, voice and e-mail technologies to transform schedule-driven processes and improve utilization of valuable resources including people, equipment and facilities. TimeTrade’s solutions are used in more than 100 corporations, universities and government agencies. For more information, visit the company at www.timetrade.com.

About Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)

PBS, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is a private, non-profit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's 347 public television stations. A trusted community resource, PBS uses the power of noncommercial television, the Internet and other media to enrich the lives of all Americans through quality programs and education services that inform, inspire and delight. Available to 99 percent of American homes with televisions and to an increasing number of digital multimedia households, PBS serves nearly 100 million people each week.

In cooperation with local public television stations, PBS created the Adult Learning Service (ALS) to help education providers meet the needs of adult learners. For two decades, ALS has been a leader in distance learning and now offers more than 100 college-credit courses and related technology solutions to nearly 1,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada. In the most recent academic year, more than 220,000 students earned credit through distance learning courses distributed by ALS. For more information about ALS, visit www.pbs.org/als.

TimeTrade is a service mark and TimeCommerce is a trademark of TimeTrade Systems, Inc. Copyright © 2001 TimeTrade Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

For More Information:

Scott Steinacher, TimeTrade Systems, Inc.
Phone: 781-890-4808, x107
email: scott.steinacher@timetrade.com

Kevin Dando, PBS, Adult Learning Service

Phone: 703 739-5073