VeriSign to Operate Root Directory for EPCglobal Network

VeriSign Selected to Operate Root Directory for EPCglobal Network

Highly Scalable, Secure and Global Network Directory Service Will Enhance the Application of EPC Technologies in the Supply Chain

Mountain View, CA, USA. January 13, 2004.

VeriSign, Inc., the leading provider of critical infrastructure services for the Internet and telecommunications networks, announced today it has been selected by EPCglobal, a not-for-profit standards organization, to operate the Object Naming Service or ONS as the root directory for the EPCglobal Network.

The EPCglobal Network is a system that leverages the existing Internet infrastructure to create a low-cost, standards-based set of services for trading partners to use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and the electronic product code (EPC) to capture and share information on items throughout the supply chain. When the EPC is linked to the directory it becomes a tool that enables new ways of doing business.

The EPC is a unique number that can be assigned to individual items in cases and pallets within the supply chain for identification and tracking. Similar to today's bar code, these "license plates" for products are embedded in EPC tags, which can transmit EPC information to special readers placed in dock doors and other locations. This makes it easier to track products as they move through the supply chain. Through the use of the EPCglobal Network, businesses can become more efficient and productive in logistics, inventory management and product placement. To support this new model for supply chain management thousands of enterprises need to be able to securely access, in real-time, potentially billions of unique EPCs from a highly available global ONS directory.

"We are extremely pleased to be selected to play a critical role in the EPCglobal Network, which promises to be the foundation for bringing intelligence and control to enterprises large and small in the next generation of supply chain management solutions," said Stratton Sclavos, CEO of VeriSign. "Our ATLAS platform is a proven infrastructure for high-speed, highly scalable directory services, which we believe will be increasingly important as more industries look to leverage the ubiquity of the Internet. By combining these services with our deep security expertise, we look forward to delivering a broad array of services that will enable secure global dissemination and discovery of product information across the global supply chain."

VeriSign enters the relationship with EPCglobal with over a decade of experience operating a proven, global platform for the .com and .net domain name system. Additionally, VeriSign brings to bear a unique suite of services that enable secure Internet commerce and communication that will be critical to the success of the EPCglobal Network. VeriSign will apply its breadth and depth of expertise to operate the root directory of the EPCglobal Network, and to deliver a suite of integrated value added managed services that allow trading partners throughout the supply chain to securely discover and share product data in real-time.

"To more effectively track pallets and cases of products throughout the supply chain, the EPC tag linked to the ONS root directory, which creates a unique identifier for each container," said Margaret Fitzgerald, President of EPCglobal. "When looking for a partner to build the ONS it was clear VeriSign, based on its background as the leading domain name registry for the millions of Internet addresses in use around the globe, was the perfect partner for the job."

Terms of the agreement are confidential. VeriSign does not expect the EPC contract to materially impact its 2004 financial results.

For more information about VeriSign EPCglobal Network visit http://www.verisign.com/nds/directory/epc/ or EPC Global at http://www.epcglobalinc.org/index.html.

About VeriSign

VeriSign, Inc. delivers critical infrastructure services that make the Internet and telecommunications networks more intelligent, reliable and secure. Every day VeriSign helps thousands of businesses and millions of consumers connect, communicate, and transact with confidence. Additional news and information about the company is available at http://www.verisign.com.

Contact

Brian O'Shaughnessy
Tel: +1 650-426-5270
Email: boshaughnessy@verisign.com

Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive. See: (1) "Physical Markup Language (PML) for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)"; (2) "Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Resources and Readings."

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VeriSign, Inc., the leading provider of critical infrastructure services for the Internet and telecommunications networks, announced today it has been selected by EPCglobal, a not-for-profit standards organization, to operate the Object Naming Service or ONS as the root directory for the EPCglobal Network. The EPCglobal Network is a system that leverages the existing Internet infrastructure to create a low-cost, standards-based set of services for trading partners to use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and the electronic product code (EPC) to capture and share information on items throughout the supply chain. When the EPC is linked to the directory it becomes a tool that enables new ways of doing business. The EPC is a unique number that can be assigned to individual items in cases and pallets within the supply chain for identification and tracking. Similar to today's bar code, these "license plates" for products are embedded in EPC tags, which can transmit EPC information to special readers placed in dock doors and other locations. This makes it easier to track products as they move through the supply chain. Through the use of the EPCglobal Network, businesses can become more efficient and productive in logistics, inventory management and product placement. To support this new model for supply chain management thousands of enterprises need to be able to securely access, in real-time, potentially billions of unique EPCs from a highly available global ONS directory. "We are extremely pleased to be selected to play a critical role in the EPCglobal Network, which promises to be the foundation for bringing intelligence and control to enterprises large and small in the next generation of supply chain management solutions," said Stratton Sclavos, CEO of VeriSign. "Our ATLAS platform is a proven infrastructure for high-speed, highly scalable directory services, which we believe will be increasingly important as more industries look to leverage the ubiquity of the Internet. By combining these services with our deep security expertise, we look forward to delivering a broad array of services that will enable secure global dissemination and discovery of product information across the global supply chain." VeriSign enters the relationship with EPCglobal with over a decade of experience operating a proven, global platform for the .com and .net domain name system. Additionally, VeriSign brings to bear a unique suite of services that enable secure Internet commerce and communication that will be critical to the success of the EPCglobal Network. VeriSign will apply its breadth and depth of expertise to operate the root directory of the EPCglobal Network, and to deliver a suite of integrated value added managed services that allow trading partners throughout the supply chain to securely discover and share product data in real-time. "To more effectively track pallets and cases of products throughout the supply chain, the EPC tag linked to the ONS root directory, which creates a unique identifier for each container," said Margaret Fitzgerald, President of EPCglobal. "When looking for a partner to build the ONS it was clear VeriSign, based on its background as the leading domain name registry for the millions of Internet addresses in use around the globe, was the perfect partner for the job." Terms of the agreement are confidential. VeriSign does not expect the EPC contract to materially impact its 2004 financial results. For more information about VeriSign EPCglobal Network visit http://www.verisign.com/nds/directory/epc/ or EPC Global at http://www.epcglobalinc.org/index.html. About VeriSign VeriSign, Inc. delivers critical infrastructure services that make the Internet and telecommunications networks more intelligent, reliable and secure. Every day VeriSign helps thousands of businesses and millions of consumers connect, communicate, and transact with confidence. Additional news and information about the company is available at http://www.verisign.com. Contact Brian O'Shaughnessy Tel: +1 650-426-5270 Email: boshaughnessy@verisign.com Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive. See: (1) "Physical Markup Language (PML) for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)"; (2) "Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Resources and Readings."