SmartSynch Expands Reach to Canadian Power Market
Agreement with PageNet Canada Opens Canada for the SmartMeter System

Jackson, MS — May 21, 2003

SmartSynch®, Inc. announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement with Paging Network of Canada, Inc. (“PageNet Canada”), Canada's largest provider of narrowband PCS wireless services. With this announcement, SmartSynch can immediately begin providing its SmartMeter SystemSM to electric utilities and energy service providers in Canada.

“The agreement with PageNet Canada is important from two key aspects,” said Mark Rodgers, CEO of SmartSynch. “First, it allows us to bring the benefits of our SmartMeter System, which is estimated to capture over $4 billion in electricity billings for commercial and industrial customers in the U.S., to utilities, energy service providers, and consumers in the Canadian power market. Secondly, the partnership with PageNet Canada further confirms that narrowband PCS networks provide the optimal economics, coverage, and long-term reliability required for our SmartMeter System.”

"We are excited about our partnership with SmartSynch and broadening our service offering to the power industry," said Garry Fitzgerald, CEO of PageNet Canada. "SmartSynch's technology is the choice of many leading utilities in the U.S. for commercial and industrial smart metering solutions, and we are confident this success will be replicated in Canada. PageNet Canada offers the best method of wireless communications for telemetry products, like SmartSynch’s, with our superior coverage and excellent in-building penetration.”

SmartSynch’s technology is available through Itron, a leading global technology provider to the utility industry. Itron and SmartSynch signed an agreement last year, under which Itron became the exclusive distributor of SmartSynch’s SmartMeter technology, bringing together two premier providers of commercial and industrial metering solutions. The SmartMeter System interfaces seamlessly with Itron’s industry-standard MV-90 head end.

About SmartSynch
SmartSynch, an energy technology company based in Jackson, MS, is the leading provider of smart metering solutions to the energy and utility industry. Its core product, the SmartMeter System, enables energy and utility companies to communicate with commercial and industrial electricity meters using wireless communications and the Internet. The SmartMeter System manages the delivery of critical information to any application system, workstation, computer, or browser enabled personal communications device. For more information, visit www.smartsynch.com.

About PageNet Canada
Paging Network of Canada, Inc. is Canada’s largest paging-only and wireless messaging company with approximately 280,000 customers. PageNet Canada provides a full range of paging and advanced wireless data services with the broadest local, regional and national coverage at the best price. Detailed information and coverage maps for all of PageNet services are available at www.pagenet.ca.

About Itron
Itron is a leading technology provider and critical source of knowledge to the global energy and water industries. More than 2,800 utilities worldwide rely on Itron technology to deliver the knowledge they require to optimize the delivery and use of energy and water. Itron delivers value to its clients by providing industry-leading solutions for meter data collection, energy information management, demand side management and response, load forecasting, analysis and consulting services, transmission and distribution system design and optimization, web-based workforce automation, C&I customer care and residential energy management. To know more, start here: www.itron.com.

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