PISCATAWAY, NJ -- 26 September, 2000 -- The IEEE Industry Standards and Technology Organization (IEEE-ISTO) today announced that the MessageML Forum has engaged it to facilitate its organization and operations. The IEEE-ISTO has provided early assistance to MessageML Forum's founders during the formation and public launch. The MessageML Forum becomes the seventh industry group to organize under the IEEE-ISTO umbrella.

The MessageML Forum was founded to develop and promote MessageML, an emerging electronic communications standard that applies XML to device independent messaging. MessageML gives senders the ability to deliver message content independent of the receiving device, and recipients the ability to prioritize an route their messages based on its content to the predefined messaging device. Version 0.9 of the MessageML Specification is now available for download from the MessageML Forum website at http://www.MessageML.org/.

"We're excited to join in partnership with the MessageML Forum to support the development and promotion of MessageML," said Peter Lefkin, IEEE-ISTO chief operating officer. "The IEEE-ISTO will provide strategic council and operational support to the Forum, enabling the leadership and members to focus resources on the technical goals at hand."

MessageML Forum membership will be comprised of innovative companies across multiple industries that have an interest in promoting advanced messaging, including software firms, corporate senders of messages, communications service providers, technology integrators, independent developers, and communications device manufacturers.

"Our goal is to create a cross-industry coalition to develop and promote a new messaging standard," said Jonathan Zuck, chairman of the MessageML Forum. "IEEE-ISTO will help get us there."

The main goals of the MessageML Forum are: to develop and promote a new open smart messaging standard: MessageML ; to build a cross-industry, open environment where industry input drives the progress and development of MessageML; to support the development of MessageML based applications and services.

About the IEEE-ISTO
The IEEE-ISTO was formed in January 1999 by the IEEE and the IEEE Standards Association as a complementary extension to the IEEE Standards activity to provide a forum and support services to industry groups that need to develop technology based standards for the marketplace. The IEEE-ISTO is an independent not-for-profit corporation offering standards-related industry groups an innovative and flexible operational legal forum and support services. The IEEE-ISTO facilitates the activities that support the development, implementation and acceptance of standards in the marketplace. In addition to the MessageML Forum, the 1355 Association, Broadband Wireless Internet Forum, Nexus 5001 Forum, Medical Device Communications Industry Group, Printer Working Group, and the VoiceXML Forum, are currently organized as publically announced programs of the IEEE-ISTO

About the MessageML Forum
The MessageML Forum was created to promote the next generation electronic messaging based on XML. The MessageML SmartMessage specification is the evolution of email with Internet and XML technologies, providing corporations rich, new ways to electronically communicate with their customers, while maintaining downward compatibility with the existing world-wide email network. A preliminary version of the specification and other information is available at www.MessageML.org. MessageML is currently accepting applications for founding and supporting members to participate in the ratification of its v1.0 specification in the 4Q2000. Please see the web site for more information.

For further information about the IEEE-ISTO visit http://www.ieee-isto.org or contact Peter Lefkin, IEEE-ISTO chief operating officer, at +1 732 465 6482, or ieee-isto@ieee.org. For further information about the MessageML Forum visit http://www.MessageML.org or call +1 732 465 6475.