Southborough, Mass. - October 17, 2002 - ViryaNet (NASDAQ: VRYA), a provider of integrated mobile and Web-based software applications for workforce management and the automation of field service delivery, today announced that JEA, the eighth largest municipal utility in the United States with more than 500 technicians servicing 500,000 meters, has expanded its use of the ViryaNet Service Hub for Utilities solution. Originally selected to automate electric meter work, JEA now
has expanded its use of the ViryaNet solution to include managing its workforce responsible for water meter installations. Additionally, JEA recently purchased more ViryaNet licenses to accommodate its continued expansion of ViryaNet's solutions throughout the organization.
For over two years, JEA has used the ViryaNet solution to manage the activities of electrical field technicians and the communication of information between these technicians and the customer service staff. ViryaNet automates the process of dispatching field orders for electric meter work, such as re-readings, connects, disconnects, and exception reports, as well as tracking and receiving real-time
information from field technicians. In September 2002, field technicians in JEA's water department began using ViryaNet Service Hub for Utilities to receive, report, and close work orders from the convenience of mobile devices and laptops - anytime, anywhere.
"Dispatching, tracking, and receiving information about water meter installations was a manual process before we began using ViryaNet," stated Bob Neyer, systems project leader, JEA. "We will continue to expand our use of ViryaNet and intend to rely on ViryaNet to handle dispatching orders for other departments in the future. For example, our revenue protection group is another ideal
application for the ViryaNet solution, since it could provide our office staff with real-time access to important developments in the field."
Using ViryaNet's solutions, JEA has been able to better utilize its existing workforce, cut response times to customers, and lower operations costs through improved communications, better customer service, and optimized workforce productivity. ViryaNet enables utilities around the world to manage workforces and work orders, schedule and dispatch technicians, receive real-time reports from field engineers
using state of the art mobile technology, unite all of the systems and applications across their operations, and access a centralized data mart for real-time reporting.
"JEA is a perfect example of how ViryaNet can manage the full range of service activities for many different divisions within a utility," stated Win Burke, president and CEO, ViryaNet. "With such initiative to improve business processes and streamline operations, it is no surprise that JEA has been able to maintain its position as one of the top utilities in the United States."
About JEA
JEA is the eighth largest municipal utility in the United States providing electricity, water, and wastewater service to more than 750,000 accounts in Northeast Florida.
The JEA electric system currently serves more than 370,000 customers in Jacksonville and parts of three adjacent counties. JEA's water system serves approximately 230,000 water customers and 200,000 sewer customers, or more than 80 percent of all water and sewer utility customers in our service area.
About ViryaNet
ViryaNet is a provider of software applications that improve the quality and efficiency of an organization's service operations. ViryaNet's flagship product - the award-winning ViryaNet Service Hub - combines the power of the Internet, the freedom of wireless technologies, and the resources of ViryaNet's deep service expertise to help companies improve workforce scheduling, dispatching, and
activity reporting; customer contract and entitlement automation; and asset, logistics and repairs management.
Customers in the telecommunications, utility, high-technology manufacturing, grocery and retail, insurance, HVAC, and other industries use ViryaNet Service Hub to transition complex service business processes into a manageable, scalable Internet operation, with the goal of increasing service revenues, decreasing service costs, and maximizing customer satisfaction.
Safe Harbor Statement
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements regarding ViryaNet's expectations, beliefs, intentions, or strategies regarding the capabilities of its
products and its relationships with its customers and partners. All forward-looking statements included in this document are based upon information available to ViryaNet Ltd. as of the date hereof, and ViryaNet Ltd. assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These and other risks relating to ViryaNet's business include market
acceptance of and demand for the Company's products, risks associated with a slow-down in the economy, risks associated with the financial condition of the company's customers, risks associated with competition and competitive pricing pressures, risks associated with increases in costs and operating expenses, risks in technology development and commercialization, the risk of operating losses, risks in product development, risks associated with international sales, and other risks that
are set forth in ViryaNet's Form F-1, as amended, declared effective by the SEC on September 19, 2000, and the other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as the date hereof. ViryaNet disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions, or circumstances on
which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.