Albuquerque, N.M., September 22, 2005— UtiliPoint^® International, Inc. (UtiliPoint), the utility and energy industry thought leader, today announced the release of a 145 page report based on the firm's recently concluded survey of 307 utility customer care executives. The report analyzes survey results, and identifies vital trends in utility customer care. One of the key findings of the survey and report is that there is an increase in one segment of the market shopping for a new customer information system (CIS) while two other segments actually decreased. UtiliPoint's survey indicates that approximately 16% of North American Utilities are currently “tire kicking” for a new CIS, demonstrating a stabilization of the market.

“The latest survey effectively captures the pulse of the utility industry on such areas as CIS and customer relationship management systems (CRM),” said Christopher Perdue, UtiliPoint's senior director of market research. “This marks the fourth consecutive year of UtiliPoint's customer care survey, and as such provides for some unique opportunities for trending analysis.” Perdue added, “findings from the three previous customer care surveys had shown that percentage of North American utilities in the market for a new CIS was 16% in 2004, 9.9% in 2003, and 5% in 2002.”

UtiliPoint studies are the result of primary research performed by dedicated UtiliPoint employees that are experts in the utility and energy industries. The types of utilities responding to this survey are closely aligned with how the North American market actually looks, and as a result, includes detailed responses from co-operative, municipal, and investor-owned utilities. The report is also comprehensive as it covers utilities that supply electric, gas, water, wastewater, waste-management, cable, and telecommunication services.

To download a table of contents or to purchase the report, please visit http://www.utilipoint.com/rci/details.asp?ProductID=1122