Datamonitor Comments on Witness Purchase of Blue Pumpkin
Witness announced it has reached an agreement to purchase Blue Pumpkin Software for approximately $75m. According to independent market analyst Datamonitor, these two companies represent a significant proportion of mindshare in the workforce optimization space. "The combination of quality monitoring and workforce management, the two best known components of workforce optimization technologies (WOTs), by two of the best known vendors will make Witness Systems a 'must review' option for call center managers," says Tom Pringle, Datamonitor technology analyst. In a recent report, "Workforce Optimization in the Contact Center," Datamonitor estimates 2008 global call center spend on workforce optimization technologies will total a staggering $1bn.

UniPress Software Anticipates Continued Growth for FootPrints
UniPress Software announced that its customer base for the FootPrints Hosting Service has grown considerably in 2004 and shows strong signs of growth next year. Used by organizations seeking to leverage an on-demand service desk solution to address their business-critical customer support needs, UniPress has recognized a consistent increase for its FootPrints Hosting Service and anticipates even stronger growth in 2005. The company cites the hosting solution's ease of deployment, affordable pricing model, and flexible customization capabilities as the key drivers for this growth.   (about UniPress)

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PeopleSoft Renews Contract With Intraware
Intraware announced that PeopleSoft has renewed its contract for Intraware's electronic software delivery and management (ESDM) services. PeopleSoft has employed the Intraware SubscribeNet service for the past six years, to distribute software in a personalized and customer-friendly way to its customers. These customers will continue to benefit from a variety of SubscribeNet tools to help them maximize the value of their PeopleSoft software assets, including 24/7/365 Web access to a personalized and secure archive of all entitled software and updates, proactive email notification and the ability to track updates and downloads across their organization.

Lockheed Martin Achieves Certification
Lockheed Martin has again achieved an industry certification for its contract desktop and network support provided to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The company's Desktop and Network Services (DNS) contract unit recently underwent an extensive Support Center Practices (SCP) audit at its Altadena support center. As a result of the review, the organization achieved certification, quantifying the effectiveness of customer support based upon a stringent set of performance standards and best practices in the industry.   (about Service Strategies)

Amdocs Announces $100 Million Share Repurchase Plan
Amdocs announced that its board of directors has extended the Company's share buyback program by authorizing the repurchase of up to $100 million of its outstanding ordinary shares. The authorization permits Amdocs to purchase its ordinary shares in open market or privately negotiated transactions at times and prices considered appropriate by the Company.