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NOW
PREPAY WEBSITE LAUNCH AND CORPORATE UPDATE
February
11, 2003 - VendTek Systems Inc. (TSX-V: VSI) ("VendTek"
or "The Company"), a leading provider
of automated transaction technology, is pleased
to announce the launch of its "nowprepay.com"
website and an update to shareholders about the
"Now Prepay" mission.
Now
Prepay Corp. ("Now Prepay") is a wholly
owned subsidiary of VendTek and was specifically
created to pursue the burgeoning prepaid telecom
market in Canada.
According
to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
there are just over 10 million Canadian cellular
subscribers of which there are approximately 2.6
million prepaid users. These numbers are forecasted
to grow to 16 million Canadian cellular subscribers
and 5 million prepaid users by 2004. The Canadian
market for cellular phone time recharges is expected
to reach $800 million annually by 2004. Likewise,
the market for prepaid long distance is expected
to increase to $500 million by 2004.
Now
Prepay is joining forces with POS terminal distributors
and transaction processing organizations to integrate
VendTek's e?Fresh software with debit card
and credit card processing software. The combined
applications will provide a value added application
to the channels presently served by physical cards
for prepaid telecom services. Given the anticipated
future discontinuation of costly physical cards
by Canadian Cellco's, VendTek, through Now Prepay,
is poised to capture a significant share of the
electronic distribution of prepaid services market
in Canada.
Now
Prepay has agreements with most major Canadian
telecommunications companies including Bell Mobility,
Fido, Rogers AT&T Wireless, and Telus Mobility
to distribute the electronic PINs that are convertible
to prepaid telecom services such as cellular airtime
and long distance. The company believes there
are only a few companies in Canada who have these
agreements in place and Now Prepay is proud to
be one of them.
Now
Prepay President, Doug Buchanan, said; "Now
Prepay is VendTek's
e-Fresh showcase. Now Prepay is working with all
potential sales channels to provide our e-Fresh
enabled POS terminals throughout the supply chain.
We anticipate the majority of retailers will adopt
electronic delivery of prepaid and other services,
as it will cut down on cost, theft, damage and
ultimately enable them to increase their margins
for selling these services. Our slogan is "Don't
delay, 'Now' is the way to pay".
About
VendTek and Now Prepay
(www.vendteksys.com
/
www.nowprepay.com)
VendTek
Systems Inc. engineers, markets and sells e-Fresh,
which is an electronic distribution software for
prepaid telecommunication and financial services.
Commercialization of e-Fresh under license is
VendTek's strategy to create sustainable and recurring
revenues.
VendTek's
customers and its subsidiaries, Now Prepay Corp.
and VendTek Systems Technologies (Beijing), are
using e-Fresh software to build electronic, prepaid
services networks which enable consumers to purchase
prepaid services via POS and self-serve terminals
connected to a central server. This system creates
significant value through improved efficiencies
compared to the traditional distribution paradigm.
e-Fresh reduces shrinkage and inventory requirements
while improving consumer access to prepaid services
since it is completely electronic and eliminates
physical cards and vouchers.
For
more information, or to receive news and updates
as they become available, please contact Samantha
Haynes at 604.940.2239.
This
release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the "safe harbor'' provisions
of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's
current expectations and beliefs and are subject
to a number of risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from
those described in the forward-looking statements.
The Company assumes no obligation to update any
forward-looking information contained in this
news release.
The
TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does
not accept responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
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