News release

Worldspan Signs Global Agreement With Compaq to Increase Efficiency and Speed In Deploying and Maintaining IT Equipment

Worldspan®, a leading provider of travel information, Internet products and connectivity and electronic commerce capabilities for travel agencies, travel service providers and corporations worldwide, and Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ) today announced a Global Enterprise Agreement that will cut in half the time required to deploy IT equipment and services to Worldspan's more than 20,000 travel agencies in nearly 70 countries.

The three-year agreement calls for Compaq to provide a uniform, worldwide IT standard for Worldspan offices and affiliates. The full range of Compaq products and services is covered under the agreement.

"Ultimately, the increases in speed-to-market and efficiency that will be realized from this agreement with Compaq will impact every Worldspan facility, our collocated web customers, our more than 20,000 travel agency locations and literally millions of travelers worldwide," said David Lauderdale, vice president, Worldwide Technical Operations for Worldspan. "This agreement is the foundation of an efficient and effective IT implementation and management structure that will bring the latest travel information and services to our customers faster."

Lauderdale said Compaq's breadth of products and services, its global scale and the single point of accountability were key factors in bringing the agreement about.

The agreement sets the stage for Worldspan to purchase IT equipment through Compaq Direct with services from Compaq Global Services, reducing the time and costs associated with each transaction. The agreement also designates Compaq to provide enhanced warranty services for equipment in use in Worldspan offices and by Worldspan affiliated travel agencies worldwide.

"This global enterprise agreement will give Worldspan access to proven infrastructure technology and services to be more responsive to its travel customers and affiliated travel agencies," said Tom Baber, vice president, Southeast Region, for Compaq. "Worldspan's high standards demanded innovative products, integrated into solutions and delivered globally. It is a job custom made for Compaq, because those are things we are known for doing and doing well."

Among the first equipment to be delivered under the contract will be industry-standard Compaq ProLiant servers that will be deployed to process travel-related inquiries from customers, host both commercial and corporate travel Websites and power many of Worldspan's internal IT needs. ProLiant servers will also be the worldwide platform for Worldspan's e-commerce, e-mail and file print needs and will build on Worldspan's current use of Compaq Himalaya NonStop computers to process travel transactions.

According to Kelly Higgins, director, e-commerce Infrastructure for Worldspan, the company conducted a six-month study of its current IT position and anticipated IT needs. He said the goal was to align Worldspan "with a server product that is reliable, easy to service, has an excellent warranty and whose manufacturer provides good product support."

"We reviewed proposals from several companies," Higgins said. "When the review was over, we decided that the Compaq package of equipment and services fit very well with the needs we had identified and the goals we had set."

Delivery of equipment and services under the new agreement will begin immediately.

Company Background

Founded in 1982, Compaq Computer Corporation ("Compaq") is a leading global provider of enterprise technology and solutions. Compaq designs, develops, manufactures and markets hardware, software, solutions and services, including industry-leading enterprise storage and computing solutions, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, communication products, and desktop and portable personal computers that are sold in more than 200 countries. Information on Compaq and its products and services is available at http://www.compaq.com.