Aptas Partners with FAST for Advanced Local Search
Oslo, Norway and Denver, Colorado (ots/PRNewswire)
- Aptas to Integrate FAST ESP into Its New 'Destination Search' Platform
Fast Search & Transfer(TM) (FAST(TM)), the leading developer of enterprise search and real-time alerting technologies, and Aptas, Inc., a leading provider of innovative solutions for the online directories and Yellow Pages publishers, have signed a technology and business partnership agreement naming FAST as Aptas' new preferred partner for search technology.
With this agreement, FAST's enterprise search platform technology (FAST ESP(TM)) will be integrated into Aptas' new Destination Search platform, which combines advanced content integration, search relevance and navigation, and ad content presentation. FAST ESP offers online directories the most comprehensive combination of powerful real-time search technology, business search management tools, and information analysis capabilities. This agreement enables Aptas to extend the benefits of FAST's enterprise search capabilities to its wide range of customers.
Aptas chose FAST after a comprehensive evaluation of enterprise search technology companies that combined a detailed ranking of search functionality, system architecture and development platform, performance, and corporate stability. FAST ESP demonstrated high scalability and the ability to support key Aptas innovations in search relevancy and personalization. It also demonstrated FAST's quality design to support a wide range of content-rich applications.
"FAST ESP could be considered the obvious choice on technical merit alone," says Perry Evans, CEO of Aptas. "FAST's search technology uniquely supports our development of next generation local relevance, interactive search, and shopping applications. Beyond technology, FAST has demonstrated a meaningful commitment to the online directories market and to successful business partnerships."
"Aptas' approach to local search delivers greater value and functionality to both consumers and advertisers," explains Ali I. Riaz, FAST's chief operating officer. "We are confident that this collaboration will allow us to expand our presence with leading Yellow Pages publishers while providing Aptas with the most scalable search offering to support their new Destination Search platform. We look forward to building a solid business relationship with Aptas."
FAST is transforming enterprise search from a powerful, yet narrowly perceived function into an enterprise-wide strategic and tactical capability of pivotal importance. FAST ESP and the FAST portfolio of solutions are the latest in a line of FAST technology that marries a no-technical-boundaries approach with a clear understanding of real-world requirements, including extraordinary performance, precise accuracy, broad reach, and high return on investment.
FAST ESP is offered through the FAST Data Search(TM) suite of enterprise search solutions, which supplies a complete information retrieval solution ideal for key vertical markets and applications including e-Commerce and Internet Portals, Financial Services; Government; Life Sciences; Media and Publishing; and Telecom.
About Aptas, Inc.
Aptas brings advanced software and database services together to enhance the relevance and value of local search services. Aptas is exclusively focused on leveraging Yellow Pages print ad and web content for advanced search, navigation and presentation of local advertiser information. For more information, visit www.aptas.com.
About FAST
FAST creates the real-time search and filter technology solutions that are behind the scenes at the world's best known companies with the most demanding search problems. FAST's flexible and scalable integrated technology platform elevates the search capabilities of enterprise customers and connects people to the relevant information they seek regardless of medium. This drives revenues and reduces total cost of ownership by effectively leveraging IT infrastructure. FAST's powerful enterprise search technology solutions are used by a wide range of global customers and partners, including AT&T, Cardinal Health, CareerBuilder.com, Chordiant, CIGNA, CNET, Dell, Fidelity Investments, Findexa, FirstGov.gov (GSA), IBM, Knight Ridder, LexisNexis, Overture, Rakuten, Reed Elsevier, Reuters, Sensis, Tenet Healthcare, Thomas Industrial Networks, T-Online, US Army, Virgilio (Telecom Italia), Vodafone, and Wanadoo.
FAST is headquartered in Norway and is publicly traded under the ticker symbol 'FAST' on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The FAST Group operates globally with presence in Europe, the United States, and Japan. Additionally, the FAST Group has business partners and customers in a number of other locations, such as Brazil, Canada and Australia. For further information about FAST, please visit www.fastsearch.com.
(c) 2004 Fast Search & Transfer ASA - Fast Search & Transfer, FAST, FAST ESP, FAST Data Search, FAST Marketrac, and the FAST four-colored logo are trademarks of Fast Search & Transfer ASA. All rights reserved. FAST disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
PR FAST - Aptas
Contact:
Press Contact: Peter Gorman, Director of Corporate Communications
(US), +1-781-304-2495, Peter.Gorman@fastsearch.com