EDI tradefast Service Description

Introduction The eircom net EDI tradefast Service is an electronic data interchange (EDI) and storage service, which has been designed and implemented to comply with the current versions of the Microsoft and Netscape browsers. It enables organisations, across the Internet, to exchange trading data such as invoices, orders, statements and credit notes in a standard format electronically or on a computer-to-computer basis, despite protocol incompatibility. Outline Description Users of the Service transmit data via a computer connection made between their own computer and the Service using a communications language (protocol) that it understands. The Service then acts as a clearing-house sorting the transmitted data and delivering it to addressees specified by the sender. The trading partners can then, via a similar computer connection to the Service, collect the transmitted data at their convenience. The Service supports the EDIFACT, TRADACOMS and ANSI X12 data standards. The Service incorporates a high level of security to help ensure that transmitted data is available only to authorised users. Access to the Service is via passwords, the generation and maintenance of which are within user control. The Service, with the exception of scheduled maintenance periods, is normally available to users 24 hours per day, 7 days per week - inclusive of public holidays. Principal Facilities The principal facilities available for users of the Service are:

• The sending and receiving of data between authorised trading partners
• The ability to send data at a user's convenience and for recipients to collect the data at their convenience
• Password controlled access
• The generation of and ability to change passwords
• The selection of documents from the user's site
• The deletion of documents from the user's site
• The archiving of documents on the user's site
• Automatic message deletion after 6 weeks
• Audit trails to assist data input/output management
• Reporting features for monitoring progress of data
• Message validation
• Access to the business hours Service Desk "Helpline"
• Implementation and set-up telephone assistance by eircom net consultants
• Global connection to a wide range of messaging services

Service Access The Internet is used to access the eircom net EDI tradefast Service. This will be either by a dial-up (PSTN), ISDN, DSL or leased line connection according to the data volumes to be transmitted and received and the frequency of use. Dependencies A customer of Eirtrade will require certain hardware and/or software items to complete their interface to the Service, such as: