Allfirst Financial Selects eStara to Speak with Customers Live over the Web
Deal Marks First Web Voice Deployment by a U.S. Bank

November 13, 2000 Reston, Va. - eStara Inc. today announced that Allfirst Financial Inc. has implemented eStara OneClick Contact^sm web voice solution, giving Allfirst's online customers the power to talk to customer service representatives live over the Internet with one click of a mouse. Allfirst, a diversified financial services firm, is the first U.S. bank to deploy voice over the Internet (VoIP).

"Humanizing the web experience and boosting customer service are two keys to success in today's crowded online marketplace," said Tom Natelli, co-founder, chairman and CEO of eStara. "Allfirst is quickly realizing the power of eStara's voice solution to improve online customer satisfaction and boost cross-selling opportunities."

With eStara OneClick Contact^sm, Allfirst customers can now talk to a bank representative via a crisp, clear voice call over the Internet from any PC with microphone and speakers. eStara web voice calls are routed into Allfirst's call center like "normal" telephone calls.

"At Allfirst, our ongoing strategy is to use the Internet as an additional channel for meeting the financial needs of our customers," said J. William Murray, Allfirst senior vice president of e-commerce. "We choose partners like eStara that identify strongly with our human-based approach to financial services and provide ways for us to enhance our relationships with our customers."

OneClick Contact^sm is the only major web voice solution that offers an intuitive interface. Users do not need to click and hold down a key to speak and then release the button to listen. OneClick Contact^sm provides a user-friendly experience, detecting whether an end user has the proper equipment to communicate over the Internet.

About eStara eStara
gives the power of voice to eBusiness with a simple online solution: point, click, talk. Its Internet telephony solutions humanize the web experience, helping eBusinesses attract customers and close sales in real-time. eStara provides instant clear voice connections that integrate seamlessly into web sites, ad banners, email and search engine links. Based in Reston, VA, eStara can be reached at http://www.estara.com/.

About Allfirst Financial
Inc. Allfirst Financial Inc. is a regional, diversified financial services company headquartered in Baltimore, MD, offering a full range of financial services including banking, trust, investment and insurance to retail, business and commercial customers. Its banking subsidiary, Allfirst Bank, operates more than 260 bank branches and more than 575 ATMs throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., northern Virginia and Delaware. Allfirst Financial Inc.'s assets were $18 billion as of June 30, 2000. Information about Allfirst Financial Inc. is available at http://www.mandtbank.com/.