More security. More electronic commerce solutions. Moreflexibility. Those are a few of the reasons that e-commerce leaderAltra Energy Technologies Inc. announced yesterday it will upgradeits Internet web-based services by using Extensible MarkupLanguage, or XML, to integrate its AltraWeb Product. XML is aprecise, cutting-edge version of its forerunner, hypertext markuplanguage (HTML), the basic language used to communicate on theWorld Wide Web.

XML differs from HTML in that it offers businesses a moreflexible way to add graphics and information options on their websites, with structured data that is uniform and independent ofapplications or vendors. By using XML over more basic weblanguages, Altra will be able to improve its security, and offermore efficient e-commerce solutions.

“Our innovative use of XML has enabled us to successfullytransform the way we integrate the Altra T suite of softwareproducts with our customers’ systems,” said Cynthia Haynie, vicepresident of product development at Altra Energy Technologies.

Altra, together with its subsidiaries, has become a leadingprovider of transaction management software and electronic commercesolutions for buying, selling and transportation of energy. Itoperates Altrade T, a leading independent online trading exchangefor the wholesale energy industry.

Altra’s move toward more innovative and expanded webtechnologies is one of the first, but it most certainly won’t bethe last. A PHB Hagler Bailley annual survey conducted earlier thisyear found that many top executives in the gas and electricindustry expect to become more involved in e-commerce andtelecommunications over the next five years. The results of thesurvey, called PHB Hagler Bailley Energy Industry Outlook 2000,were released in January at the National Press Club in Washington,D.C. (see NGI Jan. 13).

Roger Gale, senior vice president of the consulting firm, saide-commerce and telecommunications investments will play asignificant role in an earnings shift among North Americanutilities. Of the more than 800 executives who responded to thesurvey, 95% said electronic bill payment will increase during thestudy period, 97% said automated meter reading will increase, and52% indicated that the telecommunications industry will provideshareholders with the most attractive rate of return.

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