AppDirect Partners with Comcast to Deliver Cloud Services to Businesses

San Francisco, California, February 20th, 2012 — AppDirect, the leading cloud service marketplace company, announced today the launch of its latest partner marketplace, Upware^TM from Comcast Business, an advanced online store for cloud-based business applications. With its new AppDirect-powered marketplace, Comcast—the nation’s largest cable, Internet, and phone service company—enables millions of Comcast Business customers to easily discover and manage innovative software solutions from leading providers.

“Comcast prides itself on giving small and mid-sized businesses the technology, service, and value they need to be successful in today’s competitive economy. The Upware marketplace from Comcast Business puts this vision into practice,” said Daniel Saks, co-CEO at AppDirect. “Upware from Comcast Business not only provides the best tools from leading providers, but also a fast, easy way for customers to find and manage the tools they need.”

The Upware marketplace is a suite of cloud-based business solutions that can be purchased through one easy-to-use web portal. It contains a carefully selected list of third-party, cloud-based business applications from industry-leading companies in key categories such as data backup, data security, document collaboration and web collaboration. Upware is designed to meet the needs of small and medium businesses looking to use cloud-based solutions to simplify their IT systems, control costs and increase productivity.

Powered by AppDirect, the marketplace platform provides industry-leading features that allow customers to browse apps from providers such as Norton, Box, Carbonite, YouSendIt, Websense, Mozy, Soonr, and Digital Safe. In addition, customers can read product information and reviews, compare solutions, and more. The AppDirect platform also enables customers to create one username and password to log in and administer their apps, as well as review charges and make one payment for all of their solutions.

Using AppDirect's technology, Comcast can administer its entire marketplace ecosystem, including product catalog, customer service, and billing, with one integrated, back-end system. This creates a seamless experience for Comcast, hosted software vendors, and customers. "The Comcast team has taken a visionary approach to curating relevant applications and delivering them to customers, creating an integrated user experience that is better than purchasing apps directly from providers," said Saks. “Working closely with Comcast, it’s clear that the company is strongly committed to delivering a marketplace that is easy to use for its customers and software partners alike.”

“We chose to work with AppDirect based on the strength of its technology and the professionalism of its team,” said Kevin O'Toole, Senior Vice President at Comcast. “AppDirect is becoming the recognized leader in cloud marketplace infrastructure and there is no other platform that can offer their range of advanced features and functionalities.”

The Upware marketplace from Comcast Business reinforces an ongoing shift in the way that small businesses buy and manage software. Instead of purchasing software from brick-and-mortar stores, or buying solutions from multiple providers on the web, small business owners are turning to online marketplaces from trusted providers as a convenient, one-stop shop for the software they need. "Providers like Comcast are leading the way in using the cloud to deliver powerful solutions to small and medium-sized companies," Saks added.

For more information about Upware from Comcast Business, please visit: https://upware.comcast.com

About AppDirect
AppDirect is the leading cloud service marketplace company dedicated to revolutionizing the way businesses run. Its award-winning platform connects businesses, brands, and developers through a global network of partner marketplaces. Based in San Francisco, AppDirect powers the marketplaces of trusted companies around the globe—including Staples, Comcast, Deutsche Telekom, Rackspace, Swisscom, Appcelerator, and more—and has helped millions of businesses discover, buy, and manage the best cloud-based software and services. For more information, please visit www.appdirect.com.

About Comcast Business Services
Comcast Business Services, a unit of Comcast Cable, provides advanced communication solutions to help organizations of all sizes meet their business objectives. Through a modern, advanced network that is backed by 24/7 technical support, Comcast delivers Business Class Internet, TV and Voice services for cost-effective, simplified communications management.

Launched in 2011, the Comcast Business Class Ethernet suite offers high-performance point-to-point and multi-point Metro Ethernet services with the capacity to deliver cloud computing, software-as-a-service, business continuity/disaster recovery and other bandwidth-intensive applications. Comcast Metro Ethernet services are significantly faster than standard T1 lines and other legacy technologies, providing scalable bandwidth from 1 Mbps up to 10 Gigabits-per-second (Gbps) in more than 20 major US markets.

For more information, call 866-429-3085 or visit http://business.comcast.com/enterprise.