Do you have questions that need answers? Ideas that you want to share? Bring them to a Local User Group meeting. These meetings offer you the opportunity to ask questions and share your ideas with others. Review the listings below and make arrangements to attend the meeting nearest you. Don't miss out on a terrific way to enhance your knowledge of Group 1 products and meet fellow users.

FLORIDA

Location:	Time Customer Service, 1 N Dale Mabry Hwy Fl 13, Tampa, Florida
Date:	Thursday, March 13, 2003
Time:	9:00 a.m. - late afternoon
Topic:	TBA
Contact:	Jeff Luther - Jeffrey.Luther@custserv.com

NORTH CAROLINA

Location:	The Charlotte Observer, 600 South Tryon Street, Charlotte, North Carolina
Date:	Thursday, February 20, 2003
Time:	9:00 a.m.
Topic:	TBA
Contact:	Kimberly Sherman - KJSHERMA@CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM

OHIO AREA

Location:	Banc One Center, Polaris Parkway, Columbus Ohio
Date:	Thursday, March 20, 2003
Time:	11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Topic:	Review of Product Updates, new List Product releases, and anything else the group would like to discuss. Suggestions are always welcome!
Contact:	Mitch Williams - MWilliams@DirectGraphics.com

PENNSYLVANIA AREA

Location:	UGI Utilities, Inc., 225 Morgantown Rd, Reading, Pennsylvania
Date:	Wednesday, February 12, 2003
Time:	9:00 a.m.
Topic:	There will be a possible teleconference with a Group 1 representative discussing DPV & EWS. MailStream Plus 6.3.5 will also be discussed.
Contact:	Susan Miller - smmiller@ugi.com and Dennis Bratcher - dbratcher@dimarkinc.com

TEXAS AREA

Location:	Group 1 Austin, 10535 Boyer Boulevard, Suite 100, Austin, Texas
Date:	March 18, 2003
Time:	9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Topic:	This group has decided to meet twice a year in March and September for a full day. Some of the topics selected include What's New with the USPS, Overview of Group 1 products, Best Practices (return codes, matching, etc.), success stories (what has CODE-1 Plus done for you - hit rates went up, ROI). Please submit additional topics should be submitted to the contact persons below.
Contact:	Fred Hoffman - fhoffman@tad.org and Laura Dennis - LDENNIS@dot.state.tx.us

Take a look at some of the recent updates and additions that have been made to this valuable section of our Web site. The FAQs are listed by product so you can easily find the questions that apply to your specific products. There is also a link to the FAQ Submission Form if you have a question/answer you would like to have considered. Below are a few of the most recent additions to this area.

What is Dispatcher4 Server, and should I install it?

Please click here for the answer to this question.

Since a USPS Form 3553 CASS Summary Report is no longer required when submitting a mailing, how does the Post Office know that a mailing has been processed using CASS-certified software?

Please click here for the answer to this question.

For a complete list of all available FAQs, please visit the FAQ area of the Support Web site at www.g1.com/support/faq.

It's time to start thinking about Horizons 2003! Group 1's 22nd Annual User's Conference is being held in Washington, DC, this year at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. Make sure you mark your calendars for July 30 - August 1 for this exciting event. As always, we review the conference evaluations and based on past attendee input we are very pleased to be offering a new track — "Product Labs". This hands-on track is for advanced users and class size is limited. Click here to view the session descriptions for the Product Labs and to register online. When you register online, you can choose your first and second choices for the Labs - you will receive your first choice unless that session is filled, in which case, you will be added to the roster for your second choice session. Remember these sessions are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For information on hotel accommodations and more conference sessions, please visit the Web site. Sign up today and don't miss the "Express to Success".

Did you know that user documentation is FREE from Group 1's Web site? All you have to do is go to http:/www.g1.com and select Support > Product Resources > Download Documentation.

The Group 1 Web site provides customers that have active maintenance with many forms of product documentation that can be downloaded without any costs to the user. All User's Guides, Installation Guides, Product Update Announcements, Release Announcements, etc. are available for customers with a valid userid and password. Before downloading any documentation, please consider the following: You may download as many copies as you need You will need a copy of Adobe® Acrobat Reader™ to view downloaded documents. Go http://www.adobe.com to get a free copy. Acrobat Reader allows you to navigate documents and to print all or selected pages.

Due to the large size of several of our databases (those which require two or more CDs), Group 1 is considering offering customers the option of receiving their masterfiles on DVD. In addition to the new DVDs, databases would still be available on CDs, as well as tapes. Please take a moment and complete the DVD Opinion Survey by February 14. Any comments you may have are welcome.

According to the January 30, 2002 Federal Register, the Postal Service is proposing rules to implement an experiment testing whether additional rate incentives would encourage the co-palletization and drop-shipment of currently sacked bundles of individual Periodicals publications. This proposal would implement two additional per piece discounts for co-palletization of Periodicals publications that would have otherwise been prepared in sacks prior to co-palletization. The additional per piece discounts, resulting from Docket No. MC2002-3 at the Postal Rate Commission, would apply to pieces in bundles placed on SCF and ADC pallets that are drop-shipped to either a destination ADC (DADC) or a destination SCF (DSCF). This proposed rule also includes procedures for preparing and documenting co-palletized mailings under the proposal, and for requesting approval to participate in the experiment.

For the complete Federal Register notice concerning co-palletization of periodicals, please click here to download it and review it in detail.

Group 1 is very interested in hearing feedback on this experiment before we commit any development resources to adding it to MailStream Plus. Please email your comments and feedback to Wallace Vingelis, MailStream Plus Product Manager, at wallace_vingelis@g1.com. Wallace will be speaking about this experiment at the Great Lakes Area Periodicals Focus Group Meeting sponsored by the USPS, on Wednesday, February 19, 2003. The Focus Group is being held at the Hotel Sofitel in Rosemont, IL. For more information, or to register, go to www.uspstracker.com/focus and select the link for "Focus Group Meetings - Great Lakes Area."

Back issues of NewsCast are being archived. Click previous issues to go the NewsCast homepage to review any prior issues.

Below are some links that may be of interest to our customers:

Group 1's Web Page - http://www.g1.com. The Group 1 Software Web site provides customers with valuable information concerning different areas of the company. From this Web site, you can access education information, recent press releases, support, and much more useful information.

USPS Web Site Business Section - http://www.usps.com/smallbiz

The USPS Web Site - www.usps.gov. This Web site allows customers to check out the latest information regarding postage rates and fees, news and events in the postal community, locations of local post offices, and provides various other links. There is also a place where postal service customers can track the status of a package or access other online mailing forms.

Canada Post - http://www.canadapost.ca/splash.asp. This is the direct link to the Canada Post Web site.

USPS PostalOne - http://www.pilot.uspspostalone.com. This is the direct link to the USPS PostalOne Web site.

USPS Rapid Information Bulletin Board System - http://ribbs.usps.gov. This is the National Customer Support Center for the United States Postal Service. It provides you mail-service updates, current weather conditions, and other interesting facts pertaining to the Postal Service.

Postal Rate Commission - http://www.prc.gov. The Postal Rate Commission Web site provides information about the organization, its function and procedures, along with postal rates and fees. It also provides a location where you can voice your opinion to the Consumer Advocate.

Nonprofit Mailers - http://www.nonprofitmailers.org. The Alliance is the primary representative of nonprofit mailers before the Postal Rate Commission, at the United States Postal Service's (USPS) Headquarters, and on Capitol Hill.

Postcom - http://www.postcom.org. Postcom is the Association for Postal Commerce. Its Web site provides you with up-to-date information regarding what is going on in the "postal world." It includes links to other helpful sites, as well as a place to contact your US Senators or Representatives.