October 25, 2004 - LFC HOSTING PACKAGES LOW COST SMALL BUSINESS MERCHANT ACCOUNTS

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada - LFC Hosting today announces its brand new LFC MultiPay low-cost small business Merchant Account service with a suite of improvements over the successful MultiPay service that it launched in September 2002. LFC's new MultiPay service is a pivotal part of its "One-stop-shop for E-commerce" mandate to not only provide superior web hosting services, but package all of the associated services that a typical small business requires, to build and maintain an Enterprise-level website and Internet presence, grow their business online, and conduct secure electronic commerce. All of this is provided at an affordable packaged rate, through a single vendor and familiar distribution system. Robert Sauchyn, LFC CEO, says, "On today's Internet, every small business requires a suite of services beyond, but associated with web hosting; merchant accounts and live credit card processing are two of them. Most small businesses do not have the means or knowledge to acquire these other important online growth services from a variety of different vendors. Or, worse yet, they are simply not aware that they need them, or where to start. Our "One-stop-shop for E-commerce" mandate gives our clients a distinct advantage over their competition by taking advantage many fundamental Internet-based growth services." LFC's MultiPay service offers dedicated multi-currency merchant accounts for small to medium-sized businesses. Merchants have the option of pricing and settling in U.S. and Canadian Dollars, Euros, and British Pounds. In addition to LFC's original MultiPay features including a free virtual terminal, free live credit card processing, no application fees, easy online application process, unsurpassed security, and discount (per transaction) rates lower, on average, than available through the bank. Here are a few of the many new key benefits featured with LFC's improved MultiPay service: New competitive low rates - better than the banks in most cases. LFC's new Discount rates are 1.65% for retail merchants and 2.35% for online merchants in the US. Rates are also now broken down by country to offer the lowest, most accurate quote. New merchant accounts with even lower rates and LFC's standard 99% approval rate for retail businesses in the United States where transactions are conducted in person and the credit card is present. Retail merchant accounts include the advanced Point-of-Sale equipment needed to professionally process credit cards in a retail outlet at a very low cost. Many new merchant features, including recurring billing, reporting, fraud screening, customer management, and secure payment pages, along with 30 other valuable features. For a limited time only, a Free Online Custom Quote available at: http://www.lfchosting.com/scripts/multipayapp.cgi In-depth information on merchant accounts available at the LFC website (http://www.lfchosting.com/design_merchant.shtml), including information on payment gateways, and shopping carts, MultiPay features and rates, the approval and activation process, retail merchant accounts, methods for processing credits cards and collecting funds, advanced Fraud Protection, and a Merchant FAQ. Brand new payment gateway partnerships. Payment gateways were selected based on customer service record, ease-of-use, and ease-of-approval. Simply speaking, a Credit Card Merchant Account provides any business with the ability to accept credit cards, and is different from the ability to accept credit cards over the Internet. Credit cards accepted in person or via e-mail, telephone or fax are typically processed manually through a credit card terminal (virtual or physical), and merchant accounts can now be interfaced with an online payment gateway to enable automatic authorization and processing of credit card transactions over the Internet. Robert Sauchyn, LFC CEO, says, "Traditionally, businesses could only acquire a merchant account through the banks, which have substantial monthly, application, and terminal rental/purchasing fees, along with strict screening processes to prevent credit card chargebacks (the refusal of a credit card owner to accept responsibility for a charge made to their credit card). This has made it very difficult for small businesses, especially those taking orders over the Internet, to obtain a merchant account at an affordable cost." LFC's MultiPay clients are able to begin accepting credit cards securely from their web site in less than 24 hours following an easy online application process. LFC's merchant accounts include a free virtual terminal, free live credit card processing, no application fees, a free quote with no commitment (limited time only), unsurpassed security, and discount (per transaction) rates lower, on average, than with merchant accounts obtained through a bank. Contrary to services such as PayPal and other "third-party processors", LFC MultiPay provides its client with their own merchant account, offering much lower direct processing rates by eliminating the middle-man, and displaying their company name on the credit card statements of their customers. Andrew MacCorquodale, LFC VP, says, "We specialize in getting Internet merchants set up to accept credit cards at merchant websites with the least amount of hassle, paperwork, and the best Internet merchant account rates around - hands down!" The new LFC MultiPay rates are among the lowest in the industry, typically lower than domestic banks themselves. In addition to providing no application fees, no software setup/licensing fees and a free payment gateway for live credit card processing, LFC's customers also enjoy the best processing rates around: United States (Retail): 1.65% United States (Internet): 2.35% Canada: 3.79% International: 3.95% For LFC's full merchant account rates, please see: http://www.lfchosting.com/design_merchant.shtml Or for limited time only, with no commitment, get a free accurate quote for your business on what a merchant account will cost with LFC MultiPay,: http://www.lfchosting.com/scripts/multipayapp.cgi Robert Sauchyn, LFC CEO, says, "To give you the best and most accurate rate, we have also divided our new prices into three comprehensive categories: United States businesses, Canadian businesses, and international businesses (outside of the US and Canada). That being said, the new MultiPay rates are lower in all three categories!" Furthermore, LFC is excited to announce new, even lower rates for retail businesses in the United States where transactions are conducted in person and the credit card is present - well below competitors, even the banks! Rates start as low as 1.65% of total sales, and 99% of all applications are approved. There is no setup fee aside from the cost of the advanced low cost Point-of-Sale ("swiping") equipment needed to professionally process credit cards in a retail outlet. Live credit card processing is the ability for a website to interact with a payment gateway service to automatically authorize and process credit card transactions in response to orders placed through a website in real-time. It effectively reduces overhead and adds functionality to a merchant's website. The merchant is notified of an order only after the customer's credit card has been approved and charged. As well, the customer gains the immediate assurance that his/her order will be processed and receives a receipt for his/her purchase instantly. The money is automatically deposited directly into the merchant's business checking account shortly thereafter. Live credit card processing requires an additional service called a Payment Gateway, which interacts, on one end, with the ordering facilities at the merchant's website and, on the other end, with the credit card Merchant Account to process the transaction "behind-the-scenes". The ordering facility on the merchant's website can either be a simple order form or a full-blown shopping cart. LFC supports payment gateway services for clients in the United States, Canada, Europe, and many other countries. All customers who have a merchant account with LFC have a payment gateway included free-of-charge with our MultiPay service. Robert Sauchyn, LFC CEO, says, "We are also pleased to announce brand new partnerships with new payment gateways, selected based on customer service record, easy-of-use, and ease-of-approval." LFC's new payment gateway partners include: Plug'n Pay (United States and Europe) - http://www.plugnpay.com BeanStream (Canada) - http://www.beanstream.com and others for international customers. Any business with the desire to establish an online store requires the ability to accept credit cards. Furthermore, many businesses that already have a merchant account have switched to LFC to consolidate all of their online-based services through a single provider, pay lower rates, and experience better customer service and more valuable features. With most other merchant account providers, including the banks, merchants go through a substantial screening process, pay applications fees, and undoubtedly a fee for the cost of the processing terminal (either physical or virtual). However, LFC is able to offer its customers with the ability to accept Visa, MasterCard, and AMEX over the Internet with their own merchant account (so that their company name appears on the credit card statements of their customers) with no applications fees or obligation whatsoever. Finally, for a limited time only, LFC is offering a free 100% accurate quote with no commitment, allowing your business to easily determine what a merchant account with LFC MultiPay, and start accepting credit cards almost immediately! Simply visit the following address: http://www.lfchosting.com/scripts/multipayapp.cgi For details on LFC's new MultiPay merchant services, please see: http://www.lfchosting.com/design_merchant.shtml About LFC Hosting LFC is a sound web hosting and e-commerce solution provider that has grown rapidly since their launch in 1996 because of their unique approach to web hosting: They offer a competitive, flat rate service including everything a business of any size needs to develop, deploy, and manage an aggressive, profitable, enterprise-level presence on the Internet, vital for survival in today's marketplace. LFC Hosting welcomes you to visit their website today to compare LFC Hosting with your current hosting service, and find out how LFC can allow your business to take advantage of new possibilities online, before your competition does. More information on LFC Hosting's innovative hosting services can be found at: http://www.lfchosting.com Quotes used with permission: "I've never found a Hosting Provider so committed to service as LFC Hosting. From my experienced standpoint (I worked from 1997 to 2000 as key account manager for UNI2 - the leading Spanish/French ISP and Hosting Provider), I know how difficult it is sometimes to provide high quality standards in service, and I feel impressed about the way you guys have managed my requests. At this moment I was browsing your technical FAQ while feeling so excited about the easy way things can be done using your services." - P. Deeleman "I am a current customer that is pleased to acknowledge LFC for its continuing efforts and, since 2000, for providing us with over 20 high traffic sites with excellent service, reliability and low costs. I would recommend LFC to the new and professional Webmasters who are looking for total web solutions!" - R. Shefferd