CrystalTech Now Offering .NET 2.0 and SQL 2005

November 7, 2005; 12:23 PM

Phoenix, AZ, November 7, 2005 – CrystalTech Web Hosting Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newtek Business Services, inc. (NASDAQ: NKBS) and a leading provider of Windows-based web hosting, is proud to announce the availability of hosting Plans that support the latest releases from Microsoft, ASP.NET 2.0, SQL Server 2005 and Visual Studio 2005. In conjunction with the new hosting options, CrystalTech is also offering an incredible promotion for both new and existing customers that essentially cuts a year’s worth of hosting fees in half.

The release of .NET 2.0, SQL 2005 and Visual Studio 2005, along with the release of accompanying products such as the FREE Visual Web Developer Express and Microsoft SQL 2005 Express, represents one of the most significant advancements in the hosting industry since the initial release of .NET. As one of the largest Windows-based hosting companies in the world and a proven “first-to-market” solutions provider, CrystalTech again has shown its commitment to providing the latest technology advancements to its customers quickly and affordably. 

CrystalTech has perfected the introduction of new technologies into its network, as demonstrated by the company’s ability to provide customers SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005 simultaneously. Customers can create and add new databases on the platform of their choosing from within CrystalTech’s .NET-based Control Center, and transition at their own pace.  Likewise, the introduction of the ASP.NET 2.0 framework to CrystalTech’s shared servers will be very similar, and provide customers the flexibility of working on .NET 1.1 or the new .NET 2.0 framework. 
 
“We’re very excited to announce the introduction of Microsoft’s latest technologies into our service and product lines on the same day of their release,” said Tim Uzzanti, CEO of CrystalTech. “CrystalTech’s size and close relationship with vendors like Microsoft have not only allowed us to offer our customers advanced looks at the latest technologies through invitation-only beta programs, but also help provide our customers access to these live products first, thereby giving our customers a competitive advantage.”

“In addition, not only has Microsoft exceeded all expectations in the technological advancements these releases present, but they have also exceeded expectations in their marketing methods and understanding of their growing customer base,” Mr. Uzzanti continued. As an example, with all releases, Microsoft is providing FREE Express editions that are extremely powerful and thereby extremely beneficial to a very large number of existing and new developers. “I feel that, with Visual Web Developer Express and SQL Express, Microsoft will challenge the open source community and could potentially convert open source developers to the Microsoft Platform. There’s no doubt that this is an exciting time to be a programmer and web developer.”

About CrystalTech
Founded in 1992, CrystalTech Web Hosting, Inc. is one of the largest Windows-based web hosting companies in the world, hosting customers in over 100 countries, ranging from small businesses to Fortune 100 corporations. CrystalTech is responsible for hundreds of millions of visits each day on the Internet and uses a state-of-the-art data center that includes redundancy throughout core systems like power, air conditioning, network connectivity, network transportation, as well as a secured environment for their network operations center. CrystalTech is a subsidiary of Newtek Business Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: NKBS), a premier provider of business services and financial products to small and medium-sized businesses. For more information about CrystalTech, please contact Phil Guana at 602-263-0300, ext. 146, pguana@crystaltech.com  or visit http://www.crystaltech.com.

About Newtek Business Services, Inc.
Newtek Business Services, Inc. is a direct distributor to the small to medium-sized business market. According to the SBA, there are over 23 million small businesses in the United States which in total represent 99.7% of all employers, generate 60-80 percent of all new jobs annually and generate more than 50% of non-farm GDP. Since 1999, Newtek has helped these business owners realize their potential by providing them with the essential tools needed to manage and grow their businesses. Newtek focuses on providing its 45,000 customers with access to financial, management and technological resources that enable them to better grow and compete in today's marketplace. Newtek's products and services include:
 
• Newtek Small Business Finance: U.S. government-guaranteed small business lending services;
• Newtek Merchant Solutions: electronic merchant payment processing solutions;
• Newtek Insurance Agency: customized insurance products provided through Keyosk;
• Newtek IT Services: complete information technology solutions;
• CrystalTech Web Hosting: comprehensive web site services;
• Newtek Financial Information Systems: outsourced digital bookkeeping; and
• Newtek Tax Services: tax filing, preparation and advisory services.