Cingular Wireless to Deliver 2.5G Wireless Services to Consumers in Southeast and Las Vegas

'Cingular Wireless Internet Express' Turns On Promise of GPRS in Carolinas, eastern Tennessee, Coastal Georgia and Las Vegas

ATLANTA, October 25, 2001 - Building on over a decade of experience managing and delivering packet data services, Cingular Wireless today announced the rollout of their GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) solution in a number of markets in the Southeast and Las Vegas. The fast, always-on service is already available in the state of Washington.

The introduction of 'Cingular Wireless Internet Express' provides consumers, as well as business users, with an improved wireless Internet experience with "always on" access to information and speeds up to 10 times faster than current technologies on other domestic wireless networks. The new GPRS service, which introduces packet data transmission technology into its existing GSM network, is an extension of Cingular's expertise leveraging its extensive and seamless nationwide Mobitex network.

Cingular's Wireless Internet Express gives consumers in Las Vegas, the Carolinas, eastern Tennessee, and coastal Georgia (including Savannah, Augusta, Brunswick) the flexibility to toggle between an Internet session and a phone call or text message without having to abandon their Internet connection. This means that Cingular mobile phone users can have convenient access to e-mail, wireless Internet, messaging, games and other services. Additionally, with the Motorola Timeport 7389i tri-band phone, consumers can roam anywhere on GSM across the U.S. and Canada and with Cingular's GSM partners overseas.

The introduction of this new technology to consumers in the Southeast lays the foundation for Cingular's roll-out of "2.5G" technology nationwide and its gradual evolution to "3G" or third generation wireless technology. Cingular Wireless Internet Express is expected to be available in all of Cingular's GSM markets by early 2002.

"Cingular Wireless is proud to be to deliver the next generation of wireless communications to consumers," said Stephen Krom, Cingular vice president of marketing for Internet and data. "In the coming months, Cingular will leverage its depth of experience with business applications, delivering many of the same services currently offered via Cingular's Mobitex-based packet data network, such as wireless access to corporate e-mail through Cingular Xpress Mail, a feature no other wireless provider offers over GPRS."

Cingular's Wireless Internet Express service in the Southeast is running over network infrastructure supplied by Nortel Networks. Ericsson Inc. supplies the GPRS network infrastructure in Las Vegas.

Business users have long enjoyed Cingular's many industry-leading services. Cingular's Corporate E-mail PLUS takes popular wireless e-mail services like BlackBerry™ to the next level by allowing users to receive, respond to and forward e-mails as if they were in the office. Corporate E-mail PLUS is the only service that gives enterprise employees wireless access to their corporate e-mail via the Blackberry wireless e-mail solution, along with interactive messaging capabilities from both the RIM 950 or RIM 957 Wireless Handhelds™. Users can also combine Corporate E-mail PLUS with other services, such as line of business applications and business news and lifestyle content, on the same handheld.

Consumers with Cingular's new GPRS service can use Cingular's My Wireless Window Internet portal (www.mywirelesswindow.com) and enjoy improved access to the mobile Internet for smarter, faster and more affordable information.
The wireless portal, accessible from a mobile phone or personal computer, includes calendar, shopping, e-mail, address book and instant messaging. The My Wireless Window portal also provides access to the latest information on stocks, sports, games, weather, news, movies, lottery, horoscopes as well as driving directions and Yellow Pages information for mobile phone users.

With Cingular's new Wireless Internet Express, air time will not count against wireless rate plan minutes, so customers are able to spend as much time on the Internet as needed, paying for their data volume usage (per kilobyte sent and received). Wireless Internet Express will be offered as a feature add-on to any rate plan, giving consumers added flexibility to meet their specific needs. Packages are available starting at $14.99 and including 100 interactive messages.

ABOUT CINGULAR WIRELESS
Cingular Wireless is the second largest wireless carrier in the U.S., and is dedicated to self-expression and customer-friendly service. As a leader in mobile voice and data communications, Cingular, a joint venture between SBC Communications and BellSouth, currently serves more than 20 million customers nationwide. Cingular offers customers advanced technologies in simple, cost-effective ways that permit them to tap the creative potential of wireless through their own self-expression. Details of the company are available at www.cingular.com.

CINGULAR MOVES TO THE EDGE

Consumers to reap benefits of fast, always-on wireless technology

ATLANTA, October 30, 2001 - Cingular Wireless today announced it will begin upgrading its network to third generation wireless data technology - with the introduction of EDGE, bringing consumers nationwide the benefits of faster speeds for accessing the wireless Internet and information anytime, anywhere.

The upgrade to EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution) will put in place wireless always-on packet data technology capable of transmitting data at up to peak rates of 384kbs - fast enough to support full-motion video.

"Cingular - already the national leader in packet data - is going a step further to transition our network to a worldwide 3G standard," said Stephen Carter, president and CEO of Cingular. "At the same time, we will be providing our customers with a single voice technology from coast-to-coast."

The move to EDGE will begin with the installation of GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) packet data and GSM (Global System for Mobile Telecommunications) voice technology over Cingular's TDMA and analog networks. GSM is the world's leading digital wireless technology. More than half a billion GSM phones are in use worldwide, accounting for more than 70 percent of the world's digital wireless market. The technology also allows customers with tri-band or "world" phones to use their phones seamlessly in more than 160 countries.

Ericsson, Nokia and Siemens have been selected to assist with the infrastructure build out. These three vendors have also been developing the GSM/TDMA dual-technology terminals for some time and have been selected to be Cingular's primary suppliers of these devices. They will also be among a larger group of suppliers of 850/1900 GSM handset suppliers.

Cingular already uses GSM technology in California, Washington, Nevada, South Carolina, North Carolina, Eastern Tennessee and Coastal Georgia.

"GSM is clearly the world's choice for wireless technology," said Carter. "Plus, having a common technology throughout the United States will allow us to provide additional capabilities and features for our customers."

EDGE will be installed in all markets throughout Cingular's coverage area. GPRS is already marketed in Seattle, Las Vegas, Eastern Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina as Cingular Wireless Internet Express. The EDGE network will also be "backwards compatible" meaning customers with GPRS devices can also use them in EDGE markets.

Cingular's decision to pursue EDGE as its third generation technology path is made possible by a number of factors and commitments, including:

Increased spectrum efficiency achieved through the GSM technology.
Availability of GSM network infrastructure that operates on 850 MHz and 1900 MHz spectrum.
Development of GAIT wireless phones, which will allow Cingular customers to seamlessly move between its TDMA to GSM networks.
Commitments from network infrastructure and terminal vendors to supply Cingular with EDGE infrastructure and devices.
Cingular will continue to provide TDMA service to its current TDMA customers. It is anticipated that demand for the new service will continue to gain momentum, with many upgrading from TDMA to GSM/EDGE devices over time.

"This conversion will be transparent to the large majority of our customers. Since many customers upgrade their handsets about every two years, we expect an extremely smooth transition," said Carter.

ABOUT CINGULAR WIRELESS
Cingular Wireless is the second largest wireless carrier in the U.S., and is dedicated to self-expression and customer-friendly service. As a leader in mobile voice and data communications, Cingular, a joint venture between SBC Communications and BellSouth, currently serves more than 21.3 million customers nationwide. Cingular offers customers advanced technologies in simple, cost-effective ways that permit them to tap the creative potential of wireless through their own self-expression. Details of the company are available at www.cingular.com.