Press Release

March 1, 2001

Wireless Data Users Rely on the Cingular Interactive Network Following Today's 7.0 Earthquake in the Pacific Northwest

Significant Increase in Network Usage Recorded Between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. PST

Atlanta, GA - Cingular Interactive's Cingular Interactive Intelligent Wireless Network^SM continued operations in the Pacific Northwest during yesterday's massive magnitude 7.0 earthquake centered in the Seattle area, providing customers with a means of communications to others in the region and throughout the rest of the nation.

All base stations operated in the Pacific Northwest by Cingular Interactive, formerly BellSouth Wireless Data, remained operational throughout the disaster. In the Seattle area alone, at least 10,000 users were able to retain contact with family members and conduct business as usual with associates throughout the country while most other forms of communications were not available. The Intelligent Wireless Network realized a 25% increase in usage immediately following the quake that, according to the National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado, hit at 10:55 A.M. PST and was centered 25 miles southwest of Seattle.

Jim Reed, Vice President of Business Development, Wireless Solutions, for Mobile Data Solutions, Inc. (MDSI), was working from home in the Seattle suburb of Woodinville, WA, when the earthquake struck.

"The earthquake left me with only intermittent local telephone service and I didn't have access to my desktop e-mail, fax and long distance service which I use to stay in constant contact with my staff, business partners and salespeople," Reed explained. "But by using Cingular Interactive's Interactive Messaging PLUS, I was able to keep working - wirelessly - via the service's interactive messaging and Internet e-mail features on my RIM 950™ Wireless Handheld to send and receive messages, including to respond to voice mails that I hadn't been able to return. I was also able to send e-mails wirelessly to family members to let them know everything was o.k. because I knew they wouldn't be able to reach me by phone."

The core of the Cingular Interactive Intelligent Wireless Network provides extensive and seamless coverage, high reliability, low latency and other key features. It is the power behind Cingular Interactive's industry-leading services under Cingular^SM MyBiz^SM Interactive, including Interactive Messaging PLUS, as well as such cutting edge solutions as the Palm VII™ connected organizer, America Online's AOL Mobile Communicator^SM, Fidelity? InstantBroker^SM and the BlackBerry™ wireless e-mail solution.

Cingular Interactive, headquartered in Woodbridge, N.J., is an expert in providing proven wireless data communications solutions that eliminate the barriers between critical information and mobile users; it also provides telemetry and transactions applications. Cingular Interactive operates its wireless data service throughout the United States, covering more than 93 percent of the urban business population located in 492 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and non-MSAs with a total population of 200 million people. Recognized as the industry leader, the company was the recipient of several major awards from such entities as Microsoft, Smart Business, FedEx, PC Computing, Frost & Sullivan, Wireless Week and Mobile Insights. Web site address: www.cingularinteractive.com.

Cingular Interactive is a business unit of 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 Wireless, a joint venture between SBC Communications and BellSouth, currently serves 20 million customers nationwide. Cingular's vision is to grow rapidly by offering 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.