Press Release

April 17, 2002

Jefferson Pilot Financial Teams With RIM to Provide Wireless Technology to Employee Benefits Sales and Management Professionals

OMAHA, NE - Jefferson Pilot Financial (NYSE:JP - news) and its employee benefits division, Benefit Partners, today announced that it has teamed with Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (Nasdaq:RIMM - news; TSE:RIM - news), a world leader in the mobile communications market, to equip over 100 Jefferson Pilot Benefit Partners sales and management associates with BlackBerry Wireless Handhelds™ for mobile access to corporate data and e-mail communications.

BlackBerry, from RIM, is the leading wireless e-mail solution for mobile professionals, offering an integrated, end-to-end package including software, airtime and wireless handhelds to provide easy access to enterprise information and communication for people on the go.

According to Len Cavallaro, Senior Vice President - Sales and Marketing for Benefit Partners, ``Providing BlackBerry technology is a significant milestone that will further differentiate Jefferson Pilot Benefit Partners from the competition. The wireless access allows our field force mobile communication capabilities with employee benefit brokers, group administrators and home office personnel. The freedom provided by this technology equips our sales force with an unprecedented level of responsiveness to our brokers and customers by taking the productivity tools - which are traditionally found in an office environment - out on the road.

``With BlackBerry, Jefferson Pilot Financial's sales professionals can initiate, receive and respond to e-mail, schedule meetings and access up-to-date corporate reports while they are away from their sales offices,'' said Cavallaro. ``BlackBerry provides Jefferson Pilot Financial with a competitive advantage and a strong return on investment through improved customer service and increased productivity.''

``BlackBerry provides mobile employees with access to important communications and information from the field,'' said Mark Guibert, Vice President, Brand Management at Research In Motion. ``RIM is pleased to be working with a progressive and customer-focused company such as Jefferson Pilot Financial to offer advanced wireless solutions for insurance professionals.''

``By putting a BlackBerry into the hands of each Jefferson Pilot Financial employee benefit sales representative, they will be better positioned to leverage the technological advantages we have developed in our home office,'' said Cavallaro. The BlackBerry wireless communication solution further extends Jefferson Pilot Financial's commitment to Technology Enabled Relationship Management (TERM).

About Jefferson Pilot Benefit Partners

A division of Jefferson Pilot Financial Insurance Company, Benefit Partners markets ancillary (non-medical) group and worksite insurance products including life, long-term and short-term disability, dental and Employee Assistance Programs through a distribution system consisting of 26 regional sales offices in addition to the home office in Omaha, NE.

About Jefferson Pilot Financial

Jefferson-Pilot Corporation, a holding company (NYSE:JP - news), is one of the nation's largest shareholder-owned life insurance companies. Jefferson Pilot Financial's life insurance and annuity companies, principally Jefferson-Pilot Life Insurance Company, Jefferson Pilot Financial Insurance Company and Jefferson Pilot LifeAmerica Insurance Company, offer full lines of individual life insurance and group life, disability and dental insurance products, in addition to annuity and investment products. Jefferson-Pilot Communications Company owns and operates three network television stations and 17 radio stations, and produces and syndicates sports programming. Additional information on Jefferson Pilot Financial can be found at www.jpfinancial.com.

About Research In Motion

Research In Motion Limited is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the mobile communications market. Through development and integration of hardware, software and services, RIM provides solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including e-mail, messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers around the world to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity. RIM's portfolio of award-winning products includes the RIM Wireless Handheld™ product line, the BlackBerry™ wireless email solution, embedded radio-modems and software development tools. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in Canada, the United States and England. RIM is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq:RIMM - news) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE:RIM - news). For more information, visit www.rim.net. Investors may contact investor_relations@rim.net. Customers may contact info@rim.net.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties of Research In Motion Limited.