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Yes, Virginia, There is a 'Cingular' Wireless Experience Market Launch Brings Advanced Network, Diverse Phones and Exciting National Voice and Data Options RICHMOND, Va., March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless has arrived! Though the company has been serving northern Virginia since 1984, Cingular Wireless LLC, a joint venture between SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE:SBC) and BellSouth Corp. (NYSE:BLS), is pleased to announce the expansion of our service area to western, central and southern Virginia, including the major cities of Norfolk, Richmond and Roanoke. Consumers and businesses in Virginia can now enjoy all the value and benefits available from the nation's largest wireless company, including one of the widest selections of handsets, nationwide calling plans and advanced wireless data services. Cingular Wireless, which completed its merger with AT&T Wireless last fall, now serves more than 50 million customers and has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation. "This is a very exciting time for the new Cingular and Virginia." said Bob Puglielli, vice president and general manager of Cingular in Virginia and West Virginia. "The Norfolk, Richmond and Roanoke markets are the crowning jewels of our national service footprint, giving us presence in all Top 100 markets in the US." Customer Benefits As of today, former Virginia customers of SunCom will have "Cingular Experience" at any of the 2,800 company-owned retail locations throughout the country, including 44 former SunCom locations in Virginia. "Our goal is to roll out products and services that offer quality and value never before seen in this area. That means compelling rate plans, expanded wireless coverage and the latest in cutting-edge wireless devices." Today's launch of the Cingular brand in Virginia is only a first step in the company's foray in to this region. Cingular plans significant network enhancements and expansions in 2005 and beyond to offer a more ubiquitous wireless experience for Virginians. Some of the features of the new "Cingular Experience" include: - Making more calls in more places on the largest digital voice and data network - the Cingular ALLOVER(SM) network - Calling 50 million people for free, by signing up for Cingular's expanded "mobile to mobile" plan - Enjoying the features and capabilities of nearly two dozen handsets, including Cingular exclusive models like the sleek and stylish Motorola RAZR V3 phone - Benefiting from a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, the best in the industry The "Cingular Experience" includes simplified coverage maps and rate plans as well as self-service enhancements that let customers check account information and add services right from their handsets by dialing *BAL for their balance, *MIN to check minutes, *PAY to pay their bill and *NOW to order features like text messaging packages. These and other customer friendly initiatives are specifically designed to make Cingular Wireless the carrier of choice in Virginia. "Cingular itself is the result of a merger of major wireless providers, therefore we have experience in successfully combining companies, networks and operations," said Puglielli. "We'll use our employees' expertise to bring the full benefit of Cingular's nationwide wireless network to our new customers in Virginia." Because Cingular Wireless operates on GSM, the world standard in wireless technology, the company is able to offer one of the widest handset arrays of any wireless carrier) in the country. Cingular boasts a robust portfolio of consumer products, including phones cool color screens that can take pictures, play MP3s and send text and multi-media messages. Cingular customers can download some of the truest ringtones and games available on the market and use their handsets to surf the Internet. Integrated wireless voice and data applications for businesses large and small including increasingly popular e- mail management capability offered by the Blackberry 7100 with voice capability, has helped Cingular become the largest provider of wireless data services in the United States. A New Look Along with an expanded wireless network, customers in Virginia will notice a new look for their local wireless stores. During the weekend of March 12 and 13, teams of Cingular employees converted more than 44 SunCom company-owned stores into Cingular Wireless stores. Storefronts, in-store displays and point-of-purchase materials have all been updated with the Cingular look and feel, allowing for a seamless retail transition from SunCom to Cingular. "Our employees are doing a remarkable job of quickly integrating SunCom locations into the Cingular family," said Puglielli. Each former SunCom store now has a supply of Cingular phones, accessories, branding elements and signage. More importantly, all of our customer-facing employees have completed training to ensure that they can provide all visitors to Cingular stores with accurate and up-to-the-minute information - the "Cingular Experience." "Whether customers are buying products or rate plans or just have questions about Cingular, they deserve to get friendly, high-quality service at every Cingular location," said Puglielli. "And thanks to the commitment, dedication and efficiency of our employees, customers are certain to get the 'Cingular Experience' everywhere we do business." About Cingular Wireless Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving more than 50 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE:SBC) and BellSouth Corporation (NYSE:BLS), has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation and the largest mobile- to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover., the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/ . Get Cingular Wireless press releases e-mailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://www.cingular.com/newsroom . DATASOURCE: Cingular Wireless LLC CONTACT: Alexa Graf Kaufman of Cingular Wireless, +1-301-489-3610, or +1-301-742-0888, or Web site: http://www.cingular.com/ http://www.cingular.com/newsroom

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