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Company to Build 110 New Cell Sites to Better Serve its ALLOVER(SM) Network Customers CHICAGO, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless, the country's largest wireless provider, announced it will invest more than $300 million this year on network improvements in Illinois and Wisconsin -- including turning on-air 110 new cell sites. Nationwide, the company will spend $6.2 billion to enhance and expand its ALLOVER(SM) network* nationwide over the next year. "Better wireless coverage is what wireless consumers want, and better coverage is exactly what Cingular is delivering," said Terry Stenzel, vice-president and general manager for Illinois and Wisconsin. "We have also boosted network capacity by more than 24 percent over the past 7 months so that our customers now experience fewer dropped calls -- whether they're using their Cingular service at home, at work or on vacation." Already this year, Cingular has put into service twenty-two cell sites improving coverage in Winnebago, Bond, Sangamon, Lake, LaSalle & Cook counties in Illinois and in Columbia, Kenosha, Sheboygan, Walworth, & Milwaukee counties in Wisconsin. The network improvements will enable Cingular customers in both states to experience the highest level of voice service quality and offer some of the most advanced data services to more customers in more places. The company is constantly monitoring its network and its competition, driving approximately 22,000 miles per month throughout Illinois and Wisconsin. That's equivalent to nearly 1 complete trip around the earth. Nationally the company and its third party vendors expect to log nearly 30 million miles over the next year -- the equivalent of more than 50 round trips to the moon. Cingular's interactive mapping tool, available at all retail locations and by calling 1-866-CINGULAR, can answer specific coverage questions based on a customer's address, a street intersection, zip code, state or landmark. This innovative service can help give customers information regarding coverage levels in various scenarios -- inside a building for example. Cingular customers will have access to some 45,000 cell sites nationally by the end of 2006. The company already offers customers access to the largest digital voice and data network in America, and Illinois and Wisconsin is an important part of that network. Cingular's ALLOVER network now covers more than 270 million people, and provides service throughout the United States including the top 100 markets. Customers on specific calling plans now have access to the largest mobile-to- mobile calling community in the country -- with free access to more than 50 million people. The company's network growth relies on advanced GSM/EDGE technology. GSM is the world standard for wireless communication, used by more than a billion people in 200-plus countries. In fact, more than 70 percent of the world's total wireless market is GSM. The widespread use of GSM offers Cingular customers the ability to use a large variety of GSM "world phones" and devices in more than 125 countries to make calls and access data services in more than 70 countries. For customers interested in wireless data services, the company's EDGE network -- the fastest national high-speed data network in America -- provides average data connections of up to 135 kilobits per second in more than 13,000 cities and towns and in areas along nearly 40,000 miles of highways. As part of its 2005 investment, Cingular will deploy high-speed third generation (3G) UMTS/HSDPA(Universal Mobile Telecommunications System /High Speed Downlink Packet Access) service to customers in 15-20 major markets this year. The company expects to offer its 3G services in most major markets by the end of 2006. The 3G service will offer average data speeds between 400-700 kbps and bursts to several megabits per second. Customers using the 3G service will be able use a wireless handset to make a voice call and simultaneously check e- mail, browse the Internet at speeds similar to broadband wired services, or even access a variety of video services. For more information about Cingular, please contact 1-866-CINGULAR or visit http://www.cingular.com/. * Coverage not available in all areas. 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 CONTACT: Chris Comes, Central Region of Cingular Wireless, +1-847-765-3602, mobile, +1-312-282-0539, Web site: http://www.cingular.com/ http://www.cingular.com/newsroom

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