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Cingular Wireless Celebrates 20 Years of Leadership and Service in Dallas and Fort Worth Dallas became a pioneer in wireless communications July 31, 1984 DALLAS, July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- For 20 years, Cingular Wireless and its parent companies -- SBC Communications and BellSouth -- have led the evolution of the wireless industry. This year, Cingular -- along with its parent companies -- celebrates 20 years of wireless industry experience and leadership in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, continuing its rich and successful heritage by providing customers with personalized products, a commitment to superior customer service and network enhancements. From the early stages of cellular service to today's array of personalized multi-media products, Cingular has been at the forefront of the wireless frontier. Cingular is the result of a strong foundation -- uniting 11 well- established brands, including Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems, BellSouth Mobility, Cellular One, Ameritech and Pacific Bell, and 20 million customers through the joint venture of SBC and BellSouth four years ago. Now the second- largest wireless service provider in the United States, Cingular has surpassed 25 million customers and continues to build on its momentum by providing innovative wireless products and services. Bulky suitcase phones that cost thousands of dollars and were enjoyed by a privileged few in 1983 are now powerful communications tools that increase productivity, connectivity and are an indispensable part of not only American life but the world stage. Cingular will celebrate this milestone at all its Dallas-area stores Saturday, with a special reception open to all customers from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its Preston Road Store, 17489 Preston Road in Far North Dallas. All company-owned stores in the Dallas/Fort Worth area will have refreshments, and the Preston location will have a display that details the evolution of the wireless phone. A list of participating stores and their addresses is attached. In addition, the company is celebrating its 20th birthday with 20% off select in-stock wireless accessories. In addition, Cingular will offer $20 gift cards and some models of phones for $20 with a two-year service agreement(2). Huge building banners will be hung from Cingular's Call Center -- 1801 Farmer's Branch -- as well as office locations at the 17330 Preston Road and 15660 Dallas Parkway office buildings. As a way to make a more lasting contribution to the community for the anniversary and to help ensure wireless innovation in the future, Cingular Wireless and The University of Texas at Dallas have announced the creation of a $20,000 scholarship to benefit students planning a career in telecommunications. The scholarship will be awarded to two students enrolled in UTD's Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications Engineering degree program. Cingular Wireless counts a number of important firsts in its history as a leader in wireless technology: * Customer Care - Today, Cingular has introduced services such as the Cingular Service Summary and *Services, designed to provide customers with easy-to-understand information that helps them conveniently and effectively manage their account. * Network Performance - Cingular has completed its nationwide GSM network conversion, and is delivering the advantages with superior sound quality, high-speed data connectivity and one of the widest selections of handsets with the latest features -- cameras, color screens, Multimedia messaging compatibility and polyphonic ringtones. Dallas has the distinction of being the site of the first commercial digital call in the country -- from Dallas to Washington, D.C. in 1991. * Personalized products - Consumers want information and services in a format and style that suits individual tastes and needs. With innovative products such as Multimedia Alerts, Music Tone Ringtones, Rollover(SM) minutes and FastForward -- providing wireless and wireline integration -- Cingular is providing products that fit each customer best. "Cingular has maintained its momentum and continues to grow by introducing innovations in customer care, such as our new personalized customer service summary, and our continued drive to provide improved coverage and network quality," said Steve Schoonmaker, vice president and general manager for Cingular's operations in North Texas. "Today we have the distinction of serving more customers in Dallas/Fort Worth than any other provider(1). We are committed to continuing to provide world-class wireless service that is the best fit for each of our current and future customers." Additional industry milestones include: * Cingular created reality-television history, providing the first-ever multi-carrier text- message voting for SURVIVOR this May. * Cingular was the first nationwide wireless carrier awarded the right to use the "Seal of Wireless Quality" in September 2003. Cingular was one of several wireless carriers to adopt the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) Consumer Code for Wireless Service. Cingular was the first carrier to be deemed by the CTIA to be in complete compliance with all aspects of the code. * Cingular was the first carrier in the world to launch high-speed EDGE service when it turned up its network in Indianapolis in July 2003. * For its support of and commitment to Americans with disabilities, Cingular Wireless was named a recipient of the prestigious 2003 New Freedom Initiative Award by the U.S. Department of Labor. * In 2002, Cingular Wireless was ranked highest in overall customer satisfaction in Dallas/Ft. Worth by prestigious J.D. Power and Associates. * Also in 2002, Cingular launched inter-carrier text messaging, allowing its customers the ability to communicate with the majority of text messaging enabled users in the U.S. regardless of their wireless carrier. * Cingular announced the industry's first implementation of inter-carrier roaming for GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) high-speed data services in 2001. For more information about Cingular products visit http://www.cingular.com/. (1) According to data collected May 2004 by an independent third-party provider. (2) Offer expires 8/20/04. Available at participating locations. New activation requires credit approval, $36 activation fee and GSM phone. Accessory discount does not apply to data card/modems or installed car kits. Some phone offers require mail in rebate. Gift card fulfilled via mail in redemption form. Gift card/Rebate form must be postmarked by 8/31/04. Allow 10-12 weeks to receive gift card/rebate check. Must be a customer for 30 consecutive days. Other conditions and restrictions apply. See store for details. About Cingular Wireless Cingular Wireless, a joint venture between SBC Communications (NYSE:SBC) and BellSouth (NYSE:BLS), serves more than 25 million voice and data customers across the United States. A leader in mobile voice and data communications, Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover(SM), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Cingular is the largest provider of GSM services in the United States, and has a 100 percent digital GSM/GPRS footprint across its service area. It also launched the world's first commercial deployment of wireless services using Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) technology. Cingular also provides corporate e-mail and other advanced data services through its GPRS, EDGE and Mobitex packet data networks. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/. Cingular Wireless Company-Owned Stores Dallas Fort Worth and Mid-Cities Casa Linda Hulen 1152 N. Buckner Suite 106 2834 South Hulen Dallas, TX 75218 Ft. Worth, TX 76109 Frisco Hurst 8700 Preston Rd. Suite 117 980 Melbourne Suite A Plano, TX 75024 Hurst, TX 76053 Garland Inwood 3112 N. Jupiter Suite 301 2952 N. Stemmons Suite 100 Garland, TX 75044 Dallas, TX 75247 MacArthur Lewisville 7979 N. MacArthur Blvd., Suite 120 500 E. FM 3040 Suite 203 Irving, TX 75063 Lewisville, TX 75067 Plano North Arlington 601 W. Plano PKWY Suite 147 2111 N. Collins Suite 203 Plano, TX 75075 Arlington, TX 76011 Preston Park Lane 17489 Preston Rd 9100 N. Central Expwy Suite 112 Dallas, TX 75252 Dallas. TX 75231 Sherman South Arlington 301 E HWY 82 Suite 1A 5415 S. Cooper Suite 125 Sherman, TX 75092 Arlington, TX 76017 Tollway 15660 Dallas Pkwy Suite 101 Dallas, TX 75248 Willowbend 6121 W. Park Blvd. B-102 Plano, TX 75093 DeSoto 1001 N. Buckley Suite 614-D DeSoto, TX 75115 DATASOURCE: Cingular Wireless CONTACT: Frank Merriman, Cingular Wireless, +1-972-774-4802, Web site: http://www.cingular.com/

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