AT&T SOLUTIONS SUPPORTS MERRILL LYNCH VISION WITH NETWORKING-BASED ELECTRONIC COMMERCE; To Design, Build and Operate Enhanced Networking Solutions.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 7, 1996--AT&T Solutions today announced that it has entered into a strategic alliance to deliver networking-enabled solutions and intelligent networking services to Merrill Lynch and its Trusted Global Advisor (TGA) platform. The five-year contract, which includes TGA, can be extended for one year and has a potential value in excess of $500 million.

Using leading-edge systems management capabilities, AT&T Solutions will make it possible for Merrill Lynch's financial advisors to instantly access, and respond to, financial market data for their clients by using voice, video and data capabilities. This networking-based electronic commerce solution will allow Merrill Lynch financial consultants to integrate their clients' financial planning capabilities with a wide range of portfolio management tools.

"A number of expectations led to the choice of AT&T Solutions for this transformational effort," said Howard A. Shallcross, Merrill Lynch's senior vice president and chief technology officer of Enterprise Technology Services. "We wanted a single point of contact and integrated account management, along with superior performance and a competitive price. Perhaps more important, we required a seamless transition and long-term technical flexibility to build a world-class networking-based platform."

Under the agreement, AT&T will migrate Merrill Lynch's existing private line data infrastructure to AT&T InterSpan(r) Frame Relay service and provide a rich family of global networking management services. In addition, AT&T Solutions will have responsibility for providing and managing Merrill Lynch's data transport network, as well as most inbound and outbound voice services. AT&T Solutions will also bring together the products and services of other AT&T entities, such as the AT&T Business Markets division and NCR, in providing some of the networking services, equipment and maintenance support included in the agreement.

The information technology management services will be provided by a client-focused team in AT&T Solutions' Global Client Support Center (GCSC) located in Durham, N.C. The GCSC's infrastructure allows customized, end-to-end management for local-area-network (LAN) and wide-area- network (WAN) systems management that will provide lifecycle management services for Merrill Lynch's network of retail branches.

"Merrill Lynch's decision to select AT&T Solutions as the manager of their networking-based electronic commerce solutions reflects a growing trend toward the development of virtual corporations, where companies select strategic partners to leverage world-class capabilities," said Rick Roscitt, managing partner of AT&T Solutions' worldwide outsourcing practice. "We are delighted to bring AT&T's heritage of networking expertise to assist Merrill Lynch's efforts to strengthen its customer relationships."

AT&T is the worldwide leader in providing telecommunications services to businesses and consumers. AT&T Solutions, through its consulting, systems integration and outsourcing practices, provides linked professional services and seamless solutions to maximize the application of electronic commerce.

CONTACT: AT&T

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