BellSouth Speeds Up Daytona 500; BellSouth Employs Wireless Broadband Trial in Daytona, Florida to Provide Daytona International Speedway with High-Speed Internet Access.

Business Editors

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 14, 2003

BellSouth (NYSE: BLS) today announced that its trial of wireless broadband technology in Daytona, Florida has been expanded to include the Daytona International Speedway.

BellSouth's high-speed Internet access at the race facility enables media covering the Daytona 500 to upload race-related news stories and photographs, and assists ticket agents in quickly locating spectators' seats.

In January 2003, BellSouth announced that it was trialing fixed wireless broadband technology in the Daytona, Florida market. The race facility contacted BellSouth seeking a solution that could address its seasonal requirement for bandwidth. Since the Daytona International Speedway resides within the footprint of BellSouth's current trial, the utilization of BellSouth's wireless broadband network is a win-win situation for both companies. For Daytona International Speedway, media can file stories and check email while covering racing events and photographers can upload large, high-resolution files for publication. Ticket agents are using the technology to quickly locate ticket holders' seats. Meanwhile, the addition of Daytona International Speedway nearly doubled the trial size allowing BellSouth to study the effects of additional network users with high bandwidth needs on the system.

"Daytona International Speedway and the attending media are excited about the availability of high-speed access and BellSouth is better able to thoroughly test this technology's capabilities above and beyond typical residential usage," said Mel Levine, director of Wireless Broadband for BellSouth. "Since the speedway operates on a seasonal basis, wireless broadband could be a cost-effective solution that offers high-speed access with the ability to purchase bandwidth on a temporary or as-needed basis."

BellSouth's Daytona wireless broadband trial, which includes multiple base stations covering approximately 150 square miles, started in January 2003 and will continue through March 2003. Since Daytona International Speedway is within the trial's original footprint, no additional base stations were required to connect the speedway to the trial network. Approximately 100 new connections were made available at the speedway.

Media and photographers can select various bandwidth options based on their usage. Reporters can choose download speeds of 500kbps to 1Mbps while photographers have access to greater upload speeds for transferring large photographs via BellSouth's wireless broadband network, which utilizes wireless broadband technology from Navini Networks. Prior to the trial, this communication was handled via slower dial-up Internet connections or by physically transporting computers to another location for data transfers. Daytona International Speedway uses standard retail routers to allow media to connect to the network and provides media with a simple set of instructions to configure their PCs' network settings.

Wireless broadband is designed to serve as an alternative means of high-speed connectivity in areas where traditional wireline broadband services cannot be efficiently deployed. BellSouth has been testing wireless broadband technology for more than two years.

About BellSouth Corporation

BellSouth Corporation is a Fortune 100 communications services company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, serving more than 44 million customers in the United States and 14 other countries.

Consistently recognized for customer satisfaction, BellSouth provides a full array of broadband data solutions to large, medium and small businesses. In the residential market, BellSouth offers DSL high-speed Internet access, advanced voice features and other services. BellSouth also offers long distance service throughout its markets, serving both business and residential customers. The company's BellSouth Answers(SM) package combines local and long distance service with an array of calling features: wireless data, voice and e-mail services; and high-speed DSL or dial-up Internet service. BellSouth also provides online and directory advertising services through BellSouth(R) RealPages.com(SM) and The Real Yellow Pages(R).

BellSouth owns 40 percent of Cingular Wireless, the nation's second largest wireless company, which provides innovative data and voice services.