SBC Communications, ASSIA Enter Joint Development and Licensing Pact to Develop ``DSL Optimizer'' for Enhanced Broadband Platform; Companies Collaborate to Improve Next-Generation DSL Performance.

SAN ANTONIO -- SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE:SBC), announced today that its SBC Knowledge Ventures and SBC Network Planning and Engineering units have signed a three-year agreement with Redwood City, CA-based ASSIA, Inc. to develop and license technologies and intellectual property to help manage and enhance the performance of the next generation of DSL broadband services.

ASSIA, Inc. (or Adaptive Spectrum and Signal Alignment, Inc.) is a two-year-old company created to design and build high-performance telecommunications software tools that help to optimize speed, enhance applications, and reduce costs for service providers of digital subscriber line (DSL) services. The company is headed by John Cioffi, a renowned expert in DSL technology, who also is a professor of electrical engineering at Stanford University.

ASSIA and SBC companies, the nation's largest provider of DSL service, intend to jointly develop a "DSL Optimizer" software tool with dynamic spectrum management capabilities for implementation in the SBC network. The new tools will help SBC companies monitor and automatically allocate spectrum for data transmission to further enhance DSL performance for customers. DSL Optimizer will complement SBC's industry-leading Broadband Tools, developed internally, which have dramatically improved DSL performance and continues to lower SBC costs.

Once developed, the new software and intellectual property will be exclusively marketed by ASSIA to other DSL service providers around the world.

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"This is very exciting for us," Cioffi said. "SBC Communications is the leader in DSL delivery in the U.S., and is an ideal association for us. SBC has extensive experience in managing DSL networks, lowering operating costs, and continuously improving performance for its customers. So, to associate with SBC Knowledge Ventures and SBC Network Planning and Engineering is indeed an honor and a great opportunity."

Chris Rice, executive vice president, SBC Network Planning and Engineering, said this collaboration will help SBC companies further reduce operating costs across its DSL network, and increase DSL network data rates.

"SBC companies are dedicated to delivering new innovations in broadband, and a key part of that effort is development of tools that improve our service quality and efficiency," Rice said. "Working with ASSIA will expand our capabilities to develop and deliver new software that enhances our DSL platform. We look forward to working with John Cioffi and his team."

About SBC

SBC Communications Inc. is a Fortune 50 company who subsidiaries, operating under the SBC brand, provide a full range of voice, data, networking, e-business, directory publishing and advertising, and related services to businesses, consumers and other telecommunications providers. SBC holds a 60 percent ownership interest in Cingular Wireless, which serves more than 52 million wireless customers. SBC companies provide high-speed DSL Internet access lines to more American consumers than any other provider and are among the nation's leading providers of Internet services. SBC companies also now offer satellite TV service. Additional information about SBC and SBC products and services is available at www.sbc.com.

About ASSIA, Inc.

ASSIA, Inc (Adaptive Spectrum and Signal Alignment Incorporated) is the leading company, providing high-performance software tools, in an emerging high growth marketplace referred to as DSM (Dynamic Signal Management). ASSIA's technology and software employ several adaptive learning methods to characterize each DSL line, the various employed modem products, and the local and overall DSL network to reduce operational costs for the Service Provider, increasing DSL network data rates and thereby raising customer satisfaction. Additional information about ASSIA, Inc. and its products and services is available at www.assia-inc.com.