Barnes & Noble Launches Wi-Fi Service With SBC Communications in More Than 600 Stores Nationwide
Barnes & Noble Offers SBC FreedomLink Wi-Fi Service, Providing Customers Fast, Convenient Access to Wi-Fi Hot Spots
New York, New York, November 23, 2004
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world's largest bookseller, and SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE: SBC) today announced that SBC FreedomLink Wi-Fi service is now available at more than 600 Barnes & Noble bookstores nationwide.
The SBC FreedomLink Wi-Fi service will allow Barnes & Noble and SBC customers to use their laptop computers and personal digital assistants to communicate online, surf the Internet and connect to corporate networks at speeds 50 to 100 times faster than a dial-up connection, all from the comfort of their local Barnes & Noble bookstore and café.
"We chose SBC to be our Wi-Fi partner because they provide our customers with the best user experience and value in the industry," said Chris Troia, chief information officer of Barnes & Noble, Inc. "SBC has a customer-friendly pricing model and widespread coverage in major metropolitan areas."
"Barnes & Noble bookstores are marquee venues with wide availability and high customer loyalty, making them ideal locations for our FreedomLink Wi-Fi service," said Scott Helbing, senior vice president, SBC consumer marketing. "As we continue to expand our Wi-Fi network, it's important to make our service available in places where our customers already visit. And in terms of recognizable locations and a relaxing environment, few retail locations are in the same league as Barnes & Noble bookstores."
Barnes & Noble customers can sign up for a single two-hour session for $3.95. Customers can also sign up for an annual membership with unlimited access to more than 5,000 SBC Wi-Fi hot spots, including Barnes & Noble bookstores, for $19.95 per month. Through an introductory offer, SBC Yahoo DSL customers can receive unlimited access to SBC FreedomLink hot spots at no charge until April 15, 2005, and pay just $1.99 a month with a one-year term commitment thereafter.
The addition of Barnes & Noble bookstores makes the FreedomLink network one of the nation's largest Wi-Fi networks, with the service available in more than 5,000 locations throughout the U.S. By the end of 2006, the SBC FreedomLink service is expected to be available in more than 20,000 locations. Customers can view a list of FreedomLink locations by visiting www.sbc.com/freedomlink.
The FreedomLink service is part of an integrated effort to meet customer demand for a comparable broadband experience in the home, office or on the road. SBC Internet Services has sold more than a million wireless home gateways to DSL customers who wished to establish a wireless home network, and SBC companies are working with Cingular Wireless to utilize Wi-Fi and the Cingular third-generation (3G) network to deliver unprecedented high-speed wireless Internet access.
About BARNES & NOBLE, INC.
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world's largest bookseller and a Fortune 500 company, operates 839 bookstores in 50 states. For the third year in a row, the company is the nation's top retail brand for quality, according to the EquiTrend® Brand Study by Harris Interactive®. Barnes & Noble conducts its online business through Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com), one of the Web's largest e-commerce sites and the number-one brand among e-commerce companies, according to the latest EquiTrend survey. In addition to its retail operations, Barnes & Noble is one of the largest book publishers in the world. Its subsidiary, Sterling Publishing, publishes over 1,300 new titles a year and has an active list of over 6,000 titles.
General financial information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the company's corporate Web site: http://www.barnesandnobleinc.com/financials.
About SBC
SBC Communications Inc. is a Fortune 50 company whose 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 24 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.
FreedomLinkSM public wireless high-speed Internet access is provided by SBC Internet Services. SBC, the SBC logo, FreedomLink, the FreedomLink logo, and other product names are trademarks of SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P. All other brand names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. © 2004 SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P. All rights reserved. SBC Yahoo! DSL is an information service that combines DSL transport, Internet access and applications from SBC Internet Services, with customized content, services, and applications from Yahoo! Inc.
FreedomLink Promotion: Connections available at FreedomLink Hot Spots only. Roaming locations are not available, except select McDonald's restaurants. An 802.11 b/g enabled device is required for Wi-Fi access. Offer will expire on April 15, 2005. Promotion and any session may not be extended beyond the previously stated time. Users must register and receive a SBC Yahoo! DSL User ID and Password before signing onto the FreedomLink network. Also, before starting a session, users must review the Terms & Conditions and indicate their acceptance by clicking on the 'I Accept' button. Connections will be limited to the Master Account for SBC Yahoo! DSL subscribers. Subject to change without notice. Service is not available in all areas.
$19.95 monthly pricing requires one-year term commitment. $100 early termination fee applies. Users must pay all service and usage charges incurred prior to termination. At the end of term commitment, service will continue on a monthly basis at current rates. Roaming available at participating locations. For Basic Membership customers, roaming surcharges apply. In addition to FreedomLink Terms and Conditions, acceptance of Membership Agreement is required. All charges will be billed to your credit card.
