AT&T Prepared for Hurricane Ike in Texas

Provider Offers Free Wi-Fi Access at Hot Spots Across the State, Provides Communications Services to Shelter Evacuees

Houston, Texas, September 12, 2008

As Hurricane Ike nears the Texas coast, AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) today announced that it's offering free communications services to evacuees and shelters across the state as well as important wireless communications tips for evacuees.

To help residents stay in touch with family and friends during this emergency, AT&T is making emergency communications resources available by enabling free Wi-Fi access at hundreds of hot spots in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, including at select McDonald's restaurants, Barnes & Noble locations, and AT&T Experience Store^SM locations, among others.

At the same time, the company is taking steps to provide essential communications services to evacuees streaming into the state's primary evacuation shelter, located in San Antonio. To help evacuees stay in touch with their loved ones, the company has deployed resources including:

• Wired telephone lines with free local and long distance calling;
• AT&T High Speed Internet Service for accessing email;
• Charging stations for wireless phones; and
• AT&T | DISH Network digital satellite television service so evacuees can access important news and entertainment during their stay.

The arrival of evacuees at the shelter in south San Antonio has caused a dramatic increase in the use of the AT&T wireless network in that section of the city. As of midday Friday, the AT&T EDGE network had recorded a 150 percent increase in the amount of talk time on wireless devices. The usage of data on AT&T's speedy 3G network increased by 300 percent. AT&T network engineers have added significant capacity to support current and additional evacuees with their mobile communication needs.

AT&T is also working with authorities today as they establish a large evacuation shelter in Tyler, where the company will supply a phone bank for evacuees to use free of charge.

Tips for Affected Residents:
AT&T reminds evacuees to make sure they have a family communications plan for staying in contact if separated, keep their wireless phone batteries charged, and forward their home phone number to their wireless number. Additional information and tips for disaster preparedness can be found at www.att.com/vitalconnections.

AT&T also encourages residents to use wireless text/short messaging service (SMS) whenever possible. During an emergency situation, text messages will often go through quicker than voice calls because they require less network resources. All of AT&T's wireless devices are text messaging capable. Also, if you have wireless data devices such as an Apple iPhone or a Blackberry^® smartphone, you can use its messaging capabilities to communicate. Depending on the call plan, additional charges may apply.

What You Can Do:
AT&T encourages its customers to send $5 donations to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by sending a text message from their mobile phones. A customer simply types the keyword GIVE to 2HELP (24357). A confirmation message will arrive within a few minutes, and the customer then replies YES to confirm his or her donation.

About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. In 2008, AT&T again ranked No. 1 on Fortune magazine's World's Most Admired Telecommunications Company list and No. 1 on America's Most Admired Telecommunications Company list. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at www.att.com.

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