AT&T Supports Fund-Raising 'Shelter From The Storm' Concert With Toll-Free Calling, Call Centers And Employee Volunteers

AT&T Supports Fund-Raising 'Shelter From The Storm' Concert With Toll-Free Calling, Call Centers And Employee Volunteers

BEDMINSTER, N.J., Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T said today it is providing toll-free calling and 10 call centers at no charge to the producers of tonight's "Shelter From The Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast," a live, commercial-free, one-hour primetime simulcast by major television networks to raise funds for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The toll-free number -- 1-866-4AIDNOW (1-866-424-3669) -- is already in operation.

"There are many good companies lending a helping hand to tonight's fundraising effort by opening their call centers," said AT&T Chairman and CEO David W. Dorman. "By waiving the expense of the toll-free transport, AT&T can defray expense that will directly translate into making more money available for the relief efforts."

In addition, the AT&T call centers will be staffed by 1,000 AT&T employees who have volunteered their time to record pledges of charitable donations by people who call the toll-free number.

AT&T's donation of the toll-free calling and the call centers comes on top of nearly $2 million in company and employee cash donations to the relief effort, including:

* the AT&T Foundation's donation of $1 million to the American Red Cross;

* the company's agreement to match AT&T employees' donations of at least $25 each to the Red Cross; with employees having already donated more than $454,000, the company's program contribution to date exceeds $900,000;

* the AT&T Pioneer Disaster Relief Fund, which was created to help AT&T employees and retirees who have been directly impacted by the hurricane.

In addition, the company has donated the following products and services to the relief effort, including:

* the company's donation of 35,000 AT&T PrePaid Phone Cards, each good for 30 minutes of long-distance calling, for distribution to hurricane survivors by the Red Cross and Salvation Army;

* free long-distance calling from as many as 1,000 phones set up by an ad hoc coalition of telecommunications companies in Houston at the Astrodome for evacuees from New Orleans and surrounding areas;

* numerous laptops donated to the Red Cross. The equipment will be used at various shelters across Texas.

AT&T's Internet and data networks have remained in service without interruption from the hurricane, and the company has provided five Emergency Communications Satellite Units that have been used by the Louisiana State Police, Louisiana National Guard and other military and civil emergency- communications authorities in Mississippi and Louisiana.

About AT&T

For more than 125 years, AT&T (NYSE "T") has been known for unparalleled quality and reliability in communications. Backed by the research and development capabilities of AT&T Labs, the company is a global leader in local, long distance, Internet and transaction-based voice and data services.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991018/ATT )

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991018/ATT Source: AT&T

CONTACT: Gary Morgenstern, +1-908-234-6416 office, gmorgenstern@att.com, or Tracey Belko, +1-917-297-0574 mobile, tbelko@att.com, both of AT&T

Web site: http://www.att.com/

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