SBC Communications to Underwrite NBC Telethon for Tsunami Relief; Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope Expected to Rally Relief Funding

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 13, 2005--SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE: SBC) today announced it will underwrite NBC's "Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope," a national telethon for tsunami disaster relief that will be broadcast live at 8 p.m. EST, Saturday, Jan. 15.

The two-hour telethon, featuring a variety of top music, film and TV stars, will allow callers to pledge donations for use by the American Red Cross to provide relief and support to the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami in South Asia. In addition to NBC affiliates, the telethon will air on other NBC broadcast and cable outlets, including Bravo, USA, Trio, Sci Fi, MSNBC, CNBC, Pax and Telemundo.

“The earthquake and resulting tsunami shook the whole world, and the impact will be felt for years”

"The earthquake and resulting tsunami shook the whole world, and the impact will be felt for years," said Edward E. Whitacre Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of SBC Communications Inc. "SBC is very pleased to underwrite Tsunami Aid, and we encourage people everywhere to enjoy this special program and make a contribution to help ease the suffering."

In addition to underwriting the telethon, SBC companies also are providing some infrastructure support for the telethon, including live video feeds.

The SBC Foundation previously announced a dollar-for-dollar match of contributions made by its regular full-time employees and eligible retirees up to $1 million. Funds raised through the matching gift program will be directed, based on employee designation, to the American Red Cross, United Way International, UNICEF, Save The Children, OXFAM America and AmeriCares to support humanitarian aid and rebuilding assistance to residents of the affected areas. The SBC Foundation also announced a $1 million, five-year grant to the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program, with the first-year funding of $200,000 earmarked for the American Red Cross International Response Fund to aid tsunami relief.

The SBC Foundation is the charitable giving arm of SBC Communications Inc. The SBC Foundation supports efforts that enrich and strengthen diverse communities nationwide, particularly those with an emphasis on education and technology and those that benefit underserved populations. SBC Foundation-backed programs are designed to increase access to information technologies, broaden technology training and professional skills development, and effectively integrate new technologies to enhance education and economic development. The Foundation Center has consistently ranked the SBC Foundation among the nation's top six corporate foundations. In 2002, the SBC Foundation launched SBC Excelerator, a multimillion dollar competitive grants program that funds nonprofit organizations in their efforts to digitally connect communities.

SBC Communications Inc. (www.sbc.com) 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 46 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.

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