MCI Receives Multi-Million Dollar Deal From Allstate For Voice And Contact Center Solutions

-- Contract Award Expands Relationship to Include Nationwide Voice, Data and IP VPN Services at Allstate Corporate and Agent Offices -- ASHBURN, Va., October 22, 2003 - MCI (WCOEQ, MCWEQ) today announced a multi-million dollar agreement with The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) to be the primary provider of voice and contact center network services through 2007. In addition, Allstate, the nation's largest publicly held private line insurer, relies on MCI to deploy, secure and manage its 10,000 site Internet Protocol virtual private network (IP VPN)- one of the largest known data network deployments of its kind. "As the primary provider of communication services to Allstate, MCI is able to provide a complete continuum of services including voice, IP VPN and Internet connectivity," said Cindy Andreotti, MCI President of Business Markets. "By leveraging MCI's managed services portfolio, Allstate is also able to improve productivity and customer services, while reducing overall costs." Beginning immediately, Allstate and MCI will work closely together to transition the Allstate enterprise voice service to the MCI voice network, enabling Allstate to reduce its monthly operating expenses and improve quality of service. Used to communicate with customers, agents, and employees across the nation, the Allstate voice network is expected to handle more than 10 million calls a month. As part of the voice services contract, MCI will provide complex, toll-free routing to meet the unique requirements of Allstate, including Enhanced Call Routing (ECR). Through the use of ECR services, Allstate can communicate with customers, agents, and employees more efficiently and facilitate simple and quick access to the appropriate individual a caller wants to reach. ECR reduces caller confusion and annoyance and improves the allocation of people and equipment within the company. "This agreement will help us make it even easier for our customers to do business with Allstate," said Catherine Brune, Allstate senior vice president and chief technology officer. "In addition to benefiting from cost savings, enhanced services and flexible tools for network management, Allstate will also be better prepared for the future with a logical path for converged services." In addition to supplying voice services to Allstate, MCI provides around-the-clock management, monitoring and maintenance of the Allstate 10,000-plus sales locations and growing IP VPN network. The MCI IP VPN solution enables Allstate to accelerate and enhance the delivery of its insurance and financial products and services to its 16 million households by providing Allstate employees and agents with seamless communications and fast, secure access to corporate applications and business-critical information. MCI has connected Allstate's corporate and 10,000 agent offices to the IP VPN through a combination of broadband digital subscriber line (DSL) and dedicated high-speed Internet access services, with all data traffic traveling over MCI's wholly-owned global IP network. Allstate is using MCI's high-speed DSL connections in more than 3,500 locations with plans to extend its DSL deployment as additional service areas come online. MCI is one of the major communications providers delivering DSL on a nationwide, versus regional basis, in 33 major markets today. At the peak of the implementation period, MCI installed and activated 1,100 Allstate agent sites per month. About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate^®" slogan, Allstate provides insurance products to more than 16 million households and has approximately 12,300 exclusive agents and financial specialists in the U.S. and Canada. Customers can access Allstate products and services through Allstate agents, or in select states at allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate^®. Encompass^SM and Deerbrook^® Insurance brand property and casualty products are sold exclusively through independent agents. Allstate Financial Group includes the businesses that provide life and supplemental insurance, retirement, banking and investment products through distribution channels that include Allstate agents, independent agents, financial institutions and broker-dealers. About WorldCom, Inc.
WorldCom, Inc. (WCOEQ, MCWEQ), which currently conducts business under the MCI brand name, is a leading global communications provider, delivering innovative, cost-effective, advanced communications connectivity to businesses, governments and consumers. With the industry's most expansive global IP backbone, based on the number of company-owned POPs, and wholly owned data networks, WorldCom develops the converged communications products and services that are the foundation for commerce and communications in today's market. For more information, go to http://www.mci.com.