MCI Receives Top Honors For Best Online Customer Experience In Telecom Industry

International research firm finds MCI leads sector in responsiveness and transparency

ASHBURN, Va., September 4, 2003 - MCI (WCOEQ, MCWEQ) today announced it has received top honors for delivering the best overall online customer experience in the telecommunications industry, according to The Customer Respect Group's Summer 2003 Online Customer Respect Study. In addition to outperforming the country's largest telecommunications and networking companies, MCI demonstrated the greatest overall improvement since the Winter 2003 survey.

The Customer Respect Group, an international research and consulting firm that focuses on how corporations treat their customers online, ranked MCI along with a wireless carrier in the number one spot with a 9.1 Customer Respect Index (CRI). The survey was based on a qualitative and quantitative in-depth analysis and independent measure of a customer's online experience when interacting with companies via the Internet.

"In addition to responding quickly and thoroughly to online inquiries, MCI also demonstrated a keen customer focus through its open and honest privacy policies, which were among the best in this sector," said Thorsten Ganz, vice president of research, The Customer Respect Group. "These elements of Online Customer Respect go hand-in-hand with ease of navigation, which MCI understands quite well."

"Our customer experience is built into everything we do," said Ron McMurtrie, MCI vice president of Global Marketing. "In April of this year, we redesigned our Web site to better reflect the company's commitment to open communications, along with ease of interaction with the company. The Customer Respect Group's findings validate that we achieved what we initially set out to accomplish."

As part of its comprehensive research, the Customer Respect Study also found that:

• Surveyed firms received the best overall rating for Simplicity and the worst for Principles. Specifically, MCI scored well in Simplicity while also receiving solid marks for Principles.
• Some 23 percent of the companies surveyed do not respond to online inquiries. Of those that do respond, 77 percent do so within 48 hours. MCI routinely responds within 24 hours.
• Only 22 percent of firms surveyed provide email addresses as part of their response. MCI provides numerous email addresses, each geared to a specific area of interest/subject from customer service to product support questions.

Re-launched earlier this year, MCI's redesigned Web site, www.mci.com, focuses on providing a wide range of information to MCI customers and other key stakeholders. At www.mci.com, customers can find information on MCI's progress, products, services, and news. The site highlights a menu of interactive features and breaking news updates.

The twice-yearly Customer Respect Survey was developed and conducted by The Customer Respect Group to provide objective analysis of corporate performance from an online customer's perspective. The Customer Respect Group looked in detail at more than 1,000 Web sites - across a spectrum of industries - by applying 25 different attributes, which are grouped together and measure indicators of: Privacy (respects customer privacy); Principles (values and respects customer data); Attitude (customer-focus of site); Transparency (open and honest policies); Simplicity (ease of navigation); and Responsiveness (quick and thorough response to inquires). Combined, they measure a company's overall Customer Respect Index (CRI).

About The Customer Respect Group
The Customer Respect Group is an international research and consulting firm that uses its Customer Respect Index (CRI(TM)) methodology to help companies improve how they treat their customers online. It provides leadership in the objective and scientific measurement of a customer's online experience. Many of the largest U.S. companies have already adopted the CRI methodology to improve online customer satisfaction and loyalty. The Customer Respect Group is headquartered in Bellevue, WA. For additional information, visit www.customerrespect.com.

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.