SIA Selects MCI For Internet Services

Association Names MCI Preferred Provider of Internet Services for SIA Members

NEW YORK, N.Y., January 25, 2005 - The Securities Industry Association today announced that it has entered into a major agreement with MCI (NASDAQ: MCIP) to offer Internet services to its nearly 600 member-firms. Under terms of the agreement, MCI will deliver a wide range of Internet related services, including managed hosting, Internet access, security, Private IP, video and Net Conferencing solutions, to help SIA members conduct business more effectively through better technology utilization.

SIA and MCI will work closely to help SIA members better utilize Internet technology to conduct electronic transactions, process and share confidential documents, research market trends, host Web-based meetings, and enhance communications with customers. Firms can use MCI's dedicated Internet products and services to securely link to investors, financial institutions, brokerage firms, federal and state lawmakers, regulatory agencies, and industry utilities.

"The agreement with MCI will enable SIA member-firms to receive cost-effective business services at favorable rates," said SIA Executive Vice President Donald D. Kittell. "In fact, the MCI deal will give firms access to some of the most advanced, secure, and high performance Internet services and products available today."

SIA member-firms will be able to take advantage of MCI's expertise in developing and maintaining tailored Internet solutions. MCI will work with individual firms to address their business continuity, disaster recovery and security requirements, either through fully managed or customer-managed solutions.

"MCI is focused on helping customers like SIA put IP technology to work for its member-firms, while ensuring their Internet networks are continuously available 24/7," said Steve Young, senior vice president, MCI Commercial Services. "With MCI's IP services, SIA members can further streamline their operations and better manage the accounts of tens of millions of investors active in U.S. and foreign markets."

SIA members can also fulfill critical security and regulatory requirements through MCI's extensive suite of Internet security solutions, including managed network protection, intrusion detection, vulnerability assessment, remote scanning and anti-virus, anti-spam services.

Information technology staffs can now offload the burden of managing their security by outsourcing the consulting and design, configuration and installation, maintenance, software upgrades, 24/7 management and monitoring, backup and restoration services to MCI. In addition, through MCI's secure Customer Care portal, firms can gain online access to a wide variety of Web-based tools for real-time network management and troubleshooting, online ordering, electronic billing and payment options, training and real-time network performance reporting.

SIA member-firms can find out more information about MCI's Internet products and services by calling toll free (866) 705-9502.

About SIA

The Securities Industry Association brings together the shared interests of nearly 600 securities firms to accomplish common goals. SIA's primary mission is to build and maintain public trust and confidence in the securities markets. At its core: Commitment to Clarity, a commitment to openness and understanding as the guiding principles for all interactions between investors and the firms that serve them. SIA members (including investment banks, broker-dealers, and mutual fund companies) are active in all U.S. and foreign markets and in all phases of corporate and public finance. The U.S. securities industry employs 790,600 individuals, and its personnel manage the accounts of nearly 93-million investors directly and indirectly through corporate, thrift, and pension plans. In 2003, the industry generated $213 billion in domestic revenue and an estimated $283 billion in global revenues. (More information about SIA is available at: www.sia.com.)

About MCI

MCI, Inc., (NASDAQ: MCIP), 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 points of presence, and wholly-owned data networks, MCI develops the converged communications products and services that are the foundation for commerce and communications in today's market. For more information, go to www.mci.com.