Toyota Reaches Data Network Milestone Connects 1,000 Locations with WorldCom IP VPN

CLINTON, Miss., September 4, 2001 WorldCom (NASDAQ: WCOM), the leading global business data and Internet communications provider, today announced the milestone installation of 1,000 dedicated site connections to the Internet Protocol virtual private network (IP VPN) that WorldCom manages for Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. This state-of-the-art network deployment represents one of WorldCom's largest installed IP VPN customers to date.

The automakers massive data network securely links Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. offices with independent Toyota and Lexus dealerships, private distributors and business partners across America. In addition, Toyota has integrated WorldCom Net Conferencing and Managed Email services with its IP VPN to create a single, comprehensive IP-based communications solution for its U.S. operations.

Toyota's commitment to innovation and excellence extends from the vehicles we build to the sales and service information infrastructure that drives customer satisfaction, said Barbra Cooper, chief information officer for Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. At Toyota, we consider IT a strategic tool offering a powerful competitive advantage. We want our e-infrastructure to work harder, so we can focus greater attention on our core business. Based on its proven network management expertise, its unrivaled network, and its advanced data solutions we chose WorldCom for this cutting-edge IP VPN project and WorldCom has delivered.

Toyota's IP VPN solution utilizes dedicated high-speed connections at each location, allowing dealerships to better serve their customers through quick access to updates on vehicle allocations, inventories and deliveries, as well as parts availability, consumer financing, and marketing and training materials. It streamlines dealer vehicle maintenance operations by delivering diagnostic and repair information, training videos, diagrams and schematics online relieving the need for publishing, updating and distributing service manuals to dealer technicians.

In addition to secure access to sales and service information, the Toyota IP VPN solution also provides each Toyota and Lexus dealer with a high-speed connection to the Internet. A customized solution, the Toyota IP VPN offers easily scalable bandwidth upgrades on-demand through quick software changes instead of equipment modifications. It comes complete with unique order processing and tracking mechanisms.

By deploying an IP VPN and outsourcing its management to WorldCom, Toyota is leveraging the power of Internet-based communications technology with the efficiency and value of a fully managed network solution, said Cindy Andreotti, senior vice president of WorldCom Global Accounts. It showcases Toyota's position as a pioneering information technology force in the auto industry and WorldCom's unique ability to build and manage advanced data networks for customers of all sizes. By combining WorldCom's IP VPN solution with its advanced Net Conferencing and Managed Email services, Toyota is demonstrating how e-business solutions are transforming business today.

Toyota will use WorldCom Net Conferencing, through its managed IP VPN solution, to interactively train and inform its independent dealers nationwide while cutting travel costs. The service enables participants to accomplish more in their Internet-based meetings by viewing presentations via the Internet while listening to a presenter through a standard audio conference. Attendees simply log on to a predetermined Web site to view presentations without special software or firewall issues.

WorldCom Managed Email allows Toyota to centralize its communications between dealerships, distributors and partners via the Internet. WorldCom Managed Email allows full or partial outsourcing solutions of a customers e-mail requirements including hosted mailboxes with integration and interconnection to the customers self-managed email servers or to WorldCom-managed email servers that reside in a secure WorldCom Data Center.

About Toyota Motor Sales
Toyota Motor Sales, (TMS) USA is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota in America. Toyota is Americas fourth largest carmaker and manufactures more than one million cars per year in North America. TMS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation. Toyota ADRs are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: TM) Established in 1957, TMS oversees operations of more than 1390 Toyota and Lexus and dealerships in 49 states. With approximately 6700 employees, Toyota Motor Sales and its subsidiaries also are involved in distribution logistics, motorsports R & D and the general aviation and recreational boating industries. The company's main Web site is http://www.toyota.com.