U.S. Department Of State Awards WorldCom 10-Year Global Telecommunications Contract

WorldCom to Provide Domestic and International Data Communications Services Under SPECTRUM Agreement, Valued up to $360 Million

CLINTON, Miss., December 19, 2002 - WorldCom (WCOEQ), the leading global business data and Internet communications provider, today announced that the U. S. Department of State has selected WorldCom to provide advanced communications services to State Department facilities under the SPECTRUM contract. Awarded at the conclusion of an extensive competitive bidding process, the 10-year agreement is valued at up to $360 million.

The SPECTRUM program will deliver telecommunication services including, international private lines, satellite, Internet Protocols and ATM protocols, to Department of State agencies around the world. The contract emphasizes regional approaches, strong network management, vendor accountability, managed satellite services and support and maintenance. In addition, under terms of the contract, WorldCom will be a preferred provider for new Department of State communication programs.

"It is a privilege for WorldCom to provide its highly secure and reliable data communications services to U.S. Department of State agencies through the SPECTRUM program," said Jerry Edgerton, senior vice president of WorldCom Government Markets. "This extension of WorldCom's relationship with the Department of State takes full advantage of WorldCom's unmatched global network reach and international expertise to meet the needs of State Department agencies with feature-rich communications solutions well into the next decade."

WorldCom's award-winning global network- with the world's most expansive Internet Protocol backbone, provides connectivity in more than 100 countries and operates at speeds up to OC-192-enables WorldCom to immediately provide the U.S. Department of State with a full range of communications services, from the simplest transport to the most sophisticated networking. WorldCom is also one of the largest carriers of international voice traffic and has more than 3 million dial ports and access points connecting thousands of cities throughout the world.

WorldCom offers one of the industry's most comprehensive portfolios of Internet services, including Hosting, Internet Access, Managed Messaging, Private IP, Security Services, Voice Portal, VPN, and Web Center. By directly connecting these services to WorldCom's global IP network, WorldCom is able to offer its customers worldwide reach, unsurpassed reliability, and the highest levels of security.

The SPECTRUM agreement with the Department of State is the latest in a series of all-new federal contract signings and extensions recently disclosed by WorldCom. Serving more than 75 U.S. government agencies, WorldCom is one of the largest telecommunications providers to the federal government.

About WorldCom, Inc.
WorldCom, Inc. (WCOEQ, MCWEQ) is a pre-eminent global communications provider for the digital generation, operating in more than 65 countries. With one of the most expansive, wholly owned IP networks in the world, WorldCom provides innovative data and Internet services for businesses to communicate in today's market. In April 2002, WorldCom launched The Neighborhood built by MCI - the industry's first truly any-distance, all-inclusive local and long-distance offering to consumers. For more information, go to http://www.worldcom.com.