WorldCom Earns Five-Star Rating From VARBusiness Magazine

High Quality Products & Services Enable VARs To Customize Advanced Communications Solutions for Small to Medium-sized Businesses

CLINTON, Miss., March 10, 2003 - WorldCom today announced that it was recognized by VARBusiness magazine for the premier service and support it provides to value-added resellers (VARs). WorldCom earned a Five-Star Rating for its high quality services and channel programs designed for IT dealers and consultants.

"With renewed focus and commitment on the SMB marketplace, WorldCom's VAR relationships are more important than ever before," said George Hampton, vice president for Channel sales at WorldCom. "We continue to provide five-star products, processes and programs that deliver the best possible results for our VAR relationships, their customers, and WorldCom."

WorldCom received one of the coveted five-star ratings out of more than 300 vendor programs reviewed in four categories. The magazine's ninth annual Partner Program Guide survey appears in the March 3, 2003 issue of VARBusiness.

Robert C. Demarzo, VARBusiness editorial director, notes that the solution providers through which WorldCom channels its products are critical to providing the proper IT strategies and systems to corporations and institutions. "Through their expertise, solution providers add value to WorldCom products, ensuring proper, cost-effective implementation of technologies needed to drive business forward," he said.

To determine the top vendor-partner programs and to develop the rankings VARBusiness polled more than 180 solution providers, representing various business segments and sizes, to assess the importance of key program elements. The programs were rated by 16 critical criteria, including training and certification. Results were tabulated by Answers Research, a Solana Beach, Calif.-based market research and consulting firm.

About VARBusiness magazine
For the past 16 years, VARBusiness' strategic resources have been the gateway to the Solution Provider community. VARBusiness provides unique strategic business and technology insight for Solution Providers through industry-defining research, in-depth editorial, channel events and innovative Web services, enabling these IT professionals to make educated decisions for their businesses, partnerships and customers. VARBusiness has been the recipient of numerous industry awards for both editorial content and design. For additional information about VARBusiness products, events and services, please visit our Web site at www.varbusiness.com

About WorldCom, Inc.
WorldCom, Inc. (WCOEQ, MCWEQ) is a leading global communications provider, delivering advanced communications connectivity to businesses, governments and consumers. With one of the world's most expansive, wholly-owned data networks, WorldCom provides innovative data and Internet services that are the foundation for commerce and communications in today's market. With products such as The Neighborhood built by MCI and the award-winning WorldCom Connection - the industry's first comprehensive managed voice and data network service - WorldCom continues to lead the industry in converged communications solutions for the 21st century. For more information, go to http://www.worldcom.com.