MCI Data Services Rated #1 In Customer Service, Performance And Reliability By Network Magazine Readers

ASHBURN, Va., August 7, 2003 - MCI today announced that it received top honors in customer service for its global frame relay and leased line data services in CMP Media's Network Magazine 2003 North American Carrier Survey: The People's Voice, Interexchange Carrier (IXC) category. Additionally, the CMP survey ranked MCI's frame relay and leased line services as number one in performance and reliability.

Network Magazine's annual North American Carrier Survey, one of the networking industry's longest running surveys, found that MCI delivered the best customer service, outperforming a dozen other providers in each category, including AT&T and Sprint.

According to the survey's findings, "poor customer service was cited as public enemy number one, with major carriers turning in their lowest numbers ever. The exception was WorldCom, now called MCI, who roared back from its kiss of bankruptcy death to deliver the best customer service numbers in four years." Network Magazine also reported "the same can't be said for the other IXCs, however. For the past four years, survey respondents have reported a steady decline in Sprint and AT&T's technical and logistical support."

"While customer service has always been a top priority at MCI, we have raised the bar on our own high standards of excellence to stand up to the increased demands of our customers," said Sonny Evans, MCI senior vice president of Customer Service. "From our CEO to our more than 55,000 employees, customer service has become job one at MCI. This honor clearly demonstrates that we are achieving what we have set out to do - deliver best-in-class services to our customers."

In the frame relay category, MCI garnered top ratings in reliability and performance "despite talk of lower stability in the networks," the publication points out. MCI's frame relay data services have been a mainstay at the company for more than 10 years. As the first provider of frame relay services to business, MCI provides premier data communications solutions in more than 72 countries today, backed by industry-leading SLAs and disaster recovery planning. The frame service supports a wide range of business critical applications like Web, voice and video.

Also the winner in the leased line category, MCI's solution - Private Line - was ranked first in reliability and performance. MCI offers one of the most comprehensive product portfolios in the industry. Its Private Line services provide robust, proven technology, flexible and discount plans tailored to meet individual customer needs, facilities-based local, national and global network infrastructure, broad coverage from rural to metropolitan to international, and 24x7 proactive network monitoring and support.

The 2003 Survey polled 40,000 Network Magazine readers, of which more than 4,000 responded by completing an online questionnaire across nine categories including performance, reliability, customer support, billing and installation fees in five areas: leased line, frame relay, private IP, mobile data and dedicated Internet access. The Survey is featured in the magazine's August issue and online at NetworkMagazine.com. Results of the dedicated IP, private IP and mobile data portions will be reported later in 2003.

CMP Media's Network Magazine
Network Magazine provides in-depth technical analysis of network architectural solutions to 125,000 network IT buyers to help them make informed network specification, deployment and management decisions. Network Magazine's unique editorial delivers information about the entire life cycle of network infrastructure hardware, software, and services, from emerging technologies to ongoing management. Widely recognized for its editorial excellence, Network Magazine was awarded the 2003 Maggie Award for Best Computer/Trade publication and a 2003 Jesse H. Neal award for best regularly featured column. Network Magazine is published monthly by CMP Media LLC and can be viewed online at www.networkmagazine.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.