MCI Deploys 3,100 Route Miles of Ultra Long Haul Network Technology Across its U.S. Fiberoptic Network

Network Strategy Increases Reliability, Operational Efficiencies, Bandwidth Availability, New Data Speeds
and Prepare Next Generation Network for Managed Wavelength Services

ANAHEIM, Calif., OFC/NFOEC Conference, March 9, 2005 -- MCI Inc. (NASDAQ: MCIP) today announced it has deployed Ultra Long Haul (ULH) network technology on 3,129 route miles of its network, a key milestone in its ULH Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) network expansion strategy. The network routes include New York City to Cleveland, Chicago to Denver (via Omaha), and Salt Lake City to Los Angeles (via Sacramento).

"Last year we announced our intent to be the first communications company in the United States to deploy and activate the optical network of the future," said Jack Wimmer, MCI vice president of network architecture and advance technology. "Today we have reached a significant milestone by deploying ULH on more than 3,100 miles of optical fiber carrying customer traffic on the MCI next generation network."

MCI's ULH network shortens the adoption time for applications like web services, grid computing and storage networking. ULH also creates a platform for future infrastructure-based product innovations like managed wavelength services which will be available to customers by the end of this year.

This new underlying network infrastructure dramatically increases MCI's network reliability, bandwidth availability and will drive operational efficiencies leading to additional savings. New consolidated network management systems will create end-to-end automation for better monitoring, provisioning, and network management. Customers will experience reduced network service provisioning time, receiving services in weeks instead of months.

"Not only does ULH strategy reduce MCI's network operating expenses because it removes 70 percent of the network equipment components, it also improves our customers' experience," Wimmer said. "ULH lays the groundwork for future IP communications for our enterprise and government customers. Ultra Long Haul DWDM converges legacy networks to deliver all services over a single next-generation infrastructure."

With ULH, the network will enable OC-768 capacity, which in turn, supports emerging high-bandwidth data applications as well as on-demand customer capacity upgrades. A converged network offers more flexibility, new types of service, and better utilization of bandwidth for customers.

When the multiyear ULH network project is completed, MCI will have 32,000 miles of ULH network deployed throughout the United States.

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 markets. For more information, go to www.mci.com.