AT&T Stands Ready for 2009 Hurricane Season in the Southeast

Offers Communications Tips for Consumers and Businesses

ATLANTA, May 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- With an "average" 2009 hurricane
season predicted including 12 named storms in the Atlantic Ocean, of which six
are expected to become hurricanes, AT&T* today announced that it is prepared
to respond quickly if a storm strikes. To help customers prepare too, AT&T is
providing important communications tips for use before, during and after a
storm.

"The communications services we offer play an important role in helping keep
our customers connected during emergencies in a variety of ways including
voice communications, Internet, video applications, Advanced TV, and text
messaging", said Steve Sitton, regional president-Southeast, AT&T Mobility and
Consumer Services. "The Southeast has been tested by hurricane seasons in the
past and we've demonstrated our ability to respond and restore service while
lending support to those impacted in the communities we serve."

In its arsenal of Network Disaster Response (NDR) capabilities, AT&T has the
industry's largest and most advanced disaster response organization with
unmatched resources to help ensure the flow of both wireless and wired
communications during times of need. AT&T has invested more than $500 million
in its NDR function, which includes more than 150 technology and equipment
trailers that can be quickly distributed anywhere in the U.S. or worldwide to
respond to a disaster situation such as a severe hurricane. AT&T invested $145
million in recovery and restoration efforts related to the 2008 hurricanes
that include the opening of a third NDR equipment warehouse in the Southeast.

AT&T has continued to enhance network redundancy in hurricane-prone areas that
include the installation of more back-up and permanent generators at critical
cell sites and switching facilities, location of critical equipment to less
vulnerable areas, upgrade of electronics in many locations, replacement of
copper wiring with fiber optic cable, elevation of switches critical to
network operations above expected flood levels, and protection of physical
facilities against flooding.

"AT&T has built the most technologically advanced wireless and wired networks
in the country," said Gary Ludgood, senior vice president-global network field
operations, AT&T. "We've invested billions of dollars to toughen our networks
and our national disaster recovery response organization so that
communications are maintained and restored as quickly as possible."

A critical element of AT&T's efforts to maximize network reliability is its
ability to swiftly respond when disaster strikes. AT&T's Global Network
Operations Center, the state-of-the-art command center, monitors and maintains
its global networks 24/7 and conducts readiness drills and disaster
simulations throughout the year to ensure that the networks and personnel are
ready to respond in a moment's notice. The NDR team works closely with local
AT&T network personnel and Emergency Operations Centers (EOC's) to restore and
maintain service until permanent repairs can be made.

AT&T's standard pre-storm network preparations include:
-- Adding capacity to the wireless network to accommodate increased call
volume.
-- Testing the high-capacity backup batteries located at every cell site.
-- Distributing extended battery life and portable generators, and
maintaining existing fixed generators.
-- Topping off generators with fuel at cell sites and central and
field-level switching facilities.
-- Using natural gas in some of the permanent generators to eliminate the
need to refuel.
-- Staging generators in safe locations for their immediate deployment
once
a storm has passed.

Response equipment readied in the wake of a storm:
-- Mobile cell sites and mobile command centers
-- Emergency communications vehicles
-- A self-sufficient base camp, complete with sleeping tents, bathrooms,
kitchen, laundry facilities, on-site nurse and more than 10,000 meals
ready to eat (MREs), plus more
-- Hazmat equipment and supplies
-- Equipment-trailers to provide infrastructure support and mobile
heating
ventilation and air conditioning
-- Internal and external resources for initial assessment and recovery
efforts

AT&T offers the following recommendations for consumers and small business
owners in preparation for this year's hurricane season.

Consumer Tips:
-- Have a family communications plan in place. Designate someone out of
the
area as a central contact, and make certain that all family members
know
whom to contact if they become separated. Most important, practice
your
emergency plan in advance.
-- Be sure you have a "Hurricane Phone." It's a good idea to
have a wireless phone on hand and at least one corded (landline)
telephone that is not dependent on electricity in case of a power
outage. Cordless telephones usually have receivers that are
electrically
charged, so they won't work if you lose your power.
-- Program all of your emergency contact numbers and e-mail addresses
into
your mobile phone. Numbers should include the police department, fire
station and hospital, as well as your family members.
-- Keep your wireless phone batteries charged at all times. Have an
alternative plan to recharge your battery in case of a power outage,
such as charging your wireless device by using your car charger or
having extra mobile phone batteries or disposable mobile phone
batteries
on hand.
-- Keep your wireless phone dry. The biggest threat to your device during
a
hurricane is water, so keep your equipment safe from the elements by
storing it in a baggie or some other type of protective covering.
-- Forward your home number to your wireless number in the event of an
evacuation. Because call forwarding is based out of the telephone
central office, you will get incoming calls from your landline phone
even if your local telephone service is disrupted at your home. In the
unlikely event that the central office is not operational, services
such
as voice mail, call forwarding, remote access call forwarding and call
forwarding busy line/don't answer may be useful.
-- Track the storm and access weather information on your wireless
device.
Many homes lose power during severe weather. If you have a wireless
device that provides access to the Internet, you can watch weather
reports through AT&T Mobile TV or keep updated with local radar and
severe weather alerts through My-Cast(R) Weather, if you subscribe to
those services.
-- If you have a camera phone, take, store and send photos -- even video
clips -- of damaged property to your insurance company from your
device.

-- Take advantage of location-based mapping technology. Services such as
AT&T Navigator and AT&T FamilyMap can help you seek evacuation
routes or avoid traffic congestion from downed trees or power lines,
as
well as track a family member's wireless device in case you get
separated.

Small Business Tips:
-- Set up a call-forwarding service to a predetermined backup location.
Set
up a single or multiple hotline number(s) for employees, employees'
families, customers and partners, as appropriate, to call so that all
parties know about the business situation and emergency plan. For this
to be most effective, maintain an updated contact list, including
mobile
and home phone numbers and e-mail addresses, for all employees.
-- Protect hardware/software/data records/employee records, etc.
Routinely
back up these files to an off-site location. Use a generator for
supplying backup power to vital computer hardware and other
mission-critical equipment. Prearrange the replacement of damaged
hardware with vendors to ensure quick business recovery.
-- Outline detailed plans for evacuation and shelter-in-place plans.
Practice these plans (employee training, etc.). Establish a backup
location for your business and meeting place for all employees.

-- Assemble a crisis-management team and coordinate efforts with
neighboring businesses and building management. Be aware that
disasters
affecting your suppliers also affect your business. Outline a plan for
supply chain continuity for business essentials.

Maximizing Service During and After a Hurricane:
-- During an emergency, more people are trying to use their phones at the
same time. The increased calling volume may create network congestion,
leading to "fast busy" signals on your wireless phone or a
slow dial tone on your landline phone. If this happens, hang up, wait
several seconds and then try the call again. This allows your original
call data to clear the network before you try again.
-- Try wireless text/short messaging service (SMS). During an emergency
situation, text messages will often go through quicker than voice
calls
because they require less network resources. All of AT&T's
wireless devices are text messaging capable. Also, if you have a
wireless data device such as a BlackBerry(R) Bold or Samsung
Propel(TM)
Pro, you can use its messaging capabilities to communicate. Depending
on
the call plan, additional charges may apply.

-- Keep non-emergency calls to a minimum, and limit your calls to the
most
important ones. If there is severe weather, chances are many people
will
be attempting to place calls to loved ones, friends and business
associates.

Additional information and tips for disaster preparedness can be found at
www.att.com/vitalconnections.

SOURCE: The updated (April 2009) Seasonal Forecast issued by Colorado State
University forecasters Philip Klotzback and William Gray.

* AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and
affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its
subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of
AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings
are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and
the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services.
In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and
advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM
organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as
communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy,
AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. In 2009, AT&T again ranked
No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE(R) magazine's list of the
World's Most Admired Companies. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the
products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is
available at http://www.att.com.

(C) 2009 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo
and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual
Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.

Dawn Benton of AT&T Inc., Office, +1-404-986-1824, Mobile, +1-404-202-6335,
Dawn.benton@att.com