SBC Communications to Offer Wi-Fi Service in The UPS Store

San Antonio-SBC Communications Inc. announced that its FreedomLinkSM Wi-Fi service will be made available at thousands of The UPS Store locations in the United States. This technology will also be offered in domestic Mail Boxes Etc. stores, which are part of the UPS retail network. Monthly SBC FreedomLink memberships are available for $19.95 and provide unlimited access to all FreedomLink hot spots. Individuals who want walk-up access can purchase a day session for $7.95. A day pass provides unlimited access to FreedomLink hot spots for one calendar day.

The FreedomLink service enables mobile professionals to use laptop computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs) to wirelessly connect to the Internet and corporate networks at speeds 50 to 100 times as fast as a dial-up connection. SBC companies, with support from Wayport Inc., will not only offer Wi-Fi connections, but also wired connections that let customers use the FreedomLink service even if their laptops are not Wi-Fi-enabled.

FreedomLink service will be available in more than 1,500 The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. locations by year-end, with installations continuing through 2005. Moving forward, new domestic The UPS Store centers will also be equipped with the service. Currently, there are approximately 3,300 The UPS Store locations. -The UPS Store & Mail Boxes Etc.