AT&T Wireless' mMode Delivers Simplicity, Substance and Style

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Nov. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today, AT&T Wireless enhanced its popular mMode service to give customers faster, easier access to information and entertainment services with an unparalleled level of simplicity and personalization. Immediately following AT&T Wireless' launch of the nation's fastest wireless data network, announced earlier this week, the enhanced mMode service gives consumers and businesses another compelling reason to switch to AT&T Wireless for their wireless data needs.

mMode offers the largest collection of mobile information and entertainment sites in the U.S. -- including more than 300 games, thousands of ringtones and graphics, a variety of messaging services, popular Internet- based sites, and much more. AT&T Wireless currently has more than one million active mMode subscribers and another half-million customers who occasionally use mMode's data services. The company expects mMode's new enhancements to drive mass adoption at an even faster pace.

"We're taking mMode to the next level," said Andre Dahan, president of AT&T Wireless Mobile Multimedia Services. "We've passed the early-adopter stage, and these new enhancements are designed to bring mMode to the mass market. mMode now features a more user-friendly design and interface, powerful personalization tools, exclusive navigation features, and a host of new applications for daily use in a mobile environment."

"Most services achieve mass adoption when a few critical things fall into place," explains Linda Barrabee, senior analyst at The Yankee Group. "For mobile data, this means offering worthwhile content and applications supported by advanced devices and high-speed networks -- all packaged in a consumer- oriented, intuitive user interface. AT&T Wireless' mMode delivers many of the essential components -- along with new personalization features -- which should help drive broader adoption of wireless data services."

Faster, Easier Access to Useful Information
mMode's new clear-cut menus and intuitive navigation make popular applications accessible in just three clicks or less. The homepage now brings the most sought-after services -- such as email, messaging, games, and ringtones -- to the main menu. Using a new signature service called "My mMode," subscribers can easily create a custom homepage to quickly access the sites they need and use most in just two clicks on the phone's keypad. In addition, only mMode tracks the last 15 pages viewed in a "Where I've Been" folder, making return visits just two clicks away. "My Locker" and "My Account" help customers track their usage and purchases, and mMode's exclusive "Share Page" option helps users share visited sites with others with the click of a button.

Expanding the Richest Collection of Sites and Features in the U.S.
Today, several leading companies join mMode's collection of popular content providers. For example, CNN.com offers headline news stories with full-color photos; Hollywood.com gives fast access to movie listings and ticket purchase based on the phone's location; JAMDAT Mobile offers the extremely popular Bejeweled game free of charge (for a limited time); Cosmopolitan Magazine unveils Cosmo Mobile and its famous quizzes; and Match.com debuts profile photos and will soon launch location-based dating.

"By adopting xHTML, mMode's enhanced architecture will enable an even broader community of developers to offer compelling new content to our customers," said Sam Hall, vice president of mMode services. "Our customers are looking for quality content that's relevant to their mobile lifestyles, and we've lined up the largest collection of marquis brands and services to meet their needs."

AT&T Wireless remains the only national wireless carrier with commercially available location-based services, and expands its portfolio today with a new service called My Five Nearby. With My Five Nearby, users can pre-select five places, like favorite restaurants or coffee shops, and easily find the nearest location of five places in one glance, based on their phone's physical location. Another new application is Mobil Traffic, an advanced travel application that provides up to date, color-coded multimedia traffic updates for 40 metro areas. Customers can glance at the phone screen and know exactly how fast their commute is likely to go. It also gives traffic alerts, speed flows, and incident reports -- ideal for the daily commuter. A complete list of mMode sites can be found at www.attwireless.com/mmode.*

In conjunction with the launch of her new music site on mMode, pop-artist Beyonce will appear on the cover of the next edition of "mMode Magazine." Free subscriptions to the widely circulated magazine are available by visiting www.attwireless.com/mmodemagazine.

Reaching Out to a Broader Audience
Approximately 40 percent of new customers purchasing AT&T Wireless' Next Generation devices are subscribing to mMode. Recently, AT&T Wireless has seen a dramatic increase in women buying mMode, making this segment its fastest- growing demographic. The new mMode service is designed to help busy people turn anytime into productive time, or playtime.

"mMode respects the fact that people live all-at-once lives these days," said Hall. "Today's wireless phones enable us to go from being friend to parent to business colleague in a matter of moments. mMode isn't about trying to shrink the Web onto the phone, rather it's about providing people with quick, easy access to information -- when and where they want it. And, of course, it's another reason why consumers should think about switching to AT&T Wireless."

The enhanced mMode service is available nationwide today on all AT&T Wireless GSM(TM)/GPRS mMode-capable phones, with plans starting at as little as $2.99 per month. Many of these phones offer color screens, digital cameras, MP3 players, and a variety of other advanced features. Several new mMode-capable handsets, such as the NEC 525, the Nokia 3650 and Nokia 3200 phones, support XHTML capabilities, giving mMode an even richer look and feel. Current mMode customers will automatically see the redesigned mMode homepage when they log onto mMode today.

mMode To Take Manhattan
In addition to a robust new marketing campaign, AT&T Wireless will bring the mMode experience to life for millions of viewers during a special event in New York's Times Square today. Celebrity guest appearances, crowd interaction, give-aways, and demonstrations will showcase the breadth of information and services available with mMode. The event will run from 8 a.m. through 11 a.m. Broadcast, print, and photo journalists interested in conducting celebrity interviews should contact (646) 256-1477 to register for a special press pass to the event. Additional information about mMode can be found at www.attwireless.com/mmode.

*Support for applications may vary by device.

For more information, please visit us at www.attwireless.com.

Source: AT&T Wireless