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Press Release

SBC Survey Looks At World Wide Web's Past, Present And Future On 10-Year Anniversary

Survey Findings Offer Insights for Parents During Peak PC Purchasing, Upgrading Season

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 18, 2001--As Santa starts to think about arranging his sack to accommodate the gifts he'll bring all ``good little girls and boys,'' he may want to keep in mind one new holiday truth: While toys may rule, it's the Internet that's cool.

Consumers are expected to purchase more than 10 million PCs by the end of 2001. According to the Yankee Group, more than nine out of 10 PC-owning households in the United States have and take advantage of online access, making the Internet more important than a printer in most PC-owning households. Yet the World Wide Web, which has become synonymous with the Internet, is only 10 years old this month. To commemorate this milestone, SBC Internet Services(a), a company of SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE: SBC - news) , commissioned a survey to gauge Americans' attitudes about the past, present and future of the technology.

``The survey revealed that the Web has become an integral part of our everyday lives, as accepted and integrated into our daily routines as the telephone or the microwave,'' said DSL product marketing vice president B.J. Mamuzic. ``We have witnessed the evolution of the Internet from a gadget for surfing to an essential tool - connecting families and providing immediate access to information - especially as more Americans gain access to high-speed broadband Internet service. As the nation's leading provider of DSL Internet access service, SBC companies have seen first-hand how broadband has helped revolutionize the still very young Web.''

Creating Social Bonds

An overwhelming 93 percent of Americans surveyed agree that 10 years from now, the Internet will help families stay connected and will be the most important tool they need to communicate with friends, family and colleagues. With 95 percent of survey respondents saying they use e-mail, and more than half using instant messaging, the communications tools enabled by the development of the Internet also are expected to play an increasingly important role in the future.

``The survey found that people believe the Internet doesn't interfere with family time,'' said Tiffany Shlain, founder of The Webby Awards and Internet culture expert whom SBC invited to interpret the survey results and help recognize the Internet's anniversary. ``Instead, the Web is viewed as a positive force that can keep people connected instead of isolating them, and with more people staying close to home this holiday season, the importance of connecting families through Internet-enabled means - e-mail, photos, videos and the like - is more apparent than ever before.''

Moving to New Uses for The Internet

Even at 10 years old, the Internet is still in its infancy when compared with the birth and adoption of other technologies, such as the television and telephone. Looking ahead, Americans believe there are improvements to be made, and issues to resolve.

The majority of those surveyed said they believe faster downloads and uninterrupted connections are the most important improvements that can be made to the way the Internet operates. Men are more interested in faster downloads (29 percent), while women believe uninterrupted connections (24 percent) and better search engines (17 percent) would improve their Internet use.

``The survey findings support the demand for broadband Internet access, which enables consumers to use the Internet in a way that matches their lifestyle, and delivers solid benefits throughout the course of an ordinary day,'' said Mamuzic. ``By serving the largest number of DSL Internet customers today, we know that using high-speed Internet access service can dramatically deliver the true value of the Web.''

As Internet performance improves with advancing technology, Americans believe the Internet could be the only source for some of today's more traditional services. In the next 50 years, survey respondents believe the Internet could replace postal services (62 percent), the television (59 percent), retail stores (63 percent) and business offices (69 percent).

Putting 'Information' in the Information Age

Although today's consumers are able to choose among hundreds of cable channels, as well as newspapers, books and radio stations for information, more consumers are relying on the convenience and speed of the Internet to obtain the information they need. More than half of the survey respondents ranked the Internet as the best learning and information source today, and 46 percent of participants described the Internet as their library.

Specifically, survey respondents ranked the following information and learning sources in order of importance:

    -- Internet (53 percent)
    -- Books (19 percent)
    -- Television (14 percent)
    -- Newspapers and magazines (10 percent)
    -- Radio (2 percent)

``Interestingly, Americans over the age of 25 tend to think of the Internet in terms of its utility, while younger Americans are inclined to view the Internet in more social and emotional terms - one in five young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 surveyed described the Internet as their 'best friend,''' said Shlain. ``In addition, one in three survey respondents cite the Web as their personal assistant, 23 percent describe the Internet as their shopping mall, and 21 percent think of the Web as their travel agent.''

Shlain notes that in looking ahead 10 years, most Americans surveyed said they see the Internet serving as a combination of utilitarian and social functions, holding the promise to improve society in the following areas:

    -- Education and training (45 percent)
    -- Communication (36 percent)
    -- Medicine and healthcare (7 percent)
    -- Entertainment (3 percent)
    -- Shopping (3 percent)
    -- Politics and government (2 percent)

An Eye on the Internet - and the Kids

As parents purchase new computers and set up Internet access for their children during the holidays, one-fourth of the survey respondents believe that safeguarding children while using the Internet is a concern now and for the future.

They hold firm beliefs about the age when children should begin using the Internet, as well as the age children should begin using the Internet without supervision. Specifically, the survey found:

• Forty percent of respondents believe children should learn to use the Internet at an early age - between five and seven years old - with adult supervision, which is about the same time that most children learn to read and write.
• Three out of four respondents believe children's Internet use should be supervised until they are in junior high - over 13 years old.

As reliance on the Internet continues to grow, Americans also are faced with new issues brought forth by technology. Nearly 45 percent of survey respondents believe that protecting consumer privacy and security is the biggest challenge society faces as more Americans depend on the Internet.

``The survey findings highlight a number of issues - privacy, security and parental supervision - that we are actively involved in addressing to help ensure that our customers have peace-of-mind when they're online,'' said Mamuzic.

Everybody Loves Raymond's Mother

Even as the Internet matures into a valuable communication and information source, it continues to keep Americans entertained. When asked which television stars survey respondents would most like to have on their instant messaging ``buddy list,'' Carrie Bradshaw from ``Sex and the City'' and President Jed Bartlett from ``The West Wing'' topped the list overall. While men favored adding Bradshaw to their personal lists, women chose Raymond's mother Marie from ``Everybody Loves Raymond'' as their favorite choice from the following selections:

    -- Carrie Bradshaw, "Sex and the City" (15 percent)
    -- President Jed Bartlett, "The West Wing" (15 percent)
    -- Raymond's mother Marie, "Everybody Loves Raymond" (14 percent)
    -- Tony Soprano, "The Sopranos" (12 percent)

As the Internet matures into adulthood in the next 10 years, the role of this technology in American lives is expected to grow.

``One in four Americans surveyed began using the Internet after 1999, and this technology has already reached nearly two-thirds of American households,'' said Mamuzic. ``At SBC, we want to help provide the tools consumers need to get the most out of the Internet as it plays a larger role in helping them manage their lives and connect with their loved ones.''

     SBC Communications, San Antonio
     Joe Izbrand, Phone: 210/352-6973 or Pager: 888/613-7738
     or
     Kristy Wilson, Phone: 704/372-2827 or Pager: 800/208-2254