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Cingular, Siemens and Georgia Tech Unite to Unlock the Future of 3G Wireless Applications


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Research Competition Offers Georgia Tech Students $100,000 in Cash Prizes for Development of Prototype Solutions and Applications Based on IMS Infrastructure

Atlanta, Apr 20, 2006, Cingular Wireless, Siemens Communications Inc. and the Georgia Institute of Technology today announced a program to encourage the creation of advanced Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) applications and services. The program includes developing an IMS laboratory at Georgia Tech, co-sponsored by the Georgia Electronic Design Center and the Office of Information Technology, for use by students and researchers.

“We are excited to join together with Cingular and Georgia Tech to develop the first ongoing, live third-generation convergence test bed in the country,” said Berndt Baumgartl, president and CEO, Siemens Communications Inc.

A public demonstration of the IMS lab, which features $5 million of equipment donated by Siemens, is scheduled for October 2006.

“This project provides a unique opportunity for the students and faculty at Georgia Tech to gain experience with a compelling new platform for next-generation wireless applications,” said Ron Hutchins, associate vice provost for research and technology and chief technology officer at Georgia Institute of Technology.

The initial project for the relationship is an IMS Research Competition, which challenges upperclassmen and graduate students in the schools of engineering, computing and business management to team together to create services blending audio, video, text messaging, chat and gaming in the open-systems IMS architecture. Qualified students who participate in the year-long competition will be eligible to receive a portion of $100,000 in cash prizes -- $35,000 of which will be awarded to the grand-prize winner.

An IMS Research Competition kickoff event will be held on April 25, 2006, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., at Georgia Tech’s Technology Square Research Building in Atlanta. The event will feature an informational conference and open forum between Georgia Tech students and faculty as well as executives, developers and engineers from Cingular and Siemens.

“This is a key opportunity for the students, who represent the group that is using wireless technology the most, to play a pivotal role in developing services and features for the future,” said Kris Rinne, chief technology officer for Cingular Wireless.

A ceremony to present the project submissions and to recognize the winners of the IMS Research Competition will be held in May 2007.

For more information on the IMS Research Competition and a copy of the Official Rules, when available, visit www.forgedbyims-research-competition.com.

About Cingular Wireless

Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 55.8 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and BellSouth Corporation (NYSE:BLS), has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation -- the ALLOVERTM network -- and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is a leader in third generation wireless technology. Its 3G network is the first widely available service in the world to use HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover®, the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/. Get Cingular Wireless press releases emailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://cingular.mediaroom.com/.

About Siemens

Siemens AG (NYSE:SI) is one of the largest global electronics and engineering companies with reported worldwide sales of $96 billion in fiscal 2005. Founded nearly 160 years ago, the company is a leader in the areas of Medical, Power, Automation and Control, Transportation, Information and Communications, Lighting, Building Technologies, Water Technologies and Services and Home Appliances. With its U.S. corporate headquarters in New York City, Siemens in the USA has sales of $18.8 billion and employs approximately 70,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Thirteen of Siemens’ worldwide businesses are based in the United States. With its global headquarters in Munich, Siemens AG and its subsidiaries employ 460,000 people in 190 countries. For more information on Siemens in the United States: www.usa.siemens.com.

About Siemens Communications Inc.

Siemens Communications Inc. offers its customers a broad portfolio of communication products and services and is a leader in convergent technologies, products and services for wireless, fixed and enterprise networks. The company’s portfolio ranges from devices for end users to complex network infrastructures and complementary services for enterprises, carriers and service providers. Siemens Communications Inc. is headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla. For more information, visit www.usa.siemens.com/communications.

About Georgia Tech

The Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the nation’s premiere research universities. Ranked ninth among U.S. News & World Report’s top public universities, Georgia Tech educates more than 17,000 students every year through its Colleges of Architecture, Computing, Engineering, Liberal Arts, Management and Sciences. Tech maintains a diverse campus and is among the nation’s top producers of women and African-American engineers. The Institute offers research opportunities to both undergraduate and graduate students and is home to more than 100 interdisciplinary units plus the Georgia Tech Research Institute. During the 2004-2005 academic year, Georgia Tech reached $357 million in new research award funding. The Institute also maintains an international presence with campuses in France and Singapore and partnerships throughout the world.

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Note: Siemens is a trademark or registered trademark of Siemens AG or its subsidiaries and affiliates. All other company, brand, product and service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

This release contains forward-looking statements based on beliefs of Siemens management. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “should,” and “project” are used to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the company’s current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause the actual results to be materially different, including, among others, changes in general economic and business conditions, changes in currency exchange rates and interest rates, introduction of competing products, lack of acceptance of new products or services and changes in business strategy. Actual results may vary materially from those projected here. Siemens does not intend or assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.



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