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SBC Communications Announces New Contract With Oakwood Healthcare System; Services Will Connect Multiple Hospitals in Southeast Michigan

Posted on: Tuesday, 5 July 2005, 09:01 CDT

SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE: SBC) today announced a new contract with Oakwood Healthcare System, a leading healthcare provider with more than 1,200 physicians serving 35 communities throughout southeast Michigan.

Under the terms of the six-year contract, SBC companies will provide Opt-E-MAN(R) (optical ethernet metropolitan area network), a public switched-Ethernet solution that will connect 10 different medical facilities by linking each location's local area network (LAN).

The secure high-bandwidth networking solution supports a full range of applications, enabling Oakwood Healthcare System to instantaneously share high-resolution medical images and other critical information among its hospitals.

"We needed a way to transmit data more quickly and reliably among our various hospitals," said Harry Vanicelli, director of Information Technology, Oakwood Healthcare System. "The solutions that SBC companies will provide will give us the tools we need to increase productivity among our staff and to improve our patient care."

"We're pleased to provide our optical-networking services to Oakwood Healthcare System and expand our relationship with this leading Michigan healthcare provider," said Vicki Jones, president-Business Communications Services, SBC Global Services, Inc. "This relationship further demonstrates our ability and dedication to providing reliable, mission-critical services to established leaders in the healthcare industry."

About Oakwood Healthcare System

Oakwood Healthcare System is a comprehensive regional network of hospitals, healthcare centers, skilled nursing centers and related healthcare facilities. Oakwood has a medical staff of more than 1,200 doctors, and provides service to more than 1.2 million people in 35 southeastern Michigan communities. Oakwood's specialty services include women's and children's health (including high-risk obstetrics and neonatal care), geriatrics, emergency care, cancer care, surgery, cardiology and other specialties. Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center was recently named one of the top 100 cardiology programs in the nation for the fifth time in six years. Oakwood is affiliated with the schools of medicine at Wayne State University and the University of Michigan and is a member of the University of Michigan Cancer Center Network. With more than 9,000 associates, Oakwood is the second largest employer in suburban Wayne County.

About SBC

SBC Communications Inc. is a Fortune 50 company whose subsidiaries, operating under the SBC brand, provide a full range of voice, data, networking, e-business, directory publishing and advertising, and related services to businesses, consumers and other telecommunications providers. SBC holds a 60 percent ownership interest in Cingular Wireless, which serves 50.4 million wireless customers. SBC companies provide high-speed DSL Internet access lines to more American consumers than any other provider and are among the nation's leading providers of Internet services. SBC companies also offer satellite TV service. Additional information about SBC and SBC products and services is available at www.sbc.com.

Opt-E-MAN(R) service is provided by SBC Michigan. (C)2005 SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P. All rights reserved. SBC, the SBC logo and other SBC product and service names are trademarks of SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P. or its affiliates.

Source: Business Wire

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