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Sprint Upgrades Wireline/Wireless Data Network for Banking Institutions Across The Southwest

Posted on: Monday, 8 September 2003, 06:00 CDT

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- A new agreement with Sprint is delivering upgraded data services and new wireless capabilities to BOK Financial Corp. . BOK Financial Corp. operates four bank subsidiaries - Bank of Oklahoma, N.A., Bank of Arkansas, N.A., Bank of Texas, N.A. and Bank of Albuquerque, N.A. The multiyear agreement builds on a 10-plus year relationship between the two companies.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGO )

In addition to serving the banks, the agreement with Sprint will also power a network operated by BOK Financial that links 1,300 ATM machines throughout the Southwest. The new agreement also delivers additional voice and private line services to BOKF. Further, the company is implementing a system of next generation PCS Vision services including PCS Connection Cards to enhance business connections -- connecting its people to each other -- around the country, anytime, anywhere while on the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network.

"BOK Financial works diligently to make intelligent operational decisions that bring real efficiency to our corporation and help drive positive results to our bottom line," said Helen Richardson, senior vice president, technology services, BOK Financial Corp. "We have been growing through acquisition, especially in terms of uniting several banking subsidiaries from across the Southwest. Building a powerful set of banking assets like ours is a challenge. The consistency of our relationship with Sprint -- and Sprint's ability to grow as we grow -- has been key to our successful, long-term business relationship."

BOKF will utilize PCS services from Sprint to meet a wide range of business needs. "High-speed wireless data services will enable us to better manage travel costs while enhancing our overall availability and efficiency at doing business and serving our customers across the territory we serve," Richardson added.

"In our industry, relationships that last over a decade are rare and treasured," said John Dupree, vice president, Sprint Business - Southwest. "The challenge is to consistently deliver new services and technologies that add real value to a relationship while maintaining a consistently outstanding level of service that spans many years, many contracts and many changes in the marketplace. We have been able to grow with BOKF because we have the people and the wireless and wireline solutions that help them meet their business objectives year after year."

The financial services industry is a key vertical segment for Sprint and beneficiary of a customized portfolio of communications solutions geared to its particular needs. BOKF, for example, delivers a diverse group of products including trust, mortgage banking, an electronic funds network, brokerage and trading activities, and cash management services -- all of which require reliable, fast, accessible communications services.

About BOK Financial Corporation

BOKF is a regional financial services company with total assets of $13.6 billion at June 30, 2003. The company provides commercial and consumer banking, investment and trust services, mortgage origination and servicing and an electronic funds transfer network. Holdings include Bank of Albuquerque, N.A., Bank of Arkansas, N.A., Bank of Oklahoma, N.A., Bank of Texas, N.A., the TransFund electronic funds network and broker/dealer BOSC, Inc. Its acquisition of Colorado State Bank and Trust is pending. Shares of BOK Financial are traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol BOKF. For more information visit our Web site at http://www.bokf.com/ .

About Sprint

Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than 26 million customers in over 100 countries. With approximately 70,000 employees worldwide and nearly $27 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local voice and data services in 18 states and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.sprint.com/ .