Wireless Subscribers Can Help Florida Victims Through ''Text 2HELP™'' Program

WASHINGTON, Friday, February 09, 2007 — The Wireless Foundation and the American Red Cross today announced that most American wireless subscribers can make a charitable donation to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and assist relief efforts such as those ongoing in Florida, by utilizing the Text 2HELP™ program established by their partnership. Here's how it works: Subscribers of participating wireless carriers can donate $5 to relief efforts simply by text messaging keyword "GIVE" to "2HELP" (24357). The donations will appear on customers' monthly bills or be debited from prepaid account balances and 100 percent of the donation will go directly to the Red Cross.

Wireless carriers participating in Text 2HELP™ are AT&T/Cingular, Alltel, Boost Mobile, Dobson Communications Corporation, Sprint/Nextel, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. VeriSign is powering the intelligent messaging infrastructure to enable the short message service.

Text 2HELP™ was initially created to aid Hurricane Katrina relief assistance. The donation program is initiated whenever a natural disaster occurs and an American Red Cross assessment determines its relief effort will require a substantial level of support. Such is the case with the Florida tornado and storms. Text 2HELP™ has been activated and contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund will be accepted through April 2. Money from the fund is used to provide food, shelter, counseling and other assistance to the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the tornadoes in Central Florida.

Trained Red Cross disaster workers have provided more than 38,357 meals and snacks, distributed more than 3,500 comfort and clean-up kits, and delivered 11,800 bulk items to tornado victims in Lake, Sumter, and Volusia counties. The mobile relief is being carried out by a fleet of 38 Emergency Response Vehicles which operate as feeding stations, bulk distribution centers, and community aid stations offering health and mental health services.

The Wireless Foundation is a non-profit organization that was formed by member companies of CTIA - The Wireless Association® in 1991. The Foundation oversees a number of programs designed to put wireless technology to work addressing the challenges of society. www.wirelessfoundation.org

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Midwest ice storms, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.