AT&T* today announced it has earned the top spot for a U.S.-based telecommunications company in the 2009 Covalence Ethical Rankings, an index tracking the ethical performance and reputation of multinational corporations. AT&T ranked second in the telecommunications sector - behind only U.K.-based Vodafone - and 28th overall in Covalence's 2009 ranking, up 126 spots from last year's ranking. Covalence reviewed 581 global companies across 18 sectors, including 31 telecommunications companies, as part of this ranking.

Covalence, a research firm based in Geneva, Switzerland, uses a reputation index to track the historical evolution of a company's ethical standing. The index considers multiple factors, including labor standards, waste management, social sponsorship and environmental impacts. It also incorporates information from media, government and third-party groups.

AT&T is committed to sustainable business practices and operations. This includes a number of environment, workplace and community initiatives, such as AT&T Aspire - a $100 million initiative to address high school success and workforce readiness. In addition, in 2009, AT&T announced plans to invest up to $565 million to roll out more than 15,000 alternative-fuel vehicles through 2018. According to the Center for Automotive Research, the initiative will save 49 million gallons of gasoline over the 10-year deployment period and reduce carbon emissions by 211,000 metric tons. AT&T also recently announced its participation in the U.S. Department of Energy's Save Energy Now LEADER initiative, which asks U.S. companies to pledge to reduce their energy intensity by 25 percent or more during the next 10 years.

The Human Rights Campaign recently recognized AT&T, giving it a perfect score of 100 in the Campaign's Corporate Equality Index on companies that support the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender communities. Hispanic Business named AT&T among the Best 25 Companies for Supplier Diversity. AT&T also earned an Environmental Leadership Award from Automotive Fleet for demonstrating leadership in operating a vehicle fleet more efficiently.

For more information about AT&T's sustainability efforts, please visit www.att.com/sustainability or www.att.com/csr.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services, the nation's fastest 3G network and the best wireless coverage worldwide, and the nation's leading high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of their three-screen integration strategy, AT&T operating companies are expanding their TV entertainment offerings. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE® magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.

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