Averitt Express Inks Deal For AT&T Networking Services

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Aug 10, 2005 -- AT&T has won a three-year contract from Averitt Express, a leading provider of freight transportation and supply chain management, to provide a converged voice and data network that integrates 80 company locations across the United States. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

The network provides added bandwidth, allowing easier employee access to Averitt’s administrative applications, including scanning and tracking information related to bills of lading and delivery receipts.

“Averitt Express needed a network that could provide better real-time communication and higher bandwidth for applications, allowing our associates to focus on what we do best – moving freight,” said Tim Saylor, Director of Information Services at Averitt Express. “AT&T clearly offers the broadest capabilities and the highest reliability in the industry. The additional operational productivity and cost efficiency allows us to stay on the competitive edge of the freight industry.”

Averitt Express will also gain around-the-clock access to up-to-the-minute information about the performance of its network through the secure AT&T BusinessDirect® Web portal. AT&T BusinessDirect® was recently recognized by the Yankee Group for providing customers with the strongest online support and service experience in the industry.

About Averitt Express

Established in 1971, Averitt Express is a leading provider of freight transportation and supply chain management with international reach to more than 100 countries. The company specializes in delivering customized solutions with a single source of accountability for service offerings that include less-than-truckload, truckload, time-critical, importing/exporting, and supply chain management. Backed by successful execution for hundreds of customers, Averitt’s supply chain capabilities include dedicated fleet operations, warehouse management services, portside distribution, transportation management, and transportation network design and operation. For more information, call 1-800-AVERITT or visit http://www.averittexpress.com/.

About AT&T

For more than 125 years, AT&T (NYSE 'T') has been known for unparalleled quality and reliability in communications. Backed by the research and development capabilities of AT&T Labs, the company is a global leader in local, long distance, Internet and transaction-based voice and data services.