SouthernLINC Wireless - Press Releases

SouthernLINC Wireless Announces Additional Payment Options VIA Western Union

ATLANTA – August 14, 2006 – Today SouthernLINC Wireless®, a Southern Company (NYSE: SO), announced that its postpay subscribers can now pay their monthly wireless bill payments in cash at participating Western Union® Agent locations. In June, SouthernLINC Wireless announced that its prepaid subscribers could use Western Union services to replenish their accounts with cash. Now consumers who prefer to use cash have two convenient options that make it easy to pay for their SouthernLINC Wireless services at participating Western Union Agent locations.

“SouthernLINC Wireless strives to provide subscribers with the most convenient payment options,” said Julie Pigott, vice president of marketing and customer support for SouthernLINC Wireless. “Given our already successful relationship with Western Union and our prepaid subscriber base, it made sense to offer the same great payment option to our postpay subscribers too.”

With more than 47,000 participating Western Union Agent locations in the United States – and more than 2,000 locations within SouthernLINC Wireless’ footprint – Western Union offers a practical way for SouthernLINC Wireless postpay subscribers to send bill payments.

“With its vast network of Agent locations and reliable service, Western Union is able to provide SouthernLINC wireless subscribers with convenient and easy bill payment options,” said Royal Cole, senior vice president, Western Union Payment Services.

SouthernLINC Wireless subscribers will be charged a $5 transaction fee when taking advantage of the Western Union service. Western Union Agent locations include supermarkets, convenience stores, check-cashers and other locations where consumers already do business every day. SouthernLINC Wireless subscribers can visit www.westernunion.com or call 1-800-CALL-CASH® to find a convenient Western Union Agent location.

About SouthernLINC Wireless
SouthernLINC Wireless, a Southern Company (NYSE: SO), is an Atlanta-based regional wireless carrier covering the major metro and rural areas in Alabama, Georgia, southeastern Mississippi and northwest Florida. SouthernLINC Wireless bundles multiple communication options into one phone including push to talk, cellular service, text messaging, wireless Internet access and wireless data. More information about SouthernLINC Wireless can be obtained by calling 1-800-818-LINC (5462) or visiting the SouthernLINC Wireless Web site at www.southernlinc.com.

About Southern Company
With 4.3 million customers and more than 41,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast, one of America’s fastest-growing regions. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are significantly below the national average. Southern Company has received the highest ranking in customer satisfaction among U.S. electric service providers for seven consecutive years by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Visit our Web site at www.southerncompany.com.

About First Data and Western Union
First Data Corp. (NYSE: FDC) is a leading provider of electronic commerce and payment solutions for businesses and consumers worldwide. Serving 4.6 million merchant locations, 1,700 card issuers and millions of consumers, First Data powers the global economy by making it easy, fast and secure for people and businesses around the world to buy goods and services using virtually any form of payment. The company's portfolio of services and solutions includes credit, debit, private-label, gift and other prepaid card issuing and merchant transaction processing services; money transfer services; money orders; fraud protection and authentication solutions; check guarantee and verification services through TeleCheck; as well as Internet commerce and mobile solutions. Western Union, together with its affiliates Orlandi Valuta and Vigo, are leaders in global money transfer, providing people with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send money around the world, pay bills and purchase money orders through a network of over 270,000 agent locations in more than 200 countries and territories. The company's STAR Network offers PIN-secured debit acceptance at 1.9 million ATM and retail locations. For more information, visit www.firstdata.com.