Southern Telecom® Enters Marketing Agreement
with First Mile Communications

Companies introduce broadband fixed wireless services to customers.

ATLANTA – September 16, 2005 – Southern Telecom, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), today announced that it has entered into an agreement with First Mile Communications to provide a broadband fixed wireless access service offering easier bandwidth migration and expanded access to businesses throughout metropolitan Atlanta.

Southern Telecom, the only company in Atlanta offering a fixed wireless migration path, expanded its metro area footprint and added connectivity options. The cost-effective, reliable fixed wireless offering allows Southern Telecom customers to determine their own migration path to higher bandwidth. Southern Telecom and First Mile have tailored the fixed wireless offering as an easy-to-use means of reaching buildings located throughout Atlanta.

“We are excited about working with First Mile Communications and look forward to expanding the network to better serve our customers,” said Ben Easterling, business development manager for Southern Telecom. “This agreement will customize a fixed wireless offering allowing for economical customer growth and outreach.”

The agreement with First Mile brings a higher capacity, scalable, turnkey connectivity with quick installation to customers. Using state-of-the-art equipment, it allows for reliable, flexible high- capacity wireless links as well as complete route diversity from land-based telecommunications providers.

“Broadband wireless is an exciting concept in communications because of its capacity, security, and flexibility. It offers an alternative connectivity option from fiber or other land-based networks,” said R. Stanley Allen, president of First Mile Communications. “First Mile is especially pleased to be able to offer this service in conjunction with a leading and innovative company like Southern Telecom,” said Allen.

About Southern Telecom
Southern Telecom® is a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company that provides long-haul and metropolitan dark fiber connecting Atlanta with other smaller cities throughout the Southeast. The company also provides rights of way, dark fiber, conduit, colocation and other related maintenance services. Southern Telecom is certified in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and also at the Federal level. For more information about Southern Telecom visit www.southern-telecom.com.

About Southern Company
With more than 4 million customers and nearly 39,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier super-regional energy company in the Southeast and a leading U.S. producer of electricity. Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states, a growing competitive generation company and a competitive retail natural gas business, 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 15 percent below the national average. Southern Company has been ranked the nation's top energy utility in the American Customer Satisfaction Index six years in a row. Southern Company has more than 500,000 shareholders, making its common stock one of the most widely held in the United States. Visit the Southern Company Web site at www.southerncompany.com.

About First Mile
First Mile Communications, LLC provides turnkey installation and operation of wireless links in metropolitan Atlanta. First Mile transmits from strategically located hub sites, sources licensed spectrum, provides roof and access rights, cabling and customer premise equipment. First Mile was founded by R. Stanley Allen, an experienced wireless executive, who also founded or co-founded American Quality Cable, Applied Video Technologies, and Cypress Communications and is a former director of Wireless Cable of Atlanta and the Wireless Communications Association International. For more information on First Mile visit www.firstmile.com.

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