Free Interpreter Phone Service Now Available To New York City Residents, Tourists 

Your World. Your Language.^SM Connects Limited English Speakers with Vital Business Services

Monterey, CA – (February 21, 2008).  With 36 percent of its population foreign born and a relentless stream of international travelers, New York City’s millions of limited English speakers will now find it easier than ever to communicate with consumer and business services thanks to Your World. Your Language.^SM, which launches in New York this week. 

This first-of-its-kind, toll-free, phone-based interpreter service is now available to limited English speaking residents, and foreign business travelers and tourists throughout New York.   The service is simultaneously being launched in other major metro areas including Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Washington DC to support the millions of immigrant families throughout the region. Your World. Your Language. can be accessed by calling 1-888-855-0811, and will be available nationwide by the end of 2008.

Your World. Your Language. allows limited English speakers to access a host of key commercial, retail and entertainment businesses anytime and at no charge. Recent immigrants can arrange for cable and phone service, while tourists can access Ticketmaster and SuperShuttle. Created by Language Line Services and using a network powered by AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), Your World. Your Language. gives limited English speakers the ability to independently conduct their day-to-day affairs.  

When limited English speakers call Your World. Your Language. they will select their preferred language and a particular business category.  A specially trained Language Line Services interpreter then comes on the line and remains on the call to facilitate communication between the consumer and the business’s English speaking customer representative. 

Your World. Your Language. is available to customers in Cantonese (Chinese), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (Chinese), Polish, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese. Additional languages will be added as needed.

"There is enormous potential in this new service and I want to thank Language Line Services for bringing it to us,”  stated New York City Council Member John C. Liu.

“The sky's the limit in economic development, cultural exchange, and most importantly, bringing people together – I can't wait to try Your World. Your Language. out!

"This is one giant step towards obliterating the Tower of Babel that still stands today even in a high-tech international capital of the world like New York City."

Throughout its history, New York City has been a major entry point for immigration to the United States.  It now has one of the most diverse populations in the world. 

Demographically, combined minorities in New York City are the majority. New York also has a long tradition of attracting foreign born professionals seeking career opportunities in the city’s major industries and, as a result, today more than 170 different languages are spoken in the city.

Louis Provenzano, Language Line Services’ president and chief operating officer, noted that New York City has many densely populated immigrant neighborhoods where only limited English is needed to survive. As a result, these consumers have difficulty conducting business outside their neighborhoods and accessing vital community services without the assistance of English-speaking friends and family members.

“Applying for business financing can be challenging for someone speaking in their first language, so it’s easy to see how this process could be intimidating for a new Chinese immigrant hoping to capitalize on the American dream of business ownership,” said Provenzano.

Besides helping consumers access the services they need, Your World. Your Language. also helps businesses enter tight-knit, multilingual communities and reach growing demographics of customers who prefer to do business with companies that speak their languages. 

Preliminary analysis by AT&T shows 57 percent of calls through Your World. Your Language. lead to a sale.

"Given a choice, immigrants are more likely to buy a product or service if it is offered in their preferred language," said Larry Moskowitz, vice president of Global Advertising Strategies, a New York-based multicultural marketing agency.  "With nearly half of all New Yorkers preferring to speak a foreign language, an economical multi-language solution for customer service can provide a business with the needed edge to grow market share and loyalty."

More information about Your World. Your Language. is available in eight languages at www.YourWorldYourLanguage.com.

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GROWING LANGUAGE-SUPPORT NEEDS

•    47.6 – Percent of New York residents who speak a language other than English at home (U.S. Census)

•    35.9 – Percent of foreign born New York residents

•    15 – Percent of the total U.S. buying power owned by the Hispanic and Asian population

•    176 – Total number of languages spoken in the U.S.

•    75 – Percent of limited-English speakers who prefer to speak in their native language

(In-Language Preference Census)

About Language Line Services

Language Line Services, the world’s leading provider of language-based services, is a trusted partner to thousands of organizations throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom whose focus is to effectively serve the rapidly expanding market of limited English speakers. The company delivers a dynamic suite of solutions spanning phone and video interpretation, document translation, interactive software-based translation, and interpreter training and certification programs, enabling clients to communicate with customers in their preferred language. Through its leading-edge technology infrastructure, Language Line Services delivers support for over 170 unique languages to its industry-leading portfolio of clients across markets including healthcare, financial services, government, telecom, packaged goods, insurance services, travel, and more. For information on how Language Line Services is helping clients achieve their strategic multi-cultural marketing and regulatory compliance objectives, please call 1-800-752-6096 or visit http://www.LanguageLine.com.

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 and the nation's leading wireless, 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 its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. 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.