PrivatePhone is the First Service to Offer a Free Phone Number
and Voice Mail That Can be Used Completely Independent of a Computer
Company Also Signs Actress and Recording Star Christina Milian to
Promote New PrivatePhone Service
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., May 24, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- United Online, Inc. (Nasdaq:UNTD), a leading provider of consumer Internet and media services, today announced the upcoming June 1st launch of PrivatePhone, the number so private, you can make it public. PrivatePhone is the first free Internet phone service to offer a free phone number and voicemail that doesn't require the use of a computer to sign up or check messages. Now you can choose a phone number from most area codes in the U.S. and use it instead of your home or mobile phone number as a way to screen calls. This new free service is made possible by the company's voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) technology.
Starting June 1st, when members sign up for PrivatePhone at www.PrivatePhone.com or by calling 1-866-611-6511 via mobile phone, they immediately receive a free phone number in the area code of their choice and a voicemail box that can be checked either by phone or over the Internet. SMS messaging can also be set-up to send an alert to their mobile phone when a new message comes in. Incoming caller ID and call blocking features are also included. Importantly, callers to PrivatePhone numbers are not able to get any personal information about the owner of the PrivatePhone number they are trying to reach.
"Having a free PrivatePhone number will be invaluable for people who want the freedom to give out a phone number in any situation, but want to keep their home and mobile phone numbers private," said Mark R. Goldston, United Online chairman and CEO. "For convenience, you can sign up on the web or over the phone and you can check your voice mails from any phone or through the web-based PrivatePhone.com message center. If PrivatePhone users decide they want a more full-featured service, they can easily upgrade to one of our NetZero Voice pay plans while keeping the same PrivatePhone number."
To answer the calls made to their PrivatePhone number, members may upgrade to a NetZero Voice powered pay plan and all incoming calls can be forwarded directly to their mobile or landline phone where they can make the decision to answer or send to voicemail.
PrivatePhone.com features the PrivatePhone Gallery where members can upload photos tied to their PrivatePhone number with captions of their choice, such as "let's talk music/tv/movies," "flirt with me," or "looking for a job." For those interested in selling an item, a photo of the item can be uploaded and the caption choice might be "for sale."
United Online also has signed actress and recording star Christina Milian to promote PrivatePhone in conjunction with her new album release, "So Amazin'." Milian will be featured on PrivatePhone outdoor billboards in select markets featuring her own PrivatePhone number that can be called for a special message from Milian and where fans can call to leave voice mail messages as well as sign up for their own PrivatePhone number.
Cautionary Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include the timing of the launch of the new PrivatePhone service and the functionality associated with the service. Potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, potential delays in launching the service or technological or other issues associated with the service. More information about potential factors that could affect the company's business and financial results is included in the company's annual and quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (http://www.sec.gov), including, without limitation, information under the captions "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors."
About United Online
United Online, Inc. (Nasdaq:UNTD) is a leading provider of consumer Internet and media services through a number of brands, including NetZero, Juno, Classmates and MyPoints. The company's Communications services include Internet access, email and VoIP. The company's Content & Media services include social networking and online loyalty marketing. United Online is headquartered in Woodland Hills, CA, with offices in New York City, NY; Renton, WA; San Francisco, CA; Schaumburg, IL; Orem, UT; Erlangen, Germany; and Hyderabad, India. For more information about United Online, please visit http://www.untd.com.