----- Original Message -----
From: "Lainey Feingold, Esq." <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2001 1:33 PM
Subject: First Talking ATMs in Maryland, New Jersey, and North Carolina
installed by First Union


For immediate release
October 4, 2001

FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK ANNOUNCES FIRST
INSTALLATION OF AUDIO ASSISTED ATMs IN MARYLAND, NEW JERSEY and NORTH
CAROLINA

Talking ATMs Will Aid Persons with Vision Impairments.


CHARLOTTE, N.C.  First Union National Bank today announced the first
installation of audio-assisted or "talking" ATMs in Maryland, New Jersey
and North Carolina.  The effort, hailed by the blindness community,
includes the installation of 19 audio-assisted ATMs in those states, as
well as in Pennsylvania, Florida and Washington, DC.  In the next nine
months, more than 100 machines will be installed in these states and
other
First Union locations.

First Union National Bank and Wachovia Bank, N.A., are banking
subsidiaries
of the holding company Wachovia Corporation.  Wachovia Corporation was
created through the September 1, 2001 merger of First Union Corporation
and
Wachovia Corporation.

"First Union is excited to offer audio-assisted ATMs throughout our
markets," said Cece Sutton, executive vice president and Retail Banking
Executive for Wachovia Corporation. "Supporters of the blindness
community
have been terrific partners in our quest to provide banking independence
to
our customers with vision impairments.  Through the installation of
audio-assisted ATMs, we are able to offer visually impaired customers
greater convenience in accessing their First Union accounts."

Today's announcement also was praised by members of the blindness
community, who worked closely with the company in developing this new
technology.

"We applaud First Union's demonstrated commitment to improving banking
accessibility for blind and visually impaired people," said Pat
Yarborough,
a representative of the North Carolina Council of the Blind, an
affiliate
of the American Council of the Blind who has been actively involved in
the
initiative.

During the next nine months, First Union plans to enhance select ATMs to
include audio-assistance functionality (see list of locations at the end
of
the release).  These machines will offer audio guidance and instructions
for all transactions, including "spoken" customer balances.  The ATMs
also
will be equipped with universal audio jacks that work with standard
earphones.  Customers with vision impairments will be provided with
headsets so they can hear the instructions in privacy.  When the
earphones
are plugged into the jack, the listener hears private audio instructions
for transactions displayed on the ATM screen, such as cash withdrawals,
balance inquiries, deposits, transfers and payments.

Other representatives of the blindness community assisting First Union
include the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania; the Orange
County Disability Awareness Council of Chapel Hill, N.C.; the
Pennsylvania
Council for the Blind, an affiliate of the American Council of the
Blind;
and other people who are blind or have low vision.

Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian, two California lawyers who have
assisted members of the blindness community around the country said,
"the
expanded First Union services will benefit the blindness community as
well
as all persons who have difficulty reading standard print."

Tom Earle, with the Disabilities Law Project in Philadelphia, praised
First
Union for the initiative. "I urge other financial institutions to follow
its example in providing independent access for all customers to a wide
array of banking services," said Earle.

More information can be obtained by calling 1-800-ASK-FUNB or by
visiting
the First Union website at www.firstunion.com.

Wachovia Corporation, created through the September 1, 2001, merger of
First Union Corporation and Wachovia Corporation with pro forma assets
of
$322 billion as of June 30, is a leading provider of financial services
to
19 million retail and corporate customers throughout the East Coast and
the
nation.  The company operates full-service banking offices in 11 East
Coast
states and Washington, D.C., and offers full-service brokerage with
offices
in 47 states and global services through more than 30 international
offices.

Press Contacts:

First Union
Sarah Holden, (704) 383-7157

For Blind Community
Linda Dardarian, (510) 763-9800, Saperstein, Goldstein, Demchak and
Baller,
[log in to unmask]

Lainey Feingold, (510) 848-8125, mailto:[log in to unmask]

Tom Earle,  Disability law Project (215) 238-8070, #209



LOCATIONS OF FIRST UNION'S AUDIO ASSISTED ATMs:

District of Columbia:  Washington1510 K St. NW

Florida:
Coral Springs 3300 University Dr.
Lake Worth 120 N. Dixie Highway
Naples 6155 Town Center Circle
Tampa 10430 Highland Manor Dr.

Maryland: Baltimore7 St. Paul Street

North Carolina

Charlotte: 301 S. Tryon St., and 1525 WT Harris Blvd.
Mooresville 631 Brawley School Rd.
Durham 201 N. Roxboro Rd.

New Jersey:  Kendall Park: 3510 Route 27

Pennsylvania

Allentown 702 Hamilton Mall
Newton Square 3515 W. Chester Pike

Philadelphia:
1500 Market Street 2 W. Girard Ave.,
601 Chestnut St.,
6208 Lancaster Ave.,
340-50 S. Second St.,
1 N. 5th St., 123 S. Broad St.,
1712 Walnut St.

Scranton, 130 Wyoming Ave.


Lainey Feingold
Law Office of Elaine B. Feingold
1524 Scenic Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94708
(510) 548-5062
[log in to unmask]


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