ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 7, 2001--Metrocall, Inc. (Nasdaq:MCLL), one of the nation's largest wireless data and messaging companies, has been chosen by Progressive Energy to support its emergency preparedness communication processes.

Progressive Energy was formerly known as North Carolina Power & Light and Florida Power. The power company will utilize more than 1,500 wireless advanced word messaging devices to support its widespread regional operations.

"With Metrocall's unsurpassed coverage the geographically spread Progressive Energy work force can be alerted to the important events that face power companies 24 hours a day, wherever they may be," said Steven D. Jacoby, Metrocall's chief operating officer. "Word messaging transmits the important messages directly to one or one thousand users when the message absolutely must be delivered. It is the ideal solution for a large power company such as Progressive Energy."

The immediate data transmittal capabilities of Metrocall advanced messaging are well suited to the critical nature of Progressive Energy's power generation and distribution services. Alpha messages mean that field personnel will get alerts directly to their wireless devices and won't need to make a call to find out important information.

During emergency circumstance, one message can be sent to hundreds of devices, ensuring that an entire work force is kept abreast of developments.

About Progressive Energy

A full-service, super-regional energy company, Progress Energy generates and supplies electricity and natural gas to Southeastern homes, businesses and industries.

In addition to traditional utility expertise, Progress Energy's diverse business capabilities include a fiber optic network stretching 3,000 fiber route miles along the Eastern Seaboard from Miami to Washington, D.C., for a total of 106,000 fiber miles.

About Metrocall, Inc.

Metrocall, Inc. headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is one of the largest wireless data and messaging companies in the United States providing both products and services to some 6.25 million businesses and individual subscribers. Metrocall was founded in 1965, became a publicly traded company in 1993 and currently employs approximately 3,500 professional's coast to coast.

The Company offers two-way interactive messaging, wireless e-mail and Internet connectivity, cellular and digital PCS phones, as well as one-way messaging services. Metrocall operates on many nationwide, regional and local networks, including a new Two-Way Interactive Network (TWIN), and can supply a wide variety of customizable Internet-based information content services.

Also, Metrocall offers totally integrated resource management systems and communications solutions for business and campus environments. Metrocall's wireless networks operate in the top 1,000 markets all across the nation and the Company has offices and retail locations in more than forty states.

Metrocall is the largest equity-owner of Inciscent, an independent business-to-business enterprise, that is a national full-service "wired-to-wireless" Application Service Provider (ASP). For more information on Metrocall please visit our Web site and On-line store at www.Metrocall.com.

Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

The statements set forth above that are not historical facts, such as those concerning Metrocall's advanced wireless data and messaging strategies, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause actual results, events or developments to differ from expectations.

Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ are 1) the speed and extent to which markets for advanced messaging data and messaging services develop and grow; 2) Metrocall and its joint venture affiliate Inciscent's ability to develop and market products and services that respond to market conditions and customers' needs; 3) the impact of competition from other companies in the wireless data and Internet business; 4) the need to respond to rapid technological developments that could affect the commercial viability of Metrocall's and Inciscent's products and services.

You should refer to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for a complete discussion of these and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements.