Standard & Poor's Announces Change to U.S. Index

United Community Banks Inc. (NASD: UCBI) will replace Commonwealth Telephone Enterprises Inc. (NASD: CTCO) in the S&P SmallCap 600 after the close of trading on a date to be announced. Commonwealth Telephone is being acquired by S&P 500 constituent Citizens Communications Co. (NYSE: CZN) in a deal that is still pending final approvals.

Standard & Poor's will monitor this transaction, and post any relevant updates on its website: http://www.standardandpoors.com.

United Community Banks provides various retail and corporate banking services in the United States. Headquartered in Blairsville, GA, the company will be added to the S&P SmallCap 600 GICS (Global Industry Classification Standard) Regional Banks Sub-Industry index.

Additions to and deletions from an S&P equity index do not in any way reflect an opinion on the investment merits of the companies concerned.

Standard & Poor's, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), is the world's foremost provider of financial market intelligence, including independent credit ratings, indices, risk evaluation, investment research and data. - SOURCE Standard & Poor's