Bell Atlantic Promises Faster Future

Bell Atlantic Promises Faster Future

Company Announces Plans for Next-Generation IntraNet

January 19, 1999

NEW YORK -- Students and professors at major research universities
from Maine to Virginia soon will be collaborating at warp speed over Bell
Atlantic's Next-Generation IntraNet network, now under development.

The company is partnering with universities and technology providers to
deploy this high-speed local telecommunications network which will
enable educators to transmit data, images and video instantly between
classrooms and research labs. By the year 2000, this advanced network
will be available to all major schools, hospitals, governments and
businesses throughout the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions.

"We're offering what could become one of the most important
communications tools for educators, governments and healthcare providers
in the 21st century," said Joe Farina, president and CEO of Bell Atlantic's
Data Solutions Group. "Bell Atlantic's Next-Generation IntraNet will
revolutionize the way teachers teach, students learn and doctors care for
patients."

Bell Atlantic's Next-Generation IntraNet will initially connect the research
universities in a given region, and provide seamless, high-speed
connectivity between the schools. The Next Generation IntraNet will
ultimately connect entire cities and regions on a single, high-speed local
network.

For example, universities in Boston could connect to each other's
scientific research laboratories and share information among faculty,
students and private companies. Once the Next Generation IntraNet is
established in an area, city agencies, libraries, public schools and corporate
research parks could join the network.

In addition, the Bell Atlantic Next-Generation IntraNet will offer high-
speed links to the Internet2 networks, which are nationwide
communications initiatives that connect research communities, medical
and scientific research institutions, and government agencies to advanced
information networks.

"There is a tremendous opportunity for sharing information, collaborating
on projects and "bridging the technological gaps among users," according
to Don Riley, chief information officer and associate vice president,
University of Maryland College Park. "The ability for universities to
share advanced visualization tools, expensive scientific instruments and
super computing systems, and to be able to harness the power of these
resources, is an exciting prospect.

"Currently, universities are not able to access remote resources like the
Hubbell Space Telescope or Internet2," said Riley. "Our work with Bell
Atlantic to deploy local high performance networks will some day make
these resources available to all."

Dennis Elwell, director of Internet2 service for Bell Atlantic, said: "Bell
Atlantic's Next Generation IntraNet is at the core of connecting all users.
Eventually, users of Internet2 will connect to Bell Atlantic's Next-
Generation IntraNet to form a more robust national communications
network. Developing this high-performance network will open a whole
new world to our customers and give new meaning to collaboration."

Accessing Bell Atlantic's Next-Generation IntraNet will be a snap with
Bell Atlantic Full Service Connection, a package of communications
equipment, Internet access and local transport. With Full Service
Connection, customers can make one call to order everything they need to
connect to Bell Atlantic's Next-Generation IntraNet network.

Bell Atlantic is partnering with technology experts at universities, Cisco
Systems, Inc., and other major communications providers to create Next-
Generation IntraNet sites at universities in six major population centers --
Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Northern New Jersey, New
York City and Boston. Commercially available high-performance
switching points, or GigaPops, will be deployed in those areas to enable
universities to send voice, video and data to other local institutions.

The first commercial GigaPop, under development in Washington, D.C., is
known as Mid-Atlantic Crossroads or "MAX." The MAX is led by
University of Maryland, Georgetown University, George Washington
University and Virginia Tech, which have already established research-
oriented educational GigaPops. The four universities are working with
Bell Atlantic to develop the prototype on which future Next-Generation
IntraNet commercial services will be modeled.

MAX is expected to be operational later this month. The remaining five
other Bell Atlantic Next-Generation IntraNet sites are expected to come on
line by the end of February.

"Universities have been searching for creative ways to collaborate with
other universities, educational institutions and health care providers,"
according to Erv Blythe, vice president, Information Services for Virginia
Tech. "The Bell Atlantic Next-Generation IntraNet has the potential of
linking all these groups together."

The Next-Generation IntraNet rides over Bell Atlantic's existing
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and Synchronous Optical Network
(SONET) access services and will use Cisco networking equipment,
including switches and routers. Eventually, high-speed services for the
home, such as Bell Atlantic's Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
(ADSL) services, will link users seamlessly into the Bell Atlantic Next-
Generation IntraNet.

Initially, the Next-Generation IntraNet will serve customers within local
calling areas. The company plans to form a region-wide Bell Atlantic
IntraNet, enabling users to communicate across long distance boundaries,
when it receives permission to provide long distance service.

"Our Next-Generation IntraNet network will deliver data, images and
video at super high speeds while providing real-time interactivity and
Quality of Service (QoS) protocol at a price comparable to today's low-
speed Internet access," said Elwell. "Even at entry-level speeds, the new
technology renders 28.8 modems obsolete."

About Bell Atlantic Data Solutions Group

Bell Atlantic Data Solutions Group (DSG) is dedicated to providing
globally integrated network solutions that seamlessly connect businesses
with their customers, partners and employees. DSG provides all aspects of
data networking from the management and operation of customer
networks and network integration, to network transport and advanced IP
services such as intranets and extranets, virtual private networks, web
hosting and multimedia services. DSG will offer complete, end-to-end
solutions through third party alliances and partnerships it will form
nationally and globally.

About Bell Atlantic

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and
information industry. With more than 42 million telephone access lines
and eight million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies
are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market
leaders in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory
information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest
investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations
and investments in 23 countries.

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