Bell Atlantic-WV to Bill for One-Day Toll Calls Made in December

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 1996

BELL ATLANTIC TO BILL FOR CALLS MADE
DURING ONE-DAY PERIOD IN DECEMBER

Programming Error Blamed for Delay in Billing on Some Toll
Calls

CHARLESTON, W.VA. -- Bell Atlantic-West Virginia
customers in the
Charleston area may notice a few toll calls from December included on
their upcoming telephone bills. The company is just now billing for
600,000 calls made between noon on Dec. 5 and 10 a.m. on Dec. 6, 1995,
but not billed at the time because of a computer error.

The calls should have appeared on customers' January telephone bills,
but Bell Atlantic's billing system failed to electronically post calls
made during that period by Bell Atlantic customers with telephone
numbers beginning with 340, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 442, 556
and 558. The calls were carried by Bell Atlantic and made within
regional calling areas.

"Each day Bell Atlantic posts hundreds of thousands of these calls
to
our customers' accounts," said Harry Mitchell, Bell Atlantic-West
Virginia corporate communications manager. "Our system normally
provides excellent service levels; during this particular period it
didn't. We apologize for any inconvenience this error may cause our
customers."

Residential customers with any questions about their billing should
contact the Bell Atlantic Residence Service Center on 954-6200.
Business customers should call the Bell Atlantic Business Service
Center on 954-6202. There is no charge for calls to either of
these
numbers.

Bell Atlantic Corporation (NYSE: BEL) is at the forefront of the new
communications, entertainment and information industry. In the
mid-Atlantic region, the company is the premier provider of local
telecommunications and advanced services. Globally, it is one of the
largest investors in the high-growth wireless communication
marketplace. Bell Atlantic also owns a substantial interest in
Telecom Corporation of New Zealand and is actively developing
high-growth national and international business opportunities in all
phases of the industry.

####

Media contact:

Harry Mitchell, 304-344-7562
harry.j.mitchell@bell-atl.com