GTE Long Distance to lower business rates over next three years under new plan thatis industry first.

IRVING, Texas -- GTE Long Distance announced today that it will begin offering business customers a first-of-its-kind calling plan that guarantees long-distance rates that get less expensive over time.

With GTE's new Value Plan, business customers can sign up for a flat per-minute rate today, and see that rate drop a penny a minute for each of the next two years.
First-year rates start as low as 12 cents per minute and apply not only to direct-dialed calls, but also to toll-free, operator-assisted and credit-card calls carried by GTE Long Distance. All calls are billed in 6-second increments after the first 18 seconds.

We know how challenging understanding long-distance plans can be, said Rob McCoy, president-GTE Long Distance. Many business customers are taken in by attractive per-minute rates without realizing that those rates often balloon after the first couple of months. With GTEs plan, long-distance rates go down automatically -- you dont even have to ask.

We also know that it is common for customers to become very confused by the plans our competitors offer, added McCoy. Some companies have been known to layer as many as six promotions on top of their basic business plan. Those promotions expire one-by-one. This means that unless the customer stays on top of the situation, a price that starts at about 12 cents a minute can end up at over 25 cents per minute after all the promotions expire.

GTEs Value Plan has no monthly fees and is based on a three-year commitment. To sign-up for the plan or to learn more, call 1-800-PICK GTE.

With revenues of more than $21 billion in 1996, GTE is one of the largest publicly held telecommunications companies in the world. In the United States, GTE offers local and wireless service in 29 states and long-distance service in all 50 states. GTE was the first among its peers to offer one-stop shopping for local, long-distance and Internet access services. Outside the United States, where GTE has operated for more than 40 years, the company serves approximately 7 million customers. GTE is also a leader in government and defense communications systems and equipment, directories and telecommunications-based information services, and aircraft-passenger telecommunications.

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Additional information about GTE can be found on the INTERNET at http://www.gte.com

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