Senator Diane Allen and Bell Atlantic Mobile Join Forces to Help Domestic Violence Victims

October 1, 1999—BURLINGTON, NJ—

Senator Diane Allen and Bell Atlantic Mobile
today marked the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month by launching
a wireless phone recycling program aimed at helping victims of domestic
violence stay safe. The company's "Wireless at Work" Phone Recycling Program
will allow wireless phone users throughout the region to donate their
unused older model cellular phones at drop-off sites. The company will
reprogram these phones to dial 9-1-1 only and then will provide the phones
to victims of domestic violence.

The drive, which begins today and runs through October 31, will benefit
Providence House and the New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women to support
groups for domestic violence. Bell Atlantic Mobile helped jump-start the
drive by donating 25 Motorola wireless phones.

"We're asking people to donate their unused wireless phones so that domestic
violence victims who fear for their lives can contact police immediately,"
said Senator Allen. "One of the most dangerous times for a domestic violence
victim is after leaving a violent partner. These phones will provide victims
with a tool to stay safe."

Donated
phones must be portable models and include batteries and chargers. Phones,
batteries and chargers must be placed in ziplock bags or boxes before
drop-off.

At the end of the drive, Bell Atlantic Mobile will test and reprogram
the phones to dial 9-1-1 at the touch of a button. "With these high-tech
safety tools in hand, women will be one step closer to breaking the cycle
of domestic violence," said John Stratton, regional president for Bell
Atlantic Mobile. "By having a phone with them at all times, they can have
peace of mind and the ability to seek emergency help, if necessary."

According to the New Jersey State Police Uniform Crime Reporting Unit,
there were 81,454 total domestic violence offenses throughout the state
in 1998; 2,479 incidents in Burlington County; and 5,347 incidents in
Camden County. These offenses included homicide, assault, terroristic
threats and sexual assault. The Family Violence Prevention Fund reports
that women are the targets of physical abuse in the U.S. every nine seconds,
and 42 percent of women murdered in this country are killed by their husband
or boyfriend.

Phones are being collected at 21 locations throughout Burlington County:

Senator
Diane Allen's office-2313 Burlington Mt. Holly Rd.,Burlington

Burlington County Library main branch-5 Pioneer Blvd.,Westampton

Burlington County Library branches - Bass River, Beverly, Bordentown, Browns
Mills, Burlington, Crosswicks, Delanco, Evesham, Florence, Maple Shade,
Medford Pinelands, Mt. Holly, Pemberton, Riverside, Riverton, Vincentown

Burlington County College Pemberton and Mt. Laurel Campus (Security Office)

For information on how to become a sponsored agency, please contact:
Bell Atlantic Mobile's Recycling Coordinator
215-880-0462.

Bell Atlantic
Mobile owns and operates the largest wireless network in the East and
systems in the Southwest, covering 180,000 square miles, and the largest
chain of retail outlets devoted exclusively to wireless voice, data and
paging. Based in Bedminster, NJ, Bell Atlantic Mobile has 6.6 million
customers and 8,000 employees from Maine to Georgia and in parts of Arizona,
New Mexico and west Texas. Through its "Wireless at Work..." community service
program, the company uses its technology to help individuals and communities
improve security and emergency communications. Bell Atlantic Mobile's
parent, Bell Atlantic Corporation (NYSE:BEL) is one of the world's largest
wireless communications companies, with domestic operations in 25 states
and international investments in Mexico, Europe and the Pacific Rim. For
more information on Bell Atlantic Mobile visit: www.bam.com; on global
operations visit: www.bellatlantic.com/worldwide.

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