Wireless Industry Honors Four Bell Atlantic Mobile Customers As Samaritans

Wireless Industry Honors Four Bell Atlantic Mobile Customers As Samaritans

Heroes Use Cellular Phones as Safety Net for Themselves, Others

June 1, 1998

BEDMINSTER, NJ -- Four Bell Atlantic Mobile customers have been
selected as 1998 VITA Wireless Samaritan Award winners based on their
quick thinking and use of their wireless phone to summon help in
emergency situations. Sean Kimball of New Jersey, Allen Bosworth of
South Carolina, Anne Hendley of Delaware, and Grace and David Gilbert
of Connecticut were chosen by the Cellular Telephone Industry Association
(CTIA) as the sole national award recipients from their respective states.

The four will be honored at a gala dinner hosted by the CTIA on June 3 in
Washington, D.C.

Initiated in 1993, the VITA award, which means "life" in Latin, recognizes
outstanding public service of individuals who use their cellular phones to
save lives, stop crimes, and speed help in emergencies. A select panel from
law enforcement and emergency response services judge the nominees and
identify one individual from each state to receive the VITA Wireless
Samaritan Award.

"We are proud that our customers are using their wireless phones as a
personal safety net to help save lives and protect their community," said
Denny Strigl, president and chief executive officer of Bell Atlantic Mobile.
"By their actions, they have demonstrated that, in fact, wireless saves --
whether they personally are in danger, or are coming to the rescue of
others."

Sean Kimball used his wireless phone to aid children and their would-be
rescuers in a near-drowning accident in a creek near where he was
picnicking. Kimball used his Bell Atlantic Mobile wireless phone to dial 9-
1-1, then dragged one of the boys out of the frigid water and attempted to
rescue the others as emergency services raced to the scene. Thanks to
Kimball's quick thinking, emergency crews were able to get the additional
three victims out of the water within 15 minutes.

Allen Bosworth used his wireless phone to report a drunk-driver who
swerved into the oncoming traffic lane and crashed into a tree. As the
intoxicated driver raced from the scene on foot, Bosworth -- who was still
on the line with the 911 operator -- began chasing him and notified the
operator of the direction they were heading, to aid the police in their
search. The driver stumbled into traffic several times during the 10-minute
chase, until police arrived.

Anne Hendley became known as a wireless Samaritan by using wireless
technology to aid the elderly. As property manager for a housing
community comprising mostly senior citizens, Hendley provided her
wireless phone number to residents, letting them know she was just a
phone call away in the event of an emergency. Last year, she received calls
on two different occasions when a housebound resident fell and could not
get up. Both times, Hendley rushed to the victim's aid.

Grace and David Gilbert obtained emergency assistance for themselves and
their two grandsons when the engine of their motor home caught on fire as
they were driving up Olympic Mountain. After putting out the fire with an
extinguisher, they realized they were stranded more than 3,000 miles from
home, with night closing in. Mrs. Gilbert used their wireless phone to call
for emergency services and reach their insurance company. In less than an
hour, they were on their way down the mountain to safety.

The four will travel to Washington this week, compliments of Bell Atlantic
Mobile, to receive their award at the June 3 dinner.

More than 84,000 calls a day are made to 9-1-1 from wireless phones.
This amounted to 30.5 million calls last year alone.

Bell Atlantic Mobile owns and operates the largest wireless network in the East,
covering 112,000 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
5.5 million customers and 7,000 employees from Maine to Georgia and, through a
separate subsidiary, in the Southwest. Through its 'Wireless at Work...' community
relations program, the company uses its technology to help individuals and communities
improve security and emergency communications. Bell Atlantic Mobile's parent 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.