Bell Atlantic Honors Hitachi Data Systems With Supplier Recognition Award

Bell Atlantic Honors Hitachi Data Systems With Supplier Recognition Award

Hitachi Data Systems Takes Prize in Manufacturing Category with
High Marks for Quality of Products

January 21, 1998

NEW YORK - Hitachi Data Systems, a service and sales organization for
a variety of computer products manufactured by Hitachi Ltd., has won a
Bell Atlantic Supplier Excellence Award for continually providing Bell
Atlantic with superior products and exceptional customer service.
Steve West, president and CEO, Hitachi Data Systems accepted the award
from Majid Naderkhani, Bell Atlantic president--Telecom Group Systems,
during a ceremony at Hitachi Data Systems' headquarters in Santa
Clara, Calif. Hitachi Data Systems supplies Bell Atlantic companies
with mainframe computers, data storage devices and professional
services.

"For 10 years we've enjoyed an excellent working relationship with
Hitachi Data Systems," said Naderkhani. "Last year, the reliability of
its products gave our customer service representatives access to repair
and billing records 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This
outstanding record of dependability plays a vital role in Bell
Atlantic's ability to provide quality products and exceptional service
to our customers."

Hitachi Data Systems earned high marks in system reliability,
customer-service response and response times in fixing problems. In
addition to serving Bell Atlantic's day-to-day needs, Hitachi Data
Systems has provided the technology to Bell Atlantic on a number of
important projects last year, including Year 2000 certification.

"We are absolutely delighted to have our hardware and customer service
recognized by such a prestigious company with so many suppliers," said
West. "We look at this award as one more proof point that, for us,
customer satisfaction isn't just a goal-it's our strongest and deepest
commitment."

Hitachi Data Systems is one of only six suppliers from more than 6,500
eligible companies-the company's entire supplier base--to earn the
1997 Bell Atlantic Supplier Excellence Award. The suppliers were
judged on the quality of their performance, service delivery and
customer satisfaction.

The Supplier Excellence Awards enable Bell Atlantic to thank the
winners publicly for their hard work and dedication to excellence,
which help Bell Atlantic maintain its position as a market leader. In
addition, the award encourages other suppliers to raise their level of
performance.

The other winners of the Bell Atlantic 1997 Supplier Excellence Award
are:

• Siecor Corp., Hickory, N.C.
• Tekelec, Calabasas, Calif.
• The Delta Shuttle, Boston, Mass.
• Transportation Displays Incorporated, New York, N.Y.
• Yellow Freight System, Overland Park, Kan.

Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) markets, worldwide, a broad range of
information processing solutions, including enterprise servers,
storage subsystems, peripheral products, and professional services.
Owned by Hitachi, Ltd. and EDS, HDS has its headquarters in Santa
Clara, Calif. For online information about HDS' products and
services, access www.hds.com.

Bell Atlantic - formed through the merger of Bell Atlantic and NYNEX -
is at the forefront of the new communications, information and
entertainment industry. With 40 million telephone access lines and 5.8
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 21 countries.
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