Bell Atlantic Introduces T-Mail for Small Businesses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 1996

BELL ATLANTIC INTRODUCES
ADVANCED VOICE MESSAGING SERVICE FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES IN VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, WASHINGTON, D.C.

One of the first regional calling areas in nation
to get Telephone Mail Service

Arlington, VA -- Small businesses in Maryland, Virginia
and
Washington, D.C., now can quickly and conveniently reach customers,
associates and employees through a new Bell Atlantic advanced voice
messaging feature, called T-Mail(sm).

T-Mail -- or Telephone Mail Service -- is an innovative voice
messaging feature that allows customers to use their mailbox service
to send the same voice message to an individual or to a group, all
with one phone call. With T-Mail, businesses also can instantly send,
reply to and copy messages to anyone they choose within their regional
calling areas.

"T-Mail is the latest innovative voice messaging feature that Bell
Atlantic has developed to be responsive to business needs," said
Karmalita Contee, Bell Atlantic product manager for T-Mail Service.

"Small and mid-size companies that need to distribute information
instantly -- to customers, to suppliers or to employees -- will find
T-Mail an efficient and cost-effective solution to the needs of their
business.

"All that's needed is a Touch-Tone phone and one of Bell Atlantic's
voice messaging services," Contee said.

Because the same message can be sent instantly to scores of locations,
T-Mail is faster and cheaper than individual telephone calls, the U.S.
mail or classified advertising. Companies can use the new feature to
tell customers about special events, new products or services or other
news, sending the same message with just the touch of a few buttons on
the telephone.

"For example, the local hardware store or dry cleaner can use T-mail
to alert customers to sales or promotional events, probably for less
money than the business is spending today to get its message to
customers," said Contee.

"In addition, T-Mail can be used to communicate instantly with
employees, replacing calling chains, group faxes or internal
newsletters," Contee added. "Messages that otherwise would be
entered
individually in employees' voice-mail, or passed along on paper or by
word of mouth, can be recorded once and then sent along to the work
force. Schedule changes, meeting announcements -- and whether the
business will be open on snow days -- all can be handled with one
message distributed by the employer."

Each business using the T-Mail feature can tailor calling lists to
suit its individual needs. To receive T-Mail messages, recipients
must have either Bell Atlantic Answer Call, Voice Mail or
Organizational Mailbox service, or can sign up for Bell Atlantic's
free Basic Mailbox service. Customers are not charged for messages
received in Basic Mailboxes or any other mailbox.

Bell Atlantic will make it easy for businesses to maximize the T-Mail
feature by providing free counter displays, postcards and telephone
numbers for those who want to sign up for a mailbox service and
receive messages. Bell Atlantic will even waive the connection fee
through Sept. 13, 1996, for anyone who signs up for the Basic Mailbox.
Depending on the type of service selected, T-Mail can cost as little
as 15 cents per message. Businesses should contact their Bell Atlantic
representative at 1-800-284-0301 to determine how T-Mail can best
be
put to work for them.

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 communications
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 contacts:

Diane Hasemann, (703) 974-6123
diane.k.hasemann@bell-atl.com

Ells Edwards, (302) 576-5340
ellsworth.edwards@bell-atl.com

Customer Contact:

1-800-284-0301