Bell Atlantic Mobile And Camden County Government Officials Launch Wireless Phone

Bell Atlantic Mobile And Camden County Government Officials
Launch Wireless Phone "Recycling" Program

Older Model Phones Being Collected To Improve Public Safety

May 13, 1999

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ - - We all make our best effort to
recycle cans, bottles, cardboard and newspapers. But what about wireless
phones?

At a news conference today, Bell Atlantic Mobile and the Camden County
Board of Chosen Freeholders launched a pilot program aimed at putting
old and unused wireless phones to work for the good of the community.

Bell Atlantic Mobile's "Wireless at Work" Phone Recycling
Pilot Program will allow wireless phone customers throughout Camden
County to recycle their older model wireless phones by donating them to
the Board of Chosen Freeholders. The collected phones will then be
provided to members of the community to help improve security and
emergency communications.

"The evolution of wireless phones from analog to digital and the
appeal of newer, smaller handsets, have produced a large supply of old,
unused equipment sitting in desks, cabinets and even toy boxes throughout
the area," said John Stratton, president of Bell Atlantic Mobile's Tri-
State Region. "Our objective is to reclaim those phones and put
them into the hands of people who need emergency
communications."

"Wireless phones can serve as a lifeline for people who may be in
danger or need immediate emergency assistance, from crossing guards to
members of night watch groups," said Camden County Freeholder
Riletta Cream.

Freeholders Cream and Pat Egan Jones, along with County Clerk James
Beach, joined Sheriff Michael McLaughlin and Bell Atlantic Mobile
representatives at the news conference. The conference was held during a
class on first aid as part of Sheriff McLaughlin's TRIAD Senior Citizen
Police Academy at the Gloucester Township Senior Citizens Center. John
Stratton of Bell Atlantic Mobile officially started the wireless phone
recycling pilot program by donating 10 phones to participants of the
TRIAD program.

Bell Atlantic Mobile will work with Camden County government to first
test the batteries, reprogram the phones to dial 9-1-1 at the touch of a
button, and then put the phones into the hands of those who need them.
Senior citizens and people with disabilities will be the first recipients.

Freeholder Jones said that during the months of May and June, phones will
be collected at various drop-off points throughout the county. As an added
incentive, people who donate phones will receive a tax-deductible receipt.
Donated phones must be portable models that are no longer in service and
include batteries and chargers. Drop-off locations are:

• Camden County Stores at the Echelon Mall in Voorhees and at
  500B Williamstown-New Freedom Road in Winslow Township

• Camden County Department of Public Safety, 2311 Egg
  harbor Road, Lindenwold

• Satellite offices operated by County Clerk James Beach in the
  Haddonfield Mall (Unit 12), 114 Kings Highway East,
  Haddonfield

• AAA office at 700 Oak Road, Voorhees

For further information on drop-off locations, call (609) 225-5431.

Since its inception in 1995, the company's "Wireless At
Work" community service program has donated over hundreds of
wireless phones to aid communities throughout the Philadelphia
Tri-State Region.

Bell Atlantic Mobile owns and operates the largest wireless network in the
East, covering 120,000 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 6.4 million customers and 8,000
employees from Maine to Georgia and, through a separate subsidiary, in
the Southwest. 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.