Bell Atlantic Ready for Hurricane Floyd

Bell Atlantic Ready for Hurricane Floyd

Company Tracks Storm, Readies Personnel and Equipment
In Virginia, Maryland and Delaware

September 15, 1999

NEW YORK -- As one of the decade's most powerful hurricanes bears
down on the East Coast, Bell Atlantic is preparing for Hurricane Floyd's
high winds, heavy rains and flooding -- especially in Virginia, Maryland
and Delaware.

Company technicians are checking thousands of emergency generators and
backup batteries that help the company continue supplying dial tone when
commercial power is lost. Also, the company is prepared to move workers
to hard-hit areas.

"Caring for our customers is Bell Atlantic's top priority -- we want
customers to know that we're ready," said Arnie Eckelman, Bell Atlantic
president and chief operating officer, consumer.

"While it is unclear exactly where Hurricane Floyd will hit or how
significant the storm will be, we're mobilizing to handle the impact of a
hurricane," added Eckelman. "We've activated our storm tracking center,
and we're taking the steps necessary to maintain service to our customers
and to quickly repair any potential damage to our phone lines."

With much of the company's service area located along the Atlantic
Ocean, company workers are checking the backup power systems in
central call-switching offices. These computerized centers provide dial
tone to customers around the clock and route customer calls locally and
throughout the world. All of these centers have backup batteries and/or
diesel generators for use in the event of a power outage.

"We have extensive safeguards and procedures in place to protect our
network during severe weather emergencies," said Ed Sproat, Bell Atlantic
president and chief operating officer for network services. "We will
continue to monitor the storms closely to ensure we have sufficient
workers on duty and in the right places to keep all our customers
connected."

The company also is notifying vendors who supply cable and other
equipment, asking them to be ready to provide supplies at a moment's
notice.

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and
information industry. With more than 43 million telephone access lines and nearly 10 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 23 countries.