Bell Atlantic Sails to Victory in Baltimore

Bell Atlantic Sails to Victory

Company Beats Competition in Catholic Charities' Dragon
Boat Race; Bell Atlantic Foundation Gives $10,000 to Help Fund Event

September 22, 1998

BALTIMORE -- Bell Atlantic - Maryland proved that it's "Number
One" by land and by sea when it brought home the gold in this year's
Catholic Charities' Dragon Boat race at the Baltimore Inner Harbor. The
Bell Atlantic Foundation helped fund the inaugural race with a $10,000
grant.

On Saturday, Sept. 19, 25 Bell Atlantic employees competed in the day-
long event against 36 other business and community teams from the
Baltimore area. Bell Atlantic's team not only sailed to victory, but also
achieved the best times of the day in two of its races.

"We're glad that our hard work paid off," said Douglas P. Sullivan, Bell
Atlantic senior engineer and Dragon Boat captain. "After countless hours
in the harbor practicing in the heat and humidity, our group pulled together
and made it to the Winner's Bracket."

Bell Atlantic chose to direct $2,000 of its grant to Our Daily Bread, a
Catholic Charities-supported program that feeds the hungry in Baltimore.
Bell Atlantic employees who participated in the race also served meals at
Our Daily Bread.

"We are so proud of our employees at Bell Atlantic," said Sherry F.
Bellamy, president and CEO of Bell Atlantic - Maryland. "They are
dedicated, hard-working and truly concerned about investing their time in
our communities."

Dragon Boat racing originated in China and is well known in many Asian
countries. The sport is also popular in Europe, Canada and, in the last 10
years, has started to catch on in the United States.

The Bell Atlantic Foundation supports a variety of projects domestically
and internationally, with an emphasis on new technology applications in
education, health and human services, the arts and humanities, and civic
development in the communities served by Bell Atlantic. For more
information, visit www.bellatlanticfoundation.com on the Internet.

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and information
industry. With more than 41 million telephone access lines and more than
seven 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.