Bell Atlantic Supports Internet Education for Long Island Residents and Small Business Owners Through Free Internet Learning Day

Bell Atlantic Supports Internet Education for Long Island
Residents and Small Business Owners Through Free
Internet Learning Day

New Internet Guide Introduced in Bell Atlantic
Yellow Pages in Nassau County, N.Y.

December 4, 1998

JERICHO, N.Y. -- Bell Atlantic tomorrow will bring the Internet to area
residents and small businesses by sponsoring a free Internet Learning Day
at Caliber Learning Network, a leading computer training firm in Nassau
County.

The event coincides with the introduction of the new Internet Guide inside
the 1998-1999 Nassau County area Bell Atlantic Yellow Pages. The 16-
page guide, bound inside the Yellow Pages, is a step-by-step primer
designed for novice Internet users. A total of 1.3 million White and Yellow
Pages, featuring a cover illustration of historic Coe Hall in Oyster Bay,
N.Y., are currently being delivered.

The Internet Learning Day initiative, supported by local community
organizations, is offered to residents and small businesses that may not
have access to Internet training. The Nassau County event is the ninth in
an ongoing series of Internet Learning Days across the Bell Atlantic region.

The program also includes a web-marketing session, which is customized
for small businesses exploring cost-effective ways to promote their
company, products or services on the World Wide Web.

"The Internet Guide and the Internet Learning Day series are targeted at
the 35 percent of the adult population without access to learning about the
Internet," said Mary Jo Howe, vice president of marketing and customer
relations at Bell Atlantic Directory Services. "We believe that offering such
community-oriented initiatives is consistent with our efforts to provide
local information and services that allow for global access, such as the
Internet."

Saturday's Internet Learning Day event -- expected to attract some 150
Participants' is co-sponsored by Caliber Learning Network and a number
of community-based organizations.

Co-sponsors, including United Way of Long Island, Health and Welfare
Council of Long Island, Nassau County Office of Women's Services and
the YMCA, are participating in the day as well by promoting membership
attendance. According to representatives of these community
organizations, there is a lack of available Internet education for adults of all
ages and socio-economic levels, as well as for businesses seeking to market
on the Internet.

"The Internet is fast becoming an important component in everyday life, so
for our members becoming more knowledgeable about the Internet also
means becoming more integrated into the community," said Mary Beth
Welsh, director of development, Health and Welfare Council of Long
Island. "Activities such as this free Internet learning experience and the
availability of Bell Atlantic's Yellow Pages Internet Guide are a good first
step."

The advertiser-supported Internet Guide is a 16-page tabbed insert that
contains information on hardware and software requirements, a step-by-
step approach for connecting to the World Wide Web, tips on choosing an
Internet service provider, Frequently Asked Questions, and a list of
recommended local, regional and national web sites.

Participants in the beginner sessions receive information on places they can
access the Internet for free and ways to acquire a personal computer at a
reduced cost. Small business attendees participating in the Web-marketing
session receive information about online marketing techniques. Attendees
from both sessions participate in a drawing for a personal computer
donated by Bell Atlantic Yellow Pages.

The 1998-1999 Nassau County Bell Atlantic Yellow and White Pages, to
be delivered during the next few weeks, features a cover illustration of
historic Coe Hall. Completed in 1921, the house served as a 65-room
Tudor revival style country house on the Coe family's estate, now known
as the Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park. The Coe Estate was
deeded to the State of New York in 1949.

The new Nassau County Bell Atlantic Yellow Pages also includes recycling
information designed to educate consumers on what, where and how to
recycle in their area.

Bell Atlantic is the world's largest publisher of Yellow Pages shopping
directories. Its affiliate, Bell Atlantic Electronic Commerce Services, is the
creator of BigYellow^SM, a leading national online shopping service.

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and information
industry. With 42 million telephone access lines and eight million wireless
customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are premier providers of
advanced wireline voice and data services, and market leaders in wireless
services. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest
investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations
and investments in 23 countries.