Good News for Wire Maintenance Subscribers in Flood Areas

January 25, 1996

GOOD NEWS FOR SUBSCRIBERS OF BELL ATLANTIC'S WIRE
MAINTENANCE PLANS

If You're Flooded, You're Covered

Arlington, VA -- Bell Atlantic has good news for customers who
subscribe to the company's inside wire maintenance plans.

"You're covered," said Fred D'Alessio, president of Bell
Atlantic's
Consumer Services organization.

D'Alessio's announcement was good news as flood waters menaced many
areas of Bell Atlantic's service territory. So serious is the
situation that several communities have been included in the disaster
declaration by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Normally, Bell Atlantic's optional inside wire maintenance plans
exclude coverage for damage caused by natural disasters such as
flooding, said D'Alessio. "But we understand the hardships many of
our customers are facing, and we want to help."

D'Alessio said that under this special, one-time arrangement, Bell
Atlantic will repair inside wire and jack problems caused by flooding
for those customers who subscribe to the company's Optional Wire
Maintenance plan, Bell Atlantic® Guardian® Enhanced Maintenance
Service or Bell Atlantic® Sentry (sm) I
Enhanced Maintenance
Service.

Flood related inside wire and jack problems that are reported to Bell
Atlantic by March 1, 1996, will be repaired in accordance with the
terms of the customer's inside wire maintenance plan.

"This is an unprecedented situation that deserves special
treatment,"
said D'Alessio. "We will take care of our customers' wiring repair
problems -- not because we're obligated to do so, but because we want
to."

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 communication
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.

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for more information, contact:

Shirley Risoldi, 412-633-5574
shirley.a.risoldi@bell-atl.com