NYNEX: Businesses, Here's How To Prepare For New Eastern Massachusetts Area Codes

June 12, 1997

CONTACT: Boston: Joe
Zukowski 617-743-1278 or Outside Boston: your local NYNEX media representative

NYNEX: Businesses, Here's How To Prepare For New Eastern
Massachusetts Area Codes

BOSTON -- Businesses affected by the introduction of two new area codes in
Eastern Mass. September 1, 1997, should begin preparing for the changes now. To get
ready, businesses with private branch exchanges (PBX) should check with their supplier
to make sure the equipment can handle the two new codes.

Businesses with ISDN equipment need to change their Service Profile Identifiers
(SPIDs) to the new area code immediately following the conversion of the local switch
serving their exchanges. NYNEX (NYSE: NYN) will notify ISDN customers separately
about the changes.

Even those businesses whose area code is not changing, still need to make
some changes in September to adjust to the new area codes. In order to keep in touch
with business associates, that may mean reprogramming speed dialing features on telephones,
fax machines, and computer modems with the new area codes.

Under an order issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities,
the existing 617 and 508 area codes will split and half of the customers in Eastern
Massachusetts will change the area code portion of their phone numbers.

The two new area codes -- 781 and 978 -- will help keep pace with consumer
demand for voice lines, fax machines, computers, pagers, and cellular phones, as
well as demand for telephone exchanges from new companies providing local telephone
services in Massachusetts.

Customers should make their preparations now for the new area codes. When
the split is implemented customers will need to dial some local calls differently:

The new area codes and dialing pattern will not change telephone service rates.
If your area code is changing, here are a few things you can do to ease the transition:

Make sure your new area code appears in all advertising for use after Sept.
1:

• Yellow Pages advertising
• Newspaper/magazine ads
• TV/Radio ads -- Classified ads
• Signage
• Internet sites
• Recorded messages
• Promotional materials (mugs, key chains, pens, etc.)
• Motor vehicles

Make sure to include your new area code on all printed materials:

• Stationery
• Business cards
• Invoices
• Purchase orders
• Brochures/catalogs/promotional materials
• Product packaging
• Internal records
• Checks
• Company directories
• Labels

Tell all the people you deal with locally, nationally or internationally:

• Customers and suppliers
• Business associates
• Friends and relatives

Check with your suppliers to make sure your equipment can handle the two new
area codes:

• PBX systems
• Pagers/beepers
• Cellular phones (Some area codes will change, others will remain the same.
  Check with your cellular carrier to determine if the area code split affects you.)
• Customer-owned pay phones
• Medical alert systems
• Fire/Security alarm companies

NYNEX will automatically reprogram or modify:

• Centrex systems
• Foreign exchange service
• NYNEX White Pages listings (beginning September 1997)
• Remote line
• Voice Messaging
• Call Forwarding II (Busy Line/Don't Answer)
• Blocking services for 550, 554, 900, 920, 940, 976 exchanges

A statewide three-month permissive dialing period beginning September 1 will
enable callers to dial calls using either the old or new dialing patterns.

On December 1, 1997, NYNEX will begin converting its switching centers across
Eastern Massachusetts to accept only the new area codes and dialing pattern. After
each local switch is converted, calls cannot be completed without the correct area
code or dialing pattern. Callers will hear announcements instructing them how to
redial.

New Massachusetts Area Codes