PrimeCo Personal Communications Leadership Changes Announced by AirTouch, Bell Atlantic and US WEST Media Group

PrimeCo Personal Communications Leadership Changes

Announced by AirTouch, Bell Atlantic and U S WEST Media Group

Lowell McAdam Named President and Chief Executive Officer;

W. Richard Conrad Appointed Chief Operating Officer

September 30, 1997

WESTLAKE, TEXAS -- AirTouch Communications (NYSE: ATI), Bell

Atlantic (NYSE: BEL) and U S WEST Media Group (NYSE: UMG)

today announced the appointment of two executives to lead

PrimeCo Personal Communications' continued expansion in the

fast-growing national wireless telecommunications market, as a

result of Chief Executive Officer Benjamin L. Scott's decision

to leave the business and pursue a new career opportunity as

President and Chief Executive Officer of IXC Communications,

Inc., (NASDAQ: IIXC).

Lowell McAdam, PrimeCo's current chief operating officer, has been

appointed president and CEO, effective today. W. Richard Conrad,

who serves as president - New York Metro region of Bell Atlantic

Mobile, will replace McAdam as PrimeCo's executive vice president

and chief operating officer.

"We sincerely appreciate Ben's leadership during the successful

startup phase of PrimeCo," said Denny Strigl, group president and

CEO, Bell Atlantic Global Wireless. "Under his direction PrimeCo

made industry history by launching PCS networks in 16 major cities

nationwide, only 16 months after PrimeCo acquired its wireless

licenses. We wish him every success in his new endeavor."

Arun Sarin, president and chief operating officer, AirTouch

Communications, said, "I am pleased that the bench strength of our

wireless executive team enables us to quickly appoint two very

capable people to lead PrimeCo through our rapid expansion of the

business. Lowell's deep understanding of PrimeCo operations and

Rick's experience running the largest wireless market in the

country will be a powerful combination going forward."

Steve Boyd, president - domestic wireless operations for USWEST

Media Group, said, "The executive team we're putting into place

today is extremely strong, and will ensure PrimeCo maintains its

leadership in the American PCS industry."

McAdam was appointed chief operating officer of PrimeCo in December

1995. He has overseen the building, launch, and operation of

PrimeCo's wireless network, and customer operations. Previously,

he served as vice president, international operations - Europe, for

AirTouch and was lead technical partner for cellular ventures in

Spain and Italy.

McAdam joined AirTouch as executive director of international

applications and operations in 1993. From 1983 to 1993, McAdam

held various positions with Pacific Bell, including area vice

president - Bay Area marketing and general manager South Bay customer

services. He received an M.B.A. degree from the University of San

Diego and a B.S. degree in engineering from Cornell University.

Conrad was appointed to his current position in July 1995. He is

responsible for sales, marketing, engineering, administration,

finance and network systems expansion in 15 New York and New Jersey

counties including Long Island and New York City's five boroughs.

He was executive vice president and chief operating officer of Bell

Atlantic Mobile from May 1994 until June 1995.

Prior to that appointment, Conrad served as regional vice president

- southwest, responsible for the company's operations in Arizona,

New Mexico and Texas. He earned a degree in history from Old

Dominion University and served in various positions at Dictaphone

Corp. before moving to Bell Atlantic Mobile.

PrimeCo Personal Communications, established in 1994, is a limited

partnership formed by AirTouch Communications, Bell Atlantic, NYNEX

and U S WEST Media Group. On Nov. 12, 1996, PrimeCo made wireless

telecommunications history by launching PCS networks in 16 major

cities nationwide, just 16 months from the day PrimeCo acquired its

wireless licenses.

Since launching commercial service, the company has establish a

unique brand identity to differentiate itself against its wireless

competitors by offering a strong customer value proposition

stressing reliability, customer control and simplified pricing.

PrimeCo's innovation was recognized with Business Week's Best New

Products award the International Engineering Consortium's

INFOVISION Award.

Today, PrimeCo operates PCS networks in 20 states with 61 million

potential customers, including Norfolk and Richmond, Va.; Fort

Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando and Tampa, Fla.; Chicago;

Milwaukee; New Orleans; Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San

Antonio, Texas; Mobile, Ala.; Honolulu and the Maui Island, Hawaii;

and Green Bay and Madison, Wis.

"During my tenure at PrimeCo I've had the privilege of working

with some of the most dedicated people in the wireless industry,

who have built a brand new business with a 'customer first'

attitude that permeates the entire organization," said Scott.

"I'm confident about the solid future of this company under the

direction of Lowell and Rick. PrimeCo is living proof that the

right people, the right owners and the right technology can bring

new competition to the wireless market."

AirTouch Communications is a global wireless communications

company, with interests in cellular, paging, and personal

communications services in the United States, Belgium, Germany,

India, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, South Korea, Spain,

and Sweden, as well as an interest in the Globalstar satellite

system. The company, based in San Francisco, serves more than 9

million proportionate customers worldwide.

The new Bell Atlantic -- formed through the merger of Bell Atlantic

and NYNEX -- is at the forefront of the new communications,

information and entertainment industry. With 40 million telephone

access lines and 5.5 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 21 countries.

U S WEST Media Group, one of America's largest broadband

communications companies, is involved in domestic and international

cable and telephony, wireless communications, and directory and

information services. For 1996, U S WEST Media Group had proportionate

pro forma revenue of $8.1 billion. Media Group is one of two

major groups that make up U S WEST, a company in the communications

business, helping customers share information, entertainment and

communications services in local markets worldwide. U S WEST's

other major group, U S WEST Communications, provides

telecommunications services in 14 western and midwestern states.