Two Bell Atlantic Executives Named to New Omnitel Sistemi Radiocellulari Board of Directors

PHILADELPHIA - In Italy on Thursday, the shareholders of Omnitel Sistemi Radiocellulari (OSR), the company which holds a 70 percent stake in one of the world's fastest growing wireless operations, Omnitel Pronto Italia, appointed a new Board of Directors. Denny Strigl, Group President and CEO-Bell Atlantic Global Wireless Group and President and CEO-Bell Atlantic Mobile, was added to the Board, joining Tom Bartlett, President and CEO-Bell Atlantic International Wireless.

Roberto Colannino, CEO-Olivetti, continues his role as Chairman of the OSR Board. Also continuing on the Board of OSR are Silvio Scaglia (CEO-Omnitel Pronto Italia), Ruggiero Magnoni (CEO-Lehman Brothers), Marco De Benedetti (President and CEO-Olivetti Telemedia), William Ginsberg (President and CEO-CCI), and Per Eric Fylking (Vice President-Telia). Also new to the Board was Kurt Kinzius, member of the Executive Board of Mannesmann.

The Board will remain in place until December 31, 2000. Bell Atlantic holds a 24.9 percent stake in OSR and a 17.4 percent share in the Omnitel operation. Other shareholders in OSR include OliMan BV, a partnership of Olivetti and Mannesmann (50.7%), CCI (14.6%), Telia (9.6%), and Lehman Brothers (0.002%).

Bell Atlantic - formed through the merger of Bell Atlantic and NYNEX - is at the forefront of the new communications and information industry. With 40.5 million telephone access lines and six 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.