Bell Atlantic Cuts International Calling Rates By 40%

Bell Atlantic Cuts International Calling Rates By 40%

Customers Also Receive 90 Minutes of Free Calls With New International Plan

April 5, 2000

NEW YORK - Keeping in touch with far-away friends and loved ones is now a lot more
affordable for Bell Atlantic customers. The company announced today that Bell
Atlantic's® International Savings Plan will reduce Bell Atlantic's already low
international calling rates by 40 percent to the 33 most often-called countries.

"New York is the gateway to world, making international calling a regular
occurrence for many of our long distance customers," said Maura Breen, president
and chief executive officer of Bell Atlantic Communications, Inc., the business unit that
provides residential long distance service. "This new plan ensures Bell Atlantic's
customers get the most competitive rates in the industry - whether they are calling across
the country or around the world."

The plan offers amazingly low rates for direct-dialed long distance calls, including 10
cents a minute to the United Kingdom and 15 cents a minute to France. Calls to Japan are
as low as 16 cents per minute. [NOTE: A listing of additional country rates follows.]

"We are proud to serve one of the most diverse customer bases in the
country," said Breen. "Since entering the long distance market in January,
we have received incredible feedback from our international and ethnic customer base.
Our new International Savings Plan delivers on what our international callers are looking
for in a long distance company."

All new customers signing up for the International Savings Plan receive 30 free minutes
of long distance calls each month for the first three months. The free minutes can be used
for either domestic or international calls.

The new International Savings Plan can be added to any of Bell Atlantic's popular long
distance calling plans - Bell Atlantic's® e-Values^sm Calling Plan, Bell Atlantic's®
Timeless^sm Calling Plan or Bell Atlantic's® Best Times^sm Calling Plan.

The International Savings Plan includes a low monthly fee of $3.00. To commemorate
the new International Savings Plan, Bell Atlantic announced that it would waive the
service's low $3.00 monthly charge for nine months for all existing customers. The new
international rates became effective March 31, 2000.

"Bell Atlantic's International Plan is another example of our commitment to
'surprise-free long distance,"' said Breen. "Many of the other long distance
companies play hide-and-seek when it comes to charging customers for international
calls - promoting one price, but delivering a much different bill at the end of the month.
At Bell Atlantic, you get up-front pricing and competitive rates, all delivered with
premier service - I guarantee it."

For more information or to sign up for the International Plan, call 1-877-783-5524 or log
onto www.callbell.com by June 30, 2000.

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and information industry. With nearly
44 million telephone access lines and 12 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 23
countries.

Country Rate

Argentina $0.45
Australia $0.15
Brazil $0.27
Canada $0.10
China $0.35
Columbia $0.40
Costa Rica $0.35
Cuba $0.69
Dominican Republic $0.39
Ecuador $0.45
El Salvador $0.45
France $0.15
Germany $0.15
Hong Kong $0.17
India $0.55
Israel $0.17
Italy $0.15
Jamaica $0.57
Japan $0.16
Mexico $0.14/.35
Netherlands $0.15
Pakistan $.55
Peru $0.45
Philippines $0.30
Poland $0.28
Russia $0.31
Singapore $0.28
South Korea $0.17
Spain $0.15
Switzerland $0.15
Taiwan $0.17
Thailand $0.52
United Kingdom $0.10
Venezuela $0.30