BELL ATLANTIC, EMI TO PROVIDE NETWORK-TO-NETWORK INTERFACE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 26, 1996

BELL ATLANTIC, EMI TO PROVIDE NETWORK-TO-NETWORK
INTERFACE

First RBOC To Link All LATAS

ARLINGTON, VA - Bell Atlantic has become the first regional Bell
operating company to formally interface with an interexchange carrier
to provide Exchange Access Frame Relay Service (XA-FRS) between each
of its 19 LATAs (or regional calling areas).

Bell Atlantic's interconnections with EMI, let business customers link
local area networks hundreds of miles apart across LATA and state
boundaries through a network-to-network interface (NNI).

"This is an excellent example of how two companies can work together
to
meet the needs of their customers. Providing frame relay capability in
all of Bell Atlantic's 19 LATAs is clearly a win for all of our
business customers," said Tim Stevens, Bell Atlantic Carrier
Services
director for advanced services.

Exchange access frame relay service is a medium-speed,
connection-oriented, packet switched data service. It allows for the
exchange of variable length frames, or packets. Frames are relayed by
virtual connections. They travel a fixed path through the network to
each virtual connection.

The NNI specifies how an XA-FRS switch sends and receives data over an
interexchange carrier's frame relay network. The NNI is offered at
access speeds from 56 kbps to 1.536 mbps.

"We are pleased to pass on to our customers the cost, operational
and
performance efficiencies that are inherent in establishing such an
interface," said Raymond Bermond, EMI's vice president for sales and
marketing.

"EMI and Bell Atlantic Carrier Services have set the standards for
frame relay offerings in order to provide the ultimate connectivity
between IXC and LEC," he said.

EMI Communications Corp., a Newhouse company with headquarters in
Syracuse, N.Y., offers a broad range of information distribution
services. EMI has been providing customers with cost-effective
telecommunications services for over 30 years.

In addition to frame relay networking services, EMI offers
internet-based services, as well as cable television programming and
information services. EMI is the co-founder of the UniSPAN
consortium, a network of regional frame relay carriers operating
throughout the United States, Canada and internationally.

The Bell Atlantic Carrier Services line of business provides switched,
special and wireless access to Bell Atlantic's telecommunications
network. Carrier Services also is developing new wireless services,
such as personal communications services, new access services, such as
Facilities Management Service, and increased network survivability
through Bell Atlantic® IntelliLight® services.

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.

####

for more information, contact:

Paul Miller, 804-772-1460
miller@ba.com