Bell Atlantic Executive James Cullen to Retire With Close of Bell Atlantic-GTE Merger

Bell Atlantic Executive James Cullen to Retire
With Close of Bell Atlantic-GTE Merger

November 4, 1999

NEW YORK -- Bell Atlantic President and COO James G. Cullen today announced his plans to
retire upon completion of the Bell Atlantic/GTE merger. The two companies have targeted
closing their merger late in the first quarter of 2000.

Cullen is a member of Bell Atlantic's Office of the Chairman and shares oversight of all of the
company's business operations, the merger process with GTE, and other corporate development
initiatives. He is also a member of the company's board of directors.

Bell Atlantic and GTE anticipate closing their merger in the first quarter of next year.

Cullen said he believed he would need to make a personal commitment of at least three years to
justify remaining in a top-level position at the new company. After a career of more than 35
years with the Bell Atlantic companies, "it seemed to be a natural opportunity for me to
accelerate my personal timetable for retirement by a year or so," he said.

"I am certain that the future of our company is in excellent hands as we look to the
challenges of 2000 and beyond. Until the merger is closed, my goal will be to maintain the
momentum of our current business while supporting in every way I can the transition to the new
Bell Atlantic/GTE," Cullen said.

Bell Atlantic Chairman and CEO Ivan Seidenberg said that since the completion of the Bell
Atlantic/NYNEX merger, "Jim has provided the extraordinary leadership, insights and
focus to assure the success of that merger. He is the consummate professional, and has helped
position our business for much future growth and success."

Cullen began his career with New Jersey Bell in 1964. He became president of New Jersey Bell
in 1989, after serving in a number of assignments that covered marketing, strategic planning,
operations and state and federal regulatory affairs.

Cullen was vice chairman of Bell Atlantic prior to the NYNEX merger and was president and
chief executive officer of the Telecom Group in the merged company before being appointed to
his current post.

Cullen is a member of the boards of directors of Johnson & Johnson and Prudential Insurance
Company. He received a B.A. degree in economics from Rutgers University in 1964 and a
master's degree in management science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as an
Alfred P. Sloan fellow in 1981.

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and
information industry. With more than 43 million telephone access lines
and more than 10 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.