Two Columbia Organizations Receive Assistance From Bell Atlantic Mobile to Fight Domestic Violence

Two Columbia Organizations Receive Assistance From
Bell Atlantic Mobile to Fight Domestic Violence

Donation of wireless phones and voice mail boxes provides
needed aid

August 24, 1999

COLUMBIA, SC -- One woman at Killingsworth Home wanted
desperately to make a better life for herself, but residing at a shelter
offered her limited phone access, making it difficult for her to maintain
contact with potential employers and service agencies. Now, with a
wireless voice mail box from Bell Atlantic Mobile, Cindy can schedule
job interviews, set up appointments with physicians, and arrange training
sessions for her current job.

In a continuing effort to help victims of domestic violence and homeless
individuals, Bell Atlantic Mobile has donated three HopeLine® wireless
voice mail boxes to Killingsworth Home. The voice mail boxes are now
available to residents of the shelter, enabling those individuals to seek and
secure jobs, seek medical attention, locate housing, and maintain contact
with family members.

In conjunction with its community service initiative, Bell Atlantic Mobile
had previously donated two wireless phones and 20 wireless voice mail
boxes to Killingsworth Home, and four
phones and 25 wireless voice mail boxes to Sistercare. Both donations
were made through the company's "Wireless at Work..."
community service program, which is part of its corporate
commitment to provide wireless technology -- phones, voice mail boxes,
and airtime -- to those most in need. Last year, over 200 individuals found
employment, established living quarters,
and maintained contact with social service agencies, family and friends,
and made calls to ensure personal safety with the help of the donated
wireless voice mail boxes and cellular phones.

Killingsworth Home is a transition home for women recovering from
crises. Residents are offered food, shelter, counseling, job development,
and referrals to community resources. In 1998, 15 individuals used the
Killingsworth voice mail boxes from Bell Atlantic Mobile.

The company also has donated four wireless phones and 10 wireless voice
mail boxes to Sistercare, an organization that provides services for
battered women and their children. The phones are available to high-risk
victims of domestic violence, enabling them to quickly receive emergency
police or medical attention 24 hours a day.

"Bell Atlantic Mobile's wireless phones are a needed tool in
providing a sense of security in our clients' lives," said Nancy
Barton, executive director of Sistercare. "These phones
and voice mail boxes will be instrumental in helping build our clients' self-
esteem and will provide a portable lifeline at the touch of a button."

"Statistics show that domestic violence victims are more likely to be
hurt or killed if they leave their abuser," said Andrea Orr, Bell
Atlantic Mobile sales manager for the Columbia area. "They are
faced with potential life-threatening situations just about anywhere -- on
the way to work, dropping off their children at school, doing their grocery
shopping -- and they often don't have access to landline phones. Bell
Atlantic Mobile is proud to donate its wireless technology to provide
victims of domestic violence with the security of knowing that help is only
a phone call away."

Editor's Note: Bell Atlantic Mobile owns and operates the largest wireless
network in the East and systems in the Southwest, covering 180,000
square miles, and the largest chain of retail outlets devoted exclusively to
wireless voice, data, and paging. Based in Bedminster, NJ, Bell Atlantic
Mobile has 6.6 million customers and 8,000 employees from Maine to
Georgia and in parts of Arizona, New Mexico and west Texas. Through
its "Wireless at Work..." community service program, the
company uses its technology to help individuals and communities improve
security and emergency communications. Bell Atlantic Mobile's parent,
Bell Atlantic Corporation (NYSE:BEL) is one of the world's largest
wireless communications companies, with domestic operations in 25 states
and international investments in Mexico, Europe and the Pacific Rim. For
more information on Bell Atlantic Mobile visit: www.bam.com; on global operations visit:
www.bellatlantic.com/worldwide.