Bell Atlantic Selects Supplier for Full Service Network

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 1996

BELL ATLANTIC SELECTS EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER
FOR INITIAL SWITCHED BROADBAND NETWORK DEPLOYMENT

ARLINGTON, VA. -- Bell Atlantic Corp. [NYSE: BEL] has
selected Lucent Technologies Inc.
[NYSE: LU] as a supplier of key network components for Bell Atlantic's
initial Full Service Network deployment in the mid-Atlantic region. Bell
Atlantic's investment under the contract could reach several hundred
million dollars over a six-and-one-half-year period.

Later this year, Bell Atlantic will begin installing fiber-optic
facilities and electronics to replace the predominantly copper cables
between its telephone switching offices and customers. Fiber-optics
provide higher quality and more reliable telephone services at lower
operating and maintenance costs. The company plans to add digital video
broadcast capabilities to this "fiber-to-the-curb," switched
broadband network by the third quarter of 1997, and broadband Internet
access, data communications and interactive multimedia capabilities in
late 1997 or early 1998.

"We began installing high-capacity, high-quality fiber optics more
than a decade ago, and we currently have more than 2.2 million fiber
miles linking switching offices and key points in our network,""
said Lawrence T. Babbio,
Jr., Bell Atlantic vice chairman. "Pushing fiber optics closer
to consumers and small businesses will allow us to provide superior
quality and great customer service, while simultaneously allowing us to
reduce our expenses significantly.

"We also will be able to more quickly meet our customers' demands
for a variety of new services -- including additional phone lines,
high-speed data connections to on-line services and the Internet, and
video and interactive services. A wide range of content providers --
including Bell Atlantic Video
Services, which will work with our programming and systems venture
TELE-TV -- are expected to supply a variety of interactive multimedia
services for this platform."

Lucent Technologies will supply the
local network hardware and software
components required between Bell Atlantic's switching offices and
customers' homes or small businesses.
BroadBand Technologies [NASDAQ: BBTK] of
Research Triangle Park, N.C., will work with Lucent Technologies,
providing switched broadband network components.

Bell Atlantic will be the systems integrator for its Full Service Network.

The fiber-to-the-curb architecture that Bell Atlantic will build is the
next step in the company's ongoing, aggressive network modernization
program. Bell Atlantic's network infrastructure includes digital
switching covering more than 90 percent of the company's service area, as
well as widely available advanced calling features and high-speed data
communications services such as ISDN [Integrated Services Digital
Network]. In addition, the company's switched broadband network in Dover
Township, N.J. -- the first commercial video dialtone
network in the country -- allows a video programmer, FutureVision, to
offer digital broadcast services in competition with the local cable
television company.

Bell Atlantic plans to begin its network upgrade in Philadelphia and
southeastern Pennsylvania later this year. The company plans to expand
this Full Service Network deployment to other key markets over the next
three years. Ultimately, Bell Atlantic expects to serve most of the 12
million homes and small businesses across the mid-Atlantic region with
switched broadband networks.

Lucent Technologies will provide the SLC*-2000 Access System with FLX**
Switched Digital Video. This system includes voice, data, video and
power components provided by Lucent Technologies and BroadBand
Technologies.

"We are delighted to support Bell Atlantic's network modernization
program," said Gerry Butters, president of Network Systems' North
American Region of Lucent Technologies. "The investment by Bell
Atlantic in the switched broadband platform demonstrates its commitment
to provide a full complement of integrated, innovative communications
services to meet the needs of customers today and into the future."

"BroadBand Technologies is pleased to provide a critical technology
that will help deliver a rich array of services to Bell Atlantic
customers," said Salim A.L. Bhatia, president and CEO of BroadBand
Technologies. "By deploying the comprehensive transport and
switching platform from Lucent and BroadBand Technologies in the local
loop, Bell Atlantic can respond quickly to customers' demands for
additional telephone lines today. In addition, it can prepare for the
delivery of broadband Internet access, video and other interactive
services in the coming months."

Network equipment to be supplied by Lucent Technologies and BroadBand
Technologies will include host digital terminals [HDTs], optical network
units [ONUs], administrative systems and operations support interfaces.
HDTs combine digital telephone and video signals, which are carried via
fiber-optic cables between the Bell Atlantic switching office and ONUs.

These ONUs serve about 25 to 30 homes each and are located "at the
curb" on poles or in small cabinets on the ground. They split the
integrated signal from the HDT into two distinct signals -- one for
telephone service, and one for video, high-speed data and interactive
multimedia services. The telephone signal is carried over copper wires
into homes and small businesses. The video/interactive signal is carried
either by copper or coaxial cable from the ONU to the customer.

Bell Atlantic Corporation 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.

Lucent Technologies designs, builds and delivers a wide range of public
and private networks, communications systems and software, consumer and
business telephone systems and microelectronics components. Bell
Laboratories is the research and development arm of the company.

BroadBand Technologies, Inc., based in Research Triangle Park, N.C., was
founded in 1988. Its mission is to deliver products and services that
enable network and service providers to offer consumers robust,
economical electronic access to advanced communications, entertainment
and information services.

####

* SLC is a registered trademark of Lucent Technologies.
** FLX is a registered trademark of BroadBand Technologies.

Media contacts:

Harry Mitchell, 703-974-1720 [on July 15]
304-344-7562 [after July 15]
harry.j.mitchell@bell-atl.com

Eric Rabe, 703-974-3036 or 215-963-6531
eric.w.rabe@bell-atl.com