Bell Atlantic and Vanco Euronet Form Strategic Marketing Alliance to Serve Multi-National Data Market

Bell Atlantic and Vanco Euronet Form
Strategic Marketing Alliance to Serve Multi-
National Data Market

Companies to Offer Comprehensive Managed Data
Network Services to Businesses in U.S. and Europe

22 de julio de 1999

NEW YORK -- Bell Atlantic and Vanco Euronet, a leading provider of
network solutions in Europe, have formed a strategic marketing alliance to
serve the data needs of multi-national companies.

The move will enable Bell Atlantic's Data Solutions Group and Vanco
Euronet to provide a comprehensive suite of managed, end-to-end data
services to their multi-national customers in the States or Europe

Bell Atlantic and Vanco Euronet will jointly develop marketing plans,
strategies and proposals for bids and promote each other's services through
the use of co-branded marketing materials. The companies also will work
together to design customized data network solutions that can be
seamlessly integrated with the local telecommunications company's
network. In addition, the companies will establish a single point of
contact for each customer as well as provide co-branded customer service,
network management, round-the-clock technical support and consulting
services.

"This is a significant step in our goal to deliver a total package of
managed data services to the growing number of customers that do
business on both sides of the Atlantic," said Joe Farina, president
and chief executive officer of Bell Atlantic's Data Solutions Group.
"We are forming a powerful combination that will enable Bell
Atlantic and Vanco Euronet to share resources and enrich our ability to
provide customers with a single, seamless data solution whether they're
based in Hell's Kitchen or Helsinki."

Bell Atlantic's Data Solutions Group and Vanco Euronet are recognized
throughout the industry as leaders in data networking. The Data
Solutions Group has over 30 offices and 3,000 customers throughout the
U.S.

Vanco Euronet is the leading independent provider of managed wide area
networks with customers throughout 19 countries in Europe. Vanco
Euronet specializes in provisioning and managing high quality, business
critical corporate networks encompassing data, voice, video and fax
services as well as Internet technology and security.

"We pride ourselves in understanding the needs of our customers
and in designing a customized network solution that helps our customers
operate efficiently and effectively," said Allen Timpany, chief
executive officer of Vanco Euronet. "This new alliance will further
strengthen the relationships each company has formed with its clients and
greatly enhance our ability to attract new business."

Maureen Piche, vice president of business development for Bell Atlantic's
Data Solutions Group, said, "The telecommunications market is
ripe for this kind of service offering. More and more businesses are
looking to companies like Bell Atlantic and Vanco Euronet to design and
manage their multi-national data networks."

Piche said Bell Atlantic's multi-national customers will benefit from
Vanco Euronet's strong operational presence throughout Europe. Vanco
Euronet has Network Operations Centers in the United Kingdom, Madrid,
Amsterdam and Frankfurt, where technical experts monitor and
troubleshoot data networks of client companies. In addition, Vanco
Euronet has customer representatives in each of the 19 countries it serves
and is well positioned to operate in the local environment.

About Bell Atlantic Data Solutions Group
Bell Atlantic Data Solutions Group (DSG) www.ba-dsg.com is dedicated
to providing globally integrated network solutions that seamlessly connect
businesses with their customers, partners and employees. DSG provides
all aspects of data networking from the management and operation of
customer networks and network integration, to network transport and
advanced IP services such as intranets and extranets, virtual private
networks, web hosting and multimedia services.

About Bell Atlantic
Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and
information industry. With more than 43 million telephone access lines
and nearly 10 million wireless customers world-wide, 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.

Bell Atlantic news releases, executive speeches, news media contacts and
other useful information are available at Bell Atlantic's News Centre on
the World Wide Web (http://www.ba.com).

About Vanco Euronet
Vanco Euronet is the market leading dedicated provider of network
services, operating throughout 19 European countries. Vanco Euronet
provides the full range of services needed to design, supply, implement
and manage networks. This includes all aspects of local and wide area
networking, e-Business and e-Commerce application development and e-
Security.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Bell Atlantic and Vanco Euronet held a joint press
briefing in London this morning to announce that the companies have
formed a strategic marketing alliance to serve the multi-national data
market. Reporters in the U.S. may listen to a tape of the press event
by dialing 888-836-6074. Callers will be prompted for an access code.
The code number is 1773607. The half hour tape will run
continuously beginning today at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time until
tomorrow at 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.