BELL ATLANTIC ANNOUNCES PLANS TO CHANGE ITS D.C. PAYMENT LOCATIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2, 1996

BELL ATLANTIC ANNOUNCES PLANS TO CHANGE ITS D.C. PAYMENT
LOCATIONS

Washington, D.C. -- In an effort to provide faster, more
accessible
and less expensive payment processing, Bell Atlantic today announced
plans to close its centralized Payment Center at 722 12th Street, N.W.
in the District, effective July 19, and make available more than two
dozen alternate payment locations in the city, including Crestar Bank
branch locations. Twenty-nine payment locations will also be
available in suburban locations.

"Customers will have greater flexibility and convenience to pay
because of the many new payment locations and extended operating
hours, including evenings, weekends and holidays," said William
Freeman, president and CEO of Bell Atlantic - Washington. "This
new
arrangement will also allow us to cut costs further to keep District
telephone bills among the lowest in the nation. In addition, as
agents, the small business owners who have agreed to participate will
benefit from their partnership with Bell Atlantic."

Travelers' Express Company, Inc., through an alliance with Bell
Atlantic, will equip the new payment locations with an automated bill
payment system. The system will provide on-line bill processing and
payment information. It also will provide automated processing to
reconnect customers who have been disconnected as a result of not
paying their bills on time.

While most people prefer to pay their bills by mail, about 50,000
people--40% of whom are from Maryland and Virginia--pay their phone
bills in person every month at the present D.C. Payment Center.

Bell Atlantic has already closed all of its other company-owned
payment centers.

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.

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for more information, contact:

Michel L. Daley, 202-392-1021
michel.l.daley@bell-atl.com