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RNS Number:4165I
Vodafone AirTouch PLC
3 April 2000


BELL ATLANTIC AND VODAFONE AIRTOUCH COMPLETE COMBINATION OF U.S. WIRELESS
                            BUSINESSES

With GTE, To Create Nation's Largest Wireless Company With Unsurpassed
                          Scale and Scope
                                 
          New Company to Hold News Conference on Tuesday
                                 
NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON  - Bell Atlantic Corp. (NYSE:BEL)  and  Vodafone
AirTouch  Plc  (NYSE  and  LSE: VOD) today  announced  that  they  have
combined  their U.S. cellular, paging and PCS businesses and  formed  a
new  nationwide  competitor that will offer its wireless  products  and
services   coast-to-coast  under  a  new  brand  name.   All  necessary
approvals have been received.  The companies first announced  plans  to
combine their U.S. wireless businesses six months ago on September  21,
1999.

The  new  wireless company will be further strengthened  following  the
completion of the Bell Atlantic - GTE Corp. (NYSE:GTE) merger, which is
targeted  for  later in the second quarter.  Including  additions  from
GTE's  domestic  wireless business, the new company will  rank  as  the
nation's largest wireless company by far, serving more than 23  million
wireless  and  nearly  4  million  paging  customers.   Its  nationwide
footprint will cover over 90 percent of the U.S. population and  96  of
the top 100 U.S. wireless markets, with 232 million net POPs.

The  Bell  Atlantic-Vodafone AirTouch wireless agreement and  the  Bell
Atlantic-GTE  merger are independent transactions.  The  completion  of
one is not contingent upon completion of the other.

Prior  to  the  close of this transaction, Bell Atlantic  completed  an
exchange  of wireless interests with ALLTEL Corp. (NYSE: AT), including
certain  dispositions  of  properties required  by  the  Department  of
Justice in order to complete the transaction with Vodafone AirTouch.



MEDIA CONTACTS:                     INVESTOR CONTACTS:
Jim Gerace                          John Killian
Wireless Company                    Wireless Company and Bell Atlantic
+1 (908) 306-7508                   +1 (212) 395-1152
   
Susan Kraus
Bell Atlantic
+1 (212) 395-0500


VODAFONE AIRTOUCH
Terry Barwick                       Melissa Stimpson
Vodafone AirTouch                   Vodafone AirTouch
+44 (1635) 682 465                  +44 (1635) 682 465

Kathy Reinhart                      Lulu Bridges
Vodafone AirTouch                   Tavistock Communications
+1 (415) 658-2042                   +44 (207) 600 2288

Note to Editors:
Tomorrow, April 4, the new wireless company will hold a press conference
and  Webcast to announce a new, industry-leading pricing plan  under  a
new national brand identity.

WHAT:      New wireless company press conference and Webcast, featuring:
           * Ivan  Seidenberg, Chairman, President  and  CEO  of  Bell
             Atlantic Corp.
           * Dennis  Strigl, President and CEO of Bell Atlantic  Mobile
             and President and CEO of the new wireless company
           * Lowell McAdam, CEO of PrimeCo Personal Communications  and
             COO of the new wireless company

WHEN:      Tuesday, April 4, 2000
           11:00 AM - 12:00 Noon (EST)

WHERE:     The Millennium Hotel's Hudson Theater, New York City
           145 West 44th Street (between Broadway and 6th Avenue)

Call-In:   Dial 1-800-530-9601 in the U.S.
           Dial 212-346-6462 outside the U.S.

Webcast:   URL to be announced

B-Roll:    Available for download at 2:00 p.m.
           Coordinates: C_BAND:/TRANSPONDER/AUDIO 6.2 & 6.8


END

JVESSAFIDSSSEDL

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