Vodafone AirTouch - Re Verizon Wireless, etc,

RNS Number:4809I
Vodafone AirTouch PLC
4 April 2000


           BELL ATLANTIC AND VODAFONE AIRTOUCH LAUNCH
                        VERIZON WIRELESS
                                
        Companies Begin Planning Initial Public Offering

NEW  YORK  AND LONDON - With the launch today of Verizon Wireless,
Bell Atlantic Corp. (NYSE:BEL) and Vodafone AirTouch Plc (NYSE and
LSE:  VOD)  also  announced they are planning  an  initial  public
offering of part of their wireless business.  Yesterday marked the
formal combination of Bell Atlantic's and Vodafone AirTouch's U.S.
cellular,  paging and PCS businesses to form Verizon  Wireless,  a
new nationwide wireless competitor.

Verizon  Wireless  will  be  further  strengthened  following  the
completion  of  the  Bell Atlantic - GTE Corp. (NYSE:GTE)  merger,
which  is  targeted  for 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
24  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.

Ivan  Seidenberg,  chairman and chief executive  officer  of  Bell
Atlantic, said, "Today's announcement marks an important milestone
for  our  companies  and  the entire wireless  industry.   As  the
largest U.S. wireless company, we will create a telecommunications
powerhouse that will be instrumental in shaping the future of  our
companies   and   our  industry  to  the  benefit  of   customers,
shareholders and employees.  We intend to capitalize on the  value
of  this  business,  and at a recent board  meeting  ,  the  board
directed the management team to begin the planning for an  initial
public offering of Verizon Wireless."
     
"Combining  our  U.S.  wireless  businesses  with  those  of  Bell
Atlantic  and GTE positions us to succeed in a market  poised  for
accelerating growth," said Chris Gent, chief executive officer  of
Vodafone  AirTouch.  "With  today's announcement,  we  secure  the
essentials  for success in the U.S. wireless market:  a  coast-to-
coast  footprint;  significant operating scale; a  common  digital
technology creating the nation's premier wireless network;  and  a
distinct  marketing  advantage of a single  brand  and  nationwide
service.   We  also  look  forward  to  offering  the  public   an
opportunity  to  participate in the growth  in  value  we  believe
Verizon Wireless will create for both of its parents"

Denny  Strigl,  president and chief executive officer  of  Verizon
Wireless,  said,  "In  just  six  months,  we  have  combined  our
businesses  by  integrating  our  best  leaders  with   our   best
practices.   We'll  consistently  demonstrate  to  consumers   and
shareowners  the  speed-to-market that will  be  our  hallmark  in
providing  new  and  innovative wireless  products  and  services,
starting  today  with  the launch of a new,  nationwide  flat-rate
SingleRate pricing plan."

Verizon Wireless will have the national scale and scope to realize
revenue enhancements, cost savings and capital efficiencies.   The
company will achieve expense savings through reduced roaming costs
and  increased  economies of scale in transport, billing  volumes,
handset  purchases and advertising.  Combining common  CDMA  (Code
Division-Multiple  Access) technology platforms  will  also  yield
capital  efficiencies, simplified integration and superior network
quality.

After  the  close  of the Bell Atlantic - GTE Corp.  merger,  Bell
Atlantic-GTE will own 55 percent and Vodafone AirTouch will own 45
percent  of  the  wireless joint venture.   The  board  has  seven
members,  with  four  designated by Bell  Atlantic  and  three  by
Vodafone  AirTouch.   Headquarters  are  in  New  York  City   and
Bedminster, NJ.
     

MEDIA CONTACTS:                    INVESTOR CONTACTS:
Jim Gerace                         John Killian
Verizon  Wireless                  Wireless Company and Bell Atlantic
+1 (800) 214 3555                  +1 (212) 3951152
+1 (908) 306 7508
                                             
Susan Kraus
Bell Atlantic
+1 (212) 395 0500


VODAFONE AIRTOUCH:

Kathy Reinhart                     Terry Barwick
Vodafone AirTouch                  Vodafone AirTouch
+1 (415) 658 2042                  +44 (1635) 682 465

Melissa Stimpson                   Lulu Bridges
Vodafone AirTouch                  Tavistock Communications
+ 44 (1635) 682 465                +44 (020) 7600 2288
     

Note:   This  press  release  contains statements  about  expected
future  events and financial results that are forward-looking  and
subject  to  risks  and uncertainties.  For those  statements,  we
claim  the  protection  of  the safe  harbor  for  forward-looking
statements  contained in the Private Securities Litigation  Reform
Act  of 1995.  The following important factors could affect future
results  and  could cause those results to differ materially  from
those expressed in the forward-looking statements:  the ability of
the  new  wireless  enterprise to combine  operations  and  obtain
revenue  enhancements and cost savings; materially adverse changes
in  economic conditions in the markets served by us or by entities
in  which  we  have substantial investments; material  changes  in
available  technology; the extent, timing,  success,  and  overall
effects of competition; the timing of the completion of the merger
with GTE and the ability of the new wireless enterprise to combine
operations  and  obtain  revenue  enhancements  and  cost  savings
following the addition of the GTE wireless assets.

END

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