Bell Atlantic's Full Service Network - edited to remove some PR

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

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*               BELL ATLANTIC SEEKS FCC APPROVAL                          *
*               FOR CONSTRUCTION OF FULL SERVICE                          *
*               IN SIX METROPOLITAN AREAS                                 *
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Washington, D.C. -- Bell Atlantic today detailed the first neighborhoods
in six major markets where the company will begin building its video dial
tone communications network.  The plans were provided in an application
for a construction permit, which the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) requires under section 214 of the FCC code.


"We're committed to providing our customers the advanced video and
interactive multimedia services they want, as well as the reliable Bell
Atlantic phone service they have come to expect," said Larry Babbio,
executive vice president and chief operating officer of Bell Atlantic.
"Our network will offer customers a wide array of entertainment and
information choices.  We expect these services to be competitive, and
we're ready to take on the cable companies to win in the marketplace."


On May 19, Bell Atlantic announced it would build the Bell Atlantic
network starting with deployment in six urban and suburban areas in the
mid-Atlantic region that is Bell Atlantic's telephone territory.  Those
areas are: northern New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia/Delaware Valley,
Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Hampton Roads, Virginia.


Today's FCC filing is an essential step in deploying the video dial tone
system that will bring advanced entertainment and information services to
Bell Atlantic's customers. "This filing is a vote of confidence in FCC
Chairman Reed Hundt's commitment to streamlining the approval process of
these 214 applications," said Edward Young, Bell Atlantic vice president
and associate general counsel.  "We anticipate beginning construction of
the Bell Atlantic network as soon as we have the commission's approval."


The filing proposes an innovative approach to addressing public interest
concerns identified by Congress and the FCC.  Bell Atlantic announced a
"will carry" proposal, a voluntary plan under which the new network will
provide transport without charge to local broadcast and public,
educational and governmental programmers.  These channels would be
available along with programming of all video information providers.
Customers will need only a cable ready television set to receive these
local channels.


Video dial tone networks are common carrier networks that let customers
connect to video information providers or high speed data networks in the
same way today's telephone dial tone allows customers to make audio
connections.


"We are telling the FCC we will deploy our network throughout our region
as quickly as possible," said Young.  "Not only is this plan the right
thing to do, it is also in our best interest to connect as many customers
as we can since this will make the network more attractive to information
providers."


A hybrid fiber-coax system will connect customers to the network in each
of the six major markets.  In some parts of the metropolitan Washington,
D.C. area, ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) technology will be
used as well to provide the services over copper telephone lines.  This
will permit customers to receive interactive entertainment and information
via ADSL before Bell Atlantic deploys the hybrid fiber coax technology.


"This filing also should put to rest any concern about so-called
'electronic redlining'," Young said.  "The racial diversity in the areas
served by this new network is greater than that in the overall Bell
Atlantic territory." The Bell Atlantic territory is 23.8% minority.
However, the area where the advanced services will be deployed is 36.2%
minority in population.