AT&T Offers New Yorkers a New Choice for Local Residential Phone Service - Company Business and Marketing

Cambridge Telcom Report, Dec 6, 1999

AT&T Wednesday announced general availability of its local residential phone service to New York consumers. The new service, called AT&T Local One Rate New York, offers New Yorkers the "Three S's": Simplicity, Savings and Service. This all-distance bundle is identical to the one that the company began offering to a targeted cross- section of its New York state long-distance customers last August. "New Yorkers have told us loud and clear that they want a choice of local phone service providers as more than 50,000 customers signed up to date," said Robert Aquilina, AT&T's president - Eastern Region consumer markets. "AT&T Local One Rate New York gives consumers that choice. It's a simple and wallet-friendly bundle that consumers have acknowledged they like." AT&T Local One Rate New York will be advertised in a variety of media including print, radio and television. And, starting today, AT&T's electronic billboard atop Times Square's Marriott Marquis proclaims: "New Yorkers, get it together. With AT&T Local and Long Distance combined. One bill. One company. One call. 1-800-ATT-4ALL." The AT&T Local One Rate New York all-distance offer includes the following for $24.90/month ($27.90/month in non-metro markets):

* a local service line with virtually unlimited (75 hours/month) local calling;

* the AT&T One Rate 7 Cent Plan with state-to-state long-distance calling at $.07 cents/minute and great in-state rates;

* a feature bundle that includes Call Waiting, Caller ID and 3-Way Calling for $12.50/month or each feature a-la-carte. A free caller ID box is included with this bundled offer for a limited time. Additional features are available upon request;

* a single, simple-to-read bill; and,

* one phone number to call for all customer service needs.

AT&T is initially providing local service to residential New York customers by leasing parts -- unbundled network elements -- provided by the state's monopoly provider of local service, Bell Atlantic. The company ultimately intends to use its own facilities, where feasible, to serve many customers. This could include using broadband cable television technology, fixed wireless or other alternatives.

"Despite Bell Atlantic's inability to provision our customers as quickly and efficiently as they do their own, we are forging ahead to give customers the choice they want in local service providers. And, we will do everything in our power to make sure customers receive the high quality service they've come to expect from AT&T," said Aquilina.

Those New Yorkers who select AT&T for their local residential service will be able to keep their existing telephone number, and if they choose the offer now, AT&T will pay all switching charges.

The local residential offer will be available to all New Yorkers who are currently served by Bell Atlantic by month's end. It is immediately available to consumers in New York City, Long Island and some major metropolitan areas, including Albany, Buffalo and Syracuse by calling 1-800-ATT-4ALL.

AT&T Corp. (http://www.att.com) is among the world's premier voice and data communications companies, serving more than 80 million customers, including consumers, businesses and government. With annual revenues of more than $53 billion and 151,000 employees, AT&T provides services to customers worldwide.

Backed by the research and development capabilities of AT&T Labs, the company runs the world's largest, most sophisticated communications network and has one of the largest digital wireless networks in North America. The company is a leading supplier of data and Internet services for businesses and offers outsourcing, consulting and networking-integration to large businesses. It is also the nation's largest direct Internet access service for consumers.

Through its recent cable acquisitions, AT&T will bring its bundle of broadband video, voice and data services to customers throughout the United States. Internationally, the AT&T/BT Global Venture -- recently named Concert -- will serve the communications needs of multinational companies and international carriers worldwide.