BellSouth Exceeds DSL Subscriber Forecasts for Year 2000

Business Wire, Jan 9, 2001

Business Editors & Technology Writers

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 9, 2001

Company Surpasses Forecast by More than 15,000 Customers and

Announces Rollout Schedule Designed to Triple Subscribers in 2001

BellSouth Corp. (NYSE: BLS) today announced that it has exceeded its projections of reaching 200,000 DSL subscribers in the year 2000, ending the year with over 215,000 DSL subscribers in 46 total markets.

In addition, the company announced an aggressive rollout plan designed to allow BellSouth to meet its goal of tripling subscriber numbers to 600,000 in 63 total markets by the end of 2001.

BellSouth has been an industry leader in deploying remote neighborhood solutions to enable full rate DSL services to reach a broader customer base. In 2001, the company plans to aggressively expand deployment of additional central offices and remote solutions with a goal of increasing coverage to more than 70% of the households in BellSouth's markets by the end of the year. Currently, BellSouth DSL is available to more than 10 million telephone lines, a number that is expected to grow to more than 15 million by the end of the year.

In addition to the growth and expansion of DSL availability in 2000, BellSouth(R) FastAccess(R) Internet service customers benefited from an enhanced Web interface, allowing them to get information, determine DSL qualification and place orders online. BellSouth also enhanced its servicing and support functions and upgraded significant portions of its DSL network. This focus on the customer experience has resulted in notable improvements in customer satisfaction ratings for service reliability, technical support and overall performance during recent months.

"We feel that with our expanded deployment strategies, improving customer satisfaction levels, and our customers' continued use of our self-install option, our 2001 projection of 600,000 DSL subscribers is another milestone BellSouth will reach," said Ralph de la Vega, BellSouth president of broadband access services. "By surpassing our DSL subscriber forecasts for 2000 and detailing our plans for the future, BellSouth demonstrates that it is committed to rolling out broadband services at a rapid rate," de la Vega continued.

BellSouth FastAccess Internet service delivers a maximum download speed of 1.5 megabits-per-second (Mbps) and a maximum upload speed from the user's computer to the Internet of 256 kilobits per second (Kbps). Using DSL allows customers to download large files 50 times faster than standard dial-up modems. DSL technology works over a standard phone line, allowing customers to talk and surf on the same line at the same time.

Consumers and small businesses interested in BellSouth FastAccess Internet service can get more information online at www.fastaccess.com or by calling 1-888-321-ADSL. ISPs, CLECs and other wholesalers interested in reselling BellSouth DSL service, should contact their BellSouth account executive.

About BellSouth

BellSouth Corporation is an integrated communications services company headquartered in Atlanta, GA serving more than 41 million customers in the United States and 16 other countries. BellSouth, consistently recognized for customer satisfaction, provides residential, business and wholesale customers with integrated voice, video and data services to meet their communications needs. BellSouth is a Fortune 100 company with total revenues exceeding $26 billion.

In addition to historical information, this document contains forward-looking statements regarding events and financial trends. Factors that could affect future results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include: (i) a change in economic conditions in domestic or international markets where we operate or have material investments which would affect demand for our services; (ii) the intensity of competitive activity and its resulting impact on pricing strategies and new product offerings; and (iii) higher than anticipated cash requirements for investments, new business initiatives and acquisitions. The forward-looking information in this document is given as of this date only, and BellSouth assumes no duty to update this information.