BellSouth Ranks Highest for Local Service in J.D. Power and Associates' First Small Business Telecommunications Study

Business Wire, Nov 28, 2001

Business Editors & Education Writers

ATLANTA & JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 28, 2001

BellSouth Small Business' Local Customer Service and Sales

Representatives Rank Highest in the Industry

BellSouth (NYSE: BLS) today announced it received the highest customer satisfaction award for local service in J.D. Power and Associates' first ever ranking of small business telephone service providers in the United States.

James D. Power IV, executive director of international operations for J.D. Power and Associates, presented BellSouth's president of small business services, David Scobey Jr., with the award at a ceremony held in Jacksonville, FL today.

According to customer survey results released today by J.D. Power and Associates, BellSouth scored at or above industry average in all categories including billing, call quality and products and services. J.D. Power and Associates also cited BellSouth's outstanding marks in the areas of customer service representatives, sales representatives and BellSouth's long-standing reputation for quality customer care as determining factors that helped BellSouth earn the prestigious award.

"This award is truly a great honor for BellSouth because this ranking is based on information gathered from our customers," said David Scobey Jr., president of BellSouth Small Business Services. "BellSouth values all of our business customers and is committed to maintaining their trust, their confidence and their business. I am very proud to accept this award in recognition of our employees' continued commitment to ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction."

"With so much competition these days, sometimes choosing the best local service provider can be difficult," said Darryl Bailey, co-owner of PSI Power Software and Bailey's Powerhouse Gyms, located in Jacksonville and NE Florida. "BellSouth has protected me against slamming, given me one easy-to-manage bill and analyzed my business needs to ensure I have the best solution at the most cost-effective price. BellSouth provides me with all the services and personalized attention I need to operate a business with nine locations."

J.D. Power and Associates Small Business telecommunications study results were based on the results of 2,511 telephone interviews with small businesses between July and August of 2001. The businesses participating in the survey were randomly selected from a list of companies with between two and 99 employees.

BellSouth has a long history of industry leadership in providing the highest level of customer service. BellSouth has won the prestigious J.D. Power award for Residential Local Telephone Service Satisfaction four consecutive years from 1996 to 1999 and has taken top honors in the American Customer Satisfaction Index Survey for eight consecutive years.

"We believe this award solidifies BellSouth's position as a leader in customer satisfaction," said Phil Jacobs, president of BellSouth's Georgia Operations. "J.D. Power and Associates is the foremost authority on customer satisfaction in the market. This award demonstrates BellSouth's dedication to providing quality business services throughout the region."

Scobey accepted the J.D. Power and Associates award at a presentation at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, November 28 at Ponte Vedra Inn and Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Agoura Hills, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, consulting, training and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on actual responses from millions of consumers annually. J.D. Power and Associates can be accessed through the Internet at www.jdpa.com. Media e-mail contact: jessica.smith@jdpa.com or michael.greywitt@jdpa.com.

About BellSouth Corporation

BellSouth Corporation is a Fortune 100 communications services company headquartered in Atlanta, GA, serving nearly 46 million customers in the United States and 16 other countries.

Consistently recognized for customer satisfaction, BellSouth provides a full array of broadband data and e-commerce solutions to business customers, including Web hosting and other Internet services. In the residential market, BellSouth offers DSL high-speed Internet access, advanced voice features and other services. BellSouth also provides online and directory advertising services, including BellSouth(R) Real Pages(SM).com.

BellSouth owns 40 percent of Cingular Wireless, the nation's second largest wireless company, which provides innovative wireless data and voice services.