ALLTEL Kentucky CWA Employees Approve New Contract.

Business Editors

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 1, 2003

ALLTEL (NYSE:AT) today announced that the Communications Workers of America in Kentucky informed the company that union members have ratified a new three-year contract.

The contract covers about 380 employees in Lexington and Ashland and ends a strike declared by the union on June 8.

"ALLTEL is pleased that union members voted in favor of the contract, and we look forward to their return to work," said Terry Beeler, Kentucky market area president. "We will start the return-to-work orientation process immediately so that they can rejoin the majority of our workforce in serving our customers. I also want to thank our employees who stayed on the job during this time. Many put in long hours and gave up time with their families to see that our customers' needs were met, and we appreciate all their efforts."

ALLTEL will hold orientation sessions on Friday with union members, and they will return to work beginning Monday.

"This contract allows ALLTEL the flexibility to manage its workforce in a rapidly changing industry," said Kevin Beebe, communications group president for ALLTEL. "This flexibility is crucial for the company to provide quality products and services at reasonable prices to our customers while also meeting the obligations we have to employees and shareholders."

ALLTEL is a customer-focused communications company with more than 12 million customers. ALLTEL provides wireless, local telephone, long-distance, Internet and high-speed data services to residential and business customers in 26 states.

ALLTEL, NYSE: AT

www.alltel.com