BELLSOUTH EXPANDS SERVICES THROUGH BTAC.

BellSouth's (NYSE:BLS) state-of-the art testing and assessment facility, BTAC, has expanded its operations to include end-to-end service with test creation and execution for equipment suppliers and service provider clients. Once testing is complete, the client will receive a report documenting performance results that they can share upon request.

BTAC, located in Birmingham, Ala., is the most comprehensive technology assessment facility of its kind in the United States. The 85,000 square foot center can support testing of current and next generation communication systems and software.

"BTAC has been a vital independent component of our own testing program," said Mike Dobbs, senior vice president of the Fixed Networking Division at Alcatel. "Alcatel has utilized this diverse test network to accurately hone our equipment performance in a simulated real world environment. Alcatel recommends the BTAC system for use by vendors and carriers alike."

With over 1,300 years of collective telecom experience, and a real world network at their fingertips, BTAC specialists can take any element or upgrade, plug it in to a fully operable communications network and test its interoperability and performance.

"We've engaged BTAC's services to test the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS), which gives official, emergency calls priority during times of crisis," said Dennis Berg, engineering director and Computer Sciences Corporation's GETS representative. "Their real world network provides the test bed needed to thoroughly test GETS functionality and interoperability. During the 9/11 terrorist attacks, GETS operated with a 95 percent completion rate."

Fast facts about BTAC test bed

* Created by BellSouth in 1992

* Fully operational, yet closed network that supports the full range of fault insertion and recovery testing

* Expansive, multi-vendor test bed of current and next generation systems

* Test network running under back-ground load to ensure authenticity of test bed

* Some elements of environmental testing can be executed with the equipment under load

* Customers range from Cisco and Lucent to Alcatel and Catena, and even prime contractors for state and federal governments

Fast facts about BTAC specialists

* 59 specialists represent 1,365 collective years of experience

* 63 advanced degrees ranging from associates to doctorate degrees

* 22 certifications ranging from Cisco Certified Network Associates to Professional Engineers and Project Management Certification.

About BTAC

BTAC is the state-of-the-art testing and assessment center for BellSouth Corporation. In their comprehensive network testing facility, BTAC specialists develop and execute tests for communications equipment to assess interoperability and performance in a real world environment.

BTAC can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.btac.com.

For more information, call 404/249-2839.