BELLSOUTH LAUNCHES SPEED-DIAL FOR PAYPHONE LONG DISTANCE.

BellSouth Public Communications has introduced BellSouth #1SM ("Pound One") service, a long distance speed-dial product that automatically connects payphone callers to BellSouth's preferred long distance provider, Teltrust Communications Services. BellSouth is marketing the two-step access as a faster, easier and competitively priced alternative to dial-around numbers such as 1-800-CALL-ATT and 1-800-COLLECT.

For participating location providers, BellSouth upgrades each of its payphones with special key pads, adding blue-coated "#" (pound) and "1" keys to accentuate the BellSouth #1 service functionality. Three BellSouth location providers already have adopted the service, converting hundreds of payphones in the Nashville, Charlotte and Louisville airports this summer.

BellSouth's advertising and promotional campaign prompts end-users to "Press Blue to Get Through SM." When callers dial the blue # and 1 keys in sequence, they connect to an automated voice menu. An interactive voice response (IVR) system, available in English and Spanish, prompts the caller through long distance dialing and includes options for operator assistance, national directory assistance and other customer services. Calls can be billed collect, to BellSouth's calling card, or to credit cards including American Express, Mastercard, and Discover for domestic and international long distance calls.

In addition to greater dialing ease, BellSouth will attract end-users with competitive rates. "This new service is a great example of how BellSouth is using pro-competitive national legislation and FCC rulemaking to respond to customer needs," said Jim Hawkins, president of BellSouth's payphone services company. "Customers want convenience and the certainty of fair pricing and BellSouth #1 service gives it to them."

BellSouth is counting on the service's competitive rates and easy-to-remember blue keys to market this product in the highly competitive long distance market. At the Nashville airport, where BellSouth #1 service has been operational for three months, consumers are responding favorably to the simplicity of dialing, according to Carole Willis, director of communications for the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority.

The Shortest Distance to Long Distance

According to Carol Jarman, BellSouth's senior vice president of sales, "Payphone customers want a simpler way to access fairly priced long distance service from BellSouth public payphones. This new service cuts through the confusion created by 800 access numbers, such as 1-800-CALL-ATT and 1-800-COLLECT, which may be hard for customers to dial and to remember.

"End users will find that BellSouth #1 service is simpler and much more convenient than other dial-around services," Jarman said. "It's unique, it's user-friendly, and it's an incredibly time-saving alternative for dialing and placing long distance calls from BellSouth payphones."

"We chose BellSouth Public Communications because they responded most favorably to our bid proposal," said T.J. "Jerry" Orr, aviation director for Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, where the new service has been operational since mid-July. "BellSouth offered us the best overall, financial package for Charlotte/Douglas and we're very satisfied."

BellSouth #1 service does not interfere with the pre-subscribed long distance carrier selected by the location provider. Callers who dial 0+ or 1+ are connected to the location provider's pre-subscribed interexchange carrier.

InterLATA long distance calls are handled by Teltrust, BellSouth's preferred interexchange carrier. Calls are branded as being provided by Teltrust, in compliance with FCC call branding regulations.

BellSouth plans to expand BellSouth #1 service throughout its nine-state Southeast region. Target locations for future applications include business centers, airports, truck stops, convenience stores, shopping malls, college campuses, community centers, tourist venues and other areas with high demand for long distance calls.

Established as a separate BellSouth subsidiary in April 1997, BellSouth Public Communications, Inc., is the nation's largest stand-alone payphone services provider.

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