BellSouth Introduces New Generation of Centrex Service for Businesses.

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 10, 1999--

Large businesses gain hassle-free communication system with

high-speed data services, user-friendly software

and innovative new features

BellSouth Business today announced a new BellSouth Centrex service for large businesses that want highly reliable voice and data communications without having to purchase or manage the accompanying hardware. With advances in flexibility, scalability and ease of migration, the new central-office based service provides businesses with data services, improved management software and dozens of new features.

The new Centrex service alleviates hardware costs and in-house maintenance associated with traditional business PBX or key systems by housing the switching equipment in a BellSouth central office. BellSouth manages the service as part of its selection of telecommunications and networking solutions for businesses.

"BellSouth Centrex combines the best features of our existing ESSX and MultiServ products while adding new enhancements that will ensure companies receive valuable communications capabilities that carry them well into the 21st century," said Rod Odom, president of BellSouth Business Systems. "Businesses can place responsibility for the security, system management upgrades and maintenance in BellSouth's hands while maintaining control of adds, moves and changes from their own desktop computer."

BellSouth Centrex establishes a reliable platform for businesses needing complete voice, data and video solutions. Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is an integral part of the service, providing simultaneous transmission of voice, data and packet communications over the same telephone line.

BellSouth Centrex Control, a Graphical User Interface (GUI) tool, provides customer configuration control. The software tool allows users to delete or change the service characteristics of each line from an on-site terminal. BellSouth Centrex Control graphically displays the communications architecture in an office and eases manipulation of individual phone stations.

With BellSouth Centrex service, an impressive array of features provides flexibility in design. A business can choose from up to 130 standard features offered with the system such as caller I.D., call forwarding, speed calling and call tracing. Centrex's flat billing rates and variety of contract lengths also allow companies to easily customize their service arrangements.

In addition to the system's flexibility, Centrex service offers businesses ease of scalability. The combination of the off-site switching equipment and BellSouth Centrex Control allows a business to quickly and easily add and drop lines to and from its communications network while avoiding expensive PBX upgrades and replacements.

Another attractive feature is the ease with which businesses can migrate from earlier versions of BellSouth central-office based services to Centrex.

BellSouth Business, through BellSouth Business Systems, BellSouth Managed Network Solutions and BellSouth Communication Systems, serves the needs of mid- to large-size businesses, institutions and organizations. By strategically aligning its marketing and sales, equipment and managed services affiliates under one organization, BellSouth is uniquely positioned to serve the complex telecommunications and data communications needs of its business customers.

BellSouth is a $24 billion communications services company. It provides telecommunications, wireless communications, cable and digital TV, directory advertising and publishing, and Internet and data services to nearly 35 million customers in 19 countries worldwide.

BellSouth Business is a trade name of BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation licensed to and used to collectively identify BellSouth Business Systems, Inc., BellSouth Communication Systems, Inc. and BellSouth MNS, Inc.