CenturyTel Acquires Arkansas Internet Provider.

Business Editors/Technology Writers

MONROE, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 3, 2000

CenturyTel (NYSE: CTL) announced today that it has purchased the assets of privately held Internet service provider, CSW Net, Inc. Headquartered in Russellville, Ark., CSW Net, Inc. www.cswnet.com provides Internet services to more than 13,500 subscribers in Arkansas.

CSW Net, Inc. provides dialup and dedicated Internet access, Web site and domain hosting in 28 Arkansas cities.

"This acquisition will jump start our Internet business in our newly acquired markets in Arkansas," said Glen F. Post, III, CenturyTel's president and CEO. "Nearly half of CSW's subscribers are located in the Verizon (formerly GTE) properties acquired on July 31."

CSW Net customers, network and employees will be transitioned into CenturyTel's operation by January 1, 2001. CenturyTel does not expect any impact on CSW Net customers as a result of the transaction, and has no plans to change service rates.

Earlier this week the Louisiana-based communications company closed a deal to buy about 231,000 access lines in 105 Arkansas local telephone exchanges from Verizon Communications (formerly GTE).

With that purchase, CenturyTel now serves approximately 275,000 local exchange customers in Arkansas, making it the state's second largest telephone company. CSW Net customers will join the approximately 87,000 Arkansas customers CenturyTel currently serves with Internet access, wireless, long distance and security monitoring services.

In addition to historical information, this release includes certain forward-looking statements that are subject to uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from such statements. Such uncertainties include but are not limited to: possible changes in demand for Internet services; technological change; the Company's ability to integrate CSW Net, Inc. operations into CenturyTel's; CenturyTel's ability to retain CSW Net, Inc.'s former employees as CenturyTel personnel and the effects of more general factors described in the Company's Annual Report on form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999.

CenturyTel, Inc. provides integrated communications services including local exchange, wireless, long distance, Internet access and security monitoring services to more than 2.8 million customers in 21 states. The company, headquartered in Monroe, Louisiana, is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CTL. CenturyTel is the 7th largest local exchange telephone company, based on access lines, and the 9th largest cellular company, based on population equivalents owned, in the United States.

Visit CenturyTel's corporate website at www.centurytel.com