CenturyTel Declares Three for Two Stock Split and Increases Quarterly Cash Dividend.

MONROE, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 23, 1999--CenturyTel (Century Telephone Enterprises, Inc.) (NYSE: CTL) today announced that the Board of Directors approved a three for two stock split to be effected as a 50% stock dividend. The additional common shares are expected to be distributed on or about March 31, 1999, to common shareholders of record on March 10, 1999.

Additionally, the Board of Directors voted to increase the quarterly cash dividend to $.0675 ($.045 on a split-adjusted basis) from $.065 per share, a 3.9% increase, payable on March 19, 1999, to shareholders of record on March 5, 1999.

"We are pleased to announce the stock split and dividend increase, which reflect CenturyTel's excellent financial performance and stock price appreciation in recent quarters," Glen F. Post, III, CenturyTel's President and Chief Executive Officer, said. "This dividend increase marks the 26th consecutive year CenturyTel has increased common dividends."

CenturyTel (Century Telephone Enterprises, Inc.) provides integrated communications services including local exchange, wireless, long distance, Internet access and security services to more than two 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 9th largest local exchange telephone company, based on access lines, and the 10th largest cellular company, based on population equivalents owned, in the United States.

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