Citizens Telecom teams with BLT to offer prepaid calling card.

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 15, 1996--Citizens Telecom began offering this month its own prepaid calling card to customers nationwide.

Citizens has signed an agreement with BLT Technologies Inc. of Vancouver, Wash. (BLT), the leading supplier of debit calling cards through retail channels, in which BLT will help design, develop and support the long-distance cards.

"Customers tell us they want the savings and convenience prepaid cards offer," said David Bello, vice president of marketing for Citizens Telecom. "It makes sense for us to team with BLT, which has a proven track record in this area, so that we can provide our customers with competitive pricing and quality service."

"We are excited that Citizens Telecom has chosen to partner with us," said Bob Sternberg, president of BLT. "Our private label program with retailers around the country has been a huge success and we are delighted that we can help Citizens Telecom offer its customers all the advantages a prepaid calling card has to offer."

Citizens Telecom cards, which will be designed with either the company's logo or a customer's logo, will be sold in increments of five to 90 minutes. The cards, which can be used for domestic and international calling, offer customers an easy tool for budgeting long-distance calls and a convenient way to make calls when away from home.

The prepaid calling card is easy to use. Customers will receive a message on the number of minutes left on the card. After a prepaid card's initial minutes are depleted, Citizens Telecom's customers will be able to "recharge" their cards using a major credit card. In addition, customers will be provided with a convenient 800 number for additional purchases and support.

"The addition of BLT's prepaid calling cards to our full-service telecommunications portfolio furthers our strategy of bringing a complete array of top quality, competitively priced products to our customers," Bello said.

Citizens, the 15th largest telecommunications company providing local phone service nationwide, is a full-service, nationwide provider of local, long-distance, paging and other telecommunications products and services. It is part of Citizens Utilities (NYSE: CZNA, CZNB), a growth company providing telecommunications, natural gas, electric, water and wastewater treatment services to approximately 1.6 million customers in 20 states. Citizens Utilities also has a significant interest in Centennial Cellular Corp. and owns Electric Lightwave Inc., a competitive exchange telecommunications company with operations in five major cities in the western United States.

Founded in 1989, BLT is a national marketer of prepaid telecommunications products and services. BLT focuses on developing prepaid calling card technology, marketing long-distance calling card services and sales delivery systems for prepaid calling cards. Last month, BLT entered into an agreement with WorldCom Inc. under which BLT will become a wholly owned subsidiary of WorldCom.

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