Commonwealth Telephone Company Identified in Pennsylvania PUC Report As Best in Customer Responsiveness.

Business Editors

DALLAS, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 11, 2002

Commonwealth Telephone Company, a business unit of Dallas, PA-based Commonwealth Telephone Enterprises, Inc. ("CTE") (Nasdaq: CTCO, CTCOB), announced this week that the company was identified by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission ("PUC"), in its recently released annual "Utility Consumer Activities Report and Evaluation," as having the lowest justified complaint rate out of the five companies with the largest local exchange carrier operations in Pennsylvania -- including Alltel Pennsylvania, Inc., Verizon Pennsylvania (formerly Bell Atlantic - Pennsylvania, Inc.), Verizon North, Inc. (formerly GTE North, Inc.) and United Telephone Company of Pennsylvania d/b/a Sprint -- in 2001. Commonwealth Telephone Company has received this distinction in eleven of the last thirteen years, including seven of the past eight years.

"The employees of Commonwealth Telephone Company, and the spirit of distinguished customer service that they bring to their work each day, are the true recipients of this recognition," said Michael J. Mahoney, president and CEO of CTE (parent company of Commonwealth Telephone Company). "The empirical data contained in this annual PUC report reflects our company-wide approach to pleasing our customers - we don't talk about good customer service, we execute and deliver it one-on-one with our customers every day. This spirit and approach to customer service transcends all of our operations, and has played a key role in the success that we have achieved at both Commonwealth Telephone Company, as well as at CTSI, our competitive "edge-out" operation.

"It is particularly noteworthy to have received this recognition in seven of the past eight years," continued Mahoney. "This record of consistent, high-quality customer service delivery underpins our position as a leading telecommunications provider, not only in Pennsylvania, but also throughout the entire nationwide wireline telecommunications services industry."

The Pennsylvania PUC annually produces this report which measures customer service performance by all major utilities -- including electrical, gas, water and telephone - in an effort to inform consumers on how well utilities are meeting their needs. Utility performance is based on residential consumer complaint rates, response time to these complaints, and other measurements.

About CTE

Headquartered in Dallas, PA, Commonwealth Telephone Enterprises, Inc., serves a growing base of business and residential customers with the full array of technologically advanced data and voice telecommunications products and services, including broadband data services and high-speed Internet access, delivered over its 100% digitally switched, fiber-rich network.

CTE's primary operating segments are: Commonwealth Telephone Company ("CT"), the nation's eighth largest publicly held independent rural local exchange carrier ("RLEC"), which has been operating in various rural Pennsylvania markets since 1897; and, CTSI, LLC ("CTSI"), an RLEC "edge-out" local exchange carrier operating outside CT's territory, that formally commenced operations in 1997. CTE's support businesses include epix(R) Internet Services (www.epix.net), one of the northeast's largest rural ISPs with over 44,000 dial-up Internet access subscribers; and, Jack Flash(R), a broadband data service that uses DSL technology to offer high-speed Internet access and digital connectivity solutions. Additionally, CTE operates two other support businesses that provide expertise to its CT and CTSI operations. These businesses are Commonwealth Communications, a provider of telecommunications equipment and facilities management services; and, CLD, a long-distance reseller.

A web site featuring current information regarding Commonwealth Telephone Enterprises, Inc., can be found on the Internet at www.ct-enterprises.com.