D&E Communications Added To Russell 3000 Index.

Business Editors

EPHRATA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 11, 2003

D&E Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:DECC), a leading provider of integrated communications services in central and eastern Pennsylvania, announced that it was added as a member of the Russell 3000 Index as of June 30.

Annual reconstitution of the Russell indexes captures the 3,000 largest U.S. stocks as of the end of May, ranking them by total market capitalization, to create the Russell 3000. Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers for index funds and as benchmarks for both passive and active investment strategies. D&E, which had a market capitalization of approximately $168 million as of May 30, 2003, is also part of the Russell 2000 Index of small-cap stocks.

"We are proud to become part of the Russell 3000 Index," said G. William Ruhl, D&E's Chief Executive Officer. "This is a testament to our employees' efforts in developing this company over the years. As we grow, it is our goal to continue to deliver the excellent, personalized service our customers have come to know and expect from us."

D&E provides telecommunication services to more than 175,000 lines in central and eastern Pennsylvania. Founded in 1911 and based in Lancaster County, D&E is the nation's 19th-largest independent telephone company and also offers long distance, Internet and voice and data network systems integration services. The Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania named D&E as its 2002 Technology Company of the Year, and the Central Penn Business Journal has listed it among the region's 30 fastest-growing companies for the last three years.

Frank Russell Company, a global leader in multi-manager investment services, provides investment products and services in more than 35 countries. Russell manages $67 billion in assets and advises clients worldwide representing US$1.6 trillion. Founded in 1936, Russell is a subsidiary of Northwestern Mutual and is headquartered in Tacoma, Wash. For more information, go to www.russell.com.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of D&E's management concerning the development of our business, are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that could cause actual developments and results to differ materially from our expectations. These include factors that we have indicated could adversely affect our business and financial performance contained in our past and future filings and reports, including those filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. D&E undertakes no obligation to revise or update its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.