December 14, 1995

NYNEX CONTACT: Media Relations, (212) 395-0500

New NYNEX Telephone Features Coming to Putnam County

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY -- NYNEX this weekend will activate two new digital switching centers in Mahopac and Carmel that will bring a host of new telephone features to residents and businesses in the areas.

The two new systems, combined with a similar switching center installed in Brewster in September, will serve more than 35,000 customers.

The digital centers, which switch calls along the telephone network, provide state-of-the-art technology for speeding telephone conversations or data transmissions within the Putnam County area and beyond. The new centers will provide customers with NYNEX Phonesmart® Services such as Call ID and Call Return, as well as features such as ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), which allows customers to transmit and receive video, voice and data simultaneously over a single telephone line, and Digital Centrex, a central-office based business communications system that provides dialing and call management features to businesses.

Putnam County is an important market for NYNEX, said Meredith Pera, vice president and general manager for NYNEX in the region. This major investment in the community reflects our commitment to be the premier provider of all forms of communications services, now and in the years ahead.

With completion of this weekends project, all but one of NYNEXs central offices in the county will be equipped with digital switching technology. Putnam Valley will receive digital switching in the 3rd quarter 1996. The exchanges served by the new digital switches are Brewster: 278, 279; Carmel: 225, 228; Mahopac: 621, 628.

The new switching system is part of NYNEXs $1.4-billion 1995 investment in upgrading network facilities statewide.

Among the new optional features to become available through the new switching systems are:

Call ID -- Displays the telephone number of the person calling after the first ring. Customers must order the service from NYNEX and purchase separately the devices needed to display numbers of incoming calls. Customers wishing to block their numbers from appearing on Call ID devices may dial a three-digit code (*67, or 1167 from a rotary phone) before each call or may obtain the All-Call Restrict option.

Repeat Dialing (*66 or 1167) -- Automatically redials a busy number for up to 30 minutes.

Call Return (*69 or 1169) -- Redials the number of the last caller.

Call Trace (*57 or 1157) -- Sends the telephone number of the last caller to the NYNEX Annoyance Call Bureau.

Call Answering Service -- Allows residential and small business customers to set up one or more voice mailboxes to automatically answer calls when theyre away from or already on the phone.

Ringmate Service -- Allows two or three telephone numbers to be associated with one telephone line. Each number has a distinctive ring. The service is convenient for families with teenage children or people with home businesses.

NYNEX is a global communications and media company that provides a full range of services in the northeastern United States and high-growth markets around the world, including the United Kingdom, Thailand, Gibraltar, Greece, Indonesia, the Philippines, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

The Corporation is a leader in the telecommunications, wireless communications, cable television, directory publishing and entertainment and information services.

FAX copies of recent NYNEX news releases are available free of charge, 24 hours a day. Call 1-800-331-1214 and an automated system will provide instructions.

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