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BellSouth Reaches 200,000 DIRECTV Customer Milestone

Posted on: Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 09:00 CST

ATLANTA, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- BellSouth announced today that more than 200,000 customers have added DIRECTV(R) digital satellite television service to their BellSouth communications services packages since the company began offering the service in August 2004. During the fourth quarter of 2004, BellSouth added almost 109,000 subscribers to its DIRECTV offer.

"This significant milestone is evidence that BellSouth customers are looking to bundle their communications and entertainment services with one provider," said Jan Funderburg, president - Consumer Services for BellSouth. "Through the company's popular BellSouth Answers(R) bundles that combine local, long distance, Cingular(R) Wireless services, Internet and DIRECTV service, customers can receive greater flexibility and overall increased savings on their monthly services. BellSouth and DIRECTV have worked tirelessly to provide customers in BellSouth's nine-state service area with the nation's No. 1 digital satellite entertainment service."

The DIRECTV(R) TOTAL CHOICE(R) with Local Channels package delivers more than 125 quality channels. BellSouth residential customers can bundle the package with BellSouth's communications services at discounted savings through BellSouth Answers(R). Customers can also receive DIRECTV PARA TODOS(R), which features more than 50 Spanish-language channels(1), including sports, movies, news, music and education networks.

Depending on BellSouth Answers(R) bundle eligibility, customers can save up to an additional $10 off their bundle of services when they add DIRECTV service to their BellSouth Answers(R) package.

"With the addition of digital satellite television service, our BellSouth Answers(R) package has become one of the most comprehensive and competitively priced bundles in the marketplace today," continued Funderburg.

"This milestone is evidence that DIRECTV and BellSouth continue to exceed the communications and entertainment expectations of customers in BellSouth's service area," said Steve Cox, executive vice president, Sales, Distribution and Business Development, DIRECTV, Inc. "DIRECTV looks forward to continuing to provide BellSouth's customers with our industry leading digital television service."

Currently, customers who sign up for DIRECTV service AND BellSouth(R) FastAccess(R) DSL (any speed)(2) by April 30, 2005, may be eligible for a BellSouth Answers(R) promotion offering $75 cash back. In addition, residential customers who sign up for new DIRECTV(R) service from BellSouth and subscribe to HBO(R) and Cinemax(R) with a one-year commitment to any qualifying programming package by Feb. 28, 2005, will receive three free months of HBO(R) and Cinemax(R)(3).

About BellSouth Corporation

BellSouth Corporation is a Fortune 100 communications company headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., and a parent company of Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless voice and data provider.

Backed by award winning customer service, BellSouth offers the most comprehensive and innovative package of voice and data services available in the market. Through BellSouth Answers, residential and small business customers can bundle their local and long distance service with dial-up and high speed DSL Internet access, satellite television and Cingular Wireless service. For businesses, BellSouth provides secure, reliable local and long distance voice and data networking solutions. BellSouth also offers online and directory advertising through BellSouth RealPages.com and The Real Yellow Pages(R).

More information about BellSouth can be found at http://www.bellsouth.com/ .

About DIRECTV

DIRECTV is the nation's leading and fastest-growing digital multichannel television service provider with more than 13.9 million customers. DIRECTV, TOTAL CHOICE and the Cyclone Design logo are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc., a unit of The DIRECTV Group Inc. . The DIRECTV Group is a world-leading provider of digital multichannel television entertainment and broadband satellite networks and services. The DIRECTV Group is 34 percent owned by Fox Entertainment Group, which is approximately 82 percent owned by News Corporation. For more information visit http://www.directv.com/ .

(1) Includes English-language broadcast channels with alternate Spanish-

language audio access.

(2) BellSouth(R) FastAccess(R) DSL and DIRECTV(R) service must be ordered

during the promotion period, but not necessarily on the same order.

(3) ACTIVATION OF PROGRAMMING MAY BE SUBJECT TO CREDIT APPROVAL AND

REQUIRES VALID SERVICE ADDRESS, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND/OR MAJOR

CREDIT CARD. DEPOSIT/PREPAYMENT MAY BE REQUIRED. Offers available to

new residential customers between 10/31/04 and 2/28/05 who subscribe

to 12 consecutive months of any DIRECTV TOTAL CHOICE programming

package ($36.99/mo. or above), DIRECTV PARA TODOS programming package

($26.99/mo. or above) or qualifying international services bundle,

plus activate HBO(R) and Cinemax(R) within 30 days of equipment

purchase. In the fourth month, customer's HBO(R) and Cinemax(R)

services will roll to the regular payable monthly charges ($12/mo. or

less, each). The DIRECTV System has a feature which allows restricted

access to or blocking of entire channels. FAILURE TO ACTIVATE THE

DIRECTV SYSTEM WITHIN 30 DAYS OF PURCHASE MAY RESULT IN A CHARGE OF

$150.00 U.S. DOLLARS PER DIRECTV RECEIVER NOT ACTIVATED. IF YOU FAIL

TO MAINTAIN AN ANNUAL PROGRAMMING COMMITMENT, DIRECTV MAY CHARGE A

PRORATED FEE OF UP TO $150.00. IN LIEU OF PAYMENT, YOU HAVE AN OPTION

TO SEND YOUR DIRECTV SYSTEM EQUIPMENT TO DIRECTV. VISIT DIRECTV.COM

OR CALL 1-800-DIRECTV FOR DETAILS. Programming, pricing, terms and

conditions subject to change. Taxes not included. Equipment

specifications and programming options may vary in AK or HI. DIRECTV

services not provided outside the U.S. Receipt of DIRECTV programming

is subject to the terms of the DIRECTV Customer Agreement; a copy is

provided at DIRECTV.com and in your first bill. HBO(R) and Cinemax(R)

are registered service marks of Home Box Office, Inc. DIRECTV and the

Cyclone Design logo, TOTAL CHOICE and DIRECTV PARA TODOS are

registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc. All BellSouth marks contained

herein are owned by BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation.

BellSouth Corporation

CONTACT: Media, Zealous Wiley of BellSouth Corporation, +1-404-829-8721,or zealous.wiley@bellsouth.com

Web site: http://www.bellsouth.com/http://www.directv.com/

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/095650.html

Source: PRNewswire

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