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AMERITECH RELEASE: Apr 13, 1999,

For further information, contact: Geoff Potter, Cable TV,

CHICAGO -- Ameritech New Media has signed its 100th cable television franchise, which authorizes the company to compete for cable viewers in south suburban Chicago Heights, Ill.

"This is a great day for the hundreds of thousands of consumers who benefit from competition in the cable industry," said Donna Garofano, vice president of public affairs for Ameritech New Media, the largest competitive cable company in the United States.

"We signed our first franchise agreement less than four years ago, and since then we've achieved a new franchise at the rate of one every two weeks," Garofano said. "And of course we continue to negotiate with many more Midwestern cities and towns to bring them all the benefits of cable television competition -- including enhanced reception and reliability, new channels and services, improved customer service and more stable rates."

The Chicago Heights City Council voted Monday night to approve a 15-year franchise agreement with Ameritech New Media, Ameritech's cable TV subsidiary, which will compete against TCI in the area. Chicago Heights has 11,000 households and a population of 33,000.

"Since we installed our first americast® customer in May 1996, we've won more than 200,000 cable TV subscribers, who have made Ameritech the largest competitive cable company in the nation," Garofano said. "We've improved the quality of life for Midwestern cable viewers and we look forward to extending those benefits to the people of Chicago Heights."

Ameritech has built systems in and now competes for cable television viewers in 84 cities and towns in the Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio, areas.

To celebrate the milestone, Ameritech New Media on behalf of its employees will contribute to beautification projects in all 100 municipalities that have awarded it a competitive cable franchise. The cities and villages may use the grant to purchase trees, shrubs or other greenery as part of their ongoing beautification efforts.

Ameritech (NYSE: AIT) serves millions of customers in 50 states and 40 countries. Ameritech provides a full range of communications services including local and long-distance telephone and data, cellular, paging, security, cable TV, Internet and more. One of the world's 100 largest companies, Ameritech (www.ameritech.com) has 70,500 employees, 1 million shareowners and more than $30 billion in assets.

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Ameritech New Media Facts

Our Service

Ameritech's americast® service offers consumers more than 90 channels of programming (compared to the industry average of 53 channels), plus an easy-to-use on-screen guide featuring instant, detailed information about any program on TV, simplified VCR recording, a favorite channel guide, parental control, and access to a convenient, in-home movie service, express cinema™.

Our Customers

More than 200,000 consumers have chosen our competitive cable TV service, americast , in 84 communities in the Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus and Detroit metropolitan areas -- making Ameritech the largest competitive cable companies in the country. Consumers are signing up for our service at a pace faster than we expected: on average, where it is available, more than 1 of every 3 families watching cable TV is watching our americast service.

Our Franchises

Ameritech has reached franchise agreements with 100 Midwestern cities and towns in the Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and Columbus metropolitan areas. Those 100 communities contain a total of more than 1.6 million households -- which means Ameritech has theauthority to offer cable TV service to 1 in 7 ofits local phone customers. Plus, we're negotiating franchises with dozens of additional communities in those areas.

Our Strategy

We offer a comprehensive package of video programming that we deliver via a new, two-way, fiber-optic video system. Separate from Ameritech's telephone network, the hybrid fiber-optic/coaxial-cable system is capable of delivering cable TV programming with razor-sharp picture, crisp sound quality and 99.9% reliability. We back these video services with knowledgeable and caring customer service unequaled in the industry: 9 out of 10 calls are answered within 30 seconds, and callers speak with personal assistants who've completed weeks of training.

Our Programming

We offer consumers an exciting package of programming at competitive prices -- up to 95 channels including local broadcast stations, today's cable TV favorites such as ESPN, CNN, Nickelodeon, TBS, USA and Lifetime, plus newer channels such as The Sci-Fi Channel, The History Channel and Toon Disney. And the Disney Channel and the Golf Channel -- traditionally available only as premium channels -- are included in our expanded basic service at no extra charge.

Our In-Home Movie Service

We now offer express cinema™, our exclusive in-home movie service. Available only on americast, it's the easiest way possible to watch the latest hit movies, special events and concerts in the comfort of home.

Customers get access to up to 30 new hit movies every month, starting as often as every half-hour. Our express cinema service makes choosing a movie as simple as changing the channel. Viewers use their universal remote control, RED, to select movies, as well as special events such as concerts and boxing matches, via the service's Interactive Program Guide.

Our Interactive Services Most americast customers choose the set-top box, TED, and universal remote control, RED, which provides an onscreen Interactive Program Guide. Light years ahead of the slow-scrolling guides many cable customers are familiar with, it features easy VCR recording, parental control, customized menus and instant, detailed information about any show on TV, up to 3 days in advance. It's like having a daily newspaper's TV listings onscreen and at your command: you can instantly find out what's happening on favorite shows, tape them, and even choose a movie, all with a few buttons on the remote control.

Our Community Information Pages

Local Connections provides useful, up-to-date community information 24 hours a day. Just by changing the channel, americast cable TV customers can access dozens of community information channels to learn all about local movie theater show times, concerts, plays, community events, and more. And customers can easily find information including local restaurants that deliver, phone numbers for schools, clubs and community services, and even an instant, five-day weather forecast.

Our Commitment to Customer Service

Ameritech backs our programming with excellent customer service. Responsive and knowledgeable personal assistants at our At Your Service Center answer customers call anytime -- we're open 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. And installation is quick, clean and friendly: We offer 2-hour appointment windows; our installers wear shoe covers to keep customers' homes clean; and before they leave, they make sure our customers know how to use their new cable service.

Our Goals

Our goal is to be consumers' choice for home entertainment and information. We've responded to what consumers told us they want in a cable TV provider: tremendous entertainment variety delivered with solid reception, responsive customer service and interactive features that are easy to use.