<A> Bell Atlantic Gears Up for Another Winter Storm; Company Rechecks Emergency Electrical Systems
NEW YORK -- With forecasters predicting another winter storm in the Northeast, operations teams are rechecking generators and batteries that provide electricity to Bell Atlantic switching offices and equipment when commercial power is lost.
At the height of last week's devastating ice storm in upstate New York and northern New England about 100 central offices and hundreds of remote electronic equipment were on emergency power.
Bell Atlantic operations managers and technicians tonight are rechecking all emergency backup equipment, something the company does whenever inclement weather threatens, and making sure diesel and gasoline supply tanks are adequate. In addition, the company is closely monitoring the forecast to determine appropriate staffing of its 3,000 technicians who are currently on the job, including hundreds from other Bell Atlantic service areas.
Work crews continue to replace snapped utility poles and restore downed phone wires to individual homes and businesses, while network operations personnel work to maintain service in the company's digital switching offices and remote equipment.
Bell Atlantic -- formed through the merger of Bell Atlantic and NYNEX -- is at the forefront of the new communications, information and entertainment industry. With 40 million telephone access lines and 5.8 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market leaders in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations and investments in 21 countries. |
