FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:               FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                     Media: Patricia Cameron (318) 388-9674
                                             patricia.cameron@centurytel.com
                                 Investors: Jeffrey S. Glover (318) 388-9648
                                             jeff.glover@centurytel.com

CenturyTel adds nearly 360,000 telephone access lines in two transactions

Monroe, La., July 31, 2000 - CenturyTel, Inc.(NYSE Symbol: CTL) acquired nearly
360,000 telephone access lines in two transactions finalized today.

         The  Louisiana-based  communications  company  purchased  about 231,000
access  lines  in  Arkansas  from  Verizon  Communications  (formerly  GTE)  for
approximately  $824 million in cash.  With this purchase,  CenturyTel now serves
approximately  275,000  local  exchange  customers  in  Arkansas,  making it the
state's second largest  telephone  company.  The company also provides  Internet
access,   wireless,   long   distance  and  security   monitoring   services  to
approximately 87,000 Arkansas customers.

         In a separate transaction,  Spectra Communications Group, LLC, acquired
about 127,000 access lines in Missouri for  approximately  $290 million in cash.
Spectra  is a joint  venture  between  CenturyTel;  Spectronics  Corporation,  a
Georgia-based,   African-American-owned   telecommunications  contractor;  Local
Exchange  Carriers,  LLC, a private company based in Kansas City, Mo.; and other
African-American co-investors.

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         "CenturyTel  is  pleased  to  announce  the  completion  of  these  two
strategic  acquisitions," Glen. F. Post, III,  CenturyTel's  president and chief
executive  officer,  said.  "CenturyTel  now  operates  more than  1.65  million
telephone  access  lines  in 21  states.  We  expect  these  properties  to make
significant contributions to CenturyTel's future growth."

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         Customers  in the  acquired  markets will see no changes in area codes,
telephone numbers or local calling numbers.  In both transactions,  employees in
the former GTE serving  areas  retained  their  positions  with  CenturyTel  and
Spectra.

         CenturyTel will finance these  transactions  through newly  established
credit facilities with Bank of America,  N.A. and Citibank,  N.A. Depending upon
market  conditions,  the company  expects to replace this facility with either a
commercial   paper  program,   the  issuance  of  long-term   debt,   equity  or
equity-linked  securities,  monetization of non-core assets or some  combination
thereof.

         CenturyTel,  Inc. provides integrated communications services including
local exchange, wireless, long distance, Internet access and security monitoring
services  to  more  than  2.8  million  customers  in 21  states.  The  company,
headquartered  in Monroe,  Louisiana,  is publicly  traded on the New York Stock
Exchange  under the symbol CTL.  CenturyTel  is the 7th largest  local  exchange
telephone company,  based on access lines, and the 9th largest cellular company,
based on population equivalents owned, in the United States.

         Visit CenturyTel's corporate Web site at (www.centurytel.com)