EXHIBIT 10rr



Description of Bell Atlantic Senior Management Death Benefit Plan


On November 25, 1997, the Human Resources Committee ("HRC") of the Board of
Directors of  the Company adopted the Bell Atlantic Senior Management Death
Benefit Plan ("Plan").  Pursuant to the action of the HRC, the program shall
apply to the top 200-300 "Senior Managers" of the Company and its subsidiaries
as follows:

Each employee (including each Senior Manager and each employee who is a
participant but not a Senior Manager) who currently participates in the NYNEX
Supplemental Life Insurance Plan (the "NYNEX Death Benefit Plan") shall continue
participation in the NYNEX Death Benefit Plan subject to its current terms and
conditions; provided, however, that the NYNEX Death Benefit Plan shall not admit
any new participants on or after November 25, 1997.

Each current Senior Manager of the Company (excluding any Senior Manager
described in the preceding paragraph), and any employee who is subsequently
named a Senior Manager,  shall participate in the Plan, a new program with a
death benefit effective April 1, 1998 (with premium payments commencing
retroactive to January 1, 1998), which shall provide (a) a death benefit equal
to five times compensation (defined in the Plan for this purpose as the current
year's salary and 50% of the applicable maximum short-term incentive adjusted
annually until the attainment of age 60 by the Senior Manager) during the period
of active employment and for a five year period commencing with the date of the
Senior Manager's separation from service; and (b) thereafter, a death benefit
equal to two times compensation (defined in the Plan for this purpose as final
base salary).  The Plan's benefits shall be provided through a split-dollar life
insurance arrangement with cash surrender value allocable to the Senior
Manager's account, subject to terms and conditions set forth in the Plan
documents.