Exhibit 99.1



          Houston, TX, December 21, 1998 -- Crown Castle International
Corp. (NASDAQ: TWRS) announced today that it completed the private offering
in a distribution pursuant to Rule 144A/Regulation S under the Securities
Act of 1933 of its $200 million principal amount senior exchangeable
pay-in-kind preferred stock. The net proceeds of the offering are
anticipated to be used for the proposed joint venture with Bell Atlantic
Mobile, to repay outstanding bank borrowings and for general corporate
purposes.

          The exchangeable preferred stock has not been registered under
the Securities Act of 1933 or any state securities laws and, unless so
registered, may not be offered or sold except pursuant to an exemption
from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of
the Securities Act of 1933 and applicable state securities laws.