EXHIBIT 99

U S WEST, Inc.
1801 California Street
Denver, CO  80202


NEWS RELEASE



Date:                      April 6, 1999

Contact:                   David Beigie, (303) 896-5528


        Chairman of Gartner Group Elected to U S WEST Board of Directors
- - Fernandez Brings Added Computer and Information Services Industry Experience -

DENVER -- U S WEST Inc. Board of Directors  added Manny  Fernandez,  Chairman of
Gartner Group, to its Board at its meeting Friday.

"Manny is one of the most highly regarded  individuals in high-tech  consulting.
He  has  solid  experience  in  the  worlds  of  computers,  semiconductors  and
information  services,  and has led the Gartner Group to new heights  during his
tenure there," said Solomon D.  Trujillo,  president and CEO, U S WEST. "He is a
tremendous addition to our Board."

Fernandez,  52, has been chairman of the board of Gartner Group since April 1995
and  director  since  January  1991.  Fernandez  also  held  the  title of chief
executive  officer from April 1991 to December 1998 and  president  from January
1991 through  September  1997.  Prior to joining  Gartner  Group,  Fernandez was
president  and chief  executive  officer  of  Dataquest,  Inc.,  an  information
services  company  which was acquired by Gartner Group in 1995.  Before  joining
Dataquest,  Fernandez  was  president  and chief  executive  officer  of Gavilan
Computer Corporation, a laptop computer manufacturer,  and Zilog Incorporated, a
semiconductor manufacturing company.

Other U S WEST Inc. Directors include:

o         Linda G. Alvarado, President and CEO, Alvarado Construction
o         Craig R. Barrett, President and CEO, Intel Corporation
o         Hank Brown, President, University of Northern Colorado, and former
          U. S. Senator from Colorado
o         Jerry J. Colangelo, Owner, Chairman and CEO, Arizona Diamondbacks, 
          and President and CEO, Phoenix Suns
o         George J. Harad, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Boise Cascade
          Corporation
o         Peter S. Hellman, former President and COO, TRW, Inc.
o         Allen F. Jacobson, retired Chairman and CEO, Minnesota Mining and
          Manufacturing
o         Richard D. McCormick, Chairman of the Board and retired CEO, former
          U S WEST Inc.
o         Marilyn Carlson Nelson, Vice Chair, President and CEO, Carlson
          Companies, Inc.; Co-Chair Carlson Wagonlit Travel
o         Frank Popoff, Chairman, Dow Chemical Company
o         Solomon D. Trujillo, President and CEO, U S WEST Inc.

Fernandez  also serves on the board of directors of Black & Decker and Brunswick
Corporation.  He  holds a  bachelor's  degree  in  electrical  engineering  from
University  of  Florida,  and  completed   post-graduate  work  in  solid  state
engineering  at  University  of Florida  and in business  administration  at the
Florida Institute of Technology.

U S WEST  (NYSE:USW)  provides a full range of  telecommunications  services  --
including  wireline,  wireless PCS, data  networking,  directory and information
services -- to more than 25 million  customers  nationally and in 14 western and
midwestern states.  More information about U S WEST can be found on the Internet
at http://www.uswest.com.

                                       ###