UNIONDALE, NY (May 19, 2003) - Recognizing the need to reinstate localized phone directories in New London and Norwich after SBC/SNET merged the former local directories into one regional directory, Yellow Book USA, has announced the addition of these markets to its growing family of directories in Connecticut. The new books are slated for distribution in December 2003, and will offer a more comprehensive, specific and user-friendly alternative for residents and businesses.

"Yellow Book USA recognized that residents in these markets were missing their local yellow pages," said Joe Walsh, president and CEO of Yellow Book USA. "The residents of New London and Norwich, Connecticut will now each have a phone directory specifically geared to their shopping and living needs."

In addition to offering affordable advertising rates, two separate directories for each area will allow businesses to target their customers more directly, providing an efficient spending of advertising dollars.

The two new Yellow Books will include comprehensive business yellow pages, business and residential white pages, community and government information, area maps, local restaurant menus and money-saving coupons. More than 77,000 Greater New London Yellow Books and 72,000 Norwich Yellow Books will be delivered free to all area residents and businesses.

The addition of these directories will add to Yellow Book's growing presence in Connecticut. In 2003, Yellow Book will publish new directories in Middletown and Milford. Local business owners and consumers in The Naugatuck Valley and in Fairfield County are already experiencing the advantages of their local Yellow Book directories:

"Advertising in the Fairfield County Yellow Book has brought a better return on my investment. My ad in your directory has generated more calls than the ad in the SBC directory." - Mark Carey, Carey & Associates

"My advertising program in the Fairfield County Yellow Book produced over 200 more calls at about ¼ of the cost per call compared to the SBC/SNET directory." - Gloria Paoli, Crawford Overhead Doors

"I have been receiving approximately 20 more calls per week on the special phone I advertised in the Fairfield County Yellow Book. " - Mern Palmer-Smith, Double Exposure

"I like Yellow Book because it has the towns and services we use most. The SBC SNET book has too many towns and is too confusing." - J Smith, Derby, CT "I like Yellow Book because it has both business and residential phone numbers and addresses…it's not two separate books!" - A.Wynnick, Shelton, CT

Established in 1930, Yellow Book USA is the oldest and largest independent yellow pages publisher in the nation. In recent years, Yellow Book has made a number of strategic acquisitions and entered scores of new markets. The 2002 acquisitions of McLeodUSA's telephone directory publishing unit and the National Directory Company have extended Yellow Book's presence into 41 states and the District of Columbia, more states than any other U.S. yellow pages publisher.