Press Release

CenturyTel Acquires DigiSys, Inc.

MONROE, La. ... CenturyTel, Inc. (NYSE Symbol: CTL) announced today that it has purchased the assets of Internet service provider DigiSys, Inc. The purchase price was not disclosed.

Located in Kalispell, Montana, DigiSys, , provides Internet services to more than 9,000 customers in northwestern Montana, and operates MontanaWeb, , one of the larger online business directories in the state.

DigiSys, Inc. provides dial-up and dedicated Internet access, web page design and hosting, Internet-based electronic commerce (e-commerce) applications, equipment sales and installation and Internet-related consulting services.

"DigiSys, Inc.'s e-commerce engine, ShopWorks, , should be of particular benefit to CenturyTel's business customers, enabling them to efficiently and effectively enter the e-commerce arena," said Glen F. Post III, CenturyTel president and chief executive officer. "We are pleased to welcome DigiSys, Inc. into the CenturyTel family."

The Internet service provider will operate as CenturyTel. All DigiSys, Inc. employees will either remain in their current positions or be offered new positions with CenturyTel. The former owners of DigiSys, Inc., James Pooton and Leesa Valentino, have agreed to join CenturyTel in management positions. They will be responsible for the further development and enhancement of CenturyTel's e-commerce applications.

CenturyTel began offering Internet access in 1996, and currently provides the service to approximately 60,000 customers in 14 states.

This release includes certain forward-looking statements that are subject to uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from such statements. These uncertainties include possible changes in demand for Internet services; technological change; the Company's ability to integrate DigiSys' operations into CenturyTel's; the Company's ability to retain DigiSys' former employees as CenturyTel personnel; and the effects of more general factors described in CenturyTel's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998.

CenturyTel, Inc. provides integrated communications services including local exchange, wireless, long distance, Internet access and security monitoring services to more than two 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 8th largest local exchange telephone company, based on access lines, and the 10th largest cellular company, based on population equivalents owned, in the United States.