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Wednesday, September 29, 1999 Published at 18:05 GMT 19:05 UK
Business: The Company File
Phone giant in long-distance bid
Bell Atlantic wants to widen its business - a long way
The biggest local phone company in America, Bell Atlantic, is seeking permission to provide a long-distance service in New York State.
In return for the go-ahead, the company would be required to open its regional markets to competition.
This would allow entry into those markets by rivals including AT&T, which has sought such an opening for months.
If it wins permission, Bell Atlantic would begin competing in long-distance markets with firms such as AT&T, MCI WorldCom and Sprint.
Bell Atlantic has filed its request with the US Federal Communications Commission.
Regulators have rejected such requests from other Bell companies.
Company chiefs said it would become the first regional telephone company in the US to offer long-distance services to its clients.
They want to offer the service to some eight million customers.
The law requires Baby Bell companies to open their local phone markets to competition before they can provide long-distance service in their home markets.
"We've met the requirements of the Telecommunications Act," Chairman and Chief Executive Ivan Seidenberg said. "We have earned the opportunity to add long distance to our suite of services, and our customers demand nothing less."
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