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Technology Stocks : Qwest Communications (Q) (formerly QWST) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Roger Hess who wrote (3939)	6/9/1999 1:07:00 PM
From: investsformoney	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 6846

Consider this What if Qwest would make an offer to buy up BellSouth just like Globix did for US West?. This is also a speculation that is generating the interest on wallstreet. Then all the objections that you have raised will be negated.

To: Roger Hess who wrote (3939)	6/9/1999 6:22:00 PM
From: Mark Harjes	Respond to of 6846

<<< "Nacchio and some of the other honchos at Qwest came over from the telcos, where things were being done the way they've always been done. That's why they came to Qwest - to do things differently and do it a better way.">>> Well... this is certainly the line that Nacchio, et al would have everyone buy. However, it is at odds with much of what those who have been involved with Qwest over the last couple years have seen. <<< "There's been a nice runup on the stock since it went public. Its split a time or two.">>> Precisely... and thus the primary goal for which significant effort has been expended at Qwest has been achieved - at least to some (large) extent. Unless they think the runup can continue in the near-term, it may be time to 'take the money and run.' It's no secret that many (most?) 'Qwesties' consider that the company is being built/groomed to be sold - nothing more. - From a later message [#3942] - <<< "Since BellSouth has the older infrastructure, I don't know if Qwest would like to get tied in with so much old technology, when what they have now is state-of-the-art. Why not just let the telcos get stuck with their old technology?" >>> This may actually be the best reason for Qwest to encourage a BellSouth takeover... although Qwest's actual physical infrastructure may be nearly 'state-of-the-art', their backoffice capabilities (order entry, call tracking, billing, customer/prospect data acquisition and analysis, etc.) are severely lacking. BellSouth, being a real (albeit 'traditional') phone company may be seen as having the systems and personnel to actually develop, market and support telecommunications products - an area in which many believe Qwest is currently struggling. I remain enthusiastic about the physical plant Qwest is constructing... but that is only the first piece to building a telecommunications company. Qwest is a really interesting mix of new/modern/limitless (the fiber network) and old/unimaginative/badly-lacking (the systems for implementing telecom products/services on top of that fiber). It's fascinating watching that tension play out. ...mark