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

To: Techplayer who wrote (4901)	8/12/1999 9:15:00 PM
From: biffpincus	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 6846

I am a QWST long ... but I'm just curious if anyone thinks that the below-listed PR is a potential red flag for QWST, or if its just the sign of a very ambitious and aggressive young company that is a tad over-enthusiastic, I'm looking forward to the company's response - biff Qwest Told to Stop Marketing Services in Connecticut Hartford, Connecticut, Aug. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Qwest Communications International Inc., the No. 4 U.S. long-distance phone company, is facing a demand by the Connecticut attorney general to stop marketing in the state because the company allegedly is committing so-called slamming violations. The Connecticut Attorney General's office said the company illegally had been switching customers to its service without permission, a practice known as slamming. The state has received at least 80 such complaints against Qwest since the beginning of the year, many from Latinos, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said in a statement. ''Slamming is intolerable, especially when this reprehensible practice is aimed at a particular ethnic group that Qwest may think is more vulnerable,'' Blumenthal said. He told the company in a letter that his office would ''pursue other remedies, if necessary'' to address Qwest's ''continuing unlawful actions.'' The attorney general's office has investigated and sued several other long-distance companies for slamming violations, including Business Discount Plan Inc., National Telephone & Communications Inc., and One-Step Billing. Qwest declined immediate comment. Qwest forged signatures on ''letters of agency'' which authorize a long-distance company switch, Blumenthal said. Slamming is a growing problem across the country as competition heats up in the long-distance phone industry. It's the largest source of consumer complaints at the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. The FCC issued national anti-slamming rules in December. Those rules are being challenged in court by MCI WorldCom Inc., the second largest long-distance company, because they're too difficult and costly for the industry to put in place, the company said. Qwest's shares climbed 7/16 to 27 5/16. Aug/11/1999 16:29