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To: brian h who wrote (5124)	1/13/2000 12:54:00 AM
From: brian h	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 13582

All, Anything is possible! Wireless Access!!!! --------------- MCI WorldCom Says Open Access Will Rule Wireless World January 12, 2000 By Patricia Fusco InternetNews.com Assistant Editor ISP News Archives MCI WorldCom Inc. Wednesday fueled the federal regulatory fire for approving its pending merger with Sprint Corp. by committing to deliver a competitive wireless broadband network. Bernard J. Ebbers, MCI WorldCom (WCOM) president and chief executive officer, said a merged MCI WorldCom-Sprint (FON) company would unleash their wireless competitive force on the broadband marketplace. Ebbers said the merged company would demonstrate its commitment to open access of its broadband services by designing a high-speed wireless network that would be capable of supporting independent Internet service providers. "We will offer the benefit of real competition," Ebbers said. "The choice will not be between one monopoly and another. We will give it to them a third way, an open way and competitive way." Although open access to cable networks has been a hot regulatory issue for the Internet industry, competitive access to wireless systems has never been considered a possible solution to breaking through the broadband access deadlock. According to Ebbers, the new WorldCom would also accelerate its deployment of broadband wireless access to rural and under-served areas within a year of the merger close date. The Federal Communications Commission has made it a priority for the industry to find a way to span the "digital divide" and develop broadband access to under served communities. By committing the merged company to developing such a network, MCI-WorldCom is offering the federal regulators the means to exit from the open access debate by approving of the pending deal. The FCC initially deemed the MCI WorldCom-Sprint merger as a blow to competition in the marketplace. Both companies' own substantial Internet backbones and the regulators' fear combining the nations second- and third-largest long-distance providers would limit long-distance competition. Ebbers acknowledged concerns raised by critics, but stressed that such perceptions are out of step with converging technologies. "Those arguments rest on a perception that's way out of date,' Ebbers said. "When compared with other major carriers in the all-distance market, MCI WorldCom and Sprint rank as numbers four and seven," Ebbers added. ---------- BRian H.

To: brian h who wrote (5124)	1/13/2000 12:57:00 AM
From: brian h	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 13582

All, Another one quoting CEO of WCOM........MCI WorldCom Opens Broadband Access CEO promises customers a choice of ISPs instead of locking them into company's own service. by Margret Johnston, IDG News Service January 12, 2000, 3:18 p.m. PT WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Broadband users will soon have a greater choice of Internet service providers, as the merged MCI WorldCom and Sprint prepare to open their network. MCI WorldCom will design its broadband wireless network to let customers choose an ISP, rather than requiring them to use its own. The announcement is in a statement issued before a speech here Wednesday by Bernard Ebbers, president and chief executive officer of MCI WorldCom. MCI WorldCom-Sprint will offer the choice of ISPs by implementing open access to its network wherever wholesale capacity is available, according to the statement. The two companies announced their intent to merge last October. The announcement was one of four that Ebbers is set to make in his speech to the National Press Club. He is also expected to pledge that the new WorldCom will accelerate its deployment of broadband wireless in rural and underserved areas of the United States within a year after the merger closes. Ebbers will also spell out MCI WorldCom's plans to offer an "all-distance" service to compete with Bell Atlantic in New York. The service would give customers a large number of minutes that can be used to make local or domestic long-distance calls, the release says. MCI WorldCom also plans to step up competition for infrequent callers by offering a nationwide plan with no minimum usage or monthly fees, according to the release. The rise of the Internet and wireless communications have changed the way communications services are structured and sold, and the changes are accelerated by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Ebbers says in the release. "The opportunity--in fact, the imperative--created by the Telecom Act was to become a full-service provider for the communications needs of customers," Ebbers is quoted as saying. "If you are not all-distance in this business, you won't go the distance. That means providing local, long distance, international, data Internet, wire-line, and wireless. All services--all distances." Brina H.