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To: KevRupert who wrote (6252)	4/5/2000
From: KevRupert	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 11568

Sprint's Esrey rules out sale of long-distance customers By Bloomberg News April 4, 2000, 1:35 p.m. PT WASHINGTON--Sprint chairman William Esrey ruled out a sale of the company's long-distance customers to win U.S. government approval of its combination with MCI WorldCom, calling such an action illogical. Sprint and MCI WorldCom will control about 30 percent of the U.S. long-distance market, and analysts suggest the Department of Justice could order a sale to ensure competition in a business where AT&T already has 50 percent of the customers. Antitrust officials worry that consolidating 80 percent of the market in two companies could reduce price competition and technical innovations. Quote Snapshot FON 61.00 -1.75 WCOM 44.44 -1.00 T 56.50 -1.50 Esrey said he did not see a circumstance where the Justice Department or Federal Communications Commission would require such an asset sale. After the combination, 98 percent of U.S. consumers will have a choice of three long-distance companies with their own lines and facilities, he said. "No, we would not" sell the long-distance customers, Esrey told the Bloomberg Forum. "It's not really logical. If we were going to sell, they would be breaking up AT&T and not letting (regional telephone companies) into long-distance because their concentration would be a lot bigger than ours in the consumer marketplace." Copyright 2000, Bloomberg L.P. All Rights Reserved. Get the Story in "Big Picture"