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To: porcupine --''''> who wrote (306)	5/11/1998 9:59:00 PM
From: porcupine --''''>	Respond to of 1722

AT&T CORP and Internet media company EXCITE INC said they will launch "Excite Online Powered by AT&T WorldNet Service," a new online service that may rival a similar service run by YAHOO CORP and MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORP. Excite Online, set to open in June, will pair AT&T's WorldNet internet access service with Redwood City, Calif.-based Excite's search and directory content. The service will prominently feature Excite's personalized "front-door" to the Internet. Members of the service, which will be "competitively priced," will also receive special online access to AT&T personal communications services, the companies said. "The powerful combination of AT&T's Internet access service and penetration of the consumer marketplace, combined with Excite's leading Internet service, provide the opportunity to build the largest online service for accessing the Internet," said George Bell, president and chief executive of Excite, in a statement. In March, Yahoo! and MCI -- industry rivals respectively to AT&T and Excite -- unveiled "Yahoo! Online powered by MCI Internet." Similar online services are in the works by Internet information programmer CNET Inc., paired with Sprint Corp., and by Microsoft Corp. This is the second major Internet deal this week for both AT&T and Excite. On May 5, Excite and Netscape Communications Corp. agreed to collaborate on Internet content and search services. And on May 4, AT&T and Lycos Inc. set a plan to offer Web-based consumer communications services and to sell AT&T offerings via Lycos' Web site. (Reuters 09:08 AM ET 05/06/98)

To: porcupine --''''> who wrote (306)	5/11/1998 10:10:00 PM
From: porcupine --''''>	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1722

AT&T wants Baby Bells to separate call completion and local marketing. AT&T Corp Chairman C. Michael Armstrong on Tuesday joined other long distance carriers in calling for a restructuring of the 'Baby Bell' companies' local networks, and a cut in fees they pay to local phone companies. AT&T wants the Baby Bells separated into wholesale businesses that complete calls for other carriers, and into retail businesses that sell services to end users. AT&T's proposal follows similar plans outlined by other long distance companies including LCI International Inc and MCI Communications Corp . Under the 1996 Telecommunications Act, the Baby Bells must open their local telephone market to competition before entering the long distance market. The Federal Communications Commission has rejected all four Baby Bell long distance applications saying the companies had not yet done enough to open local markets. The call by AT&T and its long distance counterparts to split the Baby Bells' wholesale and retail businesses are beyond the measures outlined by the Telecom Act. But AT&T, MCI and LCI said the extra steps may be needed to ensure fairness as Baby Bells try to enter the long distance market. AT&T also said the fees long distance companies pay the local phone companies to complete long distance calls are at least eight to 10 times more than their actual costs. The long distance companies pay a fee to the Baby Bells in order to have a long distance calls transmitted over a local telephone network into a customer's home. AT&T contends these fees are too high and serve as a subsidy for the Baby Bells. "Separating the Bell companies' local networks from their other operations will ensure that the Bell companies can't subsidize their competitive activities from the inflated fees they charge long distance companies to have calls completed," Armstrong said. Splitting the Baby Bells would further fragment the companies created by the break-up of Ma Bell in 1984, when AT&T was split from the regional Bells. ((NEW YORK, May 5 (Reuters) - Jessica Hall, New York newsroom 212-859-1729))