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Technology Stocks : Ampex Corporation (AEXCA) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Alan Cassaro who wrote (4253)	12/31/1998 3:31:00 PM
From: Ed Perry	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 17679

One step closer to solving the "Bandwidth Problem" - Re the AT&T acquisition of TCI From excerpts of NY Times Dec 31 1998 p .C1. " That conglomerate would offer a big new artery of higher-speed access to the Internet that the companies' executives say would more easily enable computer users to transfer data, hold clearer conversations and eventually receive TV-quality video." "Executives at AT&T and TCI have said that the merger will enable consumers to get one-stop shopping for their local and long-distance telephone service, cable TV and access to the Internet and data services. TCI and its affiliated systems reach more than 14 million customers representing about one-third of the nation's homes." The Details: December 31, 1998 AT&T Passes a Major Hurdle in Its Effort to Acquire TCI By STEPHEN LABATON ASHINGTON -- The Federal Government took a big step toward redefining the Internet today when the Justice Department approved the proposed $31.8 billion acquisition of the cable giant Tele-Communications Inc. by AT&T. The deal, announced in June, still cannot be closed without the consent of the Federal Communications Commission, where officials said today that the agency's staff was still more than a month away from finishing its review under different standards and laws than those considered by the Justice Department. After the staff review and recommendations, the five commissioners would have to decide whether the deal was in the public interest or, as critics have argued, that it would give AT&T the power to sharply limit access to the Internet by other telephone companies and access providers. Nonetheless, today's decision by antitrust regulators removed a significant potential obstacle and moved the two companies closer to becoming a vast new telecommunications conglomerate. That conglomerate would offer a big new artery of higher-speed access to the Internet that the companies' executives say would more easily enable computer users to transfer data, hold clearer conversations and eventually receive TV-quality video. In a separate regulatory action, the Federal Trade Commission approved the $52.4 billion acquisition of Amoco by British Petroleum P.L.C. The agreement announced today with the Justice Department was not without conditions. Because both AT&T and TCI hold substantial interests in wireless telephone services, officials approved the deal only on the condition that TCI divest itself of its interests in that business. The company will have five years to sell its 23.5 percent interest in Sprint PCS, one of the nation's leading providers of digital wireless telephone service. Antitrust officials had raised concerns that the proposed merger could affect the price of wireless service because AT&T, with about nine million customers, is the nation's largest provider. "In the past few years, increased competition in mobile wireless services has produced lower prices, higher quality and millions of new subscribers," said Joel I. Klein, the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Justice Department's antitrust division. "The settlement reached today will insure that the merger will not blunt the move toward a more competitive market in wireless services and that customers continue to reap the benefits of that competition." Under the agreement with the Justice Department, if the deal closes before TCI sheds its interest in Sprint, then the Sprint stock must be placed in a trust until it is sold. Executives at AT&T and TCI have said that the merger will enable consumers to get one-stop shopping for their local and long-distance telephone service, cable TV and access to the Internet and data services. TCI and its affiliated systems reach more than 14 million customers representing about one-third of the nation's homes. Since the breakup of the Bell telephone network in 1984, AT&T has not had direct access to most homes. But the proposed deal with TCI, made possible by the sweeping deregulation of the telecommunications industry two years ago, would change that. James Cicconi, AT&T's general counsel, said the decision was good news for consumers. "We are now one step closer to finalizing a transaction that will ultimately give residential customers broader choices for local telephone service and other advanced services and products," Mr. Cicconi said. "We think it is especially significant that the only subject of today's consent decree is the ownership interest TCI currently holds in the cellular business of Sprint." But other telephone companies have maintained that the deal is fundamentally anticompetitive. They have expressed fears that it will prevent them from using TCI's lines to offer access to the Internet. That issue is now one of the central ones before the F.C.C. The AT&T-TCI deal is one of three large proposed mergers in the telecommunications industry that are awaiting approval from regulators in Washington and a variety of states. Officials are also considering SBC Communications' $56 billion purchase of Ameritech and Bell Atlantic's $52 billion purchase of GTE. Happy New Year! Ed Perry

To: Alan Cassaro who wrote (4253)	1/3/1999 8:29:00 PM
From: Gus	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 17679

This one's for you, Al. shoutcast.com This lets anyone become an internet DJ or talk show host. Scary thought. 500 personalized internet channels and still nothing on. Now you can 'score' the year ahead for Ampex.<g> Everybody here has WinAMP, right? It won't be long before it would be possible for people to 'jam' over the internet. Hmmm, let's see, what do you really need. 1 electric guitar. 1 bass guitar. Drums. And a rock and roll voice or two. That's 4 or 5 streaming audio tracks looking for a web host who knows a thing or two about combining the infinitely rich texture of analog with the cold precision of digital. This is just one of many great ways for Ampex to showcase its heritage in audio(and video) that continues to intrigue people like BAM, you and I guess everybody who owns AXC. And I agree that audio apps may be good place to start. Ray Dolby understands this all too well. I myself can't surf the web now without tuning in to bluestown.com.