Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Voice-on-the-net (VON), VoIP, Internet (IP) Telephony -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Stephen B. Temple who wrote (2403)	2/2/1999 8:36:00 PM
From: Stephen B. Temple	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 3178

Yea right! AT&T, spank them again while howling at the moon !!! AT&T Wants Halt to BellSouth Program February 2, 1999 WASHINGTON - The Associated Press: AT&T Corp. has asked federal regulators to stop BellSouth Corp. from continuing to market a prepaid card that people can use anywhere in the country to make long-distance and other phone calls. AT&T contends the arrangement violates a provision of a 1996 law that bars BellSouth and the nation's four other regional Bell telephone companies from providing long-distance service to their local phone customers. BellSouth defended the legality of the card, which the company began marketing inside and outside the company's nine-state local phone region in December. ''It is completely legal,'' said Jim Harralson, general counsel for BellSouth Long Distance. BellSouth has been selling various forms of popular prepaid cards since 1992. Long-distance service for the card is being provided by an unaffiliated company, U.S. South Communications, although the card is being marketed by BellSouth, said BellSouth spokesman Bill McCloskey. McCloskey did not know how many of the disputed cards, which people also can use for local and other phone services, the company has sold since December. AT&T filed its complaint to the Federal Communications Commission on Jan. 29, but announced the action Monday. It was filed under a new process to quickly resolve disputes. Under that process, the FCC must resolve the complaint by March 30. The 1996 law says a Bell company must open its market to competitors and get FCC approval before it may provide long-distance service to local customers. No Bell has done so. Last year, the FCC declared that separate marketing alliances US West Communications Inc. and Ameritech Corp. _ both Bell companies _ had with long-distance company, Qwest Communications Corp., violated the 1996 law. Under the pacts, Qwest paid US West and Ameritech an undisclosed recruiting fee for each client in the Baby Bells' local phone regions that chose Qwest for long-distance service. AT&T said the FCC's decision against Ameritech and US West bolsters its complaint against BellSouth. But BellSouth disagreed. [Copyright 1999, Associated Press]

To: Stephen B. Temple who wrote (2403)	2/2/1999 8:41:00 PM
From: Stephen B. Temple	Respond to of 3178

More capacity than a storm drain> Network Access Solutions Offering 2.0 Mbps Symmetric DSL Capability February 2, 1999 STERLING, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE) Network Access Solutions (NAS), a CLEC and network solutions provider within the Bell Atlantic region, today announced that it is offering 2.0 Mbps symmetric DSL (SDSL) capability to its business customers. The NAS offering provides a higher speed symmetric technology that supplies greater bandwidth in the local loop, doubling the reach of other DSL capabilities. The SDSL offering, provided to NAS by Ascend Communications, Inc., will increase functionality of high-bandwidth applications including real-time conferencing, high-speed multimedia technologies, and remote office applications. In addition, NAS' solution allows for multi-rate services enabling the company to offer multiple DSL services at variable rates. As a result, NAS will offer cost-efficient pricing based on a specific customer's data transfer needs. "NAS' SDSL offering provides our business customers with the flexibility to exceed T1-line speeds for their business networks," said Jon Aust, chief executive officer for NAS. "This is another example of NAS' commitment to meeting the evolving requirements of our business customers by providing them with tailored next-generation services." Network Access Solutions Network Access Solutions, founded in 1994, is a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) providing broadband data solutions from Maine through Virginia. As a facilities-based network provider, NAS brings Fortune 1000 companies high-speed connectivity through a hybrid DSL/Frame/Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network that spans the Bell Atlantic region. With an extensive background in providing single-source solutions for MAN and WAN challenges, NAS provides professional services to over 300 enterprise and NSP customers including MAN/WAN configuration and management, network operations center (NOC) management and managed security solutions. For more information on NAS, visit nas-corp.com. Ascend Communications Ascend Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASND) develops, manufactures, sells and services wide area networking solutions for telecommunications carriers, Internet service providers and corporate customers worldwide. For more information about Ascend and its products, please visit the Ascend web site at www.ascend.com, or send e-mail to info@ascend.com. <<Business Wire, 02-01-99, 09:59 Eastern>> CONTACT: Network Access Solutions \| Jason Baum, 703/995-2050 \| or \| Stackig Public Relations \| Matt Sullivan, 703/761-2526 [Copyright 1999, Business Wire]

To: Stephen B. Temple who wrote (2403)	2/4/1999 10:20:00 AM
From: Stephen B. Temple	Respond to of 3178

PacBell Gets Hung Up With ADSL February 4, 1999 The fast track to residential broadband is marked with bumps, as Lee Kanegson learned when she ordered Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line service from Pacific Bell, following the announcement last month of sharp price cuts and an accelerated rollout in California. Kanegson, 60, said her order immediately got lost; the confirmation statement misstated monthly charges as $59 instead of $49 and did not mention hardware charges or an installation fee waiver. "PacBell is extremely confused, " Kanegson said. "You can never be sure if you're dealing with a trainee or someone who knows what they're doing." Others among a flood of callers have similar complaints, focusing on ill-informed customer service representatives, overcharges and coordination glitches between PacBell and installation contractors. "The main problem I am having is with the people at the PacBell office -- marketing, sales, etc., " said Ken McGinnis, a customer. "All the installation people have been very professional." The stories sound familiar to anyone who recalls the Bells' early experience with Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and, more recently, Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) and the cable companies' initial struggles with modem service. PacBell (www.pacbell.com) has a particular reputation to live down. Its handling of ISDN was so clumsy that state regulators have fined and repeatedly chastised the company. It's hard to tell how severe PacBell's ADSL problems have been. The SBC Communications unit wouldn't disclose complaint or satisfaction data. Communications Vice President Doug Michelman said the company is living up to its promise to distinguish itself favorably based on service. He said inquiries tripled or quadrupled with the Jan. 12 announcement, and they have held up since. During the first two weeks, installations were scheduled as long as two weeks out. As of Jan. 27, that dropped to seven or eight business days. Technicians and customer service representatives have been forced to work overtime. The company is adding 100 reps and hundreds of technicians this year to handle ADSL, but it wouldn't give additional figures. [Copyright 1999, Ziff Wire]