Telecom accord opens up lines for U.S. firms

Article Abstract:

Sixty-nine countries have approved a World Trade Organization accord to open global telecommunications markets to U.S. and other foreign carriers. The agreement will allow telecom companies to enter the rapidly growing markets in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Many countries in these regions have state-owned or protected monopoly carriers, and the accord may face some resistance. While the WTO promises enforcement of the new regulations, many less-developed nations lack the resources to train and maintain a regulatory council. The accord's supporters claim the pact will result in significantly reduced costs in international calls. Sprint, which has a partnership with the French and German national telecoms, and MCI, which is set to merge with British Telecommunications (BT), could benefit enormously from the new regulations. AT&T's international partnerships are not as strong.

Forecasts and trends, Market trend/market analysis, Telecommunication policy, Telecommunications policy, International communication, International communications

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Cities cut drug dealers' connection to pay telephones

Article Abstract:

A number of US cities are trying to curb drug crimes by limiting access to pay telephones. Englewood, NJ, has removed 50 pay phones and plans to take out another 50. Parents in Santa Ana, CA, insisted that a phone near a school be removed. Cities such as Denver, Los Angeles and Seattle have limited incoming-call service at phones in drug-infested neighborhoods. Some areas have replaced touch-tone phones, necessary for some paging devices, with rotary dial phones. And in Chicago 375 phones have been programmed so that it is impossible to make coin calls at night. Drug dealers often use pay phones to reach contacts so that no record of their calls is available. While a number of cities are embracing phone restriction efforts, there are some who criticize the practice. Some believe limiting phones in low-income areas hurts the people police and others are trying to protect.

Usage, Law enforcement, Drug abuse, Pay telephones, Pay telephone, Drug abuse and crime, Legal Issues, Telephone Company, Telephones

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Landmark telecom bill becomes law; measure provokes threats by firms of invading each other's business

Article Abstract:

US Pres Bill Clinton signs the telecommunications bill given to him by Congress amid various degrees of protest from special interest groups and those ostensibly concerned with restrictions to the First Amendment. Twenty separate groups, including the ACLU, have filed motions to block the provision that makes the transmission of 'indecent' material via the Internet illegal. Ameritech was immediately the subject of a formal complaint filed by three long-distance carriers that claims the midwestern RBOC has been working to inhibit an open market. The largest three telecommunications companies and the RBOCs have contributed more than $1.4 million to congressional funds since Aug 1995 in an attempt to influence legislators about particular provisions of the bill.

Wired Telecommunications Carriers, Telephone Communication, Telephone Communications, Telephone company, Clinton, Bill, Telephone services

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