Selling information services is hard test for 'Baby Bells.' (regional Bell telephone companies)

Article Abstract:

On Jul 25, 1991, Judge Harold Greene ruled that regional Bell telephone companies will be allowed to enter the information services business. The phone companies had been prohibited from owning information services under restrictions that were imposed when AT&T was originally broken up. Opponents, including newspaper publishers, are expected to appeal Judge Greene's decision, but if the ruling is upheld, Bell companies will be freed to provide many new services. Whether the Bell companies will be successful at identifying services that people want and selling such services is open to question. According to Jerry Silverstein, publisher of The Information Industry Bulletin, there is no evidence that the telephone companies, with their 'utility mentality,' will be good at selling information services. Other industry observers fear that the phone companies might invest heavily in information services and do poorly, making little money there.

Laws, regulations and rules, Marketing, Information services, Deregulation, Videotex systems, Outlook, Government Regulation, Videotex

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Market test of new video technology

Article Abstract:

AT&T and Viacom International, a cable television operator, announce the market test of a new technology developed by AT&T's Bell Laboratories that will allow viewers to order movies, games and shopping services over cable tv. The asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technology uses advanced switches for information routing and large computers for storing and retrieving video materials. The AT&T-Viacom alliance follows a trend in the telecommunications industry to join the race for dominance in the forthcoming interactive tv market. Actual testing of the ATM technology will begin in 1994 in Castro Valley, CA. The market test will determine what customers are willing to pay for. Time Warner and US West have earlier announced their intention to jointly develop technology and services similar to those proposed by the AT&T-Viacom alliance.

Electronic computers, Cable and other pay TV services, Radio broadcasting stations, Cable television, Product development, Product introduction, American Telephone and Telegraph Co., Asynchronous transfer mode, Interactive Video, Cooperative Agreements, New Technique, Market Survey, ATM, Viacom International Inc.

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Telephone technology questioned after failures

Article Abstract:

Two telephone companies - Pacific Bell and the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of Washington DC - experienced problems with their telephone systems on Jun 26, 1991. The problems, which were associated with software glitches in the call-routing equipment, resulted a service disruption that is causing industry observers to question the reliability of new technology being used by the regional Bell holding companies (RBHCs). The exact cause of the disruptions has not yet been determined. Investigators are worried about the overall reliability of telephone networks.

AT&T Inc., Reliability (Trustworthiness), Telephone systems, Bugs (Software), Reliability, Telephone System, Failure, Program Errors, Verizon Washington, D.C. Inc.

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Senate supports expanded role for 'Baby Bells.' (regional Bell companies to be allowed to manufacture equipment)
• Abstracts: Debating the curbs on 'Baby Bells.' (government regulation the the Bell Regional Holding Companies) part 2 Phone policy starts to blur; long-distance giants testing smaller waters
• Abstracts: Policy blueprint ready for data superhighway. Newspaper-telephone turf war intensifies
• Abstracts: 'Baby Bells' opposed in bid to offer information services: a key lawmaker backs newspapers in a fight with their new rivals
• Abstracts: New industry group to seek faster computer circuits. U.S. grants $13 million more for I.B.M.'s supercomputer

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