Phone-card services are multiplying as rivalry intensifies among carriers

Article Abstract:

Competition is intensifying as rival telephone companies Sprint Corp, MCI Communications Corp and AT&T fight over the calling card market. New phone card services have been announced by all three as Sprint and MCI try to seize market share from the dominant AT&T. All the companies will now deliver a message later in the day to a party who could not be reached, and all offer conference calling for a fee. Other fee-based services offered by some include updates on weather, sports and soap operas. Sprint is testing a speed-dial service as well as a voice-activated service that eliminates dialing altogether for certain frequently-dialed numbers. Sprint has also announced a simplification of the authorization code that incorporates the caller's home phone number, an action that brings it in line with both AT&T and MCI. Revenue generated by calling cards in 1991 amounted to $12.4 billion, and is expected to grow by 10 percent in 1992.

Telegraph & other communications, Product information, Services, T, Sprint Corp., Growth (Physiology), American Telephone and Telegraph Co., MCI Communications Corp., MCIC, Growth, Marketing Strategy, Telecommunications Service

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Static on the line; many telephone users are being 'slammed' in industry rivalry; their long-distance service allegedly is switched without authorization; AT&T assails MCI's tactics

Article Abstract:

AT&T says MCI Communications Corp is the biggest perpetrator of the practice of switching telephone customers from one long-distance service to another without permission. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) concurs that this telemarketing violation, known as 'slamming,' is increasing as the companies fight for greater market shares. US Sprint Communications Co and MCI seem to be the worst culprits, but the FCC contends that AT&T is involved also. Slamming complaints to the FCC for FY 1990 to date are 22 against AT&T, 387 about MCI and 194 related to Sprint. Costs run into the millions in poor customer relations, inappropriate billings, complaint handling and correction of improper service switching. These costs fall mainly on customers, AT&T and local telephone companies. MCI asserts that such slamming is not company policy and that it is reorganizing its marketing groups to prevent slamming.

Ethical aspects, Fraud, Customer service, Long-distance telephone service, Legal Issues

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World-wide warriors: a guide to global competitors

Article Abstract:

Fourteen important firms competing in the international telecommunications market are profiled: AT&T, MCI Communications Corp, US Sprint Communications Co, British Telecommunications PLC, Cable and Wireless PLC, Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp (NTT), France Telecom Inc, Intelsat, Alcatel NV, Motorola Inc, Northern Telecom Ltd, Siemens AG, NEC Corp and Fujitsu Ltd. In the US, AT&T faces stiff competition from MCI and US Sprint, which is expanding to international traffic, multinational private networks and the carrier-select market. British Telecommunications is also expanding overseas with data networks, and its competitor, Cable & Wireless, is also building an international digital network. In Japan, NTT is limited to providing local service, but shares its research with NEC and Fujitsu, which are powerhouses in fiber-optic equipment.

Telephone and telegraph apparatus, Radio & TV communications equipment, Competitions, International markets, International communication, Networks, Strategic Planning, Company Profile, International Communications, World Market

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