JACKSON, Miss. (February 12, 1996) --
WorldCom, Inc. (Nasdaq:WCOM) today announced that it has signed a
five-year contract to provide long distance telecommunication
services to Ameritech Communications, Inc., the regional Bell holding
company serving over thirteen million customers in five midwestern
states. Ameritech selected LDDS WorldCom to be its primary provider
of switched long distance transport, which will be integrated fully
into any long distance offerings Ameritech provides its customers. In
addition, the arrangement specifies that Ameritech will commit to
LDDS WorldCom a specific portion of Ameritech's switch-based,
private-line, and international services during the contract
period.
Bernard J. Ebbers, WorldCom, Inc.'s president and chief
executive officer, stated, "Ameritech is a significant market
player within its region, and we are excited to have this opportunity
to be part of its success. As one of the leading wholesale providers
in the telecommunications industry, LDDS WorldCom is uniquely
positioned as a provider of long-distance services for large
customers like Ameritech. Our partnership with Ameritech is a natural
fit in our strategy of serving as the carrier of choice for large
wholesale users across the country. We are hopeful that, as a result
of this working alliance, Ameritech may in the future become one of
our largest customers."
Ameritech, one of the world's largest communications
companies, helps more than 13 million customers keep in touch. The
company provides a wide array of local phone, data and video services
in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Ameritech is
creating dozens of new information, entertainment and interactive
services for homes, businesses and governments around the world.
One of the largest long distance telecommunications companies in
the United States, WorldCom, Inc. offers domestic and international
voice, data and video products and services to business customers,
other carriers and the residential market. It operates a nationwide
digital fiber optic network and has worldwide network capacity. The
common shares of WorldCom, Inc. trade on The Nasdaq Stock Market
under the symbol WCOM.
