WorldCom Calls for Global Market Access For Telecommunications Services
JACKSON, Mississippi (January 29, 1997) --
The following remarks regarding the World Trade Organization (WTO)
negotiations on liberalization of telecommunications services may be
attributed to Bernard J. Ebbers, President and CEO of WorldCom,
Inc.
"WorldCom supports the successful conclusion of a WTO
agreement on telecommunications liberalization in February 1997,
because such an agreement will establish a global regulatory
framework based on principles of fair competition and will encourage
further liberalization of the communications industry around the
world. WorldCom also believes that a successful WTO agreement
naturally requires a 'critical mass' of countries willing to
make a significant commitment towards opening their markets to
competition. WorldCom encourages U.S. negotiators in their efforts to
achieve this 'critical mass.' However, a successful WTO
agreement must ensure that U.S. international carriers are treated
fairly and equally regarding the rate structures for exchanging
international traffic.
"WorldCom believes that the Federal Communications
Commission's recent accounting rate benchmark proposals are a
major step towards alleviating unfair rate structures. WorldCom
intends to work with the FCC and the U.S. government to promote the
successful conclusion of a WTO agreement and to refine the benchmark
proposals.
"WorldCom is committed to creating a global
telecommunications market that removes barriers to market entry based
on the country of origin of the service provider or exclusive rights
granted to incumbent carriers. WorldCom believes in a global
environment in which carriers will succeed or fail based on their
efficiency and responsiveness to customers, and not on historical
positions of privilege. WorldCom looks forward to competing in an
environment in which entrepreneurs may freely offer the next
generation of telecommunications services to their customers without
facing antiquated regulatory barriers.
"We have participated in the tremendous growth of telecom
services in the United States, Europe and, more recently, Asia, and
look forward to contributing to the same growth in telecom services
in other foreign countries. It is our experience that as competition
increases, prices fall dramatically and the use of telecommunications
services increases rapidly.
"We are encouraged by the telecommunications liberalization
that has taken place within individual markets around the globe. We
believe that the successful conclusion of a WTO agreement will
substantially accelerate the pace and expand the scope of this
liberalization.
"WorldCom's strategy is global. Our mission is to be the
premier provider of business communications services around the
world. That is why we will aggressively continue to build out our
local, inter-city and international networks in the U.S., Europe and
Asia, and that is why we are building a transatlantic cable between
the U.S. and Europe. We believe that we are extremely well positioned
to take advantage of new business opportunities -- particularly
broadband Internet oriented opportunities -- and to serve customer
needs in a liberalized global market."
WorldCom is a leading provider of integrated long distance and
local telecommunications services, offering domestic and
international voice, data, Internet and video products and services
to business customers, other carriers and the residential market. The
company operates a nationwide digital fiber optic network in the
United States and has worldwide network capacity. Its World Wide Web
address is: http://www.wcom.com. The common and depositary shares of
WorldCom trade on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbols WCOM
and WCOMP, respectively.
