Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.telcom From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: telcom Mon, Mar 30 1992 Date: Mon, 30 Mar 92 05:43:33 EST Message-ID: 03-30 0000 DECISIONLINE: Telecommunications USA TODAY Update March 30, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network AT&T CONTRACT TALKS BEGIN: AT&T and the Communications Workers of American begin negotiations Monday, with the main issue being jobs. AT&T is cutting at least 6,000 jobs as it replaces operators with voice-recognizing computers. CWA represents 100,000 AT&T workers. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which also opens talks Monday, represents 27,000. Their contracts expire May 30. CWA WANTS AT&T TO STOP CUTS: Communications Workers of American President Morton Bahr wants AT&T to stop "excessive" sub-contracting, plant-closings and replacing U.S. workers with low-wage foreigners. CWA says eliminating 133,000 AT&T workers in the past seven years has stretched the long-distance system "to the breaking point." AT&T says it must trim costs to compete with its rivals. MEXICO FIRM MAKES PROFIT: Boston Capital Growth Management's investment in Telefonos de Mexico turned a $135 million profit, USA TODAY's Dan Dorfman reports. The firm bought 4.5 million shares last year of the Mexican telephone company at an average $25 to $30 a share. The stock recently hit a record $60 1:8, more than double the $27 1:4 what it traded at last May. At Friday's close, it was at $57 1:2. (For more, see special Mexico package below.) SKYPIX, MCI SIGN DEAL: SkyPix, the new digital satellite broadcasting service, and MCI Communications Corporation announced Friday they have signed a five year, $5.1 million agreement for MCI 800 service that will link SkyPix users to its customers service center. MCI will also provide communications among SkyPix offices and the SkyPix Satellite Broadcast Center in Oxford, Conn. N.J. BELL CLIENTS TO GET REFUND: Refunds will be sent to up to 317,000 customers that were overbilled for three months by New Jersey Bell, the company says. The customers were overcharged for directory assistance calls because of a computer glitch. INFORMATION CENTER TO TOUR: The Kenwood "Tour de Force" will make 75 appearances throughout the country during the year. The mobile information center is a 48-foot display focusing on innovations in consumer electronics and communications. The $750,000 exhibit allows consumers to go through a video theater interactive video display as they learn about some of today's newest products. RADIO PROGRAM TO RETURN: Hawaii Calls, a radio program that had aired Hawaiian music to mainland listeners for 39 years, will broadcast again as of Sept. 5. The program will be piped live to the mainland by digital satellite links. Hawaii Calls went off the air when the previous owner had a stroke in 1974. Broadcaster William Bigelow has acquired the rights. CALLER ID APPROVED: Utility regulators in Ohio have ruled that Ohio Bell can offer Caller ID service. But regulators also said the firm must offer a blocking system for callers who don't want numbers revealed. A Bell spokesman argued that the blocking will defeat the benefit of the service. POLISH SERVICE NAMES SUPPLIERS: Polska Telefonia Komorkowa, a joint venture of Telecommunications Poland S.A., Ameritech and France Telecom, has chosen Alcatel Telespace, EDS Personal Communications Corporation and Nokia to supply components for the first nationwide cellular system in Poland. Initial service is scheduled to start in Warsaw this June. The system will eventually cover seven cities. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON MEXICO: STOCK STILL WORTH PRICE: Even though Boston Capital Growth Management's investment in Telefonos de Mexico has already turned a $135 million profit, CGM money manager Ken Heebner says the stock is still worth buying. USA TODAY columnist Dan Dorfman says Heenber has said stock should run to $110 within 12 months. It was at $57 1:2 at Friday's close. MORE GROWTH EXPECTED: Heebner sees earnings growing 20% to 25% a year over the next three to four years. His estimates: $4.50 a share in '92, $5.50 in '93. Telmex earned $3.96 a share last year, including nonrecurring gains."I'm still a buyer," says Heebner, whose firm's accounts turned in a hefty 58% gain last year. "Earnings drove Telmex the last 12 months and they'll drive it again." MEXICO ECONOMY TO GO UP: A big earnings catalyst, as Heebner sees it, is rapid growth in the number of phone lines in Mexico. He sees 10% annual growth over the next few years - more than twice his U.S. outlook. Some pros figure Mexico's economy will grow 5% a year over the next few years. Likewise U.S. manufacturers are moving operations south of the border for cheap labor. (End of package.) Telecommunications Editor: Ed Kelleher. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM