Underlining just how few attractive international telecommunications games there are in town, Essen-based power utility RWE AG, which walked away from the opportunity to be part of an alliance with AT&T Corp, looks likely to make British Telecommunications Plc’s foray into Germany a whole lot more substantial. RWE is not denying press reports that it is about to get into bed with rival Viag AG, the local allied with British Telecom, saying only that there is no basis for a firm announcement. News weekly Focus said on Saturday that RWE plans to link its telecommunications activities with Viag and British Telecom in mid-February. British Telecom has declined to comment on the report. RWE has been the driving force behind the Deutsche Netz AG project, which aims to link communications networks owned by utilities to create a second national telephone network. Last week, it announced plans to combine its network with those of VEW Energie AG and Veag Vereinigte Energiewerke AG and it now reportedly plans to link up with EVS Schwaben and Badenwerk. The Viag InterKom GmbH joint venture of British Telecom and Viag has been seeking further partners for some months.
