AT&T Co and GTE Corp’s AG Communications Systems joint venture company, formed around the telephone exchange business of GTE Corp, has been franchised by AT&T to sell five of its network system products, as well as its 5ESS main telephone exchange. AG is also set to become a distributor or value added reseller for a series of AT&T products, reports Electronic News. The joint venture company will market a range of AT&T products, including the Datakit II virtual circuit switch and Transvu system. AT&T will increase its stake in the AG joint venture, originally wholly-owned by GTE, to 80% in 1993, from the present 49%; it takes full control in 2003. AT&T is thought to be particularly keen to replace the GTE’s GTD-5 telephone exchanges, mostly used by GTE operating companies with 5ESS.
