Reporting first half pre-tax profit off 9% at the equivalent of $106m on turnover flat at $267m, Italcable SpA said that it was negotiating a partnership with an unidentified US long-distance company to form a partnership to establish the fourth largest US long-distance carrier after AT&T Co, MCI Communications Corp and US Sprint Co. The present fourth largest carrier is Advanced Telecommunications Corp, but it is doing only about $360m a year. One possibility as a partner for the 52.3% Italian state owned international telephone operator is Williams Cos’ WilTel, a long shot is Rochester Telephone Corp, presently only a local service operator, but with ambitions.
