The Australian government’s plan to mimic the UK with its own equivalent of Mercury Communications Ltd has reached the point where bids are to be analysed: the only two known contenders are Cable & Wireless Plc with BellSouth Corp, and Hutchison Whampoa Ltd with the two Baby Bells already teamed in New Zealand, Ameritech Corp and Bell Atlantic Corp; the winner will have to buy lossmaking satellite operator Aussat Pty Ltd and build its business around the company; Australia does not however plan to privatise the current monopoly operator Australian Telecommunications Corp, which will simply acquire OTC Ltd, formerly the Australian Overseas Telecommunications Commission.
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