The Fairfax, Virginia-based Bell Atlantic Enterprises International unit of Bell Atlantic Corp has now got the low-earth orbit satellite telephone bug and has agreed with Constellation Communications Inc and Telecommunicacoes Brasileiras SA to discuss the creation of a joint venture to own and operate a low-earth orbit system, expected to cost less than $500m, scheduled to be operational by the end of 1997; the system stems from the independent low-earth orbit plans of Constellation Communications for a global system, and Telebras for anequatorial satellite phone system.
