Irve Nazario, director of international operations for Nynex International, a division of New York and New England-based telecommunications firm Nynex Corp, was in London this week to discuss Nynex’s plans to become a significant player in the European market. Spurred on by its successful acquisition of BIS Ltd and association with British Telecom and France Telecom, Nynex has extended what Nazario calls its two-way learning approach with European organisations by forming new alliances in Gibraltar and Scandinavia. A joint venture company is, pending final agreement, to be established by Nynex and the Government of Gibraltar in a deal valued at an initial $10m (CI No 1,270). Together, the intention is to bring about a complete modernisation of Gibraltar’s internal telecommunications network, replacing existing lines with a digital, fibre optic network offering various Integrated Services Digital Network broadband facilities and a proposed cable television network. Nynex sees the venture, which should start sometime next year, as a potential showcase in a controllable environment to demonstrate some of the technology it intends to bring to Europe; moreover Nynex considers Gibraltar an up-and-coming financial centre, and as such the project will complement Nynex’ existing collaboration with the financial sector in the US. Turning to Scandinavia, New York Telephone, another Nynex division, has announced an agreement with Scandinavian Telecommunications Services to provide a packet-switched distribution network at the New York end of an international telecommunications link, and to provide its services to 22 of the 65 members of Norvans, a large Norwegian business consortium (CI No 1,270). The network will allow Scandinavian Telecom jointly owned by telecommunications administrations in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland – to offer an international private network to its European clients, while the Norvans deal gives Nynex a base on which to expand in that area. As with the Gibraltar agreement, the emphasis is on forming co-operative ventures in Europe. Unlike some American firms, which fear that 1992 will bring with it an impenetrable Fortress Europe, Nynex is quietly confident that the single market may remove some of the barriers that still stand in its way, and that increased standardisation will make Europe more accessi ble. Based on the profitability of its work with BIS Ltd and other ventures, Nynex is con vinced that its activity in Europe will prove worthwhile, and, whether by joint venture or acquisition, is intent on making a long-term commitment this side of the water. – Mark John
