Building out its metropolitan networks across Europe, US fourth largest telecoms carrier, WorldCom Inc has now signed an interconnection agreement with France Telecom. The agreement will allow WorldCom and France Telecom to exchange traffic through direct routing, and says the company the interconnection agreement, including all technical and commercial aspects, is operational immediately. WorldCom has already completed and validated network interconnection testing with France Telecom. In Europe, WorldCom has signed interconnect agreements with British Telecom in 1994, Sweden’s Telia in 1995 and Deutsche Telekom in May this year, as well as additional deals with mobile and fixed line operators in the UK and Sweden. According to the company, these together with the agreement with France Telecom, gives the company local connection to over 60% of the European telecoms market for switched voice services. The interconnection agreement with France Telecom follows the French Telecommunications Regulatory Authority granting of L-33-1 licenses in December 1996. The L-33-1 license permits WorldCom to build and operate national and international infrastructure, in addition to interconnecting their network facilities with those of France Telecom. Worldcom is still negotiating with Koninklijke PTT Nederland NV and Belgacom NV for similar deal which it hopes will be settled before the end of the year when Europe’s telecoms market deregulates. Meanwhile, chairman of the board and director of WorldCom James Crowe, has resigned from Worldcom to join Kiewit Diversified Group as president and CEO. In addition, Walter Scott, Jr, chairman of the board and president of Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc., is stepping down from the WorldCom board for what the company called personal reasons. Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc. is the parent organization for Kiewit Diversified Group which originally ran MFS before it the company went public. Crowe was one of the founders of MFS Communications which was acquired by WorldCom last year.
