As part of the agreement, the long- distance company, which is now confined to providing domestic service, will be allowed to provide international service.

As the 1990s came to a close, many regional long distance companies were being bought up, or going out of business as their profitability had diminished.

The money is supposed to be remitted by the long distance company to the local phone company.

The company had to transform itself from being just a "long distance company" if it were to have a future.

In the past, only long distance companies made contributions to support the federal Universal Service Fund.

Landline telephone service continues to be divided between incumbent local exchange carriers and several competing long distance companies.

(And like many others, I use a separate long distance company.)

Charleston became the first city in the United States to have a choice of long distance companies.

Charleston was the nation's first test market for the service, allowing 34,000 customers to choose from one of eight long distance companies serving the area.

You don't buy 65 companies and build the second-largest long distance company by being a moron.