SBC, however, could win long-distance approval in California.

The act carried a checklist of technical requirements the Bells must meet before winning long-distance approval.

So far, Bell Atlantic is the only Bell phone company to have won long-distance approval, for New York State.

U S West appears to be further away from winning long-distance approval than the other Bells.

Some of the Bells appear to be expecting those events to open the floodgates for them to win long-distance approval in broad stretches of the country.

SBC, based in San Antonio, has local operations in 13 states and has won long-distance approval in Texas.

The Bells which have applied for long-distance approval have contended that they have sufficiently opened their networks, and at reasonable prices.

After at least 18 months of patient work with regulators, getting long-distance approval in New York was a big deal for Bell Atlantic, no doubt.

Still, it does not appear that any other Bell company is close to winning long-distance approval.

Or the deal could simply be made conditional on the Bell's getting long-distance approval.