Report No. IN 98-69               INTERNATIONAL ACTION             December 15, 1998

                                                                 
        INTERNATIONAL BUREAU GRANTS CABLE LANDING LICENSE
     FOR GUAM-PHILIPPINES FIBER OPTIC SUBMARINE CABLE SYSTEM

         The International Bureau today granted a license that authorizes construction and
operation of a new private fiber optic undersea cable system between Guam and the Philippines.

         In addition to providing added opportunities and service options for American industry
and consumers, this undersea cable system will help to increase competition and open markets in
the ever-important Asia-Pacific region.  FCC Chairman William E. Kennard has attached a high
priority to increasing service to developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.  
         The Guam-Philippines Fiber Optic Cable System (G-P Cable System) will operate at 5.0
Gbps and be upgradeable to 20 Gbps.  It will consist of three segments and will employ multiplex
and digital cross connect equipment.  The system will provide access to domestic networks in
Guam and the Philippines, and in the future it will be connected to the China-US Cable System
landing in Guam and the SE-ME-WE-3 Cable System in the Philippines.  Additionally, the G-P
Cable System will provide connection to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as
domestic networks in Hawaii and the U.S. mainland.

         The G-P Cable System will be owned and operated on a non-common carrier basis jointly
by AT&T Corp (AT&T); Access Telecom (Access); GTE Hawaiian Tel International, Inc. (HTI);
IDB WorldCom Services, Inc. (WorldCom); IT&E Overseas, Inc. (IT&E); MCI International,
Inc. (MCII); Pacific Gateway Exchange (Bermuda) Limited (PGE); PCI Communications, Inc.
(PCI); Sequel Consulting, Inc. (Sequel); Transoceanic Communications, Inc. (TOCI);
WorldxChange Communications (WorldxChange); WorldTouch Communications,
Inc.(WorldTouch); and the Guam-Philippines Cable Limited Partnership (G-P LP).

Action by the Chief, Telecommunications Division, International Bureau, December 14, 1998, by
Cable Landing License (DA 98-2550).

                             - FCC -

News Media Contact:  Adonis Hoffman at 418-0429
International Bureau Contact: Troy F. Tanner at 418-1460