MCI WorldCom, Inc. History



Address:
515 East Amite Street
Jackson, Mississippi 39201-2702
U.S.A.

Telephone: (601) 360-8600
Toll Free: 800-844-8350
Fax: (601) 974-8350

Public Company
Incorporated: 1998
Employees: 75,000
Sales: $30 billion (1998 est.)
Stock Exchanges: NASDAQ
Ticker Symbol: WCOM
SICs: 4813 Telephone Communications, Except Radio; 4822 Telegraph & Other Message Communications; 4899 Communication Services, Not Elsewhere Classified; 7379 Computer Related Services, Not Elsewhere Classified

Company Perspectives:

MCI WorldCom is a new kind of communications company. With revenue of more than $30 billion, MCI WorldCom combines financial strength and a depth of resources to pursue the industry's best growth opportunities with an advanced global network built for the data-intensive era of communications.

Company History:

Further Reading:

  • Barrett, Amy, and Elstrom, Peter, "Making WorldCom Live Up to Its Name," Business Week, July 14, 1997, pp. 65--66.
  • "Bernie Ebbers Saved the Company," Mississippi Business Journal, November 1989, p. 316.
  • Cantelon, Philip L., The History of MCI: 1968--1988, the Early Years, Dallas: Heritage Press, 1993.
  • Coll, Steve, The Deal of the Century: The Breakup of AT&T, New York: Atheneum, 1986.
  • Donlon, J.P., "Convergence Calling," Chief Executive, May 1996, pp. 32--36.
  • Elstrom, Peter, "The Axman Cometh?: WorldCom's Pattern: Shopping, Then Chopping," Business Week, October 20, 1997, pp. 36--37.
  • Elstrom, Peter, and others, "The New World Order," Business Week, October 13, 1997, pp. 26--30, 32--33.
  • Epstein, Joseph, "Private-Label Long Distance," Financial World, April 22, 1996, pp. 52--54, 56.
  • Faulhaber, Gerald R., Telecommunications in Turmoil: Technology and Public Policy, Cambridge: Ballinger Publishing, 1987.
  • Frank, Robert, and Holden, Benjamin A., "LDDS Agrees To Acquire IDB in Stock Swap," Wall Street Journal, August 2, 1994, p. A3.
  • Gianturco, Michael, "Telephone Numbers," Forbes, June 22, 1992, p. 108.
  • Jones, Kevin D., "LDDS: From Zero to $150 Million in Six Years, But Analysts Say It's a Takeover Target," Mississippi Business Journal, November 1989, pp. 26--30.
  • Kahaner, Larry, On the Line: The Men of MCI--Who Took On AT&T, Risked Everything and Won, New York: Warner Books, 1986.
  • Keller, John J., and Lipin, Steven, "The Battle for MCI Takes Another Twist: Now, It's GTE's Turn," Wall Street Journal, October 16, 1997, pp. A1, A10.
  • ------, "WorldCom, MCI Deal Could Rewrite Script for a New Phone Era," Wall Street Journal, November 11, 1997, pp. A1, A6.
  • Keller, John J., and Naik, Gautum, "Merger Poses a Bold Challenge to Bells: WorldCom, MFS Confirm $12.4 Billion Accord," Wall Street Journal, August 27, 1996, p. A3.
  • Kupfer, Andrew, "MCI WorldCom: It's the Biggest Merger Ever. Can It Rule Telecom?," Fortune, April 27, 1998, pp. 118+.
  • Lewyn, Mark, "MCI: Attacking on All Fronts," Business Week, June 13, 1994, pp. 76--79.
  • ------, "MCI Is Coming Through Loud and Clear," Business Week, January 25, 1993, pp. 84--85.
  • Lipin, Steven, and Keller, John J., "WorldCom's MCI Bid Alters Playing Field for Telecom Industry," Wall Street Journal, October 2, 1997, pp. A1, A8.
  • Mehta, Stephanie N., "WorldCom Quietly Completes MCI Communications Purchase," Wall Street Journal, September 15, 1998, p. B6.
  • Naik, Gautam, and Keller, John J., "BT Cuts Purchase Price for MCI by $5 Billion," Wall Street Journal, August 25, 1997, p. A4.
  • Schiesel, Seth, "The Re-engineering of Bernie Ebbers," New York Times, April 27, 1998, pp. D1, D5.
  • Selz, Michael, "LDDS Communications Wins Big by Thinking Small," Wall Street Journal, July 26, 1991.
  • Simon, Samuel A., After Divestiture: What the AT&T Settlement Means for Business and Residential Telephone Service, White Plains, New York: Knowledge Industry Publications, 1985.
  • Sprout, Alison L., "MCI: Can It Become the Communications Company of the Next Century?," Fortune, October 2, 1995, pp. 107+.
  • Spurge, Lorraine, Failure Is Not an Option: How MCI Invented Competition in Telecommunications, Encino, Calif.: Spurge Ink!, 1998.
  • Stone, Alan, Wrong Number: The Breakup of AT&T, New York: Basic Books, 1989.
  • Thomas, Emory, Jr., "LDDS Prospers Through Aggressive Acquisitions," Wall Street Journal, May 9, 1994, p. B4.
  • Thomas, Emory, Jr., and Caleb Solomon, "LDDS to Buy WilTel Unit from Williams," Wall Street Journal, August 23, 1994, p. A3.
  • Tunstall, Brooke W., Disconnecting Parties, Managing the Bell System Breakup: An Inside View, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1985.
  • Ward, Judy, "Critic's Choice: As It Steps Out from AT&T's Shadow, MCI Finds Itself More Scrutinized Than Ever," Financial World, July 18, 1995, pp. 32--34.

Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 27. St. James Press, 1999.

Read more company histories