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1. Vertex Wins £140M Contract to Provide Operator Services to Cable & Wireless Communications, Vertex, 27 March 2000
   
2. South Wales received a pre-Budget jobs boost with the announcement of 1,300 new call centre jobs. Mobile phone company First Line is expanding its operations in Cardiff and Swansea while British Telecom is opening a new centre at Nantgarw near Caerphilly. BBC, 21/03/00
   
3. 999 FIRM GETS THE SACK. Cable & Wireless has ended its contract with Excell Multimedia, which took emergency calls and directory inquiries for the phone giant from centres in Glasgow and Birmingham. Daily Record, 21/03/00
   
4. Vodafone set to beat BT for Airtel control. Yahoo, Monday March 20
   
5. KPN 'flirts' with Vivendi as merger talk continues. KPN, the Dutch telecommunications group, said on Monday it was in talks with Vivendi of France as consolidation in the European telecoms industry continues apace. Financial Times 21/03/00
   
6. KPN linked to Orange acquisition. Financial Times 21/03/00
   
7. SWEDEN: NTL TAKES 25 PCT STAKE IN SWEDISH BROADBAND FIRM. Financial Times 21/03/00
   
8. France Telecom deal awaited. Shares in France Telecom rose on reports that it was about to purchase of a 20 per cent stake in Germany's Mobilcom, the Neuer Market quoted group. Financial Times 20/03/00
   
9. Small firm proposes plan to use Iridium satellites. E-commerce and software company offers rescue proposal. (ZDNet UK) Monday March 20
   
10. UNION TO MAKE MOST FROM EXTENDED TALKS WITH BT. The announcement on the preferred bidder for outsourcing BT Facilities Management Services has been deferred, giving CWU "a real opportunity to address the issues that have caused so much concern for us all over recent weeks." CWU, 16/03/00
    
11. UNI-Telecom and Employers prepare joint Statement for the Lisbon Summit - response to the eEurope Initiative from the Commission. UNI-Telecom
    
12. Mobile auction: Latest News. The auction is currently taking place for the third generation of mobile phones in the UK - keep track as the bidding continues. BBC
    
13. An announcement of 800 jobs at a call centre in south Wales is thought to be imminent. British Telecom is expected to confirm the project in the next week. It has already been confirmed by the leader of Rhondda Cynon Taff Country Borough Council Pauline Jarman. BBC, 13 March, 2000
    
14. Poll shows Britons unique in wanting higher taxes. LONDON (Reuters) - Britons are unique in the world in backing higher taxes to fund spending on improved public services, according to a poll by Angus Reid for the Economist magazine. 17/03/00
    
15. Hutchison plans new high-speed data network. Hutchison Telecommunications said it plans to build a high-speed wireless data network for business users. Financial Times 17/03/00
    
16. Telefonica in 5.5 bln euro swoop for Endemol. March 17 (Reuters)
    
17. Wall Street worries grow over MCI/Sprint deal. Wall Street is beginning to worry that MCI WorldCom's acquisition of Sprint may be looking less secure. Despite a slight rebound on Wednesday, Sprint's stock is off 25 per cent since the deal was announced. Financial Times, 16/03/00
    
18. NTL to buy Swedish stake. NTL, the US cable company, will on Thursday announce it is buying a 25 per cent stake in Bredbandsbolaget (B2), the pioneering Swedish developer of broadband cable networks. Financial Times, 16/03/00
    
19. BT could 'veto' Vivendi move. British Telecommunications has what amounts to a right of veto over any move to pool the French fixed network interests of Vivendi with the fixed network interests of Mannesmann. Financial Times, 16/03/00
    
20. Czech sale pushes ahead. J.P. Morgan will advise on the privatisation of the Czech national telecom company. Financial Times, 16/03/00
    
21. Survey: FT Telecoms. Spectacular deals and acquisitions indicate that convergence is now becoming a reality. For the operators, transformation is urgent. Financial Times
    
22. Cegetel says BT has veto on Vivendi Web deal - FT (Reuters 16/03/00)
    
23. Telewest rolls out cable modem Net access (ZDNet UK 15/03/00)
    
24. Freeserve announces loss. The UK's biggest internet provider, Freeserve, made a loss of £3.5m in the last three months of 1999 - but the number of users is up. BBC
    
25. Big bonuses 'too easy' for bosses. Many company directors rake in large bonuses even when their companies are doing badly, a report suggests. BBC
    
26. UNION HITS OUT AT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN WORKERS. CWU delegates attending the TUC's Women's Conference joined the call for fair pay for female workers, and highlighted the plight of agency workers, the majority of whom are women. CWU, 13/03/00
    
27. GENERAL SECRETARY ATTACKS BYERS IN BACK DOOR PRIVATISATION WARNING A new global venture which includes the British Post Office, and a U-turn on the Postal Services Bill led CWU General Secretary Derek Hodgson to attack the Government for opening the way for back door privatisation of the Post Office. CWU, 13/03/00
    
28. BT soars on mobile net plans. Fianancial Times
    
29. NTL, Orange lead 3G bidding. After 11 rounds of the UK 3G mobile phone licence auction, NTL Mobile and Orange lead the bidding for the coveted A and B licences. Finbancial Times
    
30. BT's Manx Telecom to launch Europe's first UMTS mobile communications network BT (9/3/2000)
    
31. BT unveils aggressive mobile Net drive. British Telecommunications has roared back into favour with the stock market after announcing plans to take the mobile Internet to the masses. Reuters 09/03/00
    
32. Post Office in venture with TNT Post and Singapore Post (Reuters 09/03/00)
    
33. BT seeks leeway from Oftel to compete -paper (Reuters 09/03/00)
    
34. BT fights back in Internet price war (Reuters 08/03/00)
    
35. Telstra to cut 10,000 jobs. Telstra, the Australian telco, is to cut nearly a fifth of its workforce as part of a radical restructuring. Financial Times
    
36. Other top telecom news from the Financial Times.
    
37. UK awaits mobile marathon. Soon after 1.30pm next Monday, fax machines in the UK government's Radiocommunications Agency offices will whirr into life, signalling the start of the world's first auction of licences for the third generation of mobile telephone services. Financial Times, 04/03/00
    
38. Telewest/Flextech deal approved. Telewest, Britain's second largest cable operator, won government approval on Friday to aquire Flextech, the pay TV programmer, to create a $20bn digital media group. Financial Times, 04/03/00
    
39. US West in legal threat on Deutsche Telekom move. West on Friday threatened a massive damages claim if its merger with fellow US telecommunications group Qwest Communications was frustrated by an intervention from Deutsche Telekom. Financial Times, 04/03/00
    
40. Deutsche Telekom eyes QWest. German giant Deutsche Telekom reportedly hopes to take over telecoms shooting star QWest, breaking a series of failed deals. BBC, 04/03/00
    
41. British Telecom jumps amid spin off hopes. Reuters, Friday March 3
    
42. Chile: ICFTU global union ferederation condemns decision to free Pinochet. ICFTU, 03-Mar-2000
    
43. TUC says 4m jobless. Union chiefs claim that the UK's true unemployment figure is four times higher than the official claimant count of about one million. BBC, 03/03/00
    
44. Harassment of UNI Affiliate in Ghana continues: ICU General Secretary arrested. UNI, 02/03/00
    
45. Gambling billions on next generation mobiles. Bidding is about to begin for the UK's next generation of mobile phone networks which promise internet, audio and video services. BBC, 02/03/00
    
46. BT delays ADSL again, Freeserve says its a 'disgrace'. ZDNet UK
    
47. Psion opts for mobile web. Handheld computer maker Psion wants to raise £100m to move aggressively into the market for mobile internet access. BBC
    
48. CWU LAUNCHES SCHEME TO INCREASE ETHNIC MINORITY ACTIVISTS. CWU
    
49. Germany's VIAG Interkom: Praise, Promotion and then Dismissal! UNI, 25/02/00
    
50. Asian telecoms giant takes shape. An internet start-up company has won the battle for control of Cable & Wireless HKT, Hong Kong's leading telephone company. BBC, 29/02/00
    
51. CWU MEMBERS' FORUM CALLED AS UNION WARNS BT OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION BALLOT. A forum for all branches with Facilities Management Services members will take place on Wednesday, March 1, following recent announcements by BT regarding outsourcing of FMS. CWU negotiators warn: "BT must be aware that their disregard of national agreements is a reckless attitude that could draw all BT employees into any dispute." CWU, 25/02/00
    
52. C&W to mull HKT proposals. Cable & Wireless is likely to consider proposals from bidders for Hong Kong's dominant telecommunications carrier this weekend. Financial Times, 26/02/00
    
53. BT network fault fixed. Phone engineers say a fault which blocked millions of calls to the Samaritans, NHS helplines and other organisations, has now been repaired. BBC, Saturday, 26 February
    
54. Canada's BCE in C$2.3bn bid for CTV. BCE, Canada's largest telecommunications group, on Friday launched a C$2.3bn (US$1.57bn) cash bid for CTV, the country's biggest private broadcaster. Financial Times, 26/02/00
    
55. BT network suffers serious failure. The battered reputation of British Telecom took a further beating when a serious network failure blocked thousands of calls to banks, utilities and breakdown services. Reuters, Friday February 25
    
56. C&W board to consider PCCW, SingTel offers. Reuters
    
57. UNION WARNS BT OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION BALLOT OVER OUTSOURCING. Following recent announcements in the Facilities Management Services, cwu negotiators warn: "BT must be aware that their disregard of national agreements is a reckless attitude that could draw all BT employees into any dispute." CWU, 24/02/00
    
58. South Africa: Communication Workers Union Industrial Action. CWU (SA) press release, 23/02/00
    
59. What is BT really worth? After the drop in its share price analysts have been looking for hidden value in the telecoms group. Financial Times, 25/02/00
    
60. A Year Ago: BT could keep bandwidth costs artificially high. ZDNet UK, 25/02/00
    
61. Centrica drives into telecoms. Centrica, more commonly known as British Gas, yesterday announced ambitious plans to pitch its tent firmly in the new economy by capturing 1m telecoms customers by the end of next year. Guardian,25/02/00
    
62. Colt reveals extent of European ambitions. Colt Telecom, the stellar stock market performer, yesterday set out plans to become the pan-European operator for state-of-the-art business communications. Guardian, 25/02/00
    
63. EU sees Vodafone/Mannesmann announcement on Monday Reuters, Tuesday February 22
    
64. EU launches merger probe. The European Commission yesterday launched a far-reaching antitrust probe into the proposed merger of US telecoms giants MCI WorldCom and Sprint, delaying its final verdict by four months. ZDNet UK, Tuesday February 22
    
65. MCI mulls merger concessions. MCI WorldCom is expected to offer to sell the internet services of Sprint to gain regulatory clearance for its merger with its fellow US telecoms company. Financial Times, 22/02/00
    
66. BT looks for revamp boost. British Telecommunications is embarking on a major reorganisation designed to restore investor confidence. Financial Times, 22/02/00
    
67. France next for telecoms frenzy. European investors are looking to France for the next big telecommunications merger. Financial Times, 22/02/00
    
68. BT Shares Sparked Up By Mobile Spin-Off Report. Press Association
    
69. Rattled BT moots break-up. A rattled British Telecom is considering plans to list its key operations - including Cellnet, its mobile phones business, and Yellow Pages - separately later this year to restore battered investor confidence and fend off an unwanted takeover. Guardian, 22/02/00
    
70. EU probes $115bn telecoms merger. The planned merger of US telecoms giant MCI WorldCom with rival Sprint faces an "in-depth" anti-trust probe by the European Commission. BBC, 21/02/00
    
71. Telecoms plan for British Gas pipelines? BBC
    
72. Brussels to launch full-scale probe into MCI-Sprint deal. The European Commission is to announce that it is launching an antitrust probe into the proposed $130bn merger of MCI WorldCom and Sprint, voicing wide-ranging concerns about the deal's impact on telecoms competition. Financial Times, 21/02/00
    
73. Virgin in Australian mobile deal. Virgin is to expand its mobile phone operation outside the UK into Australia. Financial Times, 21/02/00
    
74. Viag to spin off net arm. Viag Interkom, the German telecommunications operator, said it planned to spin off its internet business as a first step toward a possible listing. Financial Times, 21/02/00
    
75. NTL-CWC deal 'to be approved'. Denton Wilde Sapte, a leading law firm with close links to the Competition Commission, believes the regulator will approve the proposed merger between NTL and Cable & Wireless Communications. Financial Times, 21/02/00
    
76. Women way behind on pay. Women get paid hundreds of thousands of pounds less than men over a lifetime even when doing the same job, government research reveals. BBC, 21/02/00
    
77. Virgin to launch mobile joint venture in Australia. Virgin is expanding its mobile phone empire into Australia, launching a joint venture with the country's second largest telecoms group Cable & Wireless Optus. Reuters, Sunday February 20
    
78. Talks end with plea for the poor. Globalisation must benefit the world's poorer nations, delegates at a UN conference warn in their final declaration. BBC, 19/02/00
    
79. BT fears foreign takeover. UK telecoms giant BT says it has become a takeover target as a result of the Chancellor's comments about opening up the local network to competition. BBC, 18/02/00
    
80. COMMUNICATION WORKERS BACK LIVINGSTONE. The CWU is to cast its votes in favour of Ken Livingstone in the election for Labour's candidate for London Mayor after he received over 70 per cent of the vote in a ballot of the union's membership in the capital. CWU
    
81. UNION ATTACKS BT FACILITIES MANAGEMENT. CWU has slated BT Facilities Management Services (FMS) for its intention to outsource virtually all of its operations in April. CWU
    
82. BT Outsourcing: Connect determined to protect members' options. Connect, 17 February 2000
    
83. A mobile phone company is to create 1,000 new jobs in the south Wales Valleys. The new centre, to be built in Merthyr Tydfil, will be the fifth to be set up by the One 2 One company. BBC, 16/02/00
    
84. UK Scottish jobs come and go. BBC,15-Feb-2000
    
85. UK New survey shows cost of bullying at work. TUC,10-Feb-2000
86. Freeserve launches high-speed internet access. Britain's largest Internet service provider Freeserve has said it has launched a high-speed Internet access service via British Telecommunications's ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) platform. Reuters, Monday February 14
    
87. Doubts hit top Asian telecoms merger. Asia's biggest telecommunications merger was thrown into doubt on Friday when Pacific Century CyberWorks said it planned to make an offer for Cable and Wireless HKT, Hong Kong's dominant telecoms carrier, which is in merger talks with Singapore Telecom. Financial Times, 12/02/00
    
88. TUC calls for more spending. The TUC's John Monks calls on Chancellor Gordon Brown to spend an extra £6bn on public services in next months budget. BBC, 11/02/00
    
89. Vodafone in £30m Man Utd tie-up. BBC, 11/02/00
    
90. CRITCHLEY FAILS TO ERASE DISPUTE FROM HISTORY.Critchley Technology Limited, whose Label subsidiary is at the centre of a recognition dispute, has been accused by the CWU of trying to re-write history in an attempt to boost their share price. Critchley had asked the Union to delete all references to the dispute from the CWU web site. CWU
    
91. UNION CONDEMNS CONTROLS AS BT CUTS 3,000 JOBS. "The regulator has to be careful that he does not inhibit the one UK Company which is positioned to be a major global player," warns Deputy General Secretary (Telecoms), Jeannie Drake. CWU
    
92. Kingston brings in £100m via equity placement. Independent, 11 February 2000
    
93. Kingston taps investors with £100m placing. Scotsman, 11/02/2000
    
94. Vodafone's £105bn bid declared unconditional. VODAFONE AirTouch took control of Mannesmann yesterday after declaring its £105 billion bid for the German telecoms group wholly unconditional. Scotsman, 11/02/00. Also, rich pickings: Mannesmann's Esser to get almost 19 million pounds-report, Reuters
    
95. France Telecom says eyeing Orange bid. PARIS (Reuters) - France Telecom will be aggressive in any bid for mobile operator Orange, whose activities fit well with the French firm's investment in NTL, France Telecom's chief financial officer has told French daily Les Echos. Reuters, February 11
    
96. MCI WorldCom is examining whether to issue a separate class of stock for its fast-growing data and internet businesses, according to Bernie Ebbers, chief executive. Financial Times, 11 February, 2000
    
97. MOBILCOM German telco's revenue up 66%. Financial Times, Feb 11
    
98. NTT: Japanese telco slashes online access charges. Financial Times, Feb 10
    
99. Trinidad puts squeeze on C&W monopoly. Financial Times, Feb 10
    
100. POSTAL WORKERS VOTE FOR WAY FORWARD DEAL. In a record turn-out, Royal Mail members of the CWU voted in favour of a new pay and conditions deal, marking the culmination of years of talks between union negotiators and managers. CWU, 10/02/00
     
101. Post Workers Accept Pay Deal, Press Association, 10/02/00
     
102. Energis takeover ruled out by Grid's 10% sale. Independent, 10 February 2000
     
103. Call centre wanted facial mapping to find accuser. Scotsman 10/02/00
     
104. Excell Multimedia: Bid to unmask 'whistleblower' as call centre firm orders tests on staff. Independent, 09/02/00
     
105. Big Blue snags server deal with BT. IBM today said it had won a contract initially worth $8 million from British Telecommunications for computers used to build one of the largest data storehouses in the world. CNET News.com, February 9, 2000
     
106. Brussels set to widen Vodafone deal probe. Financial Times, 09/02/00
     
107. Microsoft moves further into home networking market. The software giant takes an equity stake in Itran Communications, which makes hardware and software that allows the transmission of data through home power lines. February 9
     
108. Royal Mail: WAY FORWARD BALLOT DEADLINE LOOMS Thursday, February 10, is the deadline for the return of postal members' ballot papers for the vote on the Way Forward. CWU
     
109. BSkyB boosts internet sites Satellite broadcaster BSkyB says it is investing £250m in its online services - and watches its share price soar by more than 20%. BBC, 09/02/00
     
110. Vodafone is planning a couple of smaller acquisitions in the wake of its agreement to buy Mannesmann, its chief executive said. Mannesmann's supervisory board on Friday accepted the $181 billion takeover proposal. Wall Street Journal, 08/02/00
     
111. Telecoms Competition Rules To Be Tightened. Reuters 07/02/00
     
112. DoCoMo: Teleco keen for Orange. Financial Times 07/02/00
     
113. VIVENDI: Messier finds the going good. Financial Times 07/02/00
     
114. Wall Street Journal launches European challenge. BBC, 07/02/00
     
115. BT plans revamp for spin-offs - paper. British Telecommunications is planning a radical restructuring that would pave the way for the partial flotation of its high-growth divisions, the Sunday Times has reported. Reuters, Sunday February 6
     
116. Vivendi sees German deal boosting own Vodafone pact. Vivendi Chairman Jean-Marie Messier has said in an interview that Vodafone AirTouch's takeover of Mannesmann would boost, rather than hurt, his group's planned Internet venture with Vodafone. Reuters,Sunday February 6
     
117. Mobile phone sales surge. Nearly half the UK population now owns a mobile phone after sales rocketed in the last three months of 1999. BBC, 05/02/00
     
118. Telecoms giant seeks go-ahead. A triumphant Chris Gent, chief executive of Vodafone AirTouch, on Friday hailed the formation of a new European telecoms giant and urged Brussels to give the green light to Vodafone's E175bn ($173.25bn) takeover of Mannesmann. Financial Times, Saturday February 5 2000
119. Telefónica bloodletting claims internet arm chief. Juan Perea has quit as chief executive of Terra Networks, Europe's biggest listed web stock, in the latest round of top managerial bloodletting at the Telefónica group. Financial Times, Saturday February 5 2000
120. ORANGE: EC to ensure total divestment. Financial Times, Feb 5
121. BT: Telecoms group has little to phone home about. Financial Times, Feb 5
122. Poor lag behind IT revolution. The Scottish Executive has promised action to bridge the "digital divide" after figures revealed that just 12% of families in council properties owned a computer. BBC, 04/02/00
     
123. Mannesmann buy could put wireless company in AT&T's league. Suddenly one of the world's biggest proponents of wireless technology is also one of its largest communications companies. CNET February 4
     
124. Deal puts pressure on rivals. Vodafone's rivals - such as BT - are being put under pressure by the Mannesmann merger to carve out their own global positions. BBC, 04/02/00
     
125. The rapid rise of Vodafone. Vodafone, which has launched the world's biggest ever contested takeover battle, has grown from nothing to become one of the UK's top companies in only 15 years. BBC, 04/02/00
     
126. Vodafone seals Mannesmann deal. Vodafone AirTouch finally bags its German quarry, creating the world's fourth-biggest company in a £112bn agreed merger. BBC, 04/02/00
     
127. The mobile internet race. Computer and telecoms firms are promising to make the internet mobile, but the fight over who will dominate the industry is getting every tougher. BBC, 04/02/00
     
128. KPN, France Telecom seen keen to buy Orange. France Telecom and KPN Telekom are seen as the most likely bidders for Orange as investors bet it will be an immediate takeover target once it is spun off in the wake of Vodafone's merger with Mannesmann. Reuters, Friday February 4
     
129. Mannesmann, Vodafone in last-ditch merger talks. Reuters, Thursday February 3
     
130. BT: Shares plunge 18% after poor results. Financial Times, Feb 3
131. BT: Long-term view takes precedence. Financial Times, Feb 3
132. BT joins US groups in web site venture. Financial Times, Feb 2
133. The challenge facing BT. What has happened to BT the trailblazer of privatisation? Why has its relentless rise in profits come to such a shuddering halt? BBC, 02/02/00
     
134. AUDIOVIDEO | BT to cut 3,000 jobs. British Telecom wields the jobs axe as it stuns the markets with a 24% profit slump, which wipes £14.5bn off its stock market value. BBC, 02/02/00
     
135. Gweithwyr BT yn colli swyddi. Mae British Telecom yn dweud y bydd gweithwyr yn colli eu swyddi yng Nghymru gyda 3,000 o swyddi'n diflannu yng ngwledydd Prydain. BBC, 02/02/00
     
136. Nearly £15bn was wiped off BT's value on Wednesday morning after its shock 25% fall in profits. It reacted by announcing it is to scrap 3,000 jobs to cut costs. So what has gone wrong for the telecom giant? BBC 02/02/00
     
137. Shares Plunge As BT Axes 3,000 Posts. Press Association, 02/02/00
     
138. BT: From telegraphs to the internet. BBC, 02/02/00
     
139. The UK telecoms giant BT is to axe 3,000 managers after stunning investors by announcing a 24% fall in profits. BBC 02/02/00
     
140. Internal email discloses Microsoft's wireless plans. CNET News.com, February 1, 2000
     
141. TUC Challenges Government Over Parents' Rights (Press Association)
     
142. Vodafone-Bell Atlantic in talks with Alltel. Reuters, 01/02/00
     
143. Vodafone may give Mannesmann stake in merger. Reuters, 01/02/00
     
144. BT-backed e-telco launches Tuesday. A low-cost Internet-only telecomms company backed by BT launches Tuesday. Quip, which is billed as the UK's first e-telco, is a joint venture between BT, Unisys and Bank of Scotland. The company said that it would offer the cheapest international call rates on the market. ZDNet UK, 31/01/00
     
145. BT keen on Telefonica. Reuters, 30/01/00
     
146. Vodafone blow against Mannesmann. UK phone company Vodafone Airtouch has found a surprise ally in its take-over battle for telecoms giant Mannesmann by linking up with French conglomerate Vivendi. BBC, 30/01/00
     
147. Is the web widening the poverty gap? BBC, 29/01/00
     
148. Amazon cuts jobs. BBC, 29/01/00
     
149. The BT mobile network in Northern Ireland went down on Friday night for a short time. It was the third Friday in a row that the Cellnet network crashed. BT Cellnet said it had become a victim of its own success. BBC, 29/01/00
     
150. UPC: Cable group plans public offer for internet. Financial Times, Jan 28
151. DEUTSCHE TELEKOM: Left on the sidelines. Financial Times, Jan 28
152. UNION GREETS POSTAL SERVICES BILL AS 'A VICTORY FOR COMMON SENSE'. CWU, 28/01/00
     
153. Post Office to become plc. The government has unveiled legislation which will allow the Post Office to become a public company to provide the service with a £600m cash boost. The government will retain all the shares in the new public limited company and has insisted rural post offices will be protected by its plan to shake up the running of the service. BBC, 28/01/00
     
154. Unions spotlight racism in management, BBC, 26/01/00
     
155. SINGTEL/C&W: Muted reaction as investors question synergies of deal. Financial Times, Jan 26
156. KINGSTON COMMS: Close to mobile deal. Financial Times, Jan 25
157. CWU WOMEN'S CONFERENCE SETS TREND FOR 21st CENTURY. This year's Women's Conference marks a major step towards greater integration with the activities of the CWU as a whole. CWU, 21/01/00
     
158. After months of hostility, the advisers of rival phone companies Vodafone AirTouch and Mannesmann begin "back channel" talks aimed at resolving the bitter take-over battle. BBC, 21/01/00
     
159. Profile: Mannesmann - turning pipes into phones. Thirty years ago Mannesmann was a solid if stolid engineering conglomerate, but since then the company has transformed itself to become one of Europe's largest telecom companies. BBC.
     
160. Vodafone 'talks to Mannesmann'. After months of hostility, the advisers of rival phone companies Vodafone AirTouch and Mannesmann begin. BBC, 21/01/00
     
161. Electricity Supply Board to make £100m profit on Ocean deal. Irish Times 20/01/00
     
162. ESB and BT settle dispute over Ocean. After four days of legal wrangling, ESB and British Telecom last night reached agreement in principle over the future of their joint venture, Ocean. Irish Times 20/01/00
     
163. CWU GENERAL SECRETARY ATTACKS BBC's 'OFFENSIVE AND MISLEADING' PROGRAMME. Derek Hodgson has slated the BBC for its "unbalanced and appalling portrait of the British postal worker" in one of its radio programmes. He tells the Corporation: "The Royal Mail, despite the parody of the Sunday Service programme, is trusted and relied upon for the honesty of its staff, our members." CWU, 18/01/00
     
164. UNION CONFIRMS TOUGH LINE ON NewGRID PAY AND CONDITIONS.
     
165. Deutsche Telekom profits plunge 45%. BBC, 20/01/00
     
166. Vodafone UK's biggest company. BBC, 18/01/00
     
167. BT launches £1.5bn Esat rescue. British Telecom yesterday staged a £1.5bn "white knight" rescue of Esat, Ireland's second largest telecommunications company. Guardian
     
168. ONE-2-ONE: Chief leaves for new venture, Financial Times, 20/01/00
     
169. C&W builds European internet empire Cable and Wireless has bought eight internet service providers in Europe in order to expand its business-to business internet service. BBC, 13/01/00
     
170. German telecom giant Mannesman resists takeover bid from the Anglo-American group, Vodafone AirTouch. BBC, 14/01/00
     
171. Mannesmann faces culture shock As the Vodafone battle for Mannesmann continues, the BBC's Patrick Bartlett, assesses Germany's unique corporate culture - where employees are consulted about company policy. BBC
     
172. More than a dozen companies are bidding for licences to operate UK mobile phones which have email and internet access. BBC, 13/01/00
     
173. NTL spends £8.2bn in UK cable deal The UK's biggest cable operator is created as NTL buys its bigger rival Cable & Wireless Communications, speeding the launch of high speed Internet services. BBC,13/01/00
     
174. C&W builds European internet empire, BBC, 13/01/00
     
175. Thirteen bidders in battle for five mobile licences, Guardian, January 13 2000
     
176. Branson hopes to buy One2One out of mobile phone venture, Guardian, January 12 2000
     
177. BT makes £1.5bn entry into Ireland British Telecom pays £1.5bn for Irish Telecoms group Esat, foiling a hostile takeover bid by Norwegian rival Telenor. BBC, 11/01/00
     
178. Vodafone AirTouch announces ambitious plans for a global internet service for mobile phones. BBC, 11/01/00
     
179. Panama Cable & Wireless dispute settled - Communications International-UNI
     
180. "No government role for unions" - Tony Blair. The prime minister warns the trade unions never again to attempt to take on the functions of government, as they did in the 1970s. BBC, 04/01/00
     
181. Scots workers 'raw deal' warning. A Scottish union leader wants human rights legislation incorporated into UK law in order to provide the country's workers with a better deal. BBC, 03/01/00
     
182. Union members win record payouts. Unions won a record £14.3m for their members at employment tribunals this year, according to a TUC report. BBC, 29/12/99
     
183. The Telecom Revolution The telecommunications business is undergoing a revolution, driven by technology and deregulation. BBC News Online looks at its future. BBC, 29/12/99
     
184. NewGRID - BT regrading: Your chance to question the Union negotiators. CWU, 24/12/99
     
185. 1999: the year of the net. With fast and furious growth in internet access and online retailing, and technology stocks soaring in value, was 1999 the year the internet came of age? BBC, 24/12/99
     
     

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186. The Critchley Labels Dispute: what is a "techno-strike"?
     
     
187. Marketing Trade Unions - a Manual by Allen Pascoe
     
188. What are Interest-Based Negotiations? New Zealand trade unionist Allen Pascoe explains what they are and why we should be interested in them.
     
189. Monopoly and Competition in British Telecommunications by John Harper. The former Director of BT's Inland Division defends the record of publicly owned telecommunications. Reproduced with permission from his recent book.
     

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190. "Return of the Job Killers" - and we thought we knew the meaning of 'convergence'.... (published in May/June, 1996, Scottish Trade Union Review )
     
191. "Communications, Computing and Broadcasting" - Digits and Jobs: a severe case of compression (published March/April, 1996, Trade Union News)
     
192. "Organising on The Internet!" - threats and challenges facing telecommunications workers, and some new(?) organising ideas (published in February/March, 1996, Focus - magazine of the Communications Workers Union )
     
193. "Wired, Weird and Wonderful - Thomas Paine and the Internet" - some thoughts following an article in WIRED magazine (published in Focus, (CWU) and Scottish Trade Union Review, 1995)
     

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194. About This Site
     
195. CWU Branch and Activists Sites
     
196. The Telecom Archive of Articles and News Reports, 1995-98
     
197. Useful Articles
     
198. Western Sahara Update
     
199. Useful Multimedia Links Page - now 700 links!
     
200. Back to the Homepage