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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) January 8, 1998
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IXC Communications, Inc.
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 0-20803 74-2644120
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(State or other (Commission (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction File Number) Identification No.)
of incorporation)
5000 Plaza on the Lake, Suite 200, Austin, Texas 78746
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (512) 328-1112
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Not applicable
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(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
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ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS
Attached as Exhibit 99.1 is a press release issued by IXC
Communications, Inc. dated January 8, 1998 which is hereby incorporated by
reference herein.
ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
(C) EXHIBITS
99.1 Press Release dated January 8, 1998
2.
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Date: January 8, 1998
IXC Communications, Inc.
By: /s/ Jeffrey C. Smith
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Jeffrey C. Smith
Senior Vice President, General
Counsel and Secretary
3.
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number Description
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99.1 Press Release dated January 8, 1998
4.
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EXHIBIT 99.1
NEWS RELEASE
IXC COMMUNICATIONS AND GST TELECOMMUNICATIONS ANNOUNCE MAJOR FIBER EXCHANGE
AGREEMENT
Fiber Exchange Continues IXC's Aggressive Network Expansion
AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- IXC Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:
IIXC) and GST Telecommunications, Inc. (Amex: GST) today announced a major
fiber exchange agreement that will enable both companies to extend their
networks into key markets in the western U.S.
Under the terms of the exchange, IXC will acquire dark fiber from GST
on a route from Los Angeles (Palmdale) to San Francisco (Oakland). In return,
GST will acquire fiber on a segment of IXC's network from Los Angeles to Las
Vegas to Phoenix.
"IXC has pioneered creative and innovative approaches to network
expansion, and as a result has built and is continuing to build one of the
nation's largest and most technologically advanced fiber networks on a very
cost effective basis," said Mike Vent, IXC Executive Vice President of Network
Operations and Engineering. "This is another important step toward completing
our 20,000 mile, nationwide digital network -- one that will meet our customers'
increasingly demanding communications needs well into the next century."
Late last year, GST announced that it had acquired a long haul fiber
optic link from IXC connecting its competitive local exchange carrier networks
(CLEC) between Phoenix and Tucson. "This fiber exchange reflects the continued
execution of GST's strategy to fully connect its own CLEC facilities via long
haul fiber links, and in particular supports our continued rapid expansion
throughout the western United States," said Joseph A. Basile, Jr., GST's
President and Chief Operating Officer. "By working with IXC on this exchange
agreement, we will be able to accelerate our expansion in key markets
throughout our footprint, as well as control and reduce our costs of transport
into the future."
The fiber exchange with GST, in particular, continues IXC's aggressive
expansion into net markets through exchanges and joint build agreements. In
1997, IXC announced a fiber exchange with FTV Communications that provides IXC
fiber on a 1,400 mile route between Las Vegas and Portland, Oregon, via Salt
Lake City and Boise, Idaho. Also last year, IXC announced a fiber exchange
with Vyvx, Inc. which provides IXC with a 1,600 mile fiber route between
Washington, D.C. and Houston, Texas, via Atlanta, Georgia and other key
southeastern cities.
IXC expects to complete the New York to Los Angeles segment of its
network in the first quarter of this year, marking the first time in nearly a
decade that a carrier has completed a new coast-to-coast fiber optic network.
The New York to Los Angeles segment was originally scheduled for completion in
January, 1998, but finalization of rights of way on a small segment on the West
coast and construction and weather related delays on the East coast have slowed
completion.
The fiber optics being deployed in all stages of IXC's network
development utilize state-of-the-art LS dispersion shifted fiber on secure
rights of way generally located in areas not served by other major network
carriers. IXC's fiber optic network supports the most advanced technology,
including wave division multiplexing, which allows significant increases in the
speed and volume of information carried across the network. The OC-192 equipped
network also supports a full range of advanced communication technologies, such
as
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synchronous optical network technology (SONET), as well as ATM and frame relay
technologies for advanced data services.
Engineered to exceed 99.98% availability, the network is monitored by
one of the most modern computerized systems in the industry. The IXC network
control center in Austin provides 24-hour, 7-day continuous self-diagnosis and
early warning to detect and correct potential trouble before transmission
integrity is affected. IXC has also developed a full range of innovative voice,
Internet, and data network services.
GST Telecommunications, Inc., headquartered in Vancouver, Wash.,
currently operates local and long haul fiber networks and Competitive Local
Exchange Carrier (CLEC) operations throughout the western United States and
Hawaii. Facilities-based GST provides a broad range of integrated
telecommunications products and services, including voice, video, data and
Internet. GST continues to focus on its regional western CLEC strategy by
anchoring its CLEC networks in local markets and connecting them via long haul
fiber networks. Visit GST's Web site at http://www.gstcorp.com.
Austin, Texas-based IXC Communications, Inc. is one of the largest and
fastest-growing U.S. suppliers of network-based information delivery solutions
for the global communications market. The Company owns and operates one of the
newest nationwide digital networks and makes network capacity available to
local telephone companies, national and regional long-distance carriers, cable
and utility companies, and Internet Service Providers. IXC offerings include
private line, broadband, and switched and dedicated inbound and outbound
calling products, and calling card and debit card services. IXC is a publicly
traded company listed on Nasdaq under the symbol IIXC. IXC's Web site is
located at http://www.ixc-comm.com.
SOURCE IXC Communications, Inc.
CONTACT: Media: Melissa Jackson, Manager of Public Relations,
512-231-5247, or [email protected], or Investors: James F.
Guthrie, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer,
512-427-3713, or [email protected], both of IXC
Communications, Inc.
Company News On Call: http://www.prnewswire.com or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 115151
Web Site: http://www.ixc-comm.com and http://www.gstcorp.com
