SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20594
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )*
Viatel Inc.
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock
(Title of Class of Securities)
925529208
(CUSIP Number)
Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement [ ].
(A fee is not required only if the filing person: (1) has a previous
statement on file reporting beneficial ownership of more than five
percent of the class of securities described in Item 1: and (2) has
filed no amendment subsequent thereto reporting beneficial ownership of
five percent or less of such class.) (See Rule 13d-7).
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class
of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information
which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not
be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of
that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of
the Act (however, see the Notes).
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
The Capital Group Companies, Inc.
86-0206507
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a)
(b)
3 SEC USE ONLY
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Delaware
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
2,174,000
6 SHARED VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES
NONE
BENEFICIALL
Y OWNED BY
7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
EACH
REPORTING
2,882,700
PERSON WITH
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
NONE
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
2,882,700 Beneficial ownership disclaimed pursuant to Rule 13d-4
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
12.7%
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
HC
* SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Capital Guardian Trust Company
95-2553868
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a)
(b)
3 SEC USE ONLY
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
California
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
2,174,000
6 SHARED VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES
NONE
BENEFICIALL
Y OWNED BY
7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
EACH
REPORTING
2,882,700
PERSON WITH
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
NONE
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
2,882,700 Beneficial ownership disclaimed pursuant to Rule 13d-4
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
12.7%
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
BK
* SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
Schedule 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Amendment No.
Item 1(a) Name of Issuer:
Viatel Inc.
Item 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
800 Third Ave.
18thn Floor
New York, NY 10022
Item 2(a) Name of Person(s) Filing:
The Capital Group Companies, Inc. and Capital Guardian Trust
Company
Item 2(b) Address of Principal Business Office:
333 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Item 2(c) Citizenship: N/A
Item 2(d) Title of Class of Securities:
Common Stock
Item 2(e) CUSIP Number:
925529208
Item 3 The person(s) filing is(are):
(b) [X] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act.
(g) [X] Parent Holding Company in accordance with Section
240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G).
Item 4 Ownership
The Capital Group Companies, Inc. is the parent holding company
of a group of investment management companies that hold
investment power and, in some cases, voting power over the
securities reported in this Schedule 13G. The investment
management companies, which include a "bank" as defined in
Section 3(a)6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
"Act") and several investment advisers registered under Section
203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, provide investment
advisory and management services for their respective clients
which include registered investment companies and institutional
accounts. The Capital Group Companies, Inc. does not have
investment power or voting power over any of the securities
reported herein; however, The Capital Group Companies, Inc. may
be deemed to "beneficially own" such securities by virtue of
Rule 13d-3 under the Act.
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Capital Guardian Trust Company, a bank as defined in Section
3(a)6 of the Act and a wholly owned subsidiary of The Capital
Group Companies, Inc., is the beneficial owner of 2,882,700
shares or 12.7% of the shares of Common Stock believed to be
outstanding as a result of its serving as the investment manager
of various institutional accounts.
Item 5 Ownership of 5% or Less of a Class: [ ]
Item 6 Ownership of More than 5% on Behalf of Another Person: N/A
Item 7 Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding
Company
1. Capital Guardian Trust Company is a bank as defined in Section
3(a)(6) of the Act and a wholly owned subsidiary of The
Capital Group Companies, Inc.
Item 8 Identification and Classification of Members of the Group: N/A
Item 9 Notice of Dissolution of the Group: N/A
Item 10 Certification
By signing below, I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the
ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose
of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the
control of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in
connection with or as a participant in any transaction having
such purpose or effect.
Signature
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
belief, I certify that the information set forth in this
statement is true, complete and correct.
Date: December 10, 1997
Signature: *Larry P. Clemmensen
Name/Title: Larry P. Clemmensen, President
The Capital Group Companies, Inc.
Date: December 10, 1997
Signature: *David I. Fisher
Name/Title: David I. Fisher, Vice Chairman
Capital Guardian Trust Company
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*By
James P. Ryan
Attorney-in-fact
Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated December 4, 1997
included as an Exhibit to this Schedule 13G.
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AGREEMENT
Los Angeles, CA
December 10, 1997
The Capital Group Companies, Inc. ("CGC") and Capital Guardian Trust
Company ("CGTC")False Common Stock issued by Viatel Inc.
CGC and CGTC state that they are each entitled to individually use
Schedule 13G pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c) of the Act.
CGC and CGTC are each responsible for the timely filing of the
statement and any amendments thereto, and for the completeness and
accuracy of the information concerning each of them contained therein
but are not responsible for the completeness or accuracy of the
information concerning the others.
THE CAPITAL GROUP COMPANIES, INC.
BY: *Larry P. Clemmensen
Larry P. Clemmensen, President
The Capital Group Companies,
Inc.
CAPITAL GUARDIAN TRUST COMPANY
BY: *David I. Fisher
David I. Fisher, Vice Chairman
Capital Guardian Trust Company
*By
James P. Ryan
Attorney-in-fact
Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated December 4, 1997
included as an Exhibit to this Schedule 13G.
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POWER OF ATTORNEY
The undersigned do hereby appoint Michael J. Downer,
Kenneth R. Gorvetzian, James P. Ryan, and Michele Yuen
Yang, and each of them, acting singly, with full power
of substitution, as the true and lawful attorney of the
undersigned, to sign on behalf of the undersigned in
respect of the ownership of equity securities deemed
held by the undersigned, The Capital Group Companies,
Inc., Capital Research and Managment Company, Capital
Guardian Trust Company, Captial Group International,
Inc., Capital International, Inc., Capital International
K.K., Capital International Limited, Capital
International S.A., AMCAP Fund, Inc., American Balanced
Fund, Inc., American Mutual Fund, Inc., American
Variable Insurance Series (Growth Fund, International
Fund, Growth-Income Fund, Asset Allocation Fund, Global
Growth Fund), Capital Income Builder, Inc., Capital
World Growth and Income Fund, Inc., EuroPacific Growth
Fund, Fundamental Investors, Inc., The Growth Fund of
America, Inc., The Income Fund of America. Inc., The
Investment Company of America, The New Economy Fund, New
Perspective Fund, Inc., SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc., and
Washington Mutual Investors Fund, Inc., and to be
reported pursuant to Sections 13(d), 13(f) and 13(g) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and to
execute joint filing agreements with respect to such
filings.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Power of Attorney, has been
executed as of the 4th day of December, 1997.
The Capital Group Companies, Inc.
/s/ Larry P. Clemmensen
Name: Larry P. Clemmensen
Title: President
Capital Research and Management Company
/s/ Paul G. Haaga, Jr.
Name: Paul G. Haaga, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President
Capital Group International, Inc.
Capital International, Inc.
