American Telephone Telegraph Co

Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc., the largest U.S. phone companies, are losing some cellular customers to carriers that don't require contracts, as the recession forces consumers to seek cheaper calling options. More than half of MetroPCS Communications Inc.'s new users, for instance, came from bigger nationwide phone companies in the fourth quarter, Chief Financial Officer Braxton Carter said.

AT&T Going for Shorter Name: The world's biggest telephone company wants to disconnect the long-winded official name it has used since 1885 and adopt the zippier AT&T Corp. American Telephone & Telegraph Co. mailed materials to about 3 million shareholders, asking them to approve the change at the company's annual meeting April 20 in Atlanta.

AT&T Corp. on Tuesday detailed plans to tie its wireless phone network directly to millions of home phone lines, offering consumers a unique way to make local calls and gain speedier access to the Internet. Though still in the test stage, the new technology could turn AT&T's vast wireless network into a potent weapon in its battle with the regional Bell companies for local phone customers.

Travelers Corp. has won a contract to provide managed health care for American Telephone & Telegraph Co. employees in seven cities, the insurer said. The contract, split between Travelers and two other insurance companies,is believed to be the largest managed health-care contract written for any employer, executives said.

MCI Communications Corp. filed a request this week to undercut a 15-cents-a-minute long-distance rate unveiled Tuesday by rival AT&T Corp., but at the same time the No. 2 long-distance carrier announced higher fees on calling card services. Analysts said the moves are in keeping with recent efforts by major long-distance carriers to boost fees on ancillary services even as they promote a variety of discount calling plans. And a major price war is nowhere in sight.

AT&T, Unions Face Contract Deadline: American Telephone & Telegraph Co. and two unions representing about 110,000 workers acknowledge that critical issues remain unresolved as the deadline of midnight tonight looms. Although AT&T spokesman Herb Linnen said he believes both sides want to avoid a strike, he added that the company has taken precautions to ensure that high-quality service continue in any emergency.

About 75 Communications Workers of America members held a "solidarity rally" Wednesday in front of the AT&T building here to show support for the union's position in contract talks with the communications giant. The workers, most of them members of CWA Local 9510 in Santa Ana, said they are concerned about proposed cuts in retiree health care that are part of new contract talks. The old contract expires Saturday.

Orange County's financial crisis reached out and touched an Irvine woman Friday, leaving her and a phone company outraged over a middle school's plan for picking up extra cash in the wake of a budget crunch. Tina Bartel said her seventh-grade daughter, Jennoah, came home from school this week to tell her excitedly, "Mom, I need our phone bill, I need our phone bill for school!"

AT&T Announces Russian Joint Venture: American Telephone & Telegraph Co. said it has formed a joint venture with Russia's sole phone equipment maker to sell AT&T phone equipment there. AT&T Network Systems International will own 68% of AT&T of St. Petersburg. The remainder will be owned by the Russian telecommunications company Dalnya Sviaz. AT&T said the Russian company is the only equipment supplier to the nation's phone system, which needs a major modernization.