When carriers aren't trying to buy each other, they're trying to steal each other's customers.
Frame relay is just the beginning, though.
In an internal strategy meeting two weeks ago, MCI WorldCom executives devised plans to make the same pitch to its Concert ATM and Internet services customers, InternetWeek has learned. At the meeting, select salespeople were given instructions on how to win the war to retain the more than 700 multinational customers that make up more than 40 percent of Concert's frame relay customer base. HSI, which is currently operated by Concert, will be physically disconnected in September 2000. MCI and WorldCom have not yet integrated their respective frame relay networks. To encourage users to drop Concert frame relay service and move to MCI WorldCom, MCI is promising customers lower prices and faster network speeds.