31.   In Sandy Springs, Lucent has regional headquarters for Lucent Network Systems, the unit that markets, engineers and installs telecommunications equipment for regional phone companies.

32.   In two years, BellSouth has gone from the largest regional phone company to the second smallest while analysts have speculated on how long it can avoid a marriage.

33.   In this view, there will be no such thing as a regional phone company or long-distance company or cable company.

34.   In turn, those numbers have compelled regional phone companies to request new area codes from the North American Numbering Plan, administered by Bellcore.

35.   It is actively opposed by the regional phone companies.

36.   It would not be unusual for the CWA and a regional phone company to go down to the wire.

37.   James Love, director of the Consumer Project on Technology, a consumer advocacy group in Washington, said the regional phone companies were hurting the computer world.

38.   Lawmakers were close to an agreement that would allow regional phone companies like Nynex Corp. to offer long-distance service in the near future.

39.   Like the other regional phone companies, BellSouth has held a virtual monopoly in local service, with challenges mostly limited to some larger business customers.

40.   Meanwhile, the House has passed a bill to further deregulate regional phone companies.