1.   Also, they say, it will speed competition in the local phone markets and drive prices down.

2.   Ameritech and other regional telephone stocks surged after a federal appeals court extended a freeze on pricing rules designed to increase competition in local phone markets.

3.   Ameritech hit a snag in its bid to became the first Bell to get approval to offer long-distance services in its local phone markets.

4.   And analysts question whether GTE has the balance sheet to protect its local phone market while getting into new businesses such as long-distance and cable-TV.

5.   And just Monday the largest of those cable partners, Tele-Communications, served notice that it would choose its local phone markets selectively.

6.   At most, the company might have to agree to take steps to further open up the Connecticut local phone market, he said.

7.   BellSouth will focus on its southeastern U.S. local phone market, expansion of its cellular business and international opportunities.

8.   Bell Atlantic earlier this week became the first Baby Bell to file applications to offer long-distance phone service outside of its core local phone market.

9.   A federal appeals court today halted the start of contentious new federal rules designed to open local phone markets to competition.

10.   A handful of states have opened their local phone markets to competition, but most have not.