Cable and Wireless is a British telecommunications company. In the mid-1980s United Kingdom it was the first company to offer an alternative telephone service to British Telecom. The company later offered cable TV to its customers, although their cable assets were sold to NTL in 2000.

Current and Historical Markets

Historically, Cable and Wireless has had a strong market presence in many current and former British colonies where it provided local telephone service. In particular, the company had a virtual monopoly amongst the colonies in the Caribbean region. In recent years, their market share has somewhat diminished with the dismantling of their regional monopoly and the introduction of more competition in the Caribbean, particularly from Digicell.

The company remains the main fixed-line provider in Panama, Macau, Monaco, the Falkland Islands, St. Helena and Guernsey, where it operates under its own brand name, while in Bermuda it provides international communications only; local services are provided by Bermuda Telephone Company .

Recent Events Timeline

• 1998 — When MCI Communications and WorldCom merged to create MCI WorldCom, the new subsidiary company Cable and Wireless America, Inc. purchased the MCI tier 1 backbone in the U.S.
• November 2001 — Cable and Wireless America purchased bankrupt web hosting/co-location provider Exodus Communications for $800 million dollars.
• November 2002 — Cable and Wireless announced their withdrawl from the U.S. market.
• December 2003 — Cable and Wireless America, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
• March 2004, SAVVIS Communications Corporation purchased Cable and Wireless America for a sum believed to be approximately $300 million U.S. dollars.

External link

• Cable & Wireless
• SAVVIS Communications