Final Clearance of Concert Global Venture Welcomed

BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS PLC
22 October 1999



   BT AND AT&T WELCOME FINAL CLEARANCE OF CONCERT GLOBAL VENTURE


BT and AT&T today welcomed approval by the United States

Federal Communications Commission of Concert, their planned joint

global venture. The decision completes the full regulatory

process required ahead of the company's expected formal launch in about 

a month.

     David Dorman, chief executive of Concert, said: 'We

are delighted with today's decision by the Federal Communications

Commission to approve Concert. We are pleased that the regulatory

agencies both in Europe and the US agree that Concert will benefit

customers, as well as the competitive telecommunications marketplace.

     'Now we have the necessary regulatory approval we are looking

forward to launching Concert.'

     In July, 1998, BT and AT&T announced plans to form a global

venture which would serve the communications needs of multinational

business customers, traditional and emerging telecommunications

carriers and Internet service providers worldwide.


    Concert, to be owned equally by the two parents, will include BT's

and AT&T's trans-border assets and operations, their existing

international networks and traffic, their international products for

business customers, and their multinational accounts in selected industry

sectors.