Metropolitan Fiber Systems
MFS Communications Company, Inc. (Metropolitan Fiber Systems) was a competitive local exchange carrier that owned and operated local network access facilities installed in and around major U.S. cities and several major European cities. MFS also possessed significant transmission and switching facilities and network capacity that it leased from other carriers in the United States and Western Europe.
| Industry | Telecommunications |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1988 |
| Defunct | December 31, 1996 |
| Fate | Acquired by Worldcom |
| Headquarters | Omaha, Nebraska |
| Revenue | $506 million (Q1 1997) |
| $82 million (Q1 1997) | |
| Total assets | $12.335 billion (1997) |
| Total equity | $10.190 billion (1997) |
| Footnotes / references [1] | |
History
The company was founded in 1988 as Kiewit Communications, a subsidiary of Kiewit Corporation.[2]
By 1991, the company owned fiber-optic lines that serve large business customers in 11 cities.[3]
In 1993, the company became a public company via an initial public offering.[2]
In April 1996, the company announced the acquisition of UUNET.[4]
In August 1996, WorldCom announced the acquisition of the company[5] and the transaction was completed in December 1996.[1] Worldcom filed bankruptcy in 2002.
Level 3 Communications and NorthPoint Communications were founded by former executives of MFS.[2]
References
- "MFS Communications Company, Inc. Q1 1997 Form 10-Q Quarterly Report". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
- MULLIGAN, THOMAS S. (April 1, 1998). "Start-Up Level 3 Making Its Nasdaq Debut". Los Angeles Times.
- Andrews, Edmund L. (August 21, 1991). "COMPANY NEWS; New Phone Lines for Data Planned by Small Company". The New York Times.
- Swisher, Kara (May 1, 1996). "UUNET TECHNOLOGIES AGREES TO MERGER WITH NEB. FIRM". The Washington Post.
- Van, Jon (August 27, 1996). "PHONE GIANTS MERGE". Chicago Tribune.