Cybertelecom Federal Internet Law & Policy An Educational Project

Industry: GTE -> Genuity

Regulatory Proceedings

• In the Matter of Amendment of Section  64.702 of the Commission's Rules and  Regulations (Second Computer Inquiry),  Docket No. 20828, MO&O, 79 FCC2d 953   ¶ 6-7  (July 22, 1980) (resolving Telenet's and Tymnets's requests for partial stays of final decision)

Telenet

• Telenet Application 1973 (Telenet filed with the FCC as a carrier, seeking permission authorization from the FCC to offer service. )

  2. Telenet plans to establish central office facilities containing Interface Message Processors (IMP) or Terminal Interface Processors (TIP) or Satellite IMPs (SIMP) to which customer's computers and terminals can be connected, and to interconnect these facilities by means of high speed transmission facilities leased from existing carriers. Telenet's application requests authority to establish its packet switching facilities initially in 18 cities. However, within four years Telenet plans to expand its network through the installation of packet switching facilities in an additional 44 cities. Appropriate applications will be filed as the network is expanded. The transmission facilities required for the initial 18 city network include i2 leased terrestrial lines operating at 50 kilobits and 100 kilobits per second and a 1.544 Megabits per second multiaccess 'broadcast' communications satellite channel serving four earth stations, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago and New York. The use of satellite facilities is contingent upon the anticipated availability of suitable multi-point satellite service from one or more domestic satellite carriers.
  -- Telenet Application for Authority under Sec. 214(a) to Institute and Operate a Public Packet Switched Data Communications Network in the United States, 46 FCC2d 680, File No. P-C-8750, Order (April 30, 1974)

  6. On the basis of the information submitted by the applicant, we find that Telenet has substantially complied with the applicable provisions of Section 214 and part 63 of our Rules and has made the requisite showing of public interest to warrant our granting Telenet's application to authorize it to lease and operate the facilities set forth in the application for the establishment of a packet switched network. We conclude that the present and future public interest, convenience and necessity will be served by a grant of the Telenet application to that extent. However, for the reasons stated in our Packet and Graphnet decisions, we shall limit our authorization herein to the provision of terminal-computer and computer-computer communications by 'packet-switching' as proposed by the applicant in the application before us.
  -- Telenet Application for Authority under Sec. 214(a) to Institute and Operate a Public Packet Switched Data Communications Network in the United States, 46 FCC2d 680, File No. P-C-8750, Order (April 30, 1974)

• 1974: Telenet (first public packet switched network) established by Larry Roberts. See Internet History.
• 1979: GTE acquires Telenet. Mergers. Telenet was near bankruptcy at the time. Telenet becomes a part of the data division of Sprint. Sprint merged Telenet with its SprintLink Internet network.
  •  GTE/Telenet Merger Opinion, 72 FCC 2d 111 (1979)
  • Monitoring Complaince w Conditions Underlying GTE Acquisition of Telenet, 91 FCC2d 215, CC Docket No 80-197, FCC 82-352 (1982)

Timeline

• 2000: Verizon acquires GTE. Genuity spun off
  • See Bell Atlantic / GTE Merger which led to Verizon and Genuity as a spin off
• 2002: Level3 acquires Genuity

News

Genuity Buys Time, Internet News 7/31/02

Genuity Jilted By Verizon, Internet News 7/26/02

Genuity Faces Bankruptcy as Verizon Ignores an Option, NYT 7/26/02

ISP Genuity to Cut Up to 1,200 Jobs, Wash Tech 5/3/02

Network Magazine ISP Index: Genuity Nov 2001