Teleport, Bell Atlantic ink deal on interconnection. (Teleport Communications Group Inc.; Bell Atlantic Corp.)

Teleport Communications Group Inc. (TCG) of New York has signed a telephone network interconnection agreement with Bell Atlantic Corp. covering Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

The pact, required by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, details specific aspects of pricing and equipment location that must be settled before TCG can compete for local calling customers. It must still be approved by regulators in all five jurisdictions.

"The agreement signed with Bell Atlantic is the result of intense negotiations and arbitration under the federal Act and contains the things TCG needs to compete in the local phone market," said Paul Kouroupas, vice president, regulatory affairs, for TCG.

But Kouroupas cautioned that the agreement itself may not immediately lead to competition. …