[Steven W.]

how are long term shareholder interests (of MCI shareholders) served? Obviously Quest is helped as otherwise still mere bankruptcy material while Verizon has been pumping the past few years' profits into their balance sheet, reducing billions in debt and recently increasing their dividend.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The question needs to be asked: Does Quest have the $ billions ?

[advance_copy]

how are long term shareholder interests (of MCI shareholders) served?

Preservation of competition for enterprise markets will inspire innovation and that leaves plenty of room for growth with Qwest-MCI. Verizon-MCI eliminates competition and further stagnation in the industry will result. Five years out, a tired old behemoth isn't going to be a "growth holding".