Nynex Makes Another Deal, With Sprint

Highlighting the furious pace of change in telecommunications, newly engaged Nynex Corp. unveiled a deal Tuesday with Sprint Communications Co. that puts it into the long-distance business.

Nynex announced it has signed a two-year contract to sell long-distance service to be delivered over Sprint’s network under the Nynex name. New York-based Nynex plans to begin offering long-distance in some states outside its own Northeast territory within three months.

Though other regional phone companies also intend to provide long-distance by reselling service provided by others, the Nynex deal is noteworthy in light of its plans for a $22-million merger deal with Bell Atlantic Corp., announced Monday.

A combined Nynex and Bell Atlantic would give Sprint a line into a potentially lucrative phone market. Bell Atlantic already has a preliminary agreement of its own with Sprint to offer long-distance calling over Sprint’s network, said Bill White, a spokesman for Sprint in Westwood, Kan. Sprint Communications is a division of Sprint Corp.

The Nynex deal is slightly different, as it extends beyond reselling service over Sprint’s long-distance network. Nynex also plans to offer billing, telemarketing and customer-care services that it will purchase from Sprint.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

In New York Stock Exchange trading, Nynex fell $1.125 to $49.375, and Sprint rose 87.5 cents to $40.875.