Verizon Seeks Long-Distance Approval

Verizon Communications, which last year became the first Bell company to offer long-distance service to its local customers in New York, requested permission from the Federal Communications Commission to do the same in Massachusetts. Born of the marriage of Bell Atlantic and GTE Corp., Verizon is the nation’s leading local phone and wireless provider. Its application is part of a broader strategy to win long-distance approval throughout its 13-state region so it can reclaim the GTE Internet assets spun off during the merger. The FCC has 90 days to rule on the application and must take into account evaluations submitted by the state’s regulators and the Justice Department.