ATN Aterian Plc

RNS No 9029x
ATLANTIC TELECOM GROUP PLC 
26th November 1997


ATLANTIC TELECOM GROUP PLC GAINS APPROVAL IN PRINCIPLE FOR
                    A NATIONAL LICENCE

  Atlantic  Telecom Group PLC announces  that  its  wholly
  owned   subsidiary,   Atlantic  Telecommunications   Ltd
  ("Atlantic"),  has  received  Government   approval   in
  principle  for  a  licence to operate  telecommunication
  services throughout the UK.

  Atlantic  is  planning to replicate across  certain  key
  urban  regions  of  England and Wales, the  considerable
  success  it  has  had  in  Glasgow  where  it  has  been
  operating  a  fully commercial fixed radio access  (FRA)
  service since late October 1996. At 30th September 1997,
  after  less  than one year from the start of  commercial
  service  in  Glasgow,  Atlantic  had  installed  or  had
  pending  installations of over 10,000 lines on  the  FRA
  network.

  In  addition,  through its innovative  indirect  service
  (Crest),  Atlantic will be able to provide a service  to
  customers in any area of the UK.

  Atlantic's licences will enable it to establish  an  FRA
  service  in specific regional areas without incurring  a
  national  build  obligation. This  licensing  structure,
  approved in principle, is rare in the telecommunications
  industry.   Statutory  consultation  on  the   licences,
  required under legislation, will commence shortly.

  Atlantic   is  a  focused  niche  player   in   the   UK
  telecommunications market. Its strategy  is  to  provide
  its target customers with high quality, innovative value
  added services, using appropriate technologies.

  Graham  J Duncan, Executive Chairman of Atlantic Telecom
  Group PLC comments on the new licence; "We are delighted
  that  the Government has recognised our pioneering  work
  in  Scotland  by allowing us, in principle,  to  provide
  services  in  other areas of the UK. The  licences  will
  allow  us to target our investment to those areas  which
  we  determine are most attractive for deployment of  the
  service."

  Commenting   further,   Mr  Duncan   stated:   "In   the
  telecommunications  world, licences are  fundamental  in
  providing opportunity and value to shareholders. We have
  taken  a huge step forward in our determination to build
  Atlantic  into  a  key  niche  player  in  this  dynamic
  industry."


Enquiries:
Graham J. Duncan, Executive Chairman
Atlantic Telecom Group PLC
Tel: 01224 646644

City: Alex Walters  Trade: Niamh Quinn
Citigate            Citigate
Tel: 0121 631 2299  Tel: 01273 735535


 ATLANTIC TELECOM GROUP PLC GAINS APPROVAL IN PRINCIPLE FOR A
                       NATIONAL LICENCE

Atlantic  Telecom  Group PLC announces that its  wholly  owned
subsidiary, Atlantic Telecommunications Ltd ("Atlantic"),  has
received  Government approval in principle for  a  licence  to
operate  telecommunications services throughout the  UK  under
section 7 of the Telecommunications Act 1984.

Atlantic  is  planning to replicate across certain  key  urban
regions  of England & Wales, the considerable success  it  has
had  in Glasgow where it has been operating a fully commercial
fixed  radio access (FRA) service since late October 1996.  At
30th  September 1997, after less than one year from the  start
of  commercial service in Glasgow, Atlantic had  installed  or
had  pending  installations of over 10,000 lines  on  the  FRA
network.

In  addition, through its innovative indirect service (Crest),
Atlantic will be able to provide a service to customers in any
area  of  the UK. Crest can be used in advance of building  an
FRA  network in a specific location and can also  be  used  to
connect  customers  who live outside densely  populated  urban
areas.   Crest,  launched  in  September  1997,   utilises   a
proprietary  electronic routing box developed by Atlantic  and
enables  customers  to  benefit from Atlantic's  value  added,
innovative  charging  structure,  by  routing  calls   through
British Telecom's network.

The Licences

Atlantic applied for licences in early 1997 on the basis  that
it wished to gain a National Telecommunications Licence at the
same  time  as  Regional  Radio Licences  under  the  Wireless
Telegraphy Act 1949. The aim of this was to allow Atlantic  to
establish  an  FRA service in specific regional areas  without
incurring the commitment of a national build obligation.  This
licensing  structure, approved in principle, is  rare  in  the
telecommunications  industry. Statutory  consultation  on  the
licences, required under legislation, will commence shortly.

The Regional Radio Licence structure will require Atlantic  to
build  and complete a network only in the relevant region,  as
defined  in  the  licences and as requested  by  Atlantic,  in
accordance  with specific coverage obligations  to  be  agreed
region by region. The Scottish licences, already issued,  have
no build or coverage obligations.

Strategy

Atlantic   is   a   focused   niche   player   in    the    UK
telecommunications industry. Its strategy is  to  provide  its
target  customers  with high quality, innovative  value  added
services using appropriate technologies. The structure of  the
licence  which has been approved in principle is  critical  in
being able to fulfil this strategy.

Graham J Duncan, Executive Chairman of Atlantic Telecom  Group
PLC  comments on the new licence; "We are delighted  that  the
Government  has recognised our pioneering work in Scotland  by
allowing us, in principle, to provide services in other  areas
of the UK. The licences will allow us to target our investment
to  those areas which we determine are suitable for deployment
of the service."

The  company is now working with its advisers to determine the
best way of funding its objectives, including the provision of
debt  finance.  In  the  meantime  the  company  continues  to
successfully  deploy  its  services  in  Scotland.  Commenting
further, Mr Duncan stated:

"In the telecommunications world, licences are fundamental  in
providing opportunity and value to shareholders. We have taken
a  huge  step  forward in our determination to build  Atlantic
into a key niche player in this dynamic industry."

Notes to editors:

1.   FRA  is a wireless telephone service based on an advanced
     digital  frequency radio technology. It delivers  a  wide
     range  of  high quality, secure, advanced voice and  data
     communication  services to both business and  residential
     customers.

2.   Atlantic  has two licences under the Wireless  Telegraphy
     Act  1949,  the first granted in September 1996  for  the
     Strathclyde Region of Scotland and the second  issued  in
     October  1997  for a large part of the rest of  Scotland,
     allowing it to operate a radio based service.


END


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