BT and AT&T move closer together

AT&T and British Telecommuni cations took another step towards entwining their global networks yesterday as they announced an alliance linking their wireless telecoms businesses around the world.

The move comes 14 months after a more formal joint venture that united the traditional wireline networks of the two outside their home countries. Some analysts took it as a sign that they are increasingly tying their fortunes together, making an eventual full merger more likely.