Bell Atlantic said it currently had its service up about 99.5 percent of the time.
Bell Atlantic was going to have a serious repair job on its hands.
Bell Atlantic said it would challenge the order in court.
Bell Atlantic has not seemed focused for at least a few years.
Bell Atlantic expected to roll out the new service in late 1994.
Bell Atlantic has about 75,700 workers and the cuts would represent up to 8 percent of the work force.
Bell Atlantic has said that it did not receive the information.
Bell Atlantic comes close, but does not pass some key tests.
Bell Atlantic will pay nearly $2.5 billion for the company.
Bell Atlantic plans to take a $2.3 billion charge to write down old equipment and cut its work force by about 7.7 percent.