Qwest Communications International - Changes Name To Qwest Communications Corp., 1995-1996

CHANGES NAME TO QWEST COMMUNICATIONS CORP. (1995-1996)

In 1995 SP Telecom changed its named to Qwest Communications Corp. and moved to Anschutz's home city of Denver after it acquired the Dallas-based firm Qwest Communications Corp. Around this time Anschutz sold his interest in Southern Pacific to the Union Pacific Corp. for about $1.6 billion worth of stock, making him Union Pacific's largest shareholder.

Qwest reached an agreement with CSX Transportation Inc. to use its rail corridors to install a high-speed, high-volume, fiber-optic network in May 1995. CSX owned 19,000 miles of track in 20 eastern states. The agreement with CSX enabled Qwest to build a fiber-optic network from coast to coast. Later in 1995 Qwest gained permission to link several Mexican cities, including Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara, with about 5,000 miles of fiber-optic cable. This network was then linked to U.S. long distance carriers at the U.S.-Mexican border. To generate revenue Qwest negotiated with other long distance providers to buy or lease part of its fiber-optic network.