This series is formed with the records of three MCI's units: MCI subsidiary Telecom*USA's predecessor Teleconnect Company; West Division of MCI Telecommunications Corporation; and the Government Systems unit of MCI Telecommunications Corporation. Records document common carriers' activities of the second half of the 1980s, a period when telecommunication companies were actively involved in the post-divestiture competition with AT&T for a share in a domestic long distance market; when equal access to the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOC's) connection facilities was becoming a reality and required from all competing carriers technically advanced telecommunication networks and services, and elaborate marketing, advertising and public relations programs.

The Series records are arranged in 3 subseries: Subseries A. Teleconnect Company records, 1.3 l.f., 1983-1989 (1. Advertising & Public Relations Projects 1985, 2. Building acquisition and maintenance, 3. Legal/Regulatory file.); Subseries B. MCI West Division records, 1.5 l.f., 1985-1987 (1. General Files, 2. Engineering Staff Files, 3. Engineering Subject Files); Subseries C. MCI Telecommunications Corporation Government Systems records, 0.2 l.f., 1988-1989

In January 1985 MCI decentralized its long-distance subsidiary MCIT into seven regional divisions. Reorganization was prompted by company's rapid growth and by the break-up of AT&T. As MCI's 1985 Annual Report puts it, "In order to succeed in the new post-divestiture market, MCI needs a closer relationship with the newly independent Bell operating companies, with individual state legislatures, regulatory bodies and our local customers." The West Division with its headquarter in Denver, under the leadership of Gerald H. Taylor achieved great progress in attracting new customers and raising company's revenue at that critical time. Records of West division engineering departments and groups document daily network operations, interconnection problems, equipment installation and maintenance, service support, staff training, as well as personal activities of division engineering staff.

At the same period of time, Teleconnect Company was fighting for long distance market share in the states of Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska. Teleconnect entered into an Operator Services Agreement with MCI in 1987, and later merged into Telecom*USA. Records of Teleconnect Company, inherited by MCI via its 1990 acquisition of Telecom*USA, document the company's marketing, advertising, and PR activity in 1985; its relations with local regulatory bodies; and the purchase and organization of a new headquarters in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Additional material on Teleconnect Company and MCI's acquisition of Telecom*USA can be found in Series I, Records of Stockholders and Board of Directors.

The Government Systems unit of MCIT was organized to serve the lucrative governmental market. Winning the competition with AT&T in 1988 brought MCI the contract with the Social Security Administration - the largest federal contract in its history at that time. General, technical and price proposal documentation, as well as price quotes for two other proposals: to the Department of Defense Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and to the U.S. Army Personnel Center, present MCI's activities in this segment of telecommunication market.