., ▁until ▁the ▁two ▁divisions ▁were ▁merged . ▁The ▁C W CI ▁U . S . ▁network ▁expanded ▁nation wide ▁throughout ▁the ▁late ▁eight ies ▁and ▁n inet ies , ▁serving ▁all ▁major ▁and ▁some ▁smaller ▁mark ets . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁Mercur y ▁was ▁merged ▁with ▁three ▁cable ▁operators ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁( V idé ot ron , ▁Ny nex , ▁and ▁Bell ▁C able media ), ▁and ▁renamed ▁C able ▁& ▁W ire less ▁Communic ations . ▁Later ▁that ▁year , ▁C able ▁& ▁W ire less ▁bought ▁ 4 9 % ▁of ▁the ▁Pan aman ian ▁IN TE L ▁( Inst ituto ▁Nacional ▁de ▁Tele com unic aciones ): ▁it ▁is ▁now ▁the ▁largest ▁communic ations ▁car rier ▁in ▁that ▁country . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁M CI ▁Communic ations ▁and ▁World Com ▁merged ▁to ▁create ▁M CI ▁World Com , ▁the ▁company ' s ▁existing ▁US ▁subs idi ary ▁C able ▁and ▁W ire less ▁USA , ▁Inc . ▁purchased ▁the ▁M CI ▁tier ▁ 1 ▁back bone ▁in ▁the ▁U . S .: ▁prior ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁C able ▁& ▁W ire less ▁USA ▁had ▁merely ▁operated ▁a ▁long ▁distance ▁tele phone ▁business ▁and ▁a ▁small ▁internet ▁service . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁C able ▁& ▁W ire less ▁Global ▁was ▁formed ▁to ▁build ▁global ▁IP ▁and ▁IP ▁M PL S ▁( multip ro tocol ▁label