atch er ▁began ▁priv at ising ▁the ▁national ised ▁indust ries , ▁and ▁C able ▁and ▁W ire less ▁was ▁an ▁early ▁candidate ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁history ▁as ▁a ▁private ▁company . ▁The ▁plan ▁to ▁priv at ise ▁was ▁announced ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁The ▁government ▁sold ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁its ▁share ▁in ▁C able ▁& ▁W ire less ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁the ▁government ▁granted ▁a ▁lic ence ▁for ▁a ▁UK ▁tele communic ations ▁network , ▁Mercur y ▁Communic ations ▁Ltd , ▁as ▁a ▁rival ▁to ▁British ▁Tele com . ▁It ▁was ▁established ▁as ▁a ▁subs idi ary ▁of ▁C able ▁& ▁W ire less . ▁ ▁See ing ▁an ▁opportunity ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁growing ▁US ▁tele com ▁market ▁afford ed ▁by ▁new , ▁optical ▁fi ber ▁technology ▁( The ▁US ▁Communic ations ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁prohib ited ▁ownership ▁of ▁radio ▁facilities ▁by ▁foreign ▁owned ▁companies ), ▁C able ▁& ▁W ire less ▁acquired ▁ 9 x DS 3 s ▁from ▁M CI ▁along ▁the ▁Am tra k ▁right ▁of ▁way ▁and ▁began ▁s elling ▁transmission ▁services . ▁ ▁Among ▁its ▁early ▁customers ▁was ▁a ▁company ▁named ▁T D X ▁Systems . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁the ▁US ▁long ▁distance ▁industry ▁was ▁der eg ulated , ▁and ▁many ▁new ▁companies ▁launched ▁into ▁the ▁equal ▁access ▁market . ▁T D X ▁Systems , ▁based ▁in ▁F alls ▁Church ,