Excel Communications was founded in 1988 by Dallas entrepreneur Kenny Troutt as a long distance reseller in the US telecom sector at the birth of telecom deregulation.

In the beginning, as the 432nd-largest long distance company in the United States, it began selling franchises through the business model of network marketing or multi-level marketing (MLM). In seven years, it became the fourth-largest long distance carrier in America and the youngest billion-dollar-annual company in history (8 years as compared to the second fastest growing, Microsoft, which took 15 years). In 1996, Excel became the youngest company ever to join the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In 1998, Excel merged with Teleglobe.

Troutt retired as CEO in 1999, to be replaced by Christina Gold.

By 2002, Excel had entered the local phone service market more aggressively than smaller competitors such as MCI's Neighborhood.

On November 1, 2004, Excel unexpectedly filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in Texas. Excel was seeking to get released from its contracts with its independent representatives and was seeking to withhold their commission checks. At this point, it looks like Excel, if it survives, will cease to be a multi-level marketing company.

Sources

• The Excel Phenomenon by James Robinson, Bantam Doubleday. Inc,
• 500 Companies That Matter, April 1997
• The Wall Street Journal, Companies That Make Your Life Easier, September 2002
• MLM Watchdog Report