The proposal, if adopted by the Federal Communications Commission, would allow the telephone companies to invest more rapidly in the development of equipment for a high-speed data network, the companies said.

The Baby Bell phone companies seek to provide long-distance data services. But under the 1996 Telecommunications Act, the Bells are forbidden from offering long-distance voice and data service in their home regions until they open their local telephone markets to competition.

The FCC has proposed lifting some restrictions on the Baby Bells by allowing them to provide data services as long as those operations were in separate subsidiaries.

The Baby Bells, however, say the cost of building a separate data unit would force that affiliate to focuson servicing lucrative, business customers instead of residential and rural customers.

Under the proposal submitted to the FCC, local telephone companies would provide long-distance data services if that would substantially reduce the cost of delivering high-speed Internet connections to consumers.

The phone companies would agree to give competitors greater access to their central offices or networks and all Internet service providers also would continue to have access to the networks of the phone companies, the companies said.

The companies involved include phone companies Ameritech Corp., Bell Atlantic Corp., BellSouth Corp., GTE Corp., U S West Inc., SBC Communications Corp., as well as technology companies Intel Corp., Gateway 2000 Inc. and Microsoft Corp.