if a local company has its way.

TeleBermuda International believes it can revolutionise the business, and trigger a jobs boom.

It boasts of putting telecommunications behind tourism and international business in the league of major industries.

Telecommunications includes relaying information abroad using a computer and a telephone.

It also involves, among other things, long distance phone calls, and communication by cable.

TeleBermuda -- which is being incorporated -- proposes to invest up to $80 million over five years into making Bermuda an international telecommunications centre.

"Some of the funds will be generated by the company as it builds up business,'' said stock broker Mr. Jeffrey Conyers, who will be on the board of directors.

He added money would also come from Bermuda and overseas.

The three-phase plan would involve building an underwater cable linking Bermuda to Canada and America.

Details of the scheme are revealed in the company's application for a public telecommunications licence.

The Telecommunications Commission hearing into the bid will be held on Wednesday at Cathedral Hall.

Applications by Bermuda Global Access Ltd. and Business Systems Ltd. will also be heard.

The three companies -- which boast of dramatic savings for overseas calls -- are the latest challengers to the Telco/Cable & Wireless stranglehold on the business.

"I believe the Telecommunications Commission will find that TeleBermuda's proposal is of strategic importance to Bermuda and is in its public interest,'' said the company's president and chief executive officer Mr.

Michael Kedar.

TeleBermuda is 60 percent Bermudian owned. Among those on its board of directors are BDC Ltd president Mr. Ward Young.

Four Canadians, including Mr. Kedar, own the remaining 40 percent.

The company says it will provide householders and businesses with savings between 30 and 50 percent for phone calls to America, Canada and Britain.

Bermuda Global Access Ltd. also promises "highly competitive'' rates, a first class service, and "state-of-the-art'' equipment.

It pledges to be a "100 percent'' local company operated by hotelier Mr.

Brian Alkon.

BGA is affiliated to Miami-based Peoples Telephone Service, America's largest pay phone operators.

Business Systems Ltd. -- a Bermudian company set up in 1981 -- boasts of offering access to Internet Services, an international computer network.

Internet enables at least 15 million people in over 130 countries to send information.

"With international business being of such significance to the Bermuda economy the implementation of such a service is seen not only as a benefit to Bermuda but essential to its participation and growth in the international marketplace,'' the company states.

Four other companies have already submitted bids to the Telecommunications Commission.

For more on telephone bids, see Business, Page 10 .