1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.2


            GLOBAL TELESYSTEMS, INC. COMMENCES CONSENT SOLICITATION
                        ON 9-7/8% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2005

                       Consent to Remain Open for 7 Days

     LONDON, (November 13, 2000) -- Global TeleSystems, Inc. (NYSE: GTS; Easdaq:
GTSG; Frankfurt: GTS) ("GTS"), the leading provider of e*Business and borderless
broadband services across Europe, today announced that it is soliciting consents
from holders of its 9-7/8% Senior Notes due 2005 (the "Notes") to amendments of
certain provisions of the indenture governing the Notes. The consent
solicitation will expire at 5:00 p.m. New York City time on November 21, 2000,
unless extended by GTS prior to such date.

     GTS will make a payment equal to 1% of the principal amount of the Notes
($10 in cash for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes) to each holder of Notes
whose consent is received and accepted prior to the expiration date. The record
date of the consent solicitation is November 17, 2000. GTS will pay this consent
payment promptly after the execution of a supplemental indenture effecting the
amendments.

     The purpose of the consent solicitation is to permit GTS to modify certain
provisions of the indenture governing the Notes in order to provide GTS with
greater flexibility to, among other things, restructure the operations of its
Global TeleSystems (Europe) Limited subsidiary, formerly known as Esprit Telecom
Group plc ("Esprit Telecom"), and address the indebtedness represented by Esprit
Telecom's publicly traded debt securities and long-term debt owed to GTS by
Esprit Telecom. GTS currently intends that Esprit Telecom will continue to meet
its trade obligations consistent with past practices while GTS addresses its
options with regard to Esprit Telecom.

     The detailed terms and conditions of the consent solicitation are contained
in the consent solicitation statement dated November 13, 2000. Holders of Notes
can obtain copies of such statement and related material from the information
agent for the consent solicitation, Georgeson Shareholder Communications Inc. at
1-800-223-2064 (toll free) or 212-440-9800 (collect). Credit Suisse First Boston
("CSFB") is acting as the Solicitation Agent for the transaction. Questions
regarding the consent solicitation can be addressed to CSFB at 1-800-237-5022
ext. 7625 (toll free) or (310) 282-7625 (collect) or to CSFB's Liability
Management Group, 1-800-820-1653 (toll free) or (212) 538-8474 (collect).

ABOUT GTS (WWW.GTS.COM)

     GTS is the leading provider of e*Business and borderless broadband services
across Europe, serving businesses and carriers with a range of broadband,
hosting, Internet/IP and voice services. As an industry leader in Europe, the
company has the largest cross-border fiber optic network; the largest Tier-1 IP
backbone (GTS Ebone); the most widely deployed pan-European e*Business sales
and service staff; and the largest pan-European customer base. GTS's first and
most extensive trans-European broadband fiber network includes on-net points of
presence in 38 European cities (50 cities planned) and stretches across 17,500
route kilometers (25,000 route kilometers planned) with seven city enterprise
networks (CENS) (14 CENS planned), providing intra-city bandwidth. The company
has its European operating headquarters in London; other corporate offices in
Washington, D.C., Brussels and Cork, Ireland; and sales and service operations
in 20 countries.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Glenn Manoff (Media)
Tel.: 44-207-769-8290; fax: 44-207-769-8084; email: glenn.manoff@gtsgroup.com
                                                    -------------------------
Jim Shields (Investors)
Tel.: 44-207-769-8264; fax: 44-207-769-8068; email: jim.shields@gtsgroup.com
                                                    -------------------------

     This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section
21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be
covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that all
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Although GTS
believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements
contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and
therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements
included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the
significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included
herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a
representation by GTS or any other person that the objectives and plans of GTS
will be achieved.


                                       1