Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.telcom From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: telcom Tue, Mar 17 1992 Date: Tue, 17 Mar 92 05:44:53 EST Message-ID: 03-17 0000 DECISIONLINE: Telecommunications USA TODAY Update March 17, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network CELLULAR INDUSTRY GROWS 43%: The cellular telephone industry grew more than 43% in 1991, adding an all-time record 2.3 million subscribers in 12 months, says The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association. The spiraling growth left the industry with 7.6 million subscribers nationwide as of Dec. 31, compared to the 5.3 million reported on Dec. 31, 1990. (For more, see special Cellular package below.) PBX PLUS UPDATES SWITCH BOARDS: PBX Plus, a new way of using Southwestern Bell's central office-based Plexar service, allows customers to add Plexar lines to their PBX lines. This stretches the life of their PBXs, Southwestern Bell says. To introduce customers to the new service, Southwestern Bell, in conjunction with Northern Telecom, will host a free PBX Plus seminar March 19 in Tulsa. PBX PLUS CAN LINK SITES: With Southwestern Bells' PBX Plus, customers can add voice lines, link multiple PBX and non-PBX sites or add Automatic Call Distribution for telemarketing and customer service. PBX Plus with ACD service offers customers real-time Management Information System reporting, the company says. AT&T TO CUT INTEREST RATE: AT&T cut the interest rate on its Universal card to 15.4% per year from 16.4%, effective April 1. The new rate applies to Universal's 8.5 million charter members. AT&T also cut rates to 16.4% from 17.4% for more than 4 million card holders who signed up after the charter period ended. The Universal card turns 2 years old next week. SIKES TO SPEAK AT CONFERENCE: Rupert Murdoch and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Alfred Sikes are among those scheduled to speak at the Variety:Wertheim Schroder conference "The Business of Entertainment: The Big Picture." It is to be held March 26 at The Pierre Hotel, New York. Panel topics include Cable at the TV Networks and New Media Technologies. NEW GATEWAY PRODUCTS UNVEILED: Apertus Technologies, Inc. Monday unveiled a series of gateways and terminal networking products that enable businesses to integrate SNA-based applications and synchronous and asynchronous terminals with LANs and internetworks. The Telnet Gateway, the LAT Gateway and the DSPU Gateways are targeted at Fortune 1000 companies. Prices start at $7,995. TELEPHONE RECORDS SUBPOENAED: A Senate special counsel subpoenaed telephone company records of the personal phone numbers of the reporters who broke the story of Anita Hill's accusations of sexual harassment by Clarence Thomas. National Public Radio's Nina Totenberg and Newsday's Timothy Phelps won't divulge their sources and will fight the subpoaneas. LOTUS DEVELOPS TRAINING TOOL: Lotus Development Corp. Monday announced the Ami Pro SwitchKit for WordPerfect Users will be available free, upon request, to registered users of Ami Pro. The Switch Kit is an on-line training tool to help WordPerfect users to make the transition to Ami Pro 2.0. Telephone support is available by calling 404:851-0007. Support also is available by fax and through CompuServe. PUERTO RICO FIRM TO LAY OFF 500: Two government-owned public service corporations in Puerto Rico will cut nearly 1,000 "excess" workers this year. Puerto Rico Telephone Co. will lay off 500 employees, while Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Co. won't renew the contracts of 420 temporary workers. STATION ASKS TO CUT STAFF: The Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station in Cutler, Maine, has asked for approval from the federal government to cut 10 civilian jobs in '92 and may seek to cut 10 to 15 more by 1993 due to budget woes. A Union official says cuts would hurt severely impact local economy. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON CELLULAR: CONSUMERS HAPPY WITH SERVICE: The cellular industry grew 43% in 1991. "That can be attributed to the fact the general consumer is discovering the utility of our service and the peace of mind offered by instant communication," said Elizabeth Maxfield, acting president, Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association. REVENUES HIT RECORD: The latest CTIA survey, covering the last six months of 1991, shows the industry enjoyed its best six-month and 12-month periods ever financially. The $3.1 billion reported in service revenues for the second half of the year was a record for any six-month period, and the resulting total for the entire year, $5.7 billion, set a new annual record. INVESTMENT IS GROWING: The industry's cumulative capital investment jumped 38% during 1991 to a new total of $8.7 billion. That means the industry invested $2.4 billion during 1991 alone. Roaming revenues climbed 54%, from $456 million in 1990 to $703.6 million, and now represent 12.3% of total revenues. Carriers also reported a 23% increase in employment, from 21,382 to 26,327. CALLS ARE SLIGHTLY SHORTER: For the year, the average cellular phone call increased slightly in length, from 2.2 minutes to 2.38 minutes, according to CTIA. The average monthly bill dropped from $80.90 as of Dec. 31, 1990, to $72.74 as of Dec. 31, 1991. (End of package.) Telecommunications Editor: Ed Kelleher. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM