Texas Firm Gets Control of Cellular Communications

Cellular Communications Corp. of Irvine, which in just two years became one of the nation’s largest cellular telephone dealers, announced Tuesday that a majority of its privately held stock has been purchased by GTE Mobilnet Inc., a Houston cellular service provider. The terms were not disclosed.

The deal gives GTE Mobilnet, a subsidiary of GTE Corp., controlling interest of a company that already has cellular equipment sales offices in six California cities and revenues estimated at more than $10 million for the current fiscal year. The company’s sales were ranked second in the nation in a recent industry newsletter.

A Cellular Communications spokesman said the GTE affiliation gives it an opportunity to open cellular equipment sales offices in the cities where GTE provides cellular service. Those cities include Houston, Cleveland, Tampa, Indianapolis, Portland, Honolulu, Akron and San Francisco.

Founder to Remain

The deal provides that Michael Nasco, Cellular Communications’ founder, will remain as president of the company and will retain minority ownership. James Harpham, president of GTE Mobilnet was named chairman of Cellular Communications.

A Cellular Communications spokesman said GTE Mobilnet was also interested in his company’s recent move into developing emergency roadside call boxes that operate on cellular radio frequencies. Last week, Cellular Communications said it had purchased $1 million worth of electronic components for the call boxes in expectation of receiving some of the nation’s first orders for the roadside systems.