PacTel Growing

PacTel InfoSystems one of the unregulated and proliferating progeny of Pacific Telesis Group, parent of Pacific Bell and Nevada Bell telephone companies, is multiplying its presence in the Southland, President Will Luden announced last week.

The company already operates 13 regional retail and demonstration centers along the West Coast--four in Washington, four in Oregon and five in the San Francisco Bay Area. But it only began its move into Southern California last month with the opening of a center in West Los Angeles, followed by one this month in downtown San Diego.

Eight more Southland centers are to open by October: in Glendale this week, Orange and downtown Los Angeles next month, Irvine, Encino and the Mid-Wilshire District in August, and north San Diego, Pasadena and Torrance in September.

That will bring the number of outlets to 23 by year’s end.

The centers resemble store fronts, said Leonard Cozza, marketing vice president, but they function more as demonstration facilities where potential business customers can sample working systems displayed in what Cozza called “life style” settings. The centers also offer staff training and servicing.

“The aim is to provide the full gamut of service--a birth-to-death relationship with our clients,” Cozza said.

PacTel InfoSystems absorbed PacTel Communications Systems earlier this year, swelling to a company of 1,200 employees. Based in San Leandro, just south of Oakland, the consolidated firm seeks to meet a broad spectrum of commercial voice and data communication needs for business customers of all sizes, he said.