Pacific Bell asked state regulators to let...

Pacific Bell asked state regulators to let it open its network to companies wishing to provide call-answering and voice-messaging services. Under the applications, the utility would offer six new services that subscribing firms could use to record phone messages for their customers even while the phone is in use and to send voice messages to any number of phone customers by placing just a single call. PacBell asked the Public Utilities Commission to approve temporary tariffs for these services during a two-year trial period in up to 30 metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento. Pacific Bell itself plans to enter this new “voice-mail” market, a spokesman said.