TELECOMMUNICATIONS

British Telecom Mum on EDS Plans: A spokesman for British Telecommunications declined to comment on a London newspaper’s report that the company plans to buy up to 25% of Electronic Data Systems Corp., a unit of General Motors Corp. “We don’t comment on rumor and speculation,” the spokesman said. The Sunday Times said British Telecom would pay as much as $4 billion for the stake. The newspaper said EDS, which GM bought from founder H. Ross Perot in the mid-1980s, has a strong customer base that British Telecom’s Syncordia unit could tap. Syncordia provides telecommunications networks for large corporations. Financially troubled GM is believed to be considering selling part of EDS to raise cash, which it needs to fund new-car development. EDS and GM officials have declined to discuss the sale speculation in recent weeks.