GTE Will Add 2 Market Areas in State

GTE Inc., whose California operations are based in Thousand Oaks, is stepping up its courting of business customers in response to intensified competition expected from communications industry deregulation.

The company this year will add two California markets--Santa Barbara and San Bernardino--to those already served by its so-called World Class Network for business customers.

Among other things, the program offers fiber-optics technology for high-speed voice, video and and data transmission.

A total of six new markets will be added to the network nationwide in 1995, joining nine others that were started in 1994, GTE said. The network already serves parts of Los Angeles and other communities in Southern California.

Fiber-optic “rings” called SONET are installed in all network cities. The rings provide high-speed transmission and can be remotely maintained from centralized service facilities.