TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Pacific Telesis to Buy Wireless Cable Licenses, Analyst Says: The San Francisco-based regional Bell operating company agreed to buy the licenses for up to $190 million from Transworld Communications Inc. of Salt Lake City and Groupe Videotron Ltd. of Montreal, said James Boyle, an analyst at Alexander Brown & Sons Inc. Officials at Pacific Telesis and Transworld did not immediately return telephone calls seeking comment. Sylvia Morin, spokeswoman at Groupe Videotron in Montreal, said reports of an agreement between the three companies were premature, but that the companies are “talking and discussing” and that the company hopes to make an announcement regarding this in the “very near future.” Pacific Telesis plans to use the licenses to deliver video services in parts of Southern California until it can build a fiber-optic cable network, sources said. In April, it agreed to buy Cross Country Wireless Inc. in a $175-million transaction, including the assumption of $55 million in debt. “This very likely would signal the second round of Baby Bell investments in this sector,” Boyle said. Pacific Telesis and the other Bells are entering the wireless cable market in an effort to get into the video market faster. Wireless cable services compete with traditional cable-TV operators in providing video programming. The systems transmit programs over the airwaves to rooftop antennas and require in-home converter boxes.