ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 3, 1996 TAG: 9604030033
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
Two Western Virginia telephone companies are among a new consortium of 10 independent phone carriers that has agreed to acquire a portion of a radio spectrum license that can be used to provide new digital wireless phone service in the region.
R&B Communications of Daleville and CFW Communications Co. of Waynesboro are members of the Virginia PCS Alliance, which said Tuesday it has agreed to buy part of the license for about $16 million. CFW, which provides phone service in the Clifton Forge area, is the Alliance's managing partner.
PrimeCo, a partnership of Bell Atlantic and three other major regional telephone companies, last year bought the radio spectrum license, which covers most of Virginia. That purchase was at a Federal Communications Commission auction. The FCC must approve the proposed deal between PrimeCo and the Alliance for a portion of the license.
Under terms of the agreement, the Alliance would be able to offer the new wireless services to 1.2 million customers in the Roanoke, Staunton, Lynchburg, Danville and Martinsville trading areas and Brunswick and Mecklenburg counties.
CFW would build and manage the new system, using the same technology that PrimeCo will use in the remainder of the area covered by its license. The Alliance expects to offer service by mid-1997.
Personal communications service is similar to cellular phone service, except that it uses digital technology, capable of handling both voice and text communications. PCS phones are smaller and require less power than cellular phones.
LENGTH: Short : 37 linesby CNB