
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 26, 1991                   TAG: 9102260070
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: George Kegley
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

CONTEL EXPANDING PHONE LINKS

Contel Cellular Inc. has expanded its cellular telephone operations by acquiring controlling interest in the New River Valley and Rocky Mount-Smith Mountain Lake rural service areas. It also has started service in Rockbridge County.

Once purchase of the two areas from Citizens Telephone Co. is complete, the company said it will provide cellular service along Interstate 81 from Pulaski to Lexington. The purchase is pending approval by the Federal Communications Commission.

The action will bring Pulaski, Radford, Blacksburg, Christiansburg and the Rocky Mount-Smith Mountain Lake sections into the company's extended calling area.

Contel said its service will extend to Harrisonburg by networking with the Clifton Forge-Waynesboro system, owned partially by Contel. By the end of the year, the company expects to provide cellular service from Roanoke to Bedford, said Carl Scott, Virginia region director.

Eventually, Scott said, the company plans to link its western and eastern Virginia systems into one large system encompassing more than 13,000 square miles. The firm recently added rural areas along north-south Interstate 95 and U.S. 460 near Petersburg, he said.

Scott said Jane Baker will be market manager for the New River Valley areas along Interstate 81 and U.S. 11 and John Dynes will manage the Franklin County market.

by CNB