ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 15, 1997 TAG: 9701150114
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS
AEP Communications Inc., a subsidiary of American Electric Power Co., and Sprint Communications Inc. said Tuesday they will build a 150-mile fiber-optic line this spring between Roanoke and Charleston, W.Va.
Building the line will upgrade AEP's private voice and data communication network and provide Sprint with alternate routing and added capacity between West Virginia and Virginia and "is critical to supporting the internal growth of data and voice communications at AEP," said Bruce Renz, a vice president of the parent company.
The agreement is the first for AEP Communications since it was formed in October. The subsidiary plans to offer network construction and maintenance services to the new digital wireless phone companies and is considering offering other services such as mobile radio communications, remote meter reading, vehicle-to-home office data communications, electricity-use management and computerized pricing.
Sprint, according to the company, operates the only nationwide all-digital fiber-optic network.
LENGTH: Short : 29 linesby CNB