TECHNOLOGY & COMMUNICATIONS

MCI Names its Proposed Personal Communications Consortium: About 150 companies, including Times Mirror Cable and dozens of small, independent phone companies, have joined with the long-distance carrier to ask the Federal Communications Commission for permission to deliver the next generation of wireless phone service throughout the nation. The FCC could announce as early as September how it will auction rights to deliver the service. MCI, which does not now offer cellular service, has been pinning its hopes on entering the wireless business on winning a license in the upcoming auction. MCI also confirmed that it is still talking to cable giant Tele-Communications Inc. about joining the consortium.