TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

GTE-Contel Seek Merger in California: Nearly two years after GTE and Contel agreed to merge, GTE is asking the California Public Utilities Commission to create a single telephone company to serve GTE’s existing 3.1 million customers and Contel’s 312,000 subscribers. If approved by the state, the merger would not become final until at least January, 1994. Once completed, the merger could force the elimination of more than 300 jobs. GTE and Contel operations in other states were merged in March, 1991.