TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Sprint Spectrum Sees Nationwide PCS Costing $9 Billion: The alliance among Sprint Corp., Tele-Communications Inc., Comcast Corp. and Cox Communications estimates it will cost the company $9 billion to build its nationwide network of wireless services. To help finance the cost, Sprint Spectrum said it plans to sell $500 million worth of high-yield debt in the coming months, which will be underwritten by Lehman Bros. and Merrill Lynch & Co. Sprint Spectrum, which will provide the next generation of cellular services known as personal communications services, or PCS, also said it has signed up 80,000 customers in its first market in Washington, reaching its year-end target seven months ahead of schedule.