ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Thursday, February 20, 1997            TAG: 9702200073
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: B-6  EDITION: METRO 

IN BUSINESS

FCC OKs new wireless waves

WASHINGTON - Federal regulators adopted rules Wednesday opening up an unused chunk of the airwaves for wireless transmission of telephone, television and data services.

The Federal Communications Commission's action carries out the wishes of Congress, which is interested in developing and auctioning the public airwaves to generate money for the Treasury.

The FCC will begin auctioning 128 licenses for the wireless services by April 15. The 10-year licenses entitle a company to operate on a specific slice of the public airwaves and geographic market.

Lucent Technologies Inc., AT&T Corp. and BellSouth Corp., are among the companies that have expressed an interest in the new frequencies designated for wireless services.

- Associated Press

Mid-Atlantic lures more retirees

NORFOLK - Though Arizona and Florida still top the list of places to retire, some analysts say the Mid-Atlantic region is getting more popular.

As Arizona and Florida's share of the 60-plus market continues to fall, the Mid-Atlantic share has grown. Currently, North Carolina ranks third, South Carolina sixth and Virginia 15th on the list of best places to retire.

And of the 183 retirement communities ranked in ``Retirement Places Rated,'' 29 are in the Mid-Atlantic.

Retirees say the Mid-Atlantic has a good climate, is less congested and has a lower cost of living than traditional retirement areas.

``Retirees fall in love with breathtaking mountains, rolling hills, coastal plains and quiet towns, often near universities,'' said Betty Joyce Nash, a writer for Cross Sections, a regional business magazine produced by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

- Associated Press

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