TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

AT&T; Closes Deal for McCaw: Having cleared a final hurdle, the telecommunications firm closed a $12.6-billion deal to acquire McCaw Cellular Communications Inc. The action came hours after the FCC gave a green light to the merger, 13 months after it was proposed. The commission approved the transfer of dozens of cellular licenses held by McCaw, the country’s largest cellular phone operator, to AT&T; Co. FCC Chairman Reed Hundt said the merger will “increase competition for cellular services.” The commission imposed a number of requirements to ensure that the companies act competitively, mostly involving the sale of AT&T; equipment to competitors.