BRIEF TRANSMISSIONS

Imnet's first service for Merrill Lynch branch offices will be broadcast consolidation of several Merrill news wires, source says. Equatorial satellite-based service will be optional, but will offer branch managers chance to eliminate cost of current copper-based delivery. "Foot-in-the-door" approach is designed to let branch managers become comfortable with data broadcasting prior to eventual roll-out of Imnet's branch automation system.

ADP Financial Information Services has not yet tested new DOS module said to allow Convergent Technologies NGen workstations to run IBM-PC software. NGens, widely used in ADP-FIS and ADP Comtrend products, use proprietary CTOS operating system and are inhospitable to IBM applications. Snap-on co-processor module is said to use Intel 80186 chip to achieve IBM XT and AT compatibility. "Without testing it," says ADP spokesperson, "we see it as a further enhancement and further added value to our clients. We expect to be working with it soon."

Lotus Development Corp. has begun second round of print advertising for Signal service. New ads -- with theme of "Ah-Hah Factor" -- stress benefits of using Signal quote stream with Lotus 1-2-3 and Symphony, says account manager Jeff Anderholm. Previous "Live from Wall St." campaign was more product-oriented, he says. Anderholm declines comment on size of media budget. Spending on previous campaign was estimated at about $2 million.

Financial fractions on IBM-PC? Visitor who saw Imnet's prototype branch automation system says PC workstations use enhanced graphics adapter to support financial character set with clarity comparable to Quotron cluster terminal. Imnet is also said to be planning block keyboard option to make RRs really feel at home.

PC Quote, Inc.'s data feed will be used by new firm as database for newspaper stock tables. Media West, Inc., based in Glens Falls, NY, expects to provide papers with software to extract quotes from IBM-PC's RAM and format them to drive either phototypesetter or high-resolution laser facsimile machine. System will provide papers with market information on "on-demand basis rather than being at the mercy of specific transmissions during the day," says PC Quote chairman Lou Morgan. Besides deadline flexibility, system is intended to provide editors with options lacking in current AP and UPI stock market feeds, says Media West president Jim West. Papers will be able to publish custom tables automatically, such as stocks of local companies or local interest.

Red faces abound as Richard Morrison about-faces and decides he will stay at Shearson Lehman Bros. rather than take previously-accepted chief technologist job at Merrill Lynch (MTR, March 1986). Move leaves Merrill in lurch, Shearson with two pegs in one hole. Shearson had already summoned Leonard Haynes from Fireman's Fund to succeed Morrison. Solution: name Morrison and Haynes "co-chief administrative officers" -- not exactly stable arrangement, even by Wall Street standards.

Turmoil at Bonneville Telecommunications (see related story, this issue) has slowed launch of Multipoint Communications Ltd., company's joint venture to establish FM sideband data network in Canada (MTR, October 1985). Firm's press launch was abruptly canceled at last minute, and Bonneville was cited as primary reason. Multipoint was to have distributed Comstock quote stream marketed by Commodity Quotations, Inc. Corporate launch had been set for March 25th in Toronto, but was canceled on week's notice. In letter of explanation, Multipoint president John Maynard said cancellation resulted from "decision by new management of Bonneville Telecommunications to re-assess their business plans."

Equatorial Communications Co. plans to add master earth station on east coast this year. In 10-K filing with SEC, firm says it has "contracted for access to an additional master earth station facility located in New York." Source confirms dish is at Hughes Communications complex at inaptly-named Spring Creek, NY. (Site is actually on stretch of ad hoc dumping ground near Kennedy Airport.) Equatorial is expected to use facility to backhaul data to Mt. View master earth station for east coast customers.

Moving Around: Bob Richards, ex-planning director, United Telecommunications, joins Market Information, Inc. subsidiary as president....Bob Ammons, president, Bunker Ramo Information Systems, resigns following firm's acquisition by ADP.