Affiliates of Public Service Company of Colorado and Montana Power formed a joint venture recently that combines their fiber- optic networks. The 230-mile Denver network owned by New Century Energies subsidiary NCE Communications` will become a major regional hub for Touch America, Montana Power`s telecom subsidiary (www.in-tch.com). The 15,000-mile Touch America network is expected to expand to an 18,000-mile, nationwide system by 2000. The joint investment is valued at about $21 million, including assets and cash. The company expects to provide wholesale fiber-optic services to other carriers as well as retail telecom services for commercial customers.
