TELECOMMUNICATIONS

TCI Delays Buying Converter Boxes: The nation’s largest cable TV company said it will delay for a year the purchase of 1 million set-top boxes that turn a TV into a two-way communications device. The delay is not significant in its development of more powerful communications networks, Tele-Communications Inc. said. But it shows the technical difficulties in developing even the simplest of advanced communications products, video on demand. Set-top boxes are changing from simply handling numerous cable channels to understanding the digital language of computers and processing programs, data services and phone calls. In time, the advanced features in such a box will be incorporated into TVs.