PITTSBURGH (AP) - Telerama Wireless Corp., a Pittsburgh Internet service provider, launched 13 wireless fidelity Internet access areas, or Wi-Fi "hot-spots," in Seattle coffee shops last week.

Doug Luce, its chief executive officer, has relocated to Seattle to oversee the company's entree into the West Coast tech center. Pittsburgh will remain the headquarters, but Luce said Seattle offered an opportunity for the company to demonstrate its mettle and compete with larger companies.

"In a real way, Seattle is the Wi-Fi frontier," said Luce, who founded the company in 1991. "Everyone who's serious about having national play has to prove their model works here."

Rob Pell, Telerama's newly named director of operations, will oversee the Pittsburgh office.

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