Bell Atlantic (Arlington, VA) has withdrawn its hybrid fiber-coax video dial-tone applications from the FCC and is expected to favor switched-digital video technology in the replacement applications. . . . Carl Symons has joined Astarté Fiber Networks (Boulder, CO) as president and CEO. . . . APA Optics (Minneapolis, MN) has announced plans to build a new production facility in Aberdeen, SD, to manufacture WDM modulators.