BUSINESS MEMO: AMERITECH EARNINGS UP

Ameritech Corp. has reported an increase in first-quarter income and profits.

Profits rose 12 percent, in part on strong gains in its paging and cellular services and international phone operations.

The Chicago-based Baby Bell, which hopes to soon expand into long-distance home and business telephone service, has reported double-digit earnings growth for 14 consecutive quarters.

For the three months ended March 31, net income rose to $536 million, or 97 cents a share, from $478 million, or 86 cents a share, the same period a year earlier.

Revenues rose 8 percent to $3.9 billion from $3.6 billion a year ago.

Ameritech serves customers in 50 states and 40 countries, although its core local phone service is in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin.