AT&T Corp. and Saudi Arabian company A.S. Bugshan & Bros. won a contract to expand the Global System for Mobile communications cellular network of the Saudi Ministry of Post, Telegraph and Telephone. An additional 300,000 subscribers can be added. The expansion will cover 16 new cities, provide service on several major highways and upgrade service in 21 cities, AT&T said.
Motorola Inc.’s Cellular Infrastructure Group will supply and deploy a personal communications services network in the Caribbean island of Aruba, through an agreement with Fabela Groupe Internacional Ltd. The system initially will use Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone Service, with plans to migrate to digital Code Division Multiple Access technology. The system is scheduled to be installed during this year’s second half. Fabela Groupe is an investment and management company, and a founder of the VimpelCom cellular operation in Russia. Fabela intends to invest more than $50 million in its new venture, Caribbean Wireless Communications N.V.
AirTouch Communications Inc. has increased its ownership in Italy’s second cellular operator, Omnitel-Pronto Italia, by 1.5 percent, up to 11.7 percent, for $6 million. The Global System for Mobile communications network is under construction, testing was performed in June and service is scheduled to begin by the end of the year. Other consortium partners include Bell Atlantic Corp., Cellular Communications International and Mannesmann A.G. “This acquisition demonstrates our strategy of enhancing shareowner value by increasing our stake in our existing international operations,” said Arun Sarin, AirTouch International president and chief executive officer. Cellular penetration in Italy is about four percent, AirTouch said.
CellStar Internacional Telefonia Celular Ltda., a subsidiary of CellStar Corp., reached agreements with Motorola Inc.’s Cellular Infrastructure Group to distribute Motorola’s wireless in-building communications system, INReach, in Brazil. INReach makes it possible to use a cellular phone as a desk phone extension or as a mobile phone in a building or campus environment, Motorola said. CellStar will market INReach to industrial and commercial businesses including hospitals, banks, oil companies and convention centers.
L.M. Ericsson signed a contract with the Shandong Province Posts and Telecommunications Administration for a cellular network in that Chinese province. Ericsson said it values the contract at about $17 million. Ericsson plans to install networks based on Global System for Mobile communications technology in three cities.
The International Mobile Satellite Organization announced Ghana has joined the group, becoming its 79th member. The Post and Telecommunication Corp. will represent Ghana as the country’s signatory shareholder organization. Ghana is the 12th African country to become a member of Inmarsat. Becoming part of Inmarsat will help update telecommunications service in the country where the wait for terrestrial telephone service can be up to six years, Inmarsat said.
