October 1996

IRVINE, Calif.-One-Stop Wireless of America said it plans to offer wireless and prepaid cellular products beginning Nov. 15 in Los Angeles. The company said it plans to acquire retail stores …

NEW YORK-Paging Network Inc. announced Oct. 10 it sold privately a $500 million issue of notes to help repay existing bank debt and possibly to help finance its launch of …

Lucent Technologies Inc. is introducing a wireless “smart” pay telephone. The company intends to market the new phones in nations with limited phone service. The goal is to provide the …

NEW YORK-As expected from its advance warning last month, Motorola Inc. last week reported lower sales and earnings for the third quarter of 1996 when compared with the same period …

Canadians may be giving Fido to their loved ones this Christmas. But Fido is not a dog. It’s the spunky brand name for Microcell Telecommunications Inc.’s personal communications service scheduled …

WASHINGTON-In his continued attempt to regain the C-block American Samoa personal communications services license taken back by the Federal Communications Commission due to default, Jack Robinson, president of National Telecom …

NEW YORK-TSR Paging Inc. announced last week it closed on a new $125 million bank credit facility, arranged by First National Bank of Chicago acting as agent. The increased credit …

WASHINGTON-The remaining private sector board members of the congressionally mandated Telecommunications Development Fund have been named, capping an eight-month controversy that had the White House trying to mediate a fight …

FORT MEYERS, Fla.-Palmer Wireless Inc. announced its board of directors has authorized a repurchase program of up to 600,000 shares of the company’s class A common stock during the next …

I had the strange sensation of deja vu all over again reporting on antitrust implications of Nextel Communications Inc.’s proposed buy-out of Pittencrieff Communications Inc., what with all the acquisitions …

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-A special meeting of Metrocall Inc. shareholders will be held Nov. 6 to approve the proposed merger of A+ Network Inc. with the company. Shareholders of record on Oct. …

ST. LOUIS-The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit released the briefing schedule for arguments regarding the Federal Communications Commission’s interconnection and local competition order. The court still has …

A funny thing happened on my way out of the exhibit area at the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association’s Wireless Apps ’96 conference last week in Las Vegas. When I left …

Millicom International Cellular S.A. said its worldwide operations showed record subscriber growth during the third quarter, adding more than 62,000 new cellular subscribers. The company said this is its sixth …

HELSINKI, Finland-Nokia Telecommunications of Espoo, Finland, has won contracts to supply infrastructure equipment to two of Hong Kong’s six new personal communication services providers. P-Plus Communications Ltd. and New World …

NEW YORK-Two days after MobileMedia Corp. announced it expected poor earnings for the third quarter, among other unfavorable news, a new group of its stockholders filed a class action lawsuit …

With its purchase of 355 kiosks in Sam’s Club stores nationwide, MCI Communications Corp. has hands-on access to the consumer customer it seeks. Before obtaining entrance into Sam’s, MCI’s retail …

LAS VEGAS-Telemetry applications made a strong showing at last week’s Wireless Apps ’96 show hosted by the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association. Skywire Corp. announced a trial to monitor several hundred …

ATLANTA-BellSouth Cellular Corp. debuted its prepaid cellular program in its BellSouth Mobility southern Florida market. Because airtime is paid in advance, the service is ideal for customers who are budget …

CLEVELAND-Reltec Corp. obtained a $450 million senior credit facility provided by several financial institutions led by Chase Manhattan Bank. The company said it will use the facility to fund strategic …

The full-size SIM card may lend itself more easily to future services, said Powertel Inc., a U.S. wireless operator that has contracted to buy handsets from one of two manufacturers …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission is expected to complete 800 MHz specialized mobile radio auction-licensing rules within weeks, following bipartisan pressure from Congress to adopt an industry plan that has divided …

Glenayre Technologies Inc. installed its Modular Voice Processing system for PennSel Communication Services, a division of R.F. Communications. PennSel will offer MVP services to its customers in Pennsylvania and the …

SUNNYVALE, Calif.-Conductus Inc. received awards from two government agencies to develop superconducting and cryogenic technology for use in wireless base stations. The first contract was awarded to a consortium composed …