1996

FLEX has been adopted en masse in the paging industry, at least in principle. In reality, the majority of U.S. one-way paging customers are POCSAG customers and carriers are in …

PAIGNTON, U.K.-Northern Telecom Inc. will supply Proximity I fixed radio access network equipment and services to Ionica, a new national public telephone operator in the United Kingdom. Proximity wireless access …

NEW YORK-Moody’s Investors Service Inc. announced Oct. 10 it has upgraded its ratings on $350 million in outstanding debt issued by Centennial Cellular, New Canaan, Conn. The New York-based rating …

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 …

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 …

WASHINGTON-Nextel Communications Inc.’s proposed $159 million buyout of Pittencrieff Communications Inc.-a deal that could give one firm half of the 2.2 million dispatch customers and access to most of the …

NEW YORK-Recent developments in a class-action lawsuit alleging securities fraud against CellStar Corp., a cellular handset distributor, have emerged as a vanguard test of part of a new federal law …

President Clinton has proposed to provide free basic Internet access to all elementary, middle and high schools and libraries, an election-year measure potentially costing billions of dollars that would be …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Editor’s Note: The RCR editorial staff has compiled this list of terrestrial-based, two-way mobile data operators based on interviews with industry contacts. The chart is arranged alphabetically since many of …

QUEBEC-A group of Canadian inventors are hoping to find a U.S. distributor for their radio muting product for cellular phone users. The Wave Shadow 1000 is a small device containing …

Lightbridge Inc.’s ProFile subscription fraud prevention product is used by carriers in every state except California because the state’s public utilities code won’t allow it, the company reports. “The Public …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

NEW YORK-Because many new personal communications services providers are unable to pay out of pocket for equipment purchases, AirNet Communications Corp. announced last week it would downsize, restructure and direct …

WASHINGTON-The wireless telecommunications industry said many carriers will not meet the Jan. 1 deadline when new radio frequency radiation safety guidelines go into effect. The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association last …