1996

NEW YORK-The total number and dollar volume of mergers and acquisitions in the global telecommunications market reached an all-time high in 1995, according to a report by Broadview Associates L.P. …

WINCHESTER, Mass.-Metrica Inc. said it has signed an agreement with Turkcell to supply network performance technology for its Global System for Mobile communications network in Turkey. Metrica will also supply …

A German-Italian consortium won the outstanding 49 percent stake in the Czech Republic’s second cellular operator, beating out strong contender California-based AirTouch Communications Inc. Deutsche Telekom’s cellular arm, DeTeMobil, will …

CHAPEL HILL, S.C.-Northern Telecom Ltd. announced field trials of its personal communications services 1900 Smart Base Transceiver Station showed Smart BTS provides more than double the coverage of a conventional …

I’ve got a scoop! I think I now know how President Clinton plans to balance the budget. By selling the budget-all five volumes of the fiscal ’97 spending plan for …

Pacific Bell Mobile Services survived what it called “a political hit” when the San Diego City Council approved 12 PCS antenna permits previously suspended due to health complaints from a …

In Chicago, where cellular penetration is highest and rates are lowest among the nation’s 10 most populous markets, Ameritech Cellular Services and SBC Communications Inc. are fighting it out for …

After discontinuing a five-year relationship with AT&T Corp., HighwayMaster Corp. has formed a new alliance with GTE Corp. and continues to work with IEX Corp. to revamp its network platform. …

The Big Mac of wireless devices has arrived. Shaped like a regular cellular phone, the Nokia 9000 Communicator opens to expose an interactive digital world of voice, data, fax, e-mail, …

WASHINGTON-Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Larry Pressler (R-S.D.) last week called for sweeping spectrum reforms, but dodged the issue of whether broadcasters should pay for television channels. The reforms, which appear …

Four parties received licenses to provide personal communications services in Sweden. Nordiska Tele8 and current cellular operators Telia Mobitel, Europolitan and Comviq will build nationwide Global System for Mobile communications …

Although I promised myself a break from any columns that have to do with CDMA vs. GSM technology and hearing aid interference, I’m breaking the rule-because something positive happened and, …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission could be heading for a shake-up. Commissioner Andrew Barrett, a Republican appointed by President Bush, has signaled he’ll be leaving the agency by May. His departure …

WASHINGTON-Congress passed a one-week funding extension late last week that averts a third shutdown of the Federal Communications Commission, giving Republicans and Democrats a chance this week to consider a …

L.M. Ericsson has announced its new stock of Global System for Mobile communications phones designed to offer greater choice and flexibility to the consumer. The new family comprises the GH338 …

NEW YORK-In the short run in the U.S. analog cellular phone equipment market, Nokia Corp. and, to a lesser extent, L.M. Ericsson, have gained ground on industry giant Motorola Inc. …

WASHINGTON-In a move that could chill other potential bidders, Sprint Corp. has taken itself out of the running for a multiyear federal government wireless provision contract that could be worth …

ATLANTA-GTE Mobilnet Inc., Hughes Network Systems Inc. and Pacific Communications Sciences Inc. completed field trials using circuit-switched Cellular Digital Packet Data technology. CS-CDPD allows CDPD users to transmit packet data …

LOS ANGELES-Intek Diversified Corp. of Los Angeles, Simmonds Capital Ltd. of Toronto and Surrey, England-based Securicor Group plc announced they have signed a letter of intent to combine parts of …

L.M. Ericsson announced it has won a contract from Telecel to provide Digital Cross Connect for Portugal’s Global System for Mobile communications network. The DXX Digital Cross Connect system will …

CHICAGO-RCR Publications Inc. has named David Jern northern sales manager. Jern has approximately 20 years of experience in advertising sales and marketing. In 1994, he established Jern Media International, a …

WASHINGTON-U.S. Trade Representative Mickey Kantor warned that World Trade Organization telecommunications talks will collapse unless more countries agree to open their markets, a development that could complicate efforts to ease …

SEOUL, Korea-Korea has made yet another policy reversal over its award of personal communications services franchises, while remaining firm about completing the licensing process by the end of June. Three …

NEW YORK-Recent blips of volatility in the stock and bond markets are no cause for alarm for wireless companies planning to tap the public capital markets this spring, Wall Street …

WASHINGTON-Jackson, Miss.-based Mobile Telecommunication Technologies Corp. will have to wait a while longer to learn if it is liable for a $33 million payment for the pioneer’s preference narrowband personal …