MORRISTOWN, N.J.-Bellcore said its board of directors has not yet approved the sale of the company, although a California defense contractor is believed to be close to making the buy.
Bell Communications Research Inc. was created in 1984 by the regional Bell operating companies following the break-up of AT&T Corp. Its job has been to provide engineering, administrative and other services to its owners: Ameritech Corp., Bell Atlantic Corp., BellSouth Corp., Nynex Corp., Pacific Telesis Group, SBC Communications Inc. and U S West Inc.
Bellcore’s owners announced in April 1995 they would consider selling the company. Science Applications International Corp. reportedly is the most likely buyer.
Bellcore says 80 percent of U.S. public telecommunications networks depend on software that Bellcore invented, developed, implemented or maintains.
Wireless products Bellcore has been involved in include the AirBoss voice messaging and information service application for wireless networks.
Bellcore also provides the software for the PACS Edge solution offered by the alliance of Siemens Stromberg-Carlson, Hughes Network Systems Inc. and Bellcore. PACS is an advanced cordless phone system that is being deployed on personal communication services spectrum in the United States.
Bellcore also includes in its list of accomplishments, “Conceived the network architecture supporting deployment of advanced intelligent network services.”
Bellcore said it initiated the concept, established detailed specifications and promoted the development and deployment of synchronous optical networks.
IRVINE, Calif.-Subscriber Computing Inc. has licensed its integrated customer management and billing system to PCS Development Corp., a nationwide two-way voice paging carrier.
Subscriber Computing said the Communications Resource Manager enables wireless carriers to implement new services and subscriber equipment, invoicing and accounts receivable, distribution channel management and executive management reporting as well as financial and marketing planning.
The company values the PCSD license at $1 million.
Subscriber Computing said its integrated management solutions handle about 40 percent of all U.S. pagers. The PCSD deal marks its first entry into the new advanced two-way voice messaging market.
PCSD won narrowband personal communications services licenses at auction to offer paired nationwide 50kHz/50kHz inbound/outbound service. The company expects to begin providing mobile voice messaging service next year.
“We went through quite an extensive search (for a subscriber management system) because we understood that the information management system was going to be our most mission-critical application,” said Vincent Oddo, vice president information systems at PCSD.
NEW YORK-AVIC Group International Inc. announced it has acquired a 31 percent interest in a joint venture company that is building a Global Service Mobile communications cellular network in China’s Hebei province.
Joseph R. Wright, AVIC’s chairman and chief executive officer, said commercial operations in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei, should begin in October. Service to three other cities is expected by the end of the year, and seven more cities by mid-1997. When Phase 1 of the project is complete, the network will provide service to 70,000 subscribers in Hebei, the company said. Wright added the company hopes to expand the network to 200,000 subscribers by the year 2000.
Members of the joint venture include NTT International Corp., a subsidiary of Nippon Telephone & Telegraph Corp., and Hebei United Telecommunications Equipment Co.
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.-IBM Mobile & Wireless Systems said it will work with Norand Corp. to provide an integrated wireless solution for the handheld, pen-based computing market.
IBM said it plans to expand its 2488 series of ruggedized, handheld computers by adding several new models later this year that integrate its PC wireless modems for Ardis, Mobitex and Cellular Digital Packet Data networks with Norand’s rugged, handheld computers.
The new 2488 Series 600 units will accommodate end users who need mobile, roaming access to computing facilities within a building or city area without limitation to hard-wired connections to a host system.
“IBM and Norand have had a mutually beneficial partnership for many years,” said IBM.
