November 1997

RALEIGH, N.C.-The state of North Carolina completed the first phase of the installation of a statewide public-safety mobile data network provided by Motorola Inc. The North Carolina Criminal Justice Information …

SAN FRANCISCO-AirTouch Communications Inc.’s board of directors authorized the company to repurchase up to $1 billion of its common and preferred stock. AirTouch said it plans to buy shares occasionally …

WASHINGTON-Fourteen subsidiaries of Dallas-based General Wireless Inc., the third-ranked bidder at the C-block personal communications services auction last year, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Company attorneys Skadden Arps Slate …

TAMPA, Fla.-BellSouth Cellular Corp. said it plans to launch its Time Division Multiple Access personal communications services network early next year in the Tampa Bay, Fla., area. The service area …

WASHINGTON-Federal telecom regulators, under fire from Congress, have proposed allocating more spectrum for little low-earth-orbit mobile satellites even though such a move may prove incompatible with land-based wireless communications. The …

It is unclear whether the wireless communications industry will be recession proof in the Asia-Pacific region if certain currencies there continue to fall taking economic growth with them. Beginning with …

KANSAS CITY, Mo.-Sprint Corp. announced last week the Ronald T. LeMay will return to the company as president and chief operating officer, effective immediately. LeMay left Sprint in July to …

SEATTLE-Some 1,900 wireless data professionals gathered in Seattle last week to determine what future their long-struggling industry might have at Wireless APPS ’97. In this muggy Emerald City, they found …

Dear RCR, I recently was confirmed by the United States Senate to be an FCC commissioner! Although I am excited about my new position, I also am a little worried …

U S West Inc. said it plans to split U S West Media Group and U S West Communications Group into separate public companies with separate boards of directors sometime …

LONDON-Code Division Multiple Access technology is playing a key role in several leading technology contenders for third-generation wireless networks in Europe, but back-to-back industry shows held here last week underlined …

Following intense negotiations with the United Kingdom’s mobile phone operators, the country’s telecommunications regulator extended to Jan. 1, 1999, its number portability requirement for the mobile phone industry. In August, …

NEW YORK-Moody’s Investors Service assigned a low-tier speculative grade rating of Caa1 to Telesystem International Wireless Inc.’s planned issue of $167 million in 10-year senior discount notes paying 10.5 percent …

WASHINGTON-The Telecommunications Industry Association announced it published a new interim standard protocol called Intersystem Operations Support for the IS-136 Digital Control Channel. The document recommends giving networking support to systems …

NEW YORK-Telephone and Data Systems Inc., Chicago, said Oct. 21 it had filed a shelf registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission covering $400 million of “Trust Originated Preferred Securities,” …

WASHINGTON-As the end of the first session of the 105th Congress nears, the wireless telecom industry is left hanging with key policy issues unresolved. In limbo are antenna siting moratoria, …

NEW YORK-The Wireless Alliance L.L.C. is testing a dual-mode service that would allow callers to dial one phone number to reach customers on either their cellular or personal communications services …

Glenayre Technologies Inc. announced that it signed a contract to provide a high-speed paging network in the Heilongjiang province of China for its Posts and Telecommunications Authority. Glenayre values the …

SEATTLE-GoAmerica Communications Corp. announced it signed a licensing agreement with Unwired Planet Inc. at the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association’s Wireless APPS ’97 conference last week. The agreement will add the …

OAK BROOK, Ill.-Airport Cellular, a retail store located at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport International Terminal 5, will become the first retail outlet to sell GTE Airfone Inc.’s Air-Land prepaid phone cards, …

NEW YORK-Matav Rt., the telecommunications carrier that controls more than 60 percent of the Hungarian cellular market, plans to become a publicly traded company Nov. 13. The equities sale, for …

NEW YORK-Dublin-based Esat Telecom Group plc, a minority owner of Ireland’s second cellular carrier, is scheduled to price for sale Nov. 6 an offering of 6 million American Depository Shares, …

WASHINGTON-The Senate last week confirmed Bill Kennard as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and approved three other agency nominees, but immediately put the new leadership on notice that it …

SEOUL-In a city where a mobile phone is as common as kimchi and coffee shops must provide a landline phone at every table in order to draw in customers, Seoul, …

NEW YORK-QuickPhone, a subsidiary of Florida-based UC’NWIN, said it won a contract to supply prepaid wireless products to Genovese Pharmacies throughout the northeastern United States. QuickPhone and strategic partners Mobile …