1997

Editor’s Note: The companies listed below represent the 20 largest cellular carriers in the United States. Company rankings are based on the total number of subscribers for their majority-held or …

DENVER-Western Wireless Corp. said it plans to launch personal communications services based on Global System for Mobile communications technology May 1 in Denver. The company plans to open several VoiceStream …

DULLES, Va.-Orbcomm Global L.P. granted type approval to Stellar Satellite Communications Ltd., a subsidiary of Elisra Electronics Systems Ltd. of Bene Beraq, for the second of a planned series of …

NEW YORK-With production of handsets now hitting the current 300,000 capacity mark during some weeks, Qualcomm Inc. announced second-quarter earnings and revenues April 21 that showed dramatic growth, while gross …

DULLES, Va.-Orbcomm Global L.P. granted type approval to Stellar Satellite Communications Ltd., a subsidiary of Elisra Electronics Systems Ltd. of Bene Beraq, for the second of a planned series of …

SAN FRANCISCO-MobiFon, the Romanian cellular venture of Telesystem International Wireless of Canada and AirTouch Communications Inc., launched commercial service less than five months after receiving a license. The network uses …

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J.-MobileMedia Corp. said it submitted to its lenders a business plan as required under its debtor-in-possession financing agreement with Chase Manhattan Bank. In separate news, the company’s symbol …

JACKSON, Miss.-SkyTel Corp. said it will introduce SkyWord Plus in the next few weeks, beginning at $25 per month for service and $10 per month to lease a Motorola Inc. …

WASHINGTON-In the final salvo of paperwork regarding NextWave Telecom Inc.’s opposition to its application for review, Antigone Communications L.P. and PCS Devco Inc. continue to maintain their push for, at …

HERNDON, Va.-Newbridge Networks won a contract to provide its MainStreetXpress 36170 Multiservices Switch for GTE Wireless’ Code Division Multiple Access network in the San Francisco Bay area. The switch provides …

Amid the sagging stocks and belt-tightening that characterizes today’s paging industry, one private company maintains rapid growth and is venturing into new markets. New York-based Affordable Message Center, a wholesaler …

Standard Telecom America Inc. said it will start shipping sample quantities of its Nixxo Swing alphanumeric pager in the next few weeks. Swing is Standard Telecom’s first alphanumeric pager to …

XIAN, China-Northern Telecom Inc. won a contract to expand Shaanxi Provincial Telecommunications Administration’s Global System for Mobile communications cellular network. Nortel values the agreement at $22 million. Nortel supplied the …

DALLAS-Northern Telecom Inc. signed a three-year supply agreement with Omnipoint Corp. for Nortel’s wireless handsets. The agreement includes Nortel’s PCS 1911 handset, which supports data, voice mail and messaging services. …

Tough competition from other operators has led to increased costs for cellular carrier Palmer Wireless Inc., fueling speculation that the carrier is up for sale. Fort Myers, Fla.-based Palmer won’t …

The Federal Communications Commission announced three appointments in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. David Horowitz was named chief of the Private Wireless Division of the Bureau, which he joined in 1995 …

BALTIMORE-A creditors’ committee made up of the seven largest owners of unsecured debt in C-block winner Pocket Communications Inc. was chosen by the U.S. Trustee’s Office in Baltimore April 16 …

OLYMPIA, Wash.-Illuminet Inc. said it began implementing its platform for local number portability. Under the first phase of local number portability, customers will be allowed to switch carriers without having …

LISBON, Portugal-Concert plc, the company formed as part of the merger of British Telecommunications plc and MCI Communications Corp., and Portugal Telecom announced Portugal Telecom will exclusively distribute Concert’s voice …

WEST POINT, Ga.-Personal communications services provider Powertel Inc., a subsidiary of InterCel Inc., reached an agreement with BellSouth Telecommunications Inc. for decreased and reciprocal interconnection rates as directed by the …

NEW YORK-Preferred Networks Inc., a carrier’s paging carrier headquartered in Norcross, Ga., announced April 15 an agreement to obtain between $15 million and $20 million in a private placement with …

Oh, the C-block PCS auction is becoming one of life’s little ironies. Consider this: Congress in 1993 demanded that spectrum be set aside for smaller companies that want to participate …

NEW YORK-Wall Street, once ebullient about wireless stocks, is somewhat gloomy these days about the prospects for new personal communications services carriers to raise public equity. A convergence of global …

WASHINGTON-As Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) examines replies due today from the Food and Drug Administration to questions on the agency’s oversight of a cellular industry-financed cancer research program that has …

WASHINGTON-A status report released at the third of a three-part series of open meetings between wireless industry players and government agencies outlined six critical issues that will form the basis …