The Personal Communications Industry Association filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission regarding universal service fund reform. PCIA agreed with the FCC that it must implement access charge and universal service fund reform concurrently to avoid local exchange carriers receiving double recovery of costs. PCIA said it is concerned that a decrease in access charges will increase the size of the universal service fund, putting a disproportionate burden on commercial mobile radio service providers.
CommNet Cellular Inc. agreed to allow AirTouch Paging to use a one-way FLEX paging network it is building as part of its existing cellular infrastructure. According to the agreement, CommNet will allow AirTouch to use the infrastructure to provide paging services in CommNet’s cellular markets on one of AirTouch’s nationwide paging frequencies. In return, CommNet will be able to sell the paging services provided over its paging network on AirTouch’s nationwide paging frequency.
Chadmoore Wireless Group Inc. renegotiated its acquisition of 800 SMR and CMRS Inc., locking up related options through year end and restricting their exercise thereafter, the company said. Chadmoore wanted to restrict the exercise of a remaining option for 5.5 million underlying shares of common stock. Under the renegotiation, the option for the 5.5 million shares can’t be exercised until 1998. At that time, the option exercise will be restricted to 100,000 shares per quarter for the first and second quarter, and to 250,000 shares each quarter thereafter.
Shared Technologies Cellular Inc. signed a two-year agreement with Thorn Americas Inc. to provide programming, activation and airtime redemption services for prepaid cellular phones rented at Rent-A-Center locations throughout the United States. Shared Technologies said customers can obtain and activate a phone immediately. Airtime can be purchased in increments of 30 or 60 units, and the phones alert the user how much credit is left. When airtime runs out, the phone prompts the user to return to a Rent-A-Center location to purchase more airtime. Emergency and repair calls are free, the company said. The debit phone program will be rolled out during the next three months. More than 13,000 phones will be deployed in 800 Rent-A-Center locations by March.
The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association issued a report estimating reduced sales of cellular phones in 1996. CTIA said the report significantly differs from reports issued by analysts such as Paul Kagan & Associates and Herschel Shosteck Associates Ltd. The report on wireless subscriber growth in 1996 will be available March 3.
Century Telephone Enterprises Inc. acquired the cellular assets of Mississippi 7 rural service area from Cone Enterprises Inc. The rural service area has a population of 179,000 in six central Mississippi counties and is adjacent to Century’s Jackson, Miss., metropolitan statistical area.
