July 1998

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-Metrocall Inc. announced a two-year strategic marketing agreement with Washington Gas, under which the utility will offer Metrocall pagers and services to its customers in the Washington, D.C., area …

NEW YORK-The $61.4 billion purchase of Ameritech Corp. by SBC Communications Inc., the second-largest merger in history, accounted for the lion’s share of communications carrier consolidation activity during the last …

PALO ALTO, Calif.-BellSouth Cellular Corp. selected Corsair Communications Inc.’s FraudWatch Pro system to prevent fraud in its North and South American markets, said Corsair. The first installation of the product, …

WASHINGTON-New public-safety spectrum will be denied to police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel well into early next century because of delays claimed by broadcasters in moving from analog to digital …

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-Personal communications services provider Powertel Inc. has joined the other nearly 1,300 members of the Personal Communications Industry Association, said the trade association. Powertel, based in West Point, Ga., …

WASHINGTON-A proposal from Western Wireless Corp. to receive universal-service support payments for providing telephone service to rural areas seems to have gotten a lukewarm response from the Federal Communications Commission. …

NEW YORK-AirTouch Communications Inc., San Francisco, plans the public sale of about $721 million in notes denominated in German marks in order to retire bank debt and commercial paper. Moody’s …

TAIPEI, Taiwan-Low-tier mobile phone service in Taiwan was opened to competition by the country’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications, with a tender announcement expected by December and commercial service rollout …

Turns out there is not one but two million-dollar men in the Portals fiasco. Subpoenaed documents provided to congressional investigators by Tennessee developer Franklin Haney last week supposedly reveal that …

MCLEAN, Va.-Nextel Communications Inc. reported a second-quarter net loss of $531.3 million, or $1.94 per share, compared with a $261.6 million loss for the corresponding period last year. Total revenue …

NEW YORK-Millicom International Cellular S.A. said cellular subscriber growth in its Asian markets has been negatively impacted by the region’s financial crisis and the devaluation of some Asian currencies. However, …

At a somewhat lavish press event at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Motorola Inc. announced it signed a definitive agreement to acquire Starfish Software Inc., a leading supplier …

Wireless Roaming 1998 July 20-23 IBC USA Conferences Inc. Annapolis Marriott Waterfront Hotel, Annapolis, Md. (508) 481-6400. 1998 XDSL ComForum July 21-22 International Engineering Consortium. Oak Brook Hills Resort Conference …

WITCHITA, Kansas-IFR Systems Inc. announced it has entered into a royalty-bearing license agreement with Qualcomm Inc. that gives IFR the right to use and continue to develop Qualcomm’s proprietary software …

NEW YORK-InterDigital Communications Corp., King of Prussia, Pa., will field test its new wireless local loop product in northwest Iowa this fall in conjunction with Pioneer Holdings L.L.C. The agreement …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission is investigating possible wireless resale violations by Nextel Communications Inc., a probe that contributed to the agency rejecting the forbearance petition filed by the Personal Communications …

NEW YORK-A Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association group is developing recommendations for handset manufacturers that would reduce fraud potential and facilitate over-the-air customer activations for non-Global System for Mobile Communications carriers. …

RESTON, Va.-American Mobile Satellite Corp. said it will provide network services and solution development to Checkpoint Systems Inc. for a nationwide wireless field-service application. Under the terms of the agreement, …

DALLAS-Paging Network Inc. introduced a nationwide roaming service for local and regional subscribers, as an alternative to full-time nationwide coverage. Local and regional subscribers who only travel occasionally can transfer …

CITEL Citel Inc. unveiled a new line of coaxial surge protectors that provide protection against lightning surges and electrical transients. They use gas tube technology, making them suitable for broadband …

WASHINGTON-Legislation to protect companies from liability if they share erroneous information about solutions for the so-called millennium bug, proposed last week by President Clinton, won the support of the chairman …

WASHINGTON-Motorola Inc. last week vehemently denied transferring sensitive technology to Communist China after a leaked classified Air Force report concluded Chinese nuclear missile capabilities improved as a result of work …

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill.-Three of Japanese cellular operator DDI Corp.’s regional service providers launched commercial Code Division Multiple Access service in Japan, according to Motorola Inc.’s Cellular Infrastructure Group. Service is …

WASHINGTON-The Department of Commerce is expected to ask other federal agencies for advice on applications filed last week by leading computer firms to export a new form of strong encryption. …

NEW YORK-Orange Communications SA said it awarded a contract, valued at $460 million, to a partnership of Nokia Corp. and Ascom AG to deliver a Global System for Mobile Communications …