October 1998

SAN DIEGO-Leap Wireless International Inc., Qualcomm Inc.’s spun-off wireless communications carrier, announced that one of its operating companies, OzPhone Pty. Ltd., has acquired two additional cellular licenses in Australia. The …

The 15th Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union kicks off today in Minneapolis, a meeting whose focus on internal governance and strategic planning could be overshadowed by an item …

DALLAS-PageMart Wireless Inc. said it plans to launch guaranteed messaging service in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia and Utah and expand current coverage in Florida as part of a continuing rollout schedule …

WASHINGTON-James Sasser, a former Tennessee senator hired by developer Franklin Haney to work on the Portals deal before becoming U.S. ambassador to China, denied trying to lobby government officials illegally …

NEW YORK-Price Communications Corp. said it added 17,039 net new wireless subscribers during the third quarter, compared with 10,760 new subscribers during the same quarter last year. The company said …

WASHINGTON-The Boeing Co. was fined $10 million as part of an agreement with the State Department covering improper information transfers to Russian and Ukraine partners in a venture to launch …

AT&T Corp.’s announced acquisition of Vanguard Cellular Systems Inc. has raised some questions as to what AT&T plans to do with Vanguard’s paging operations. Many analysts expect AT&T to sell …

Changing times are requiring some infrastructure vendors to reorganize their businesses and better align themselves with their customers. Siemens AG of Germany is the latest vendor to realize this. The …

SYOSSET, N.Y.-AlarmNet announced a new radio alarm signal service called the AlarmNet Control Channel Cellular (AlarmNet-C) in conjunction with its newest alarm transmitter, the 7835C. AlarmNet-C uses Aeris’ Communications’ MicroBurst …

Motorola Cellular Service Inc. announced it achieved operational and marketing certification to become a North American service provider of Iridium L.L.C.’s satellite communications services. MCSI will offer Motorola Satellite Series …

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-Metrocall Inc. announced its shareholders have approved the company’s acquisition of AT&T Wireless Inc.’s Advanced Messaging Division and set the stage for a series C convertible preferred stock offering …

WASHINGTON-Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Commerce Committee, has added his voice to those who believe that wireless, specifically personal communications services, is a substitute for wireline. Indeed, McCain …

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn.-Hearing-aid manufacturer Starkey Laboratories Inc. said testing of a new antenna design from RangeStar International Corp. and a new model Starkey hearing aid showed reduced audio interference by …

WASHINGTON-Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) abruptly tabled his E911 federal-land antenna-siting bill last week after controversy erupted over local zoning rights and liability, effectively killing the legislation for …

SONY Sony Electronics’ Personal Mobile Communications-America announced the availability of a dual-mode 800 MHz analog/Code Division Multiple Access version of its D-Wave Zuma wireless handset. The lithium ion battery provides …

PRINCETON, N.J.-Nettech Systems Inc. launched the Nettech Developer Program, a support program for mobile application developers. The program offers developer partners-such as systems integrators, corporate developers and independent software vendors-various …

WASHINGTON-Boeing Co.’s Sea Launch program has received the go-ahead from the Department of State for a proposed launch early next year, Boeing announced last week. The State Department “has terminated …

NEW YORK-Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Arthur Levitt accused Corporate America of “manipulation” and “illusion” when accounting for certain costs. “In the zeal to satisfy consensus earnings estimates and project …

ORLANDO, Fla.-Sprint Spectrum L.P. contracted Brite Voice Systems to expand its prepaid calling capacity to support the personal communications services carrier’s expansion into new markets, according to Brite. Sprint PCS …

ORLANDO, Fla.-Unwired Planet Inc. released its UP.Link Platform Version 3.1 with Wireless Markup Language support at PCS ’98. The platform, which includes the UP.Link Server and UP.Browser, now can deliver …

CHICAGO-USN Communications Inc. launched cellular services in Midwest markets, where the competitive local exchange carrier already offers local and long-distance services. Small and medium-sized businesses in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio …

CHS Electronics Inc., an international distributor of microcomputer products, announced an agreement to purchase BrightStar Corp., a start-up wholesale distributor of cellular phones and accessories, the companies said. CHS will …

ORLANDO, Fla.-L.M. Ericsson launched an open wireless intelligent network platform, called Jambala, initially available to Time Division Multiple Access Interim Standard 136 providers. Jambala is the first telecom platform to …

WASHINGTON-For all of the grumbling that some in the communications industry do about the Federal Communications Commission, what would happen if it didn’t exist? One leading telecommunications policy maker is …

MONTVALE, N.J. – Geotek Communications Inc. announced it is shutting down all U.S.-based digital wireless networks and will no longer provide its proprietary wireless mobile logistics systems. The company notified …