1998

SAO PAULO, Brazil-Despite its drive for a competitive and liberalized market, Brazilian regulatory agency Anatel finally succumbed to market pressures and postponed to Jan. 15, the tender of licenses to …

WASHINGTON-Qualcomm Inc. is waging a major court battle against the Federal Communications Commission to gain recognition of Code Division Multiple Access technology innovation in personal communications services and the potentially …

NEW YORK-Wristwatch maker Swatch introduced Swatch the Beep Box-a FLEX-enabled numeric pager shaped in a circle. Customers can buy the round pager, which features a trackball activation system, from Swatch’s …

A Texas electric company has asked the Federal Communications Commission to revoke personal communications services licenses owned by PrimeCo Personal Communications L.P. Brazos Electric Power Cooperative Inc. has accused the …

The main goal for the American Mobile Telecommunications Association is regulatory flexibility or more accurately-one-size-does-not-fit-all. AMTA President Alan Shark has been fighting the good fight with the Federal Communications Commission …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission is preparing to vote this month to resolve most of the remaining issues regarding the tortured refarming docket. The refarming docket began several years ago as …

WAYNE, Pa.-Comcast Cellular Communications Inc. announced new national and regional service plans that provide service for one low rate, without roaming or toll charges. Rates for the new Digital PCS …

WASHINGTON-Key lawmakers, amid stepped-up negotiations last week on third-generation mobile phone technology, are laying the groundwork to move legislation in 1999 if they conclude in crucial coming months that U.S. …

CHICAGO-Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co. lowered the senior debt rating of Sprint Corp. from A to BBB+. Sprint’s commercial paper rating also has been lowered from D-1 to D-2. …

WASHINGTON-Well, the game is over and the fat lady has sung. But who won and what does it mean for the wireless telecommunications industry? The easy answer is that nothing …

President Bill Clinton signed into law late last month the federal Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998, which authorizes prison terms of up to three years and fines …

OYSTER BAY, N.Y.-The market for power semiconductors, integrated circuits and modules is expected to grow at an annual average rate of 19 percent, to reach $2.8 billion by the end …

KIRKLAND, Wash.-AT&T Wireless Services Inc. said it opened an automated online store on its Web site. Consumers and small businesses can get help assessing their wireless needs and service availability, …

While Iridium L.L.C. continues work to improve the technical prowess of its low-earth-orbit satellite-based global phone service, the company also must turn its attention to its global sales and marketing …

WASHINGTON-Franklin Haney, a Tennessee developer closely tied to Vice President Gore and a central figure in Portals investigations, was indicted by a federal grand jury last week on charges of …

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.-ANI Site Development announced it signed a new agreement to manage all of Renda Broadcasting Corp.’s broadcast towers. ANI manages more than 200 communications sites in the Southeast. …

Analysts say the launch of Iridium L.L.C.’s mobile satellite service has positioned Globalstar L.L.P. to be a low-cost provider when it offers service around 2000. After losing 12 satellites in …

The MapFactory, a Walnut Creek, Calif., company specializing in adding value to imaging and mapping products, has developed a product that could impact the way wireless carriers build out their …

InterFigital reports net loss; revenues increase KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.-InterDigital Communications Corp. reported a third-quarter net loss of $6.1 million, or 13 cents per share, compared with a net loss …

BellSouth Mobility Inc. introduced text and alphanumeric pagers with unlimited local service for as low as $10 per month in BMI’s one-stop-shop retail stores. “By adding paging to our product …

PARIS-Alcatel said a plan to reorganize its telecom business into market segments aims to address the rapid evolution of markets and recent stock-market turmoil. The telecom sector will be organized …

Motorola Inc. announced a partnership with BMW North America Inc. to create a new telematics cellular phone system expected to be available on all BMW models by late this year. …

ITA The Industrial Telecommunications Association said it appointed Laura Leigh Smith executive director, government relations. She formerly was deputy division chief (legal) in the public safety and private wireless division …

Cellular carriers have made significant progress in their efforts to upgrade their 800 MHz analog networks to digital technology. Consumers’ appetite for digital features is demonstrated by the success of …

NEW YORK-Hellenic Tele-communications Organization S.A., a multiservice carrier headquartered in Athens, went public Nov. 2 with a 43.8 million-share stock sale that raised $1.1 billion. Salomon Smith Barney and Credit …