1998

LITTLE ROCK-Alltel Corp. announced it has signed a definitive merger agreement to acquire Aliant Communications Inc. in a deal valued at $1.5 billion. Under terms of the agreement, each share …

A Utah state representative plans to introduce legislation next year that would ban the use of wireless phones while driving. Rep. Ralph Becker said his bill would be similar to …

WARREN, N.J.-Anadigics Inc. has joined the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. Anadigics manufacturers gallium arsenide integrated circuits for high-volume communications applications, such as mobile phones.

WASHINGTON-Paging Network Inc. was expected last week to complete the last of 13 interconnection agreements with Bell Atlantic Corp. “We are pleased that PageNet and Bell Atlantic have been able …

SEATTLE-Go to any trade show where mobile phone operators congregate, and you will hear grumbling about how AT&T Wireless Services Inc.’s Digital One Rate pricing plan has wreaked havoc on …

DALLAS-Formus Communications reported it selected Nortel Networks to supply solutions to deliver high-speed, broadband wireless services to Poland. “There is tremendous growth potential for voice, data, video and Internet services, …

WASHINGTON-A majority of the board of directors of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association last week signed a letter to Bill Kennard, Federal Communications Commission chairman, strongly urging the FCC to …

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.-Motorola Inc. announced it signed a multiyear contract with United States Realty & Investment Co., New York, to provide antenna-site management for some of its properties. Under terms of …

MINNEAPOLIS-WirelessNorth of Plymouth, Minn., announced it opened a new retail location in Duluth, Minn. WirelessNorth is a personal communications management company locally owned by independent companies that provide service in …

WASHINGTON-The House Commerce Committee last week referred its final report on the Portals investigation to the Justice Department. The year-long investigation of the 20-year, $400 million lease with the Portals, …

WASHINGTON-Oral argument in the appeal of the Federal Communications Commission’s 1996 radio-frequency radiation exposure guidelines has been postponed until February or March. The case, Cellular Task Force v. FCC, had …

WASHINGTON-The Clinton administration progressed in getting more telecommunications and information technology products shielded from tariffs, but last week acknowledged problems persist in convincing China to open its market and hinted …

LISLE, Ill.-Indian mobile network operator BPL-US West Cellular Ltd. said it again selected Tellabs’ MartisDXX managed transport network solution for the expansion of its Global System for Mobile communications digital …

After months of aggressive buildout-beginning in late June with the Texas launch-PageMart Wireless Inc. announced its two-way, ReFLEX 25-based narrowband personal communications services network is available nationwide. The $310 million, …

WASHINGTON-The Industrial Telecommunications Association warned the Federal Communications Commission not to use a pending proceeding involving Nextel Communications Inc. to make a de facto ruling that private wireless spectrum should …

Inventors often have said people will find new uses for wireless products, whether they are data or voice, once they have a chance to play with them. The human factor …

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill.-Motorola Inc.’s Cellular Infrastructure Group plans to shut down its plant in McHenry, Ill., that housed analog base station equipment manufacturing functions. Sue Frederick, a spokeswoman for Motorola …

PALO ALTO, Calif.-Watkins-Johnson Company announced it completed the repurchase of 3,500,000 shares authorized by its board of directors. The repurchased shares are also retired, leaving 6,547,687 current outstanding shares. Watkins-Johnson …

HELSINKI, Finland-Nokia Corp. signed a definitive agreement to acquire Vienna Systems, a privately held Internet Protocol telephony company of Kanata, Ontario, for about $90 million. Vienna Systems designs and manufacturers …

SINGAPORE Motorola Inc.’s Cellular Infrastructure Group signed a contract valued at $23 million to upgrade M1’s digital wireless telephone network in Singapore. In addition to its SC 4852 base transceiver …

Three Granger Telecom employees and an independent contractor have been killed in Chechnya, a breakaway republic of Russia located north of Georgia. Granger Telecom employees Darren Hickey, Rudolph Petschi and …

BOULDER, Colo.-Century Telephone Enterprises Inc. selected SCC Communications Corp. to implement wireless enhanced 911 services for the carrier, announced the companies. CenturyTel will use SCC’s 911Connect Service, which includes collection …

DALLAS-Cellular One celebrated its 15th anniversary Dec. 16. On the same day in 1983, Cellular One initiated wireless service in Washington, D.C. “Before cellular technology, there could only be a …

ORLANDO, Fla.-Brite Voice Systems announced it entered into a two-year contract with U S West Wireless to supply BriteDebit prepaid calling for U S West’s personal communications services business. This …

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-The number of cellular and personal communications services subscribers in Southeast Asia will grow from more than 8.5 million this year to more than 19.8 million by 2003, according …