1997-It was the year that simultaneously showed the promise and the pain of new entrants into the wireless industry. PCS companies thrived and dived, one paging business declared bankruptcy, while others reached record-level subscriber figures. Cellular carriers showed us they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Looking back at the year, some of the people gave RCR such good quotes, I thought we should revisit them one more time:
“It is downright shocking the FCC has moved to assist broadcasters to site antennas to deliver `I Love Lucy’ reruns, but has done nothing to assist wireless consumers to call 911 or tell a family member they’re running late,” Thomas Wheeler, CTIA president, on antenna siting moratoria.
“Whoever did this had the means and the motive. The whole thing stinks like New York Harbor at low tide,” BIA International analyst Ed Czarneki on Argentina’s PCS tender scandal.
“Just because I’m not bankrupt doesn’t mean I’m not experiencing the same issues,” Conxus President Bill deKay, commenting on license payment restructuring for PCS carriers.
“The telecom act is meant to promote competition, not consolidation,” Maury Lane, a spokesman for Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.), commenting on why Hollings held the nomination of Joel Klein to the Justice Department’s antitrust division.
“There’s a feeling that if you’re going to be a major player, you need to get big and be in a global alliance,” Danny Adams, a partner with Kelley Drye & Warren L.L.P., referring to the WorldCom-MCI merger.
“You had to put in millions for the privilege of paying a few dollars in the end,” A.C. Miller of Spectrum Resources on the WCS auction.
“Paying your bill is a happy event. The bills come on recycled paper printed with soybean ink, so if times get tough, you can eat your bill,” TeleStrategies President Jerome G. Lucas, on the future of wireless telecommunications.
“In the 10-plus year history of this industry in the United States, there are no examples of cellular or PCS losing customers to trunking. In fact, it has always been the other way around,” IMTA head Alan Shark on the campaign to oppose regulations proposed by some cellular and PCS carriers worldwide.
