October 1999

The Edge Consultants, an affiliate of agency.com, released a Wireless Application Protocol browser for handheld computers running either Palm Computing or Windows CE operating systems, called WAPman. Lucent Technologies Inc. …

LOS GATOS, Calif.-Metricom Inc. said it signed contracts with three construction companies for the physical deployment of its Ricochet 128 kilobit-per-second mobile data network. Wireless Facilities Inc., General Dynamics Worldwide …

TORONTO-Diversinet Corp., a provider of security software for wireless e-commerce applications, announced it signed an agreement to acquire the operating assets of Ubiq Communications Inc. for $1 million. The deal, …

BASINGSTOKE, U.K.-Telesystem International Wireless, through its subsidiary Dolphin Telecom plc, announced Motorola Inc. has arranged financing commitments for credit facilities totaling $342 million for Dolphin’s German subsidiary. Motorola arranged a …

NEW YORK-China Telecom (Hong Kong), which provides cellular service in three Chinese provinces, plans to raise $500 million in a global bond offering, according to Standard & Poor’s Corp. The …

NEW YORK-Wireless devices and the services they deliver in the Internet age represent an opportunity so large it is nearly unfathomable and dwarfs any second-place possibilities, according to Bill Joy, …

WASHINGTON-Negotiations that led to a tentative agreement among the Department of Justice, the Federal Communications Commission and Nextel Communications Inc. allowing Nextel to buy licenses held by the bankrupt NextWave …

MONTREAL-Microcell Connexions, Telesystem International Wireless and Ericsson Canada said they completed a multimedia call using Ericsson’s wideband Code Division Multiple Access solution for the North American 1900 MHz environment. Ericsson …

BEDMINSTER, N.J.-Bell Atlantic Mobile said its customers can pay their wireless phone bills online through the company’s Web site. The new service gives customers two options in paying their bills. …

The convergence of the Internet and wireless networks was punctuated last week as Internet heavy hitters Amazon.com Inc., America Online Inc. and Oracle Corp. made announcements extending their services further …

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.-Alltel said it is offering free unlimited incoming calls for its Jacksonville, Fla., personal communications services customers, adding four new wireless plans that range from $46 per month for …

MONTREAL-Bell Canada has offered to purchase for cash up to 15.8 million of the outstanding common shares of Aliant, the largest telecommunications company in Atlantic Canada, at a price of …

Wireless middleware and software provider Aether Systems Inc. filed an initial public offering prospectus with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last week with the intention of selling 6.9 million …

NEW YORK-AT&T Corp. and British Telecommunications plc announced their new global venture will be called “Concert.” “Initially, Concert-which was the name of BT’s wholly-owned business-was just one of hundreds we …

While carriers publicly push ahead with their third-generation technology migration plans, behind the scenes, some may be evaluating technology conversions that could be more cost effective in the long run. …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission reached a tentative agreement with state regulators on what type of notification will be heard when a person calls a calling-party-pays wireless subscriber, said Kris Monteith, …

Rural cellular operators are reaping generous roaming revenues from nationwide operators. As such, larger players have become willing to pay top dollar to acquire these companies and eliminate the high …

NEW YORK-Ericsson Inc.’s CyberLab NY introduced a program designed to speed growth of the wireless Internet industry by providing market and technical information, development and testing tools and on-site expertise …

LONDON-Cable & Wireless plc said it agreed to sell its mobile telephony interests in Japan to Vodafone AirTouch plc for $411 million in cash. Cable & Wireless sold its shareholdings …

Japan’s Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications plans to adopt both W-CDMA and cdma2000 technologies for next-generation mobile-phone systems. The ministry said it will make its decisions regarding 3G technology based …

LONDON-British Telecommunications plc and Microsoft Corp. announced a wireless Internet trial with about 1,000 mobile phone users in the United Kingdom and Norway. Users will be able to access Microsoft …

MEXICO CITY-Nortel Networks announced it signed an agreement with Sistemas Profesionales de Comunicacion S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of Unefon, to build a high performance wireless network in Mexico. Under …

Netro Corp., a California-based broadband wireless access systems provider, announced release 2.0 of its AirStar point-to-multipoint system. Release 2.0 adds two new frequency ranges-the 39-GHz range and the 10-GHz range-expanding …

NEW YORK-Standard & Poors warned of a possible downgrade on its rating of financially struggling Paging Network Inc., while Moody’s went ahead and lowered its ratings on the company’s debt …

BONN, Germany-Deutsche Telekom said the government of Croatia accepted its bid to acquire 35 percent of Hrvatske Telekomunikacije for $850 million. It won out against a rival offer from Scandinavia’s …