At the end of each year, the RCR editorial staff looks back on the news events that made RCR headlines and decides which were the most significant, industry-impacting stories of the past 12 months. Here are our picks for 1999 in chronological order.
1. Jan. 18
Qualcomm could sell handset business
Qualcomm Inc. may be ready to sell off its handset division as competition in the cdmaOne handset business intensifies and costs increase.
Sources said Qualcomm is in discussions with Siemens Wireless Terminals concerning the sale of Qualcomm’s cdmaOne handset division. Qualcomm and Siemens declined to comment.
2. Jan. 25
Vodafone and SBC buy into wireless
In a rapidly consolidating wireless industry, the list of available cellular carriers last week got shorter by two.
After entertaining bids from at least two suitors, including Bell Atlantic Corp., AirTouch Communications Inc. opted to tie up with Britain’s Vodafone Group plc in a deal valued at about $62 billion. And cable company Comcast agreed to sell its wholly owned subsidiary, Comcast Cellular Corp., to SBC Communications for about $1.7 billion, including $1.3 billion in debt.
3. Feb. 15
UWCC and GSM aim for interoperability
The Universal Wireless Communications Consortium and the GSM North America Alliance announced plans to work to achieve interoperability between Time Division Multiple Access and Global System for Mobile communications technology, a move that could facilitate national and global consolidation among carriers with incompatible technologies and in particular allow SBC Communications Inc. to fill out its wireless footprint by purchasing GSM operators.
4. March 8
U.S. 3G stance seems to pacify all sides
A U.S. delegation today heads into two weeks of critical talks in Brazil on third-generation wireless development armed with strong congressional support for multiple standards, open markets and a new-found consensus position on how to harmonize dueling Code Division Multiple Access technologies.
5. March 29
Ericsson, Qualcomm trade IPRs
It was an unprecedented event. Qualcomm Inc., the biggest defender of Code Division Multiple Access technology and L.M. Ericsson, the largest naysayer of the technology, embraced last week, ending more than 10 years of open hostilities between the two.
“It’s wonderful to be together,” said Dr. Irwin Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer of Qualcomm, laughing and joking with Ericsson CEO Sven Christer-Nilsson at last week’s news conference in New York.
6. April 26
Motorola backs off paging system business
Motorola Inc. and Glenayre Technologies Inc. signed a memorandum of understanding that, if fulfilled, will license Glenayre to manufacture all Motorola’s paging infrastructure-effectively heralding Motorola’s exit from the paging infrastructure manufacturing business.
7. May 3
Carriers hone in on harmonization
Carriers are keeping quiet about events that transpired during a third-generation harmonization meeting two weeks ago in Japan, but an independent study commissioned by Vodafone plc is seen by cdmaOne players as a smoking gun in favor of their technical parameters.
8. May 10
Microsoft joins WAP
Ending months of speculation and veiled tension, Microsoft Corp. last week officially announced it joined the Wireless Application Protocol Forum, a move many see as effectively ending a microbrowser war in the making.
9. May 31
WTR’s RF research raises red flags
Wireless Technology Research L.L.C. Chairman George Carlo’s public disclosure about a possible mobile phone cancer link has created an uproar in industry, scientific and policy-making circles, climaxing the close of a six-year, $27 million industry-funded program and shifting the spotlight to the Food and Drug Administration.
10. May 31
MCI WorldCom buys SkyTel
Squeezing their announcement in just before the holiday weekend, MCI WorldCom Inc. and SkyTel Communications Inc. said Friday they plan to merge the two companies in a stock transaction, giving MCI WorldCom a facilities-based presence in the wireless market and SkyTel stronger marketing clout.
11. June 28
VoiceStream set to become world’s largest GSM carrier
As analysts suspected earlier this year, VoiceStream Wireless Corp. is becoming the catalyst for Global System for Mobile communications consolidation in the United States.
VoiceStream and Omnipoint Communications Corp. announced plans to merge late last week in a deal valued at $1.7 billion, ending Omnipoint’s search for a strategic partner that dragged on for more than a year as the company has struggled with poor financial results and finding additional financing.
12. Aug. 16
Nextel’s pursuit of NextWave raises eyebrows
News that Nextel Communications Inc. received government approval to pursue 95 personal communications services licenses held by bankrupt designated entity NextWave Telecom Inc. dumbfounded and angered several large carriers last week and put into question whether the Federal Communications Commission brokered a back-door deal with the enhanced specialized mobile radio operator.
13. Aug. 16
Iridium charts bankruptcy plan
After defaulting on both its $800 million senior secured credit facility and its $750 million guaranteed credit facility last week, Iridium L.L.C. filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
14. Sept. 20
AT&T-BT erase wireless borders
The need to add a wireless play in global telecommunications alliances became clearer last week as AT&T Corp. and British Telecommunications plc announced a strategic alliance designed to create seamless mobile communications services worldwide.
15. Sept. 27
Carriers go nationwide
The nation’s wireless industry last week gained two more national carriers as Bell Atlantic Corp. and Vodafone AirTouch plc solidified plans to link their wireless assets, and VoiceStream Wireless Corp. further consolidated the Global System for Mobile communications market with its plans to buy Aerial Communications Inc.
16. Oct. 4
Lucent to drop PCS 2000 show
Lucent Technologies Inc. will be noticeably absent when the Personal Communications Industry Association kicks off its 2000 showcase next September in Chicago.
17. Oct. 11
A wireless WorldCom
MCI WorldCom Inc. and Sprint Corp. last week agreed to a definitive merger agreement that will combine the second- and third- largest U.S. long-distance carriers and give MCI WorldCom a much-needed nationwide wireless presence.
18. Oct. 25
Shake-up continues in Europe
Mannesmann AG, parent of Germany’s top mobile communications company, confirmed last week it made a bid to buy U.K. mobile carrier Orange plc, which Orange’s largest shareholder accepted.
19. Nov. 15
PageNet-Arch combo shrinks debt
Key to the merger agreement between Paging Network Inc. and Arch Communications Group Inc. is a massive debt reduction to be achieved through a proposed recapitalization plan that would convert their separate debt into equity of the other company.
20. Dec. 20
NextWave gets early holiday gift
NextWave Telecom Inc. received the financial backing to allow it to pay the government the full $4.7 billion it bid for personal communications service licenses in 1996.
