February 2000

OSAKA, Japan-KansaiTele-Message became the latest victim in Japan’s declining paging industry by filing for liquidation with $183 million in debts, according to a Kyodo News Service report. The filing came …

WASHINGTON-A group of lawmakers, responding to the growing shortage of skilled workers in the digital economy, last week introduced legislation to increase the number of visas for college-educated foreigners. “We …

SAN DIEGO-Leap Wireless International Inc. reached a definitive agreement to acquire personal communications services operating licenses in Macon, Columbus and Albany, Ga., from Zuma PCS L.L.C. covering 1.3 million potential …

WASHINGTON-A major controversy with national implications has erupted in Massachusetts over draft legislation that would promote antenna siting collocation and streamline siting approval for carriers throughout the state, despite protests …

Speculation continues about Metrocall’s stated intention to participate further in the paging industry’s consolidation. The quintupling of Metrocall stock to more than $10 a share-along with the $75 million in …

WASHINGTON-Last Thursday was a bad day for bankrupt personal communications services operator NextWave Telecom Inc. Not only did a federal appeals court deny its petition for rehearing but a United …

WASHINGTON-The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, growing increasingly concerned about the use of mobile phones and other high-tech gadgets in vehicles, plans to expand its review of driver distractions to …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-L.M. Ericsson announced that Per-Arne Sandstrom, currently head of the business unit for Global System for Mobile communications systems, has been appointed executive vice president, head of the North …

WASHINGTON-The Telecommunications Industry Association is joining other business sectors in backing President Clinton’s call for congressional passage this year of permanent Normal Trade Relations for China. With China’s application for …

BellSouth Corp. said last week it could issue a tracking stock for its highly successful Latin American operations by late April or early May, a move that will allow investors …

At the heart of all the hoopla and back patting over the success of wireless communications lies a critical problem that could bring the industry to a standstill-spectrum. With the …

NEW YORK-AT&T Wireless Services Inc. said it signed a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Wireless One Network L.P. for an undisclosed amount. AT&T said Wireless One’s properties will …

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y.-Audiovox Corp. completed its follow-on offering of 3.1 million class A common shares at a price of $45 per share. Of the 3.1 million shares sold, the company noted …

BEDMINSTER, N.J.-Bell Atlantic Mobile is now offering the Motorola StarTac 7860W as the third digital wireless phone available for use with its Web Access service. Bell Atlantic’s Web Access allows …

JERUSALEM-Bezeq Israel Telecom Ltd., the state-owned telecommunications company, announced a plan to allow cellular telephone users to route incoming calls through either their mobile phones or the nearest fixed-line phone. …

WASHINGTON-President Clinton last week proposed levying $200 million in analog broadcast spectrum lease fees this year to fund upgrades of federal public safety wireless systems as part of a technology-weighted, …

WASHINGTON-A request by Nextel Communications Inc. that it be granted a waiver to use frequencies close to the Canadian border on a secondary basis should be denied, said Chadmoore Wireless …

Public skirmishes over third-generation technology died last year when the wireless industry embraced a harmonized CDMA-based standard, but old feelings between camps die hard it seems. The CDMA Development Group, …

BOULDER, Colo.-CellPort Labs Inc. changed its name to Cellport Systems Inc. to reflect what the company says is the evolution from a research and development firm to a customer-driven wireless …

WASHINGTON-President Clinton plans to meet with Internet executives and key government officials on Tuesday to discuss last week’s cyber attacks that temporarily shut down several popular web sites. Joining Clinton …

WASHINGTON-An FCC staff proposal for the implementation of calling party pays service is being heavily debated by the commissioners’ offices-a debate that could lead to its removal from this week’s …

NEW YORK-Tower companies are sitting pretty and poised for even greater prosperity in 2000 and beyond as domestic demand for their properties grows. Prime movers in this rosy scenario are …

NEW YORK-Publicly held long-term debt set an unwelcome record in 1999 as 147 corporate and sovereign issuers defaulted on $44.6 billion in bonds, more than double the $21.2 billion of …

SAN FRANCISCO-Telephia Inc., a provider of integrated marketing and network quality data, reported its series B round of financing totaled more than $11 million. The company said it plans to …

PALM SPRINGS, Calif.-Speaking at a Goldman Sachs Technology Symposium, the head of Texas Instruments Inc.’s wireless business unit said the company expects last year’s accelerated pace in the market for …