January 2001

MADRID, Spain-Telefonica and Portugal Telecom have agreed to combine their mobile ventures in Brazil through a $10 billion strategic joint venture. The venture will combine the two companies’ existing mobile-phone …

Centerpoint Broadband Technologies Inc., an optical networking company based in San Jose, Calif., revealed this week it is expanding the reach and capabilities of its core technology to serve the …

CHICAGO-United States Cellular Corp. reported 171,000 net customer additions for the fourth quarter, a 15-percent increase from 1999, bringing U.S. Cellular’s subscriber base to more than 3 million customers. The …

WOODBRIDGE, N.J.-Cingular Interactive, formerly BellSouth Wireless Data, ended 2000 with more than 570,000 subscribers to its nationwide data network, compared with more than 200,000 subscribers at the end of 1999. …

KIRKLAND, Wash.-Nextel Partners Inc. reported it added 55,000 digital subscribers during the fourth quarter of 2000 ended Dec. 31, compared with 46,100 subscribers added during the same quarter of 1999, …

If we applied human attributes to mobile location services, they would be in preschool today, learning and acquiring the skills they will need to have a long and successful life …

NEW YORK-WorldCom Inc., the nation’s largest wireless reseller, could lay off up to 15 percent of its 77,000 work force, according to media reports late last week. A spokesperson for …

Paging resellers will no longer have to go through carriers to get pagers for their customers under a new program from paging device giant Motorola Inc. Motorola introduced a new …

ATLANTA-BellSouth Corp. reported a 33-percent increase in domestic wireless revenue from the fourth quarter of 1999 to $1.2 billion, including its 40-percent stake in Cingular. Net income from domestic wireless …

TRENTON, N.J.-(AP)Troubled telecommunications giant Lucent Technologies Inc. plans to cut about 10,000 jobs as part of an effort to reduce its annual costs by more than $2 billion after more …

WASHINGTON-The Supreme Court last week agreed to decide whether wireless carriers have the right to attach antennas to utility poles under government-regulated rates, a case with major business implications for …

GREENVILLE, S.C.-qServe Communications said it acquired SiteTech Services L.L.C., a company that designs and develops wireless and fiber telecommunication sites. “STS’s expertise in engineering design and development services enables qServe …

REDMOND, Wash.-Metawave Communications Corp. said its revenues jumped 122 percent for the fourth quarter, which ended Dec. 31, 2000, coming in at $18.9 million. Gross profit for the company’s fourth …

DENVER-Qwest Communications International Inc. posted a 10-percent increase in operating revenue for the fourth quarter of 2000, compared with the same quarter in 1999 from $4.5 billion to $5 billion. …

SUNNYVALE, Calif.-Spectrian Corp. and Nortel Networks announced they amended their existing supply agreement to make Spectrian the official supplier of Nortel’s UMTS MCPA amplifiers.

CINCINNATI-Sprint PCS renewed its billing contract with Convergys Corp., a provider of integrated billing and customer care. “We’re proud of Sprint PCS’ achievements and pleased the company has continued its …

If the Internet and mobile networks tend sometimes to be a choir of discord, the Mobile Wireless Internet Forum wants to be the voice of symphony. Founded in January 2000, …

WASHINGTON-President George W. Bush has designated FCC Commissioner Michael K. Powell, 37, as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. “I am deeply honored and privileged to have received President Bush’s …

NEW YORK-A host of players behind the scenes is pulling the complex strings required to amplify and simplify the end-user experience with billing and customer relationship management for the increasing …

Brightpod integrated AvantGo’s Enterprise product suite into its applications service provider platform. The companies said they will co-market the Brightpod offering through joint promotional activities. “We try to make `going …

SAN JOSE, Calif.-SnapTrack Inc. was awarded a patent that describes methods for remotely locating or tracking a wireless device via client-server systems that use a computer network or Web browser …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission said it will consider abolishing analog cellular technical rules that require cellular carriers to set aside a portion of their networks for the AMPS standard. “We …

MONTREAL-Telesystem International Wireless Inc. added 878,300 cellular subscribers during the fourth quarter of 2000, a 49-percent increase compared with the 589,500 net additions during the same quarter in 1999, bringing …

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.-Sprint PCS Network Partner iPCS Inc. reported an investor group led by two of The Blackstone Group’s private equity funds, Blackstone Communications Partners and Blackstone Capital Partners III, made …

To the Editor: Starting a two-way radio business has always been a good way for radio technician/entrepreneurs to accomplish The American Dream. The financial barriers for market entry were relatively …