January 2001

INDIANAPOLIS-Brightpoint Inc. announced its North American subsidiary has a deal with Handspring Inc. to provide integrated logistics services, including procurement, programming, packaging and distribution services, relating to the VisorPhone Springboard …

OREM, Utah-GeoDiscovery released its new Geode global positioning system module for the Handspring Visor handheld computer and its GeoView Mobile Software for the Palm Operating System. GeoDiscovery said the new …

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 …

MMTA Anne-Rivers Forcke was appointed chairman of the MultiMedia Telecommunications Association’s Media Relations Committee. Forcke is a relationship marketing strategist for the Global Small Business group at IBM Corp., where …

SOMERS, N.Y.-IBM Corp. jumped on board Research In Motion Ltd.’s wireless e-mail product, BlackBerry, and will push the product along with its business e-mail and intranet back-end systems. “With this …

SAN ANTONIO-SBC Communications Inc. reported continued strong growth in data services and contributions from Cingular Wireless, its wireless joint venture with BellSouth Corp., combined to increase fourth quarter 2000 revenues …

HELSINKI, Finland-Phone maker Nokia Corp. has signed deals with China’s Yunnan Mobile Communications Co. and the Beijing and Hubei branches of China Mobile Communications Corp. Nokia agreed to a $160 …

WASHINGTON-Under a new agreement, InPhonic Inc. will use Metrocall Inc.’s wireless networking capabilities to develop a line of two-way wireless data and messaging applications for Research In Motion Ltd. and …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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, …

YEHUDA, Israel-Floware Wireless Systems said the Abrared Consortium of Spain selected its WALKair system for its wireless network rollout throughout Spain. The $3.7 million contract makes Floware the supplier for …

ANNAPOLIS, Md.-TeleCommunications Systems said it joined the Location Interoperability Forum. Through its Xypoint unit, TCS will work with the LIF to develop global interoperability standards among mobile positioning systems, and …

L.M. Ericsson left an ironic trail last week. It extolled its third-generation technology while surrendering its phone-making business and posting a fourth-quarter loss that limped behind expectations. The Swedish company …

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, …

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-Alltel Corp. reported it added 142,475 internally generated net subscribers to its wireless service during the fourth quarter, well below analyst estimates of 200,000 subscriber additions, and below …

WASHINGTON-President Bush’s proposal to overhaul a federally mandated Internet discount program for schools and libraries ran into opposition on Capitol Hill last week, complicating administration efforts to get a sweeping …

Now that he occupies the big seat at the Federal Communications Commission, what should we expect from Chairman Michael Powell? The answer could be in how he handles several early …

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 …

NEW YORK-The first fruits of the merger between Phone.com and Software.com sprouted last week as Openwave Systems Inc. reported a profit for its second fiscal quarter and painted a rosy …

WASHINGTON-Norman Mineta, confirmed last week by the Senate to head the Department of Transportation, said driver distraction is among the highway safety issues that will take top priority in the …

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.

As the dark clouds of an uncertain market crouches, Infospace is seeking to renew itself with the old guard. The company, which provides services for wireless devices, merchants and Web …

Early expectations of the wireless Internet sweeping the country have suffered the realities of the limitations the service offers in comparison to the wired Web. While the number of wirelessly …