A U.S. federal appeals court rejected a Federal Communications Commission filing asking that it not be required to return personal communications services licenses to bankrupt carrier NextWave Telecom Inc. NextWave, however, will probably not gain control of the licenses for some time and the case is likely headed for the Supreme Court.
The chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission is pushing for a decision that would remove 2500 MHz from the list of candidate third-generation mobile-phone bands. The 2500 MHz band in the United States is occupied by fixed wireless licensees, such as Sprint and WorldCom.
Lebanon’s two cellular phone operators had their contracts cancelled by the Lebanese government. The government plans to tender two new 20-year licenses, Reuters reported. Both companies had been in arbitration with the government, which had demanded more than US$1 billion in fines, the reports said. Last year, the cell-phone operators, LibanCell and Cellis, offered to pay US$1.35 billion each for new 20-year licenses, but the government rejected the offer. France Telecom is the majority shareholder of Cellis, and Sonera owns a stake in LibanCell.
Christopher Gent, chief executive of Vodafone Group, on 30 July said he is planning to integrate J-Phone Group’s three operational companies by the end of this year, targeting the integrated company to be listed on a Japanese stock exchange market. Vodafone is the largest shareholder of Japan Telecom, the third-largest telecommunications operator in Japan, and J-Phone, the mobile business unit of Japan Telecom. According to Gent, three operational companies of J-Phone Group-J-Phone East, J-Phone West and J-Phone Central-will be integrated by year-end as part of an effort to improve efficiency. Gent also said J-Phone is going to provide its third-generation (3G) service with a dual-mode handset (PDC and GSM) to allow customers to use the service nationwide. J-Phone is scheduled to launch 3G service in June 2002.
Cyber Digital said it received approval of its proposals to build digital wireless telephone networks in five states of Nigeria for about US$35 million. The company, a manufacturer of fixed wireless equipment, said it plans to install the systems within the next 12 months.
China’s state Development Planning Commission said it has approved 19 firms to make CDMA handsets to cater to part of its 120.6 million cellular phone subscribers. Some of the approved companies include Ningo Bird, China Kejian Co., Zhongxing telecom and TCL Group.
