December 2002

Editor’s Note: Each year RCR Wireless News chooses the person who has most impacted the wireless industry. Our choice for 2002 is Dennis Strigl, Verizon Wireless Inc.’s chief executive. Verizon, …

MILPITAS, Calif.-Handheld device makers Palm Inc. and Research In Motion Ltd. seemed to fare relatively well over the quarter, with both companies reporting relatively solid earnings. Palm said it managed …

NEW YORK-Following an unsuccessful court challenge by some bondholders, Qwest Communications International Inc. reduced its outstanding debt by $1.9 billion to $22.6 billion through an exchange offer. Qwest offered the …

Wireless messaging gets positive reviews SAN FRANCISCO-Two new reports peg wireless messaging as an important and growing application, one that could contribute significant revenues to the wireless market. According to …

NEW YORK-Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services lowered its corporate credit ratings on Dobson Communications Corp. from B+ to B, citing the impact of lower roaming yield on revenue growth, lower …

WASHINGTON-The wireless policy-making world will ring in 2003 in much the same way it rang in 2002: by debating the merits of wireless local number portability. In the final days …

MADRID, Spain-According to their newly reached “amicable agreement,” Quam will pay E-Plus approximately $154 million before the end of December 2002 as compensation for the termination of all existing business …

DUBLIN, Calif.-Sybase Inc., which makes software that integrates businesses’ platforms, databases and applications, announced it will acquire wireless enterprise company AvantGo Inc. in a $38 million cash merger. The deal …

GREENSBORO, N.C.-RF Micro Devices Inc. has acquired Resonext Communications Inc., which provides integrated CMOS WLAN solutions for 802.11 and multiband platforms, building on RFMD’s 802.11 portfolio. “We believe our combined …

WASHINGTON-The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association on Dec. 17 urged the Federal Communications Commission to either auction off spectrum in the 2 GHz band currently set aside for mobile satellite …

NEW YORK-TCP Communications Inc. has received $10 million in equity commitments from private equity group Catalyst Investor L.P., which it plans to use to acquire and construct wireless communications towers …

RESTON, Va.-Grayson Wireless said its Geometrix 911 wireless caller location system now supports wireless networks that use 1xRTT technology. According to Grayson, Geometrix is the only commercially available network overlay …

TOKYO-NTT DoCoMo Inc. said it has sold more than 4 million i-shot handsets, just six months after i-shot service, which allows subscribers to transmit images from camera phones to e-mail …

CARROLLTON, Texas-CellStar Corp. has completed the mandatory conversion of its 5-percent senior subordinated convertible notes, converting shares of CellStar common stock at a ratio of 200 shares for each $1,000 …

WATERLOO, Ontario-Research In Motion Ltd. reported a strong quarter with results in-line with the company’s projections, as well as increased sales of its BlackBerry wireless e-mail device. The company’s stock …

SEATTLE-Although the economy continues to struggle along, funding seems to be persisting as two wireless data companies announced new financing. First, NetMotion Wireless Inc. said it closed its Series B …

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands-Electronics giant Royal Philips Electronics announced it will acquire Systemonic, which makes silicon products for wireless local area networks, a move Philips said will help the company add …

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, United States-Alltel Corp. said it will be the first U.S. operator to introduce Kyocera Wireless Corp.’s 7135 smart phone on its network this week bolstering its handset …

SAN DIEGO-Qualcomm Inc. said the FCC has amended the terms of its Auction Discount Voucher (ADV), to allow Qualcomm to use the remaining $114 million of its ADV to satisfy …

TORONTO-Research In Motion Ltd. reported a strong quarter with results in-line with the company’s projections, as well as increased sales of its BlackBerry wireless e-mail device. The company’s stock remained …

BELLEVUE, Wash.-WatchMark Corp., which provides service assurance software for current and future wireless networks, reported a successful fiscal year with double-digit revenue growth over last year. “We are very pleased …

MOSCOW-A Russian railway in the Urals began testing mobile digital radio communications using GSM-R technology and Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) standard to decide whether to use both of them or …

BEDMINSTER, N.J.-Verizon Wireless Inc. signed an agreement with Northcoast Communications L.L.C. Thursday to purchase 50 personal communications services licenses and related network assets covering more than 47 million potential customers …

LONDON-Orascom Tunisia, the country’s second mobile operator, is due to begin commercial operations next week. This will bring it into competition with state-owned Tunisia Telecoms. The company is a joint …

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-Alltel Corp. said it will be the first U.S. operator to introduce Kyocera Wireless Corp.’s 7135 smartphone on its network this week bolstering its handset lineup in time …