Western Wireless Corp. announced the registration statement for the resale of its outstanding 4.625-percent convertible subordinated notes due 2023 and the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes has been declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The notes, in the aggregate principal amount of $115 million, were issued in a private placement in June, as previously announced. Western Wireless will not receive any of the proceeds from the resale of the notes or the Class A common stock.
America Connect and BellSouth announced the joint trial of a wireless broadband network in two rural North Carolina counties. “Wireless will allow us to economically provide broadband services into rural areas where there is little or no broadband competition today,” said Joseph Forbes, chief executive officer of America Connect. “We have studied applications of fixed wireless in rural communities for over three years, and our research has shown there is a viable market and real pent-up demand in the rural areas.” The trial was partially funded by the Rural Internet Access Authority, a state-created authority mainly funded through a private grant from MCNC, a technology nonprofit in Research Triangle Park, N.C.
Nokia Corp. and Sprint PCS continued to make nice, as the carrier announced it will sell a second mobile phone from the world’s No. 1 phone maker. Sprint said it will sell for $150 the Nokia 3588i, a device that features a color screen, text messaging capabilities and global positioning system technology for E911 calls. “Nokia is known for bringing technology, style and fun to wireless users, and the PCS phone 3588i by Sprint continues this tradition,” said Soren Petersen, senior vice president and general manager of Nokia’s CDMA business unit. Nokia has been working to follow through on its promise to improve its CDMA business. The company recently rekindled its relationship with Sprint PCS through sales of its 3585i.
