Editor’s Note: RCR Wireless News goes all in for “Throwback Thursdays,” tapping into our archives to resuscitate the top headlines from the past. Fire up the time machine, put on those sepia-tinted shades, set the date for #TBT and enjoy the memories!
New bill offers baby Bells more long-distance freedom
WASHINGTON-The telecommunications reform bill introduced in the House last week would give the seven regional Bell telephone companies more freedom to offer wireless long-distance service than offered by the waiver granted late last month by U.S. District Judge Harold Greene. The House measure, sponsored by Commerce Committee Chairman Thomas Bliley, R-Va., and a handful of Democrats, would let Bells offer wireless long distance immediately with few strings attached. The Senate telecommunications bill would do much the same. Telecommunications bills in both houses leave commercial wireless carriers largely deregulated. Nevertheless, Greene’s ruling is seen as a big victory for the Baby Bells in light of the uncertain fate of telecommunications legislation in the 104th Congress. “Our wireless customers now will be able to make long-distance calls, regionally or coast-to-coast … We intend to compete toe-to-toe with AT&T Corp. and others to provide long-distance services to wireless customers,” said Jim Young, vice president and general counsel for Bell Atlantic Corp. AT&T, the leading U.S. cellular carrier since acquiring McCaw Cellular Communications Inc. last year, is not subject to any geographic restraints but is required by a court consent decree to provide long-distance equal access. It is unclear, though, whether regional Bells will have as wide a latitude to offer long-distance wireless service as envisioned by Young. Before they can do anything, each regional Bell must submit to the Justice Department a plan for how it plans to comply with conditions that must be met before long-distance wireless can be provided. … Read more
CDMA delayed
SAN DIEGO-Qualcomm Inc. pushed back its previously announced mid-1995 availability schedule for Code Division Multiple Access technology-based equipment. Qualcomm said its cellular infrastructure equipment will be available during the last quarter of this year and in early 1996 for large-market deployment. The company’s second-generation cell site modem chip is available for commercial use today. Initial quantities of Qualcomm’s infrastructure equipment for personal communications services will become available in the first quarter of 1996, the company said. “We’re not as much on track as we hoped, but this equipment will still be available in time for use by PCS providers,” said Molly Foerster, Qualcomm’s investor relations spokeswoman. … Read more
Cell phones and public safety after the Oklahoma City bombing
Cellular telephones improved communications at the Oklahoma City tragedy when public-safety groups’ two-way radios-all on different frequencies-couldn’t connect. “At the site of a disaster, radio channels max out immediately with just tactical communication,” said Ron Baker, director of wireless services for McCaw Cellular Communications Inc.’s Cellular One Oklahoma district. “Telephones, if they’re working, can get gridlocked. Cellular becomes a common way for everyone to communicate and it can do voice, data and fax,” Baker said. When the bomb exploded April 19 in front of the Oklahoma City federal building, firefighters, police and medical crews immediately arrived at the site. All had two-way radios, but each agency was operating on a different frequency, making communication between agencies difficult. “Anybody in such a response situation should have been able to communicate, but we did well with what we had,” said Gene Thaxton, director of telecommunications for the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety. “Agencies worked together and Cellular One really took the lead. But if you look at what happened, there is a need for public-safety frequency,” Thaxton added. At first, the city’s two cellular phone systems were overloaded with people trying to check on friends and loved ones in the area and emergency workers could not get through until the operator prioritized public-safety numbers, Thaxton said. Cellular One in Oklahoma City helped organize the Oklahoma Disaster Preparedness Council three years ago, Baker said. Through its service contracts with federal, state and local agencies, Cellular One created a directory of cellular phone numbers for all public-safety officials. … Read more
Austria prepares to issue its second cellular license
Competition is expected to be fierce for the second cellular license for a Global System for Mobile communications network in Austria. The three cellular systems now serving the nation of 8 million people are operated by the government-owned Austrian Post, Telephone and Telegraph. Austria became a member of the European Union in January and now must meet the EU’s plan to end government monopolies over telecommunications infrastructure in member nations by Jan. 1, 1998. The European Commission has contemplated moving the deadline up to 1996. As Austria prepares to tender the license, the government has met with numerous U.S. telecom companies interested in building consortiums for the opportunity. “U.S. firms have had an excellent success rate in becoming players in the European cellular telephone service sector,” according to a statement from U.S. Embassy officials in Vienna. Licensing conditions were released in April; invitations for discussion will be extended sometime this month. For the discussion, the legal status of the potential applicant isn’t relevant, officials said. … Read more
Paging services emerge in India
In India, where basic telephone service is scarce and telecommunications unfamiliar, the introduction of paging technology promises new opportunities for both service providers and consumers. After the Indian government opened the paging market last year, granting 94 licenses in 27 cities among 15 companies, partners Modi Telecommunications Inc. and Motorola Inc. were the first to offer commercial service. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, Modi will use equipment supplied by Motorola Inc.’s Global Paging Infrastructure Division for paging systems in the seven cities where it holds licenses. Modi’s networks in Chandigarh, Indore and Jaipur activated service in March, and collectively enrolled 3,000 subscribers after the first month, reported Lai Kok Hain, marketing manager for Motorola’s Asia Pacific paging division. System infrastructure in Madras, Varanasi, Kanpur and Lucknow is in the final stages of being installed and service is scheduled to begin this month. Considering India’s current communications environment, Motorola anticipates the paging market will see explosive growth. Only 1 in 145 Indian citizens have landline phone service. Citizens wanting a telephone sometimes wait up to 3 years for service and pay several hundred dollars for installation, commented Motorola. Hence, paging may serve as a fundamental means to communicate because it is accessible now, reliable and costs less than cellular, another new and potentially lucrative market in India. Analyst Roberta Wiggins, director of wireless mobile communications for Boston-based Yankee Group, noted another advantage of paging service in India. … Read more
FCC debates GSM and hearing aid interference
WASHINGTON-Federal Communications Commission Chairman Reed Hundt said the agency will not halt the licensing of personal communications services systems that use the Global System for Mobile communications standard because “we don’t believe there is a serious risk of interference to hearing aids” from the technology. However, Hundt, responding to an inquiry from Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman Bob Packwood, R-Ore., said the commission will investigate hearing-compatibility issues related to wireless services in an upcoming rulemaking proceeding. Under current law, wireless devices are exempt from the requirement that all telephones be hearing-aid compatible. Nearly 6 million people wear hearing aids in this country. … Read more
Pagenet’s CEO departs
After 13 years helping grow what today is the nation’s largest paging company, Terry Scott, Paging Network Inc.’s president and chief executive officer, is stepping down, disclosing no future career plans. “It’s a great company,” said Scott. “But it’s a very different company today than in its earlier years, when I derived the most personal and professional satisfaction.” Scott’s resignation is effective Oct. 31. No potential successors have been identified. Looking at PageNet’s success and forthcoming opportunities, many wonder, why now? According to Scott, the company has three key missions: focusing on the core paging business, developing and constructing its nationwide narrowband PCS networks with VoiceNow and investigating international ventures. “VoiceNow and the international aspects are in the embryonic stages,” so it made sense either to leave now or wait 3 to 5 years for those endeavors to come to fruition, Scott said. Resigning now is best, Scott said, noting he wants to spend more time with his kids and is satisfied financially with his current lifestyle. Scott said he plans to keep most of his 400,000 PageNet shares. Some sources suspect Scott will pursue entrepreneurial opportunities. In an interview with RCR, Scott noted the possibility but said he has a number of issues to consider and discussing options now is premature. … Read more
Check out the RCR Wireless News Archives for more stories from the past.
