Union Electric Co., Honeywell Inc. and CellNet Data Systems teamed up to develop a wireless interactive home management system, which will begin a pilot program in more than 100 St. Louis homes this summer. CellNet’s network provides a link between the home system and utility companies. The system allows customers to control and maintain temperature levels, monitor electricity usage, receive daily updates on community information, pay bills electronically and integrate and control lighting and home security systems.
BearCom Inc. acquired Lipman Group Communications, a two-way radio dealership based in Hartford, Conn. The dealership, which has been in operation since 1988, serves Connecticut and western Massachusetts. The company will assume the BearCom name, and its founder, Jerry Lipman, will serve as manager of BearCom’s Hartford office. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
CAI Wireless Systems Inc. renegotiated an option to repurchase the $100 million face amount of CAI securities held by affiliates of Bell Atlantic Corp. and Nynex Corp. The repurchase consideration is $40 million in cash and 100,000 shares of convertible junior preferred stock, which is non-voting, carries no coupon and has no maturity. The junior preferred stock is convertible into 2.5 million shares of CAI common stock. The repurchase option is exercisable through Feb. 18, 1998, said the company.
GTE Wireless licensed Unwired Planet Inc.’s UP.Link open software platform to allow GTE’s SuperPhone subscribers to access information stored on the Internet. The SuperPhone service, which will be commercially available this summer, will provide services and content to Unwired Planet-enabled mobile phones. These phones combine analog cellular service with an integrated Cellular Digital Packet Data modem to provide wireless Internet capability. Using SuperPhone, subscribers can make voice calls, use two-way messaging and read and send e-mail. Users also can browse information on the Web including financial, travel and weather information.
AirNet Communications Corp. received purchase orders for personal communications services infrastructure from Third Kentucky Cellular Corp. A prior agreement between the companies, valued at more than $2 million, called for AirNet to complete initial buildout of the Corbin, Ky., basic trading area for Third Kentucky. The new contract calls for AirNet to expand coverage in the BTA by providing additional town and highway coverage. AirNet also agreed to provide equipment and services for three additional Kentucky BTAs Third Kentucky won during the Federal Communications Commission’s D-, E- and F-block PCS auction.
ProNet Inc. acquired Modern Communications Corp. and Personal Communications Inc. The acquired companies have 22,000 paging units in service in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and portions of Maryland and New York.
