WASHINGTON-Wireless billing may be about to come under some level of federal regulation, with U.S. telecom regulators poised to rule next week on whether regulatory recovery fees charged by mobile-phone carriers should be banned. The Federal Communications Commission is expected to vote March 10...
WASHINGTON-Legislation introduced in the California legislature last week would create a bill of rights for telecom consumers that would be at least as comprehensive as guidelines state regulators approved last May, only to put on hold last month. The measure-SB 1068-is authored by California...
WASHINGTON-State lawmakers have introduced legislation to make the controversial bill of rights for telecom consumers the law of the land in California.The measure-SB 1068-is authored by California State Sen. Martha Escutia (D), chairwoman of the Senate Committee on energy, utilities and communications. The bill's...
The battle for wireless supremacy heated up this week as current No. 2 operator Verizon Wireless unveiled a slew of rate plan and service offerings that could help the carrier regain its position atop the domestic wireless market-a spot currently occupied by Cingular Wireless...
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.-Sprint Corp. reported a three-year, multimillion dollar agreement with integrated billing services provider Convergys to provide domestic wireless, global data networking and voice solutions. Sprint, which is one of Convergys' largest clients, said it will provide a mix of devices as part...
WASHINGTON-The stakes continue to rise in the telecom consumer bill-of-rights controversy, with the California legislature ready to write the new rule into law and the California Public Utilities Commission considering a sweeping overhaul of the state's telecom regulatory regime. Sen. Martha Escutia (D), chairwoman...
The battle for wireless supremacy heated up this week as current No. 2 operator Verizon Wireless unveiled a slew of rate plan and service offerings that could help the carrier regain its position atop the domestic wireless market-a spot currently occupied by Cingular Wireless...
WASHINGTON-Legislation could be introduced as early as today to write into state law the telecom consumer bill of rights approved last year by the California Public Utilities Commission, a move that comes in response to the agency's recent decision to put new guidelines on...
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.-Sprint Corp. reported a three-year, multi-million dollar agreement with integrated billing services provider Convergys to provide domestic wireless, global data networking and voice solutions. Sprint, which is one of Convergys' largest clients, said that it will provide a mix of devices as...
CANNES, France-The GSM Association announced the winners of its 2005 GSM Association Awards during its gala at the 3GSM World Congress.Brazil won the GSM Association Chairman's Award for country leadership. Brazil counts more than 22 million GSM subscribers, and GSM is expected to become...
CANNES, France-Comverse Technology Inc. announced two new operator deals as well as a series of product upgrades in conjunction with the 3GSM trade show.First off, the multimedia software and systems vendor announced Greek mobile operator Q-Telecom purchased its Converged Real-Time Billing Solutions, Multimedia Messaging...
VIENNA, Va.-MobileAccess Networks, which provides in-building wireless solutions, announced SMDC Health System has deployed its MA-850 Intelligent Switching Hub to enable Wi-Fi applications within nine buildings.The system supports a medical materials management solution that provides inventory management for hospital personnel and streamlined billing processes...
CANNES, France-Revenue assurance company Azure Solutions Ltd. today released the first part of its next-generation platform, which the company said will protect wireless carriers against gaps in their systems that could be costing them hundreds of millions of dollars. "When you add it all...
LONDON-Global Crossing announced an upcoming extranet offering designed to allow operators to deliver voice and video applications over a single connection from a neutral provider.Wireless Services Exchange will be launched in multiple phases, with an initial introduction of mobile-to-mobile routing with caller-line identity and...
ATLANTA-Cingular Wireless L.L.C. reported a deal with the Visiting Nurse Association of Florida Inc. to improve VNA's wireless capabilities in providing care for homebound patients. The agreement provided VNA's Florida clinical staff with 275 Audiovox Corp.'s 4100 Pocket PC mobile devices loaded with Homecare...
Similar to mechanics in the automotive world, test-and-measurement companies are the quiet heroes of wireless technologies. They take little credit when the networks hum and huff, yet they witness each technology's creation day and play parts in their burial rites. From handsets to access...
WASHINGTON-The California Public Utilities Commission's decision to suspend the telecom consumer bill of rights could prompt a showdown between GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Democratic-controlled state legislature, a battle with major implications for mobile-phone carriers and state regulators across the country. At least...
WASHINGTON-A California lawmaker said she may seek to write into law a bill of rights for telecom consumers, following yesterday's Public Utilities Commission vote to suspend a major rule that creates a slew of new regulations for mobile-phone carriers in the state. "The PUC...
RESTON, Va.-iDirect Technologies, which makes satellite-based broadband access solutions, said it plans to integrate Pronto Networks' operations support system into its product offering.The agreement makes iDirect a preferred reseller of Pronto's solutions to the VSAT industry, said the company. The OSS software handles provisioning,...
LOS ANGELES-Telemac Corp., which provides real-time accounting and billing technologies for wireless, said it was granted a patent covering a system for secure remote programming of wireless phones.Val Dietrich, vice president of legal affairs for Telemac, said the patent includes use of a smart...
Around the world, carriers are looking to boost wireless data sales to offset razor-thin profit margins from voice services. And they're getting a lot of help. NMS Communications last week launched a framework that allows carriers to manage subscriber relations, track information from wireless...
ALGERIAChinese vendor ZTE Corp. said it will supply CDMA gear for a network covering the three provinces of Tizi Ouzou, Bouira and Bejaia in northern Algeria. The contract value was not disclosed, but ZTE said the new network will include switching systems; base-station systems;...
WASHINGTON-The California Public Utilities Commission has decided to postpone until Jan. 27 a vote on Commissioner Susan Kennedy's proposal to suspend the bill of rights for telecom consumers. The agency had scheduled to take up the matter at Thursday's meeting. Both CPUC President Michael...
WASHINGTON-The controversial California bill of rights for telecom consumers is about to go nuclear. This week, only months after narrowly approving a rule creating scores of new regulations governing wireless carrier disclosure, marketing, billing and service, a newly configured California Public Utilities Commission is...
