WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday began a process that it hopes will lead to a secondary market for spectrum, and it put the private-wireless industry on notice that it might be subject to auctions if it wants additional spectrum.Secondary marketsA key policy objective...
DENVER, United States-U.S. paging operator WebLink Wireless is making plans to implement a narrowband PCS (NPCS) network in Central America using a first-ever infrastructure-sharing arrangement that would enable low-volume providers in the seven-nation region to cost effectively begin providing two-way paging services.Central America, sandwiched...
WASHINGTON-The New York Yankees may have won the World Series but in the world where politics and policy converge, as another famous Yankee once said, "it ain't over 'till it's over."That is certainly true in NextWave Telecom Inc.'s quest to keep its 90 personal...
WASHINGTON-While President Clinton and FCC Chairman William Kennard called on federal agencies, broadcasters and others to take steps to free up spectrum for third-generation wireless services, allegations surfaced last week that the administration lobbied against legislation that could have accomplished the same thing and...
A hue and cry went up among Clinton-Gore Democratics and political pundits when it surfaced that NBC and Fox would not carry the first debate between GOP and Democratic presidential candidates George W. Bush and Al Gore, respectively, last Tuesday night. Was there outrage...
WASHINGTON-The Industrial Telecommunications Association put Nextel Communications Inc. and Pegasus Guard Band L.L.C. on notice Friday that the private wireless association will "watch very closely" to ensure the enhanced specialized mobile radio carrier and the digital broadcast satellite provider play by the rules as...
CARLSBAD, Calif.-Wireless service provider Centennial Communications Corp. will begin offering Indicast Inc.'s personalized audio Internet content to its wireless subscribers starting in November.Indicast's audio content allows users to pre-select topics of interest on the Internet using their personalized start page, and create a broadcast...
CHICAGO-"Spectrum is like money, everyone always wants more of it and you can never get enough of it," said Mark Kelley, chief technology officer of Leap Wireless International Inc.It is a widely held theory in the wireless industry. But is it accurate?This was a...
The outgoing (and next) Congress and administration should be worried about losing the third-generation mobile phone market to Europe and Asia. Why? Because, in a very real sense, losing 3G is tantamount to losing U.S. high-tech leadership.American high-tech superiority in today's Internet economy is...
WASHINGTON-A Clinton administration aide last week denied that industry or political pressure has played a part in delaying the issuance of a White House report advocating mobile phones and other wireless technologies for alerting citizens of emergencies like tornadoes, hurricanes and chemical spills.The delay...
Wireless Internet technologyIntegra Micro SystemsIndian software company Integra Micro Systems introduced a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) browser for the PalmOS platform, allowing Palm devices to access Wireless Markup Language (WML) content. The Jataayu Browser is fully WAP compliant, the company said, and can be...
MELBOURNE, Australia-Australian telecommunications giant Telstra has significantly boosted the capacity of its mobile telephone networks to cater to the large influx of visitors to Sydney, Australia, for the Olympic Games. Telstra has the exclusive task of handling all communications for the Sydney 2000 Games.According...
ATLANTA-Synchronization between wireless handsets and personal computers remains a priority in data management circles, as both Synchrologic Inc. and FusionOne Inc. introduced separate synchronization products last week.Synchrologic made available its iMobile Data Synchronization 3.0 for enterprise data synchronization with personal digital assistants from Palm...
SYDNEY, Australia-Australia's Telstra said it switched on the telecommunications network for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, which includes capacity for more than 15,000 mobile phones for media and officials.The games open in Sydney on Sept. 15.The Telstra Millennium Network also comprises 4,800 kilometers of...
LOS ANGELES-As the official communications and wireless company of the 2000 Democratic National Convention, SBC Communications Inc. provided voice, data, video and wireless services for the four-day convention, and the more than 15,000 journalists and 5,000 participating delegates.SBC noted that more than 450 digital...
The immediate problem has been solved. The 700 MHz auction has been postponed to March 6. Now the government quickly must decide on a long-term strategy for the use of the spectrum.If government wants the wireless industry to pay for 700 MHz frequencies, rules...
WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission last week delayed the auction of commercial licenses in the 700 MHz band, while proceeding with plans to auction licenses for guard-band managers and proposing service rules for public-safety uses on the same band.The FCC originally intended to hold two...
HORSHAM, Pa.-Motorola Inc.'s Broadband Communications Sector announced it is acquiring Zenith Electronics Corp.'s Network Systems division, which Motorola plans to integrate into its Satellite and Broadcast Network Systems business unit.Zenith Network Systems is a supplier of satellite receivers globally and multichannel multipoint distribution system...
A broadcast radio alternative is fast approaching that will allow drivers to access a variety of audio newspaper and magazine content in their cars using a wireless Internet connection.More than three years in the making, American Autocast Corp. plans to launch an "autocast" service...
Due to an anticipated decrease in domestic South Korean sales related to the elimination of phone subsidies, Qualcomm Inc. expects lower order levels for its Code Division Multiple Access chipsets in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2000. Qualcomm said it did not expect the...
WASHINGTON-House Republicans, making good on their pledge to downsize the Federal Communications Commission, last week took steps to cut funding, rein in merger authority and curtail lobbying and media outreach activities of the agency.The actions, part of a broader effort to reform the FCC,...
PHILADELPHIA-Connexus Corp.'s *CD service has integrated its audio sampling technology with Wireless Application Protocol technology, enabling music identification on wireless Web devices.According to Connexus, the *CD service uses proprietary song recognition technology allowing consumers to use wireless phones, landline phones, wireless-enabled Palm pilots, two-way...
WASHINGTON-Andrew Sukawaty, president and chief operating officer of Sprint PCS and recently installed chairman of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, said Friday he is leaving the nationwide mobile-phone carrier to pursue a new, unnamed opportunity."This is the fourth start-up venture in which I've been...
WASHINGTON-James Lee Witt, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said last week Congress should intervene if mobile-phone carriers continue to refuse to offer early-alert warnings for natural disasters and other local emergencies."If we can't get private industry doing this, then I think Congress...
