WASHINGTON-The wireless industry scored on public safety, liability protection, federal-land antenna siting and sales commissions in Congress last week, while fending off a Pentagon assault on federal spectrum management and a pro-state challenge to federal numbering policy.Wireless gains on Capitol Hill came after a...
FRAMINGHAM, Mass.-Ericsson Inc. selected Natural MicroSystems' products and services for the first integrated wireless network that enables carriers to combine dispatch and group communications within their standard Global System for Mobile communications infrastructure, said Natural MicroSystems.Ericsson said it selected the open telecommunications approach to...
BOSTON-Consistent with the tower industry's consolidation trend, American Tower Corp. scored high last week with several new transactions.The company signed a $39 million agreement to acquire 108 wireless communication towers from Dobson Tower Co. and build a minimum of 65 towers for Sygnet Communications...
MELBOURNE, Australia-In a bid to revive Australia's flagging paging market, Hutchison Telecom has launched a new data broadcasting network using the VHF band and Motorola's FLEX protocol.The new system will be used to broadcast a range of information services, including financial exchange data and...
Cambodia: NTT International Corp. (NTTI) promoted the telecom network upgrade plan in Phnom Penh between August 1995 and March 1998, using grant assistance from the Japanese government. The grant money went to Cambodia's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.NTTI was involved in the entire phase of...
HandsetsKyoceraKyocera plans to begin marketing at the end of July in Japan its VP-210 VisualPhone, a PHS phone with a built-in camera that can transmit and receive images in real time at a rate of two frames per second. The handset incorporates a CMOS...
NEW YORK-Ericsson Mobile Phones, Research Triangle Park, N.C., introduced a suite of new handsets June 21 at MobileFocus '99 that the company plans to offer for sale later this year and early next year.For those who want a wireless communications device rugged enough for...
Geoworks Corp., adding yet another new business focus, has embarked on a crusade to elevate the wireless environment to the broadcast advertising status of television and radio.The company revealed plans to launch a series of wireless information services, sponsored by advertising, which customers can...
Fresh from his turnaround performance leading MobileMedia Communications Inc. out of bankruptcy, former president and chief executive officer Ron Grawert has been named CEO of Clariti Telecommunications International. The company said its Wireless Messaging division is developing a voice-mail system called ClariCAST Digital Wireless...
WASHINGTON-In one way or another, Dale N. Hatfield has been connected to the wireless industry as a telecom policy maker, a consultant, an academic and now back full circle as chief of the Office of Engineering Technology at the Federal Communications Commission.He was there...
VENICE, Fla.-Frank Gunther, who devised some of the first radio communications devices, died last Monday. He was 91.Gunther helped create shortwave, two-way and FM systems, often working with the military and police and fire departments. In 1932, he built what is believed to be...
A front-page story in USA Today several weeks ago introduced a new technology called electronic ink, marketed by a company called E Ink, and paging technology just may be what brings it to life.The result of research conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,...
WASHINGTON-The fallout of last week's Federal Communications Commission decision on solving the dead-zone problem saw the chairman's office denouncing the industry's response and consumers advocates split.As expected, the FCC did not mandate technical requirements for how wireless carriers address calls that fall in areas...
In the wake of the deadly tornadoes earlier this month that ripped through Oklahoma and Kansas, the idea of using wireless technology as a warning system for natural disasters is receiving renewed attention.Douglas "Bud" Weiser, who heads a volunteer organization dedicated to establishing emergency...
After securing purchase-leaseback deals with BellSouth Cellular Corp. and Powertel Inc., Crown Castle International Corp. capped off its first quarter with significant increases in revenues and cash flow.Total revenues increased 366 percent to $55.1 million, compared with revenues of $11.8 million during last year's...
Sirius CommunicationsSirius Communications NV introduced the DataSat Code Division Multiple Access development system. It offers an alternative to today's very small aperture terminal systems. It works with all existing satellite bands, and TV satellite receiver antennas may be used to receive the signals. The...
IntellicellIntellicell Corp. announced Mike Hedge and Michael King, both previously with CellStar Corp., are heading up Intellicell's sales and marketing group. Hedge will be responsible for the implementation of an overall strategic growth plan to increase revenues and King will focus on developing a...
WASHINGTON-Federal Communications Commission Chairman William Kennard denied improperly lobbying for legislation to prevent wireless licenses from becoming mired in bankruptcy litigation, but now-in a new flare up-has drawn sharp rebuke from two fellow regulators for effectively cutting off personal communications service in rural Kentucky...
Sandwiched between ads meant to tempt consumers into buying everything from vitamins to sport utility vehicles, new TV ads from Nortel Networks are meant to attract anyone but consumers.The ads, which feature music from The Beatles' "Abbey Road" album, are directed at decision makers...
FCC Chairman Bill Kennard now says the agency has an open mind on the question of private wireless auctions. It wasn't always that way.The FCC, going back to the days when Kennard was general counsel under former chairman Reed Hundt, has had a burning...
WASHINGTON-House telecommunications subcommittee Chairman Billy Tauzin (R-La.) said he will introduce legislation this summer to reform the Federal Communications Commission, an effort that could produce massive structural changes that go far beyond the strategic plan unveiled by FCC Chairman William Kennard at last week's...
In what may be the beginning of a trend, BellSouth Wireless Data L.P. and Paging Network Inc. entered into a strategic alliance last week under which PageNet will resell BellSouth's Interactive Paging Service, effective in May.According to the agreement, PageNet will be the primary...
DALLAS-Paging Network Inc. last week signed agreements with LottoNet and Yahoo!, furthering its goal to provide various Internet-based information services to its paging subscribers.LottoNet is an Internet-based lottery information provider. The agreement will allow PageNet subscribers choosing the service to receive their state's lottery...
MILWAUKEE-Cumulus Media Inc. announced it established a new business unit, Cumulus Wireless Services Inc., which will lease space on its broadcast towers to communications service providers. Cumulus owns 194 AM and FM broadcast towers in 40 small- to mid-sized cities across the United States."We...
