The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has asked about a dozen federal agencies to evaluate the relocation costs and other needs associated with returning spectrum for private use. The NTIA request was made as the government begins the study process following the recently completed...
WASHINGTON-While Batman touts the virtues of General Motors Corp.'s OnStar System, the U.S. Department of Transportation has joined with the Communications for Coordinated Assistance and Response to Emergencies (ComCARE) Alliance so if Batman (or anybody else in a telematics-equipped vehicle) is in an accident...
Let's hear it for U.S. wireless carriers.For so long we've heard how American operators lag behind their European counterparts in the wireless world. I think U.S. carriers are doing just fine, thanks.The Federal Communications Commission reported earlier this month some surprising statistics. U.S. wireless...
WASHINGTON-The rapid growth of the wireless industry increases the importance of the Federal Communications Commission's spectrum management responsibilities and may someday lead to service-quality regulation, the agency's members said in releasing its fifth annual report to Congress on the state of wireless competition."Industrial policy...
ROCKVILLE, Md.-The inaugural meeting of a government-industry task force formed to examine the health effects of radio-frequency exposure listed a variety of studies to be conducted that could cost as much as $10 million."All of the studies we have been talking about here have...
While there are several instant messaging solutions in the marketplace today, Invertix Corp. is using its IM Anywhere software product in ways that it says go beyond simple messaging.The company is looking to act as the go-between for the many content providers hoping to...
Just yesterday, it seems wireless carriers and resellers were at legal odds in front of the Federal Communications Commission.Resellers fought for mandatory access to carriers' networks, while carriers battled that effort, coming up with a concession that would end mandatory reselling two years from...
TOKYO-Beginning in July, Japanese users of prepaid cellular phones will be required to show identification when purchasing a handset due to a regulation introduced following a series of crimes using prepaid phones.Urged by the government, cellular carriers decided to implement the regulation on prepaid...
WASHINGTON-While international attention is focused on Deutsche Telekom AG's $50.3 billion bid for VoiceStream Wireless Corp. and the fireworks it has set off in Congress, merger and acquisition activity in the coming months is expected to be dominated by smaller wireless transactions as large...
MCLEAN, Va.-Nextlink Communications Inc. reported revenues for the second quarter ended June 30 of $140.6 million, a 132-percent increase from the revenues reported for the same period last year.The company's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization totaled $68.6 million for the quarter, compared...
WASHINGTON-A coalition of government agencies including the Coast Guard, the Federal Highway Administration and the Air Force are in the process of building a system that will increase the accuracy of the global positioning system from 50 meters to one to three meters, said...
Two companies have introduced performance indicator product offerings to help carriers keep tabs on the competition.Arthur Andersen claims its "Wireless Benchmarking Tool for Key Performance Indicators," allows wireless carriers to make apples-to-apples comparisons between service quality using key performance indicators selected and defined by...
AT&T Wireless Services Inc. said it will offer two-way short messaging service later this year, giving the carrier a more seamless data offering with its affiliates.AT&T Wireless offers SMS service today and relaunched its PocketNet service, based on Cellular Digital Packet Data service, earlier...
Sprint PCS gave analysts some guidance on how much wireless data contributed to its overall second-quarter financial results, which improved significantly from the first three months of the year.Customers on data plans generate higher minutes of use than Sprint PCS' average customer, which helped...
NEW YORK-Manufacturers increasingly are planning to outsource production as more companies transition to the virtual manufacturing model, according to a recent Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. study.A substantial number of electronics manufacturers plan to outsource a collective average of 72 percent of production, a...
Qualcomm Inc.'s financial results came in line with consensus estimates last week, but the company expects falling chip sales because of slower handset sales anticipated in South Korea.Marc Cabi, managing director with Credit Suisse First Boston, downgraded Qualcomm to a "hold" rating, and reduced...
WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission on Friday assigned three-digit number codes to be used for abbreviated dialing.Abbreviated dialing codes enable callers to connect to a location in the telephone network that normally would require a seven- or 10-digit number. The network must be preprogrammed to...
SAN DIEGO-In "Mission Impossible" fashion, Metricom Inc. ended years of buildout and anticipation by finally launching the first market for its Ricochet 128 kilobits per second wireless data network in San Diego.Press conference attendees in San Diego watched a live picture of a diver...
WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission has reduced by one penny the amount of regulatory fees commercial mobile radio services carriers must pay to 30 cents per unit."Clearly the FCC is recognizing the growth of the wireless industry. This growth reflects the downward trend in the...
AT&T Wireless Group is collaborating with Motorola Inc. to supply equipment for AT&T Wireless' "Project Angel" fixed wireless broadband technology abroad.Under terms of the agreement, AT&T Wireless said it will provide Motorola with a temporary license for a year to supply equipment to local...
WASHINGTON-Sprint PCS last month became the first wireless carrier to ask a state commission to base the amount BellSouth Corp. pays Sprint PCS for connecting calls on the costs Sprint PCS incurs rather than an amount set by BellSouth."Sprint PCS is entitled to receive...
It's been a wild roller-coaster ride for Qualcomm Inc.'s stock this year.The former Wall Street angel is fighting a public-relations battle that says a move to wideband Code Division Multiple Access technology is a move away from Qualcomm.Such is the story in South Korea,...
NEW YORK-If Richard Levine has his way, everyone could revert to seven-digit local calling simplicity, even amid the expanding complexity of wired and wireless telecommunications.Levine, a research alumnus of Bell Labs and Nortel Networks, is director of Beta Scientific Laboratory Inc., Richardson, Texas. He...
