WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission, as expected, last week rejected a request by bankrupt NextWave Telecom Inc. that the FCC reconsider its Jan. 12 decision to cancel its licenses and re-auction them. The FCC also set the re-auction for Dec. 12.Meanwhile, the FCC found itself...
NEW DELHI, India-The Southeast Asian region is set to enter a new era of wireless data within the next two years. Many operators in the region have already introduced wireless data services, including Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) launches, in preparation for a full-scale transition...
PathnetPathnet Telecommunications named Ken Rowen vice president of sales, focusing on competitive local access carriers. Rowen will lead a team responsible for integrating CLECs, regional bell operating companies and independent telephone companies into the Pathnet network in under-served regions of the country. Rowen developed...
One of the knocks against conventional wireless service plans is that customers are charged the same amount for airtime whether they are calling across the street or across their service area.Two wireless companies are trying to alleviate the local pricing discrepancies by offering unlimited...
The realm of wireless data is uncharted territory for most consumers, but carriers also are feeling their way through the darkness, searching for the best way to market data and Internet services to an audience with little or no knowledge of wireless outside voice.Everyone-from...
SAN DIEGO-Leap Wireless International Inc. signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding to acquire personal communications services operating licenses covering 387,000 potential customers in Eugene, Ore., and Greeley, Colo., from American Wireless License Group L.L.C.According to Leap, conditions of the sale include transfer of 10...
WASHINGTON-Cellular carriers have mounted an all-out assault on the Federal Communications Commission to get more spectrum."Spectrum is the `life blood' of wireless services. But not all radio-frequency spectrum is equally useful or suitable. Spectrum-management policies determine the `rule of the game;' that is, who...
SAN DIEGO-Leap Wireless International Inc. signed a definitive agreement to purchase a personal communications services operating license in Lakeland-Winterhaven, Fla., for an undisclosed amount.If approved by the Federal Communications Commission, the purchase will add approximately 450,000 potential customers to Leap's holdings.In other news, Leap...
Sunday CommunicationsSunday Communications Ltd. announced that Craig Ehrlich, currently group managing director and chief executive officer, will give up his CEO duties. He will continue as group managing director, focusing on the company's regional expansion program. Ehrlich also will continue as the company's principal...
SAN DIEGO-Leap Wireless International Inc. said it has almost tripled its existing agreement with Lucent Technologies Inc. to purchase and sell network equipment to Leap's subsidiary, Cricket.Leap will purchase approximately $900 million in wireless infrastructure equipment and an array of Lucent's Net Care deployment...
Motorola Inc. plans to divest its interests in more than a dozen international wireless operators to free itself from potential conflicts with customers.The new wholly owned subsidiary, Propel Inc., filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission last week for an initial...
NEW YORK-Developers of devices and applications for wireless communications strutted their stuff, offering new, nearly new and soon-to-debut products and services at this year's MobileFocus.Giving more gumption to handheld computers is the design of at least five of the companies at this bite-sized trade...
The Federal Communications Commission received comments from wireless operators over its tentative decision to allow large carriers to bid in the re-auction of C- and F-block personal communications services spectrum. Most large carriers, however, feel the potential rules severely limit their participation.The FCC has...
Alcatel.Benin. With Office des Postes et Telecommunications (OPT) for a GSM network, along with fiber-optic and switching equipment.Value: US$32.8 millionKenya. With KenCell for a 50,000-subscriber capacity GSM network.Value: UndisclosedMorocco. With Maroc Telecom for mobile switching centers.Value: UndisclosedPortugal. With Portugal Telecom's TMN for a GPRS network.Value: UndisclosedQatar. With Q-Tel...
AT&T Wireless Services Inc. started testing third-generation wireless technology at AT&T Labs research center in Menlo Park, Calif., where the company has established a testbed for wireless data transfer using General Packet Radio Service equipment from a variety of vendors. "Our focus in California...
One thing Cricket Communications Inc. did not plan on when it decided to offer a wireless service that competes with landline telephony was the fact that handsets break faster.In the two markets where Cricket has launched service, customers are using an average of 1,000...
SAN DIEGO-Leap Wireless International Inc. completed the sale of its Chilean wireless venture, Smartcom PCS, to Spanish utility company Endesa S.A.Leap received $300 million in cash and notes subject to certain post-closing adjustments plus repayment of all intercompany debt between Leap and Smartcom."We think...
Two-way messaging took a leap forward last week as Motorola Inc. introduced a new two-way pager and JP Systems Inc. implemented a mobile Internet portal service.Motorola unveiled its Talkabout T900 two-way messaging device, which features a full Qwerty keyboard, a flip-top screen and a...
WASHINGTON-Nextel Communications on Friday filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission to deny the transfer of three licenses to Leap Wireless International Inc."Inconsistencies between Leap's financial data reported in the application and Leap's financial data recently reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission...
Blame it on the glut of recent mergers and acquisitions.Blame it on the abundance and promise of working at a start-up company.But for these reasons and more, recruiters and human resource managers throughout the wireless industry are coming to realize the dynamic job market...
Leap Wireless International Inc. is finding that selling off its international properties has become more beneficial to shareholders than operating them.Last week, Leap made a surprise announcement that it would sell its Chilean operator, Smartcom PCS, to Spanish utility company Endesa S.A. The company...
NEW YORK-If smart antennas are so intelligent, why are they not yet widely deployed in wireless networks?The concise answer is their comparatively high price, but that shorthand omits the more complex context of a complete answer, said Lee Hamilton, president and chief executive officer...
ChileNexus Telocation Systems Ltd. formed a joint-venture company in Chile to deploy communication and location services. The new company, Ubinet Telecom S.A., will offer two-way messaging, car and personal location services and home security applications. "The quality of the shareholders, the technology of Nexus...
WASHINGTON-The government stepped closer to opening its July 26 auction of personal communications services licenses to large wireless carriers that may pay high dollar for spectrum in key markets like New York and San Francisco."Perhaps it is time for the commission going forward in...
