As an industry, we are all too aware of the fundamental changes in our business. The days of high average revenue per minute of use, phenomenal subscriber growth numbers, low churn rates and duopoly markets are long gone.Industry transformation has resulted in eroding economics: decreasing...
Competition is changing the customer satisfaction landscape in wireless markets, according to J.D. Power and Associates' 1998 U.S. Wireless Customer Satisfaction Study.Carriers who previously led in customer satisfaction changed in 10 out of 18 markets, said the study."With as many as four or five...
WASHINGTON-If you listen to the wireless communications industry, strongest signal procedures will not be necessary once legislation to underwrite wireless E911 upgrades with fees paid by mobile phone carriers when they site antennas on federal property is passed by Congress.McCain introduced such legislation last...
ORLANDO, Fla.-Samsung Telecommunications America and Tecore announced they will partner to offer Code Division Multiple Access equipment to small personal communications services markets."No one is targeting the D, E and F carriers" with CDMA equipment, said Jay Salkini, president and chief executive officer of...
TORONTO-Rogers Cantel Inc. introduced new One Rate pricing plans that offer one-rate calling for calls originating in Canada and terminating either in Canada or the United States.Customers can select which One Rate plan best fits their calling patterns and then choose between one of...
ORLANDO, Fla.-Qualcomm last week at PCS '98 announced it now is offering its cdmaOne Interim Standard-95 network with an open system radio-switch interface, meaning carriers using Qualcomm equipment can use its radio access equipment but use switches from a different vendor.In the United States,...
WASHINGTON-The postponement of arguments in a federal appeals court on the wireless number portability issue seems to bode well for the industry because it will have even more time to implement this requirement.Portability refers to telephone subscribers keeping their same telephone number after switching...
WASHINGTON-Despite action by the Federal Communications Commission earlier this month to extend the compliance date on the digital wiretap act, the debate over its implementation rages on.In two separate luncheon briefings last week, the telecommunications industry-specifically the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association and the United...
ORLANDO, Fla.-Motorola Inc.'s Cellular Infrastructure Group has implemented an end-to-end plain paper fax solution for Code Division Multiple Access-based fixed wireless networks, which has been deployed on the company's WiLL CDMA systems.Previously, CDMA subscribers had to connect their personal computers to digital cellular phones...
The appetite for tower sites is increasing rapidly as a wider variety of wireless carriers-from utilities companies to personal communications services carriers-are coming into markets across the country. Tower management companies as a result must work hard to serve up better-managed sites and more...
SAN FRANCISCO-Pacific Bell Mobile Services, the wireless subsidiary of Pacific Telesis Group, announced it will conduct business as Pacific Bell Wireless and Nevada Bell Mobile Services will use the name Nevada Bell Wireless beginning Oct. 1."The names Pacific Bell Wireless and Nevada Bell Wireless...
DULLES, Va.-Orbcomm Global L.P. reached a major milestone in its plan to provide global satellite communications service with the successful launch of eight low-earth-orbit satellites this morning, completing the company's initial constellation of 28 birds.An Orbital Sciences Corp. L-1011 aircraft flew the Pegasus rocket...
SAN DIEGO-OmniVoice Technologies Inc. announced plans to commence beta trials of its digital voice paging technology with Mexican paging provider Digitel.OmniVoice's technology allows paging subscribers to send text and voice pages without the assistance of an operator over a standard FLEX network. Digitel joins...
ORLANDO, Fla.-Software companies Mobile Systems International and Metapath Software Corp. last week announced plans to merge in an effort to help carriers create "customer-adaptive" networks."Bringing these two companies together will allow us to provide the wireless operator with an integrated suite of products that...
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill.-Motorola Inc.'s Cellular Infrastructure Group will purchase and deploy Excel Switching Corp.'s EXS infrastructure and switching platform as a network interface unit in certain wireless local loop markets worldwide, said Motorola.An NIU allows Motorola CIG to connect its Code Division Multiple Access...
WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission, in its role as banker, is providing guidance on the newly established rules for installment payments for spectrum licenses. The guidance explains the differences between the old and new rules that became effective March 16. Additionally, the FCC, in its...
WASHINGTON-A House Commerce investigations panel plans hearings beginning next week to question James Sasser, U.S. ambassador to China, former Federal Communications Commission chairman Reed Hundt and others in connection with a probe of whether Sasser and former Clinton-Gore campaign manager Peter Knight received illegal...
ORLANDO, Fla.-In an effort to move from a provider of mere product to that of end-to-end solutions, Glenayre Technologies Inc. announced at PCS '98 an enhanced services platform designed to help paging carriers offer higher-cost services to customers.Lee Ellison, vice president of worldwide sales...
MELBOURNE, Fla.-GE Harris Railway Electronics L.L.C. announced it has joined with Harris Semiconductor to develop and market a railroad-specific wireless communications system called TrainTalk Intra-Train Communications.The system was designed for commanding, controlling and monitoring on-board operating functions using Harris Semiconductor's Prism Direct Sequence Spread...
MONTREAL-Microcell Solutions Inc. announced a personal communications services pricing plan that began Sept. 24, offering its customers across Canada 1,000 minutes of airtime for $100.Microcell's PCS offering, branded Fido, allows subscribers to use their service at the same rate any time of day, any...
CUPERTINO, Calif.-DSP Communications Inc. said it repurchased 8 million shares of its common stock for $80.4 million under a buyback program originally announced in April 1997.The board of directors increased by 2 million the number of shares authorized to be repurchased under the program,...
Alcatel Alsthom's woes continued last week as several shareholder lawsuits were filed against the company, connected with its earlier announcement that earnings would not meet expectations.Alcatel's stock fell sharply on the news, and the company initiated a stock repurchase program in response. But an...
WASHINGTON-Lawmakers for months have been deluged with letters from constituents who fear the Federal Communications Commission will not make the wireless industry comply with the 1996 telecom act's mandate to make mobile phones accessible to hearing impaired individuals and other disabled Americans.In many cases,...
ORLANDO, Fla.-BellSouth Wireless Data disclosed in greater detail its distribution strategy for its Interactive Paging service at PCS '98 last week, where the company also announced a strategic alliance and conducted a developer's seminar.BellSouth released a list of 43 distributors made up of resellers,...
