WASHINGTON-House telecommunications subcommittee Chairman Billy Tauzin (R-La.), compromising with Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) on privacy, liability and cancer-research funding, won bipartisan approval last week on legislation to improve E911 wireless capability and foster antenna siting on federal land.The bill, which the House Commerce Committee...
WASHINGTON-The chairmen of the telecommunications oversight subcommittees in Congress late last week proposed legislation to eliminate two-thirds of the so-called "tax on talking" and place the remaining 1 percent in a fund to pay for Internet connections for schools, libraries and rural health-care centers.The...
ALEXANDRIA, Va.-The Personal Communications Industry Association announced the industry leaders who will speak at the Personal Communications Showcase '98 conference Sept. 22-25 in Orlando, Fla.Federal Communications Commission Chairman William Kennard will deliver the keynote address at the opening SuperSession, "Connect to Leadership: Building a Wireless...
CEDAR KNOLLS, N.J.-Four companies have entered a joint venture to supply value-added data services such as location-related services and e-commerce banking and ticketing services.Omnipoint Communications Inc., Microcell Capital Inc., Northern Telecom Inc. and GSM Capital L.P. formed the venture, which plans to begin market...
Applied Cellular Technology Inc. formed an executive search committee to fill the position of president and chief executive officer. The committee, made up of several outside board members and Richard Sullivan, chairman and CEO of Applied Cellular, will work with an independent top-tier executive...
ALEXANDRIA, Va.-Metrocall Inc. has made several changes in its senior management team to address the integration of AT&T Wireless Services Inc.'s Advanced Messaging Division.Thomas P. Matthews, the executive who negotiated the five-year distribution agreement aspect of the merger, has been named senior vice president...
WATERLOO, Ont.-Research In Motion announced it signed a $1 million agreement to supply its radio modems and wireless PC cards to Lipman USA Inc.Lipman provides integrated portable wireless electronic funds transfer and point-of-sale terminals. RIM's radio modems are expected to be an integral component...
ATLANTA-LHS Group Inc. and Bell Atlantic Corp. entered into a deal to strengthen their existing relationship, the companies said. Bell Atlantic's international wireless markets will be able to license LHS' Business Support and Control System, or BSCS product, and LHS also will provide related...
WASHINGTON-A proposal to assign abbreviated dialing codes nationwide appears to be headed for a major roadblock from the North American Numbering Council. NANC is expected to approve a report in September that will declare no one supports abbreviated dialing codes, said Lori Messing, manager...
REDMOND, Wash.-Metawave Communications Corp. filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering of 5 million shares of common stock, expected to sell in the range of $9.50 to $11.50, the company said.BT Alex. Brown, Merrill Lynch & Co....
Iridium L.L.C. said two more of its satellites failed last week, adding to a list of concerns that caused the company's stock price to fall about $8 following the disclosure.Of the 72 satellites placed in orbit to date, seven have failed. According to Michelle...
WASHINGTON-The House last week backed President Clinton's renewal of normal trade relations with Communist China, a victory for wireless equipment manufacturers that do not want to lose the multibillion-dollar Asian market to global competitors.The Telecommunications Industry Association, which represents U.S. wireless telecom suppliers, supports...
WASHINGTON-The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, Bellcore and the National Emergency Number Association are sponsoring a meeting about implementing FCC Phase 2 enhanced 911 wireless location technology requirements.The meeting, scheduled for August 26-27 at the Grand Hyatt San Francisco Union Square, will include live trials...
WASHINGTON-The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association is coordinating expanded efforts to test the industry for the year-2000 computer bug beginning early next year.The trade association during the past year has worked with individual wireless companies in dealing with the problem, and now will expand those...
WASHINGTON-Ten telecom industry associations urged the Federal Communications Commission not to impose rules designed to protect consumer privacy. In a July 20 letter to the FCC, the groups said the rules were expensive and burdensome.The associations were joined by the Small Business Administration, which...
LISLE, Ill.-The proposed merger of Tellabs Inc. and Coherent Communications Systems Corp. has been approved by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and the companies expect to close the deal in early August, Tellabs said.Coherent makes echo-cancellation and conferencing products. Tellabs...
CINCINNATI-Convergys Corp., a subsidiary of Cincinnati Bell Inc., filed an amendment to its registration statement related to the initial public offering of Convergys shares.The amended statement proposes to sell 18 million common shares for $17 to $19 each. Convergys granted the underwriters an overallotment...
WASHINGTON-A proposed amendment to rewrite the digital wiretap act that amounted to a wish list for law enforcement has been withdrawn by the Department of Justice after certain aspects were criticized soundly by privacy advocates. Additionally, it appears that the FBI was unable to...
Handset and accessory distributor Brightpoint Inc. said it plans to increase its presence in the outsourcing business by providing handset repair and refurbishment services."This is a value-added service people have historically tried to avoid," said John Sullivan, executive vice president with Brightpoint. "At times...
Signing one of its largest ever pacts, CommQuest Technologies Inc. said it will supply its GSM-XL chipset to Audiovox Communications Corp. for a new Global System for Mobile communications handset.Terms of the agreement call for CommQuest, a recent IBM Corp. acquisition, to supply its...
FORT LEE, N.J.-TSR Wireless L.L.C. announced it has promoted seven members of its senior management staff to manage the acquisition of American Paging Inc.Frank Lynch was promoted from senior vice president of sales to executive vice president of sales and marketing; Ardon Beahm rose...
The Telecommunications Industry Association's TR-45 Mobile and Personal Communications Systems engineering committee created a new work group that will address fixed wireless access and wireless local loop applications, said the organization.The group-TR-45.4.1-is assigned to the TR-45.4 Radio to Switching Technology subcommittee, which is responsible...
WASHINGTON-While congressional and Justice Department investigators concentrate on whether satellite technology transfers helped Communist China improve its nuclear missile capability, the United States quietly is leading an effort to decontrol all telecommunications technology by this fall.The so-called Wassenaar Arrangement, named after the Dutch town...
Satellite-based communications is all the buzz in the telecom industry today, with hopeful mobile satellite services providers and terrestrial-based telcos alike shooting satellites into orbit with unprecedented regularity.Yet the rush of commercial satellite launches has placed the current presidential administration in hot water with...
