NEW YORK-Wireless telephony providers are hemorrhaging revenues from organized activity by criminals drawn to the low risk and easy money of subscription fraud.Thieves are exploiting a particularly lucrative window of opportunity right now, one that is likely to remain open for a few years....
WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission is scheduled today to rule on a Personal Communications Industry Association petition to forbear from enforcing mandatory wireless resale rules.The FCC has given few clues on what it will decide.However, interviews with industry lobbyists suggest the agency could reject the...
WASHINGTON-The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association last week went on the offensive to put in place a technical standard that will allow carriers to alert subscribers of an impending natural disaster or weather emergency.Also, James L. Witt, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, last...
WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission has petitioned a federal appeals court here to reconsider a three-judge panel's decision in April to eliminate equal employment opportunity rules governing telecommunications licensees.Though it addressed broadcast EEO rules, the ruling has potential hiring implications for the wireless industry."The rules...
RICHARDSON, Texas-Ericsson Inc. acquired the remaining interest in GE Mobile Communications, a joint venture of Ericsson and General Electric Co.The companies formed the joint venture in 1989 to manufacture and distribute cellular phones and equipment primarily in the United States and Canada. GE originally...
Motorola Inc. and Lucent Technologies Inc. have formed an alliance to jointly develop next-generation digital signal processing technology, a move that is expected to jump-start third-generation mobile phone technology.Motorola's semiconductor segment and Lucent's Microelectronics Group next quarter plan to create a joint design center,...
WASHINGTON-Telecom mergers, traditionally seen as threatening by organized labor, have become major platforms for unions and civil-rights groups to push their agendas and try to leverage concessions.As the Communications Workers of America and Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/Push Coalition weigh in on telecom mega mergers, wireless...
DALLAS-Paging Network Inc. announced it signed a contract with Computer Sciences Corp. to be that company's primary wireless messaging service provider.El Segundo, Calif.-based CSC, a consulting firm, claims about 45,000 employees. PageNet will provide CSC with wireless messaging and information services nationwide and will...
As RCR reported last week, the General Services Administration is giving the Federal Communications Commission the boot. Time to move out of the downtown offices and out to the Portals. By fall. Leases have been canceled. The $17.6 million loaned to the FCC to...
WASHINGTON-President Clinton last week renewed favorable trade status for China, while under fire from Republicans and Democrats over allegations linking illegal Democratic campaign contributions to technology transfers from U.S. wireless companies to China that some believe threaten U.S. security and have contributed to the...
NEW YORK-The GSM Alliance L.L.C. is stepping up marketing efforts with a brand-awareness campaign, including the widespread application of its logo, which is designed to convey the group's North American and international reach and its technical capabilities, said the association.Alliance members, in their effort...
PRINCETON, N.J.-Intek Global Corp. announced it acquired privately held Mobile Data Solutions Inc., the operator of Data Express, in a move that added automatic vehicle-location to its list of services and data applications.Specific terms of the all-stock transaction were not disclosed.Intek said it expects...
LOS ANGELES-In Touch Paging USA announced several recent customer acquisitions.Most recently, ACMI-which provides prepaid, long-distance and Internet services-signed an agreement with the Los Angeles-based paging provider to bring paging service to ACMI's customer base.Other recent customers include Lenexa, Kan.-based Coast International Telecom; WorldComm's long-distance...
WASHINGTON-New revelations surfaced last week of a rift in law enforcement over balancing commercial, privacy and crime-fighting interests in the new age of digita l wiretaps.Until recently, law enforcement presented a united front in fighting wireless telecom carriers and privacy advocates over the implementation...
WASHINGTON-The House Commerce subcommittee investigating the Portals lease issued subpoenas to developer Franklin Haney and his lobbyist Peter Knight late last week and said each faces contempt of Congress charges if they fail to produce the requested documents by June 17.House and Justice Department...
BALTIMORE-After a 95-minute delay during which 15 attorneys negotiated the Pocket Communications Inc. bankruptcy case last Thursday at the courthouse cafeteria here, the bankruptcy judge said Pocket can participate in today's C-block elections but that its selection will be held in abeyance until at...
TOKYO-NTT, Japan's largest telecommunications company, is consolidating its Personal Handyphone System business with its cellular phone company, say published reports.NTT DoCoMo group companies took a non-recurring charge this fiscal year of about $852 million for losses associated with NTT Personal Communications Network, the comapny's...
SHELTON, Conn.-ADC Telecommunications Inc.'s ADC NewNet introduced its CALEAserver software that allows wireless and wireline service providers to meet intercept-wiretap requirements outlined in the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act.CALEAserver will allow carriers to meet the original Oct. 25 CALEA compliance date, said ADC....
BETHLEHEM, Pa.-Omnipoint Communications Services L.L.C. last week held two job fairs to fill an immediate need for 100 employees at its customer care center.The company said it would be hiring new employees on the spot.
HELSINKI, Finland-Nokia introduced a small, dual-band phone for 900 and 1800 MHz Global System for Mobile communications networks, the Nokia 6150.The phone, based on true 3-volt technology, weighs a little more than one-quarter pound at 4.97 ounces and offers up to 4.5 hours of...
Conxus Communications Inc. said it completed a $100 million convertible senior subordinated note offering. Conxus plans to use proceeds from the private placement to fund network buildout, operating expenses, working capital requirements and general corporate purposes. Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette Inc. was the sole...
WASHINGTON-In a stunning setback for the Clinton administration that bodes well for the wireless industry, a bipartisan group of top telecom lawmakers last week ordered the Federal Communications Commission to scrap plans to subsidize Internet connections for schools, libraries and rural health-care providers and...
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia-MT&T Mobility announced it is investing $12.4 million to bring advanced Code Division Multiple Access technology to customers in Nova Scotia.According to an agreement, Northern Telecom will provide MT&T with base stations and switching equipment for the network. MT&T said it plans...
ATLANTA-World Access Inc., and Telco Systems Inc. announced the boards of directors of both companies have agreed to merge.Each Telco share will be converted into shares of World Access stock having a value of $17 per share, based on the average daily closing price....
