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Globalstar stock rally indicates investor confidence in MSS

It seems the dark cloud that settled over the mobile satellite services industry when Iridium L.L.C. and ICO Global Communications went bankrupt last August has begun to lift, reflected by a stock rally from Globalstar L.P. indicating renewed investor confidence.Globalstar USA, Globalstar L.P.'s exclusive...

Paging poised for two-way

If recent announcements by paging vendors and carriers are any indication, two-way paging products and services are poised to make a big splash in 2000.Both Motorola Inc. and Glenayre Technologies Inc. unveiled their long-awaited ReFLEX 25 compatible two-way paging devices last week at the...

McCaw, Chandra bail out ICO

A U.S. bankruptcy court has given ICO Global Communications final approval for $500 million in financing from an investor group led by Craig McCaw and Indian media magnate Subhash Chandra, who had challenged McCaw with a competing financing bid.Under the agreement, McCaw will provide...

Herman testifies in MSS probe

WASHINGTON-The probe into whether Labor Secretary Alexis Herman influenced the mobile satellite system licensing process for Mobile Communications Holdings Inc. may be entering a critical phase.Herman, who is under investigation to determine whether she used her political clout and sought campaign contributions to help...

Telstra combines KPN’s satellite interests, offers prepaid solution

SAN FRANCISCO-Telstra Corp. Ltd. and KPN of the Netherlands said they may merge their global mobile satellite businesses to form a joint venture aimed at being a major player in the global satellite industry.The companies would contribute approximately a combined $200 million in existing...

Stratos prepares to launch Inmarsat-M4 ISDN service

NEW YORK-Stratos Global Corp., Toronto, has begun obtaining presale purchase agreements from customers for its new Inmarsat-M4 service, which will provide Integrated Services Digital Network communications by satellite.Stratos said M4 will fill a gap in existing Inmarsat services, whose equipment lacks the ISDN connectivity...

FCC approves TMI for satellite services

OTTAWA, Ontario-The Federal Communications Commission gave Ottawa-based mobile satellite system operator TMI Communications the go-ahead to provide service in all 50 U.S. states via the MSAT-1 satellite, which has a coverage area of North and Central America, as well as the Caribbean and 250...

SkyTel to begin offering eLink nationwide

JACKSON, Miss.-SkyTel Communications Inc. announced that in January it will begin offering nationwide the SkyTel eLink wireless e-mail product for customers who need to send and receive large amounts of wireless information.SkyTel is offering eLink through a reseller agreement with American Mobile Satellite Corp....

Wireless aims to be more than a footnote at Comdex

LAS VEGAS-While the growing convergence between the computer and wireless industries has made headlines in wireless industry press and generated great excitement at wireless trade shows, the issue remains somewhat of a footnote within the computer industry.At last week's fall Comdex show here, some...

Tie-up aids troubled industry

In a deal loud with industry-shaking repercussions, the nation's top two paging carriers announced their intention to merge last week, raising the consolidation bar to a level as yet unseen in industry's history.Arch Communications Group Inc., the second-largest paging carrier, emerged as the victor...

D.C. Briefs

The House, over protests from the White House and some congressional Democrats, last week approved legislation to make electronic signatures legal.The measure, which passed by a 356-66 margin, comes as more and more commerce moves to the Internet, which is becoming increasingly accessible by...

Business Briefs

Sprint PCS and Sanyo Fisher Co. announced the nationwide availability of the Sprint PCS SCP-4000 dual-band, Internet-ready wireless phone by Sanyo. The phone offers access to the Sprint PCS Wireless Web via an integral Web mini browser. With the optional Sprint PCS Wireless Web...

FCC TO DECIDE ON MEDICAL TELEMETRY HOME NEXT YEAR

WASHINGTON-The private wireless and medical communities will have to wait until next year to find out if the Federal Communications Commission houses wireless medical telemetry service at 1.4 GHz.The FCC probably won't decide where to house medical telemetry service until first-quarter 2000, which again...

AMSC UPGRADES MOBILEMAX SERVICE

ORLANDO, Fla.-American Mobile Satellite Corp. introduced a new version of its MobileMax fleet management communications service for the transportation industry.MobileMax2 adds new features such as automatic check calls, dispatching, mileage tracking, maintenance scheduling and shipment tracking. It combines both AMSC's satellite and terrestrial networks.

Globalstar service lifts off

GENEVA-Globalstar officially announced at Telecom '99 a phased launch of its mobile satellite service. The phased launch begins with user trials, followed by a soft launch that will allow the company to work out quality issues. Commercial service should begin in early 2000, Globalstar...

MELARD OFFERS SCOUT HPC HANDHELD

ARMONK, N.Y.-Melard Technologies Inc. introduced the Scout HPC, a ruggedized full-screen wireless handheld computer powered by the Windows CE operating system.The Scout HPC contains two type III PC card slots for wireless modems to connect to networks owned by American Mobile Satellite Corp., BellSouth...

ICO TO GET FINANCING

Bankrupt mobile satellite service provider ICO Global Communications said it has received letters of intent for the first in an expected three-stage debtor-in-possession financing package that, when complete, would total $1.2 billion.The company said the letters of intent cover the first $225 million installment...

AMSC LOSS GROWS, REVENUES SLIP

RESTON, Va.-American Mobile Satellite Corp. reported a third-quarter net loss of $66 million, or $1.45 per share, compared with a loss of $39.4 million, or $1.24 per share, for the same period a year ago.Subscribers on the company's network increased 32 percent to total...

GLOBALSTAR SERVICE LIFTS OFF

GENEVA-Globalstar officially announced at Telecom '99 a phased launch of its mobile satellite service. The phased launch begins with user trials, followed by a soft launch that will allow the company to work out quality issues. Commercial service should begin in early 2000.User trials...

AMSC LAUNCHES ELINK

American Mobile Satellite Corp. began offering its eLink wireless e-mail service commercially last week, featuring two-way wireless extension of desktop Internet e-mail to handheld devices and personal information management functions. The solution uses AMSC's Ardis packet data network and Research In Motion Ltd.'s 850...

TELEDESIC CONTEMPLATES EARLY MARKET ENTRY TO SCOOP STRUGGLING LEOS

While the bankruptcies of Iridium L.L.C. and ICO Global Communications have cast doubt on the mobile satellite services market, fixed satellite services provider Teledesic L.L.C. believes it may find a way to benefit from these difficulties.Teledesic is wireless visionary Craig McCaw's idea for an...

RIM HITS FINANCIAL SPEED BUMP, BUT INVESTORS, ANALYSTS CONFIDENT

Speculation that BellSouth Wireless Data Ltd. would not immediately renew its supply contract with Research In Motion Ltd. has proven accurate, expected to result in lower third-quarter earnings for RIM. But the drop is expected to be short-term as more customers sign on to...

ECONOMIC TRENDS, INDUSTRY TRACK RECORD HAS FINANCING TIGHT

NEW ORLEANS-The bankruptcies of certain C-block and mobile satellite companies, coupled with mutual fund outflows, rising interest rates and other macro-economic trends, have aligned like planets in a bad omen for wireless companies that cannot get financing before Halloween.This year, there remains a window...

QUALCOMM TO SELL HANDSETS UNIT

After months of denying any plans to sell its wireless handset division, Qualcomm Inc. is publicly relenting to the pressures of severe competition from Asia and the likes of Nokia Mobile Phones and Motorola Inc."With increased competition, parts shortages and industry consolidation reducing margins...