NEW YORK-Vodafone Group plc introduced international roaming for its prepaid mobile-phone customers on its networks across Europe. The service, already available to Vodafone's postpaid customers, follows the launch of Vodafone Eurocall and Home Services international prepaid roaming services.The new international prepaid service, introduced recently...
Multiplier IndustriesMultiplier Industries Corp. released its new line of rechargeable replacement batteries for Motorola radios. The line, which features polycarbonate plastic material with greater impact strength, includes the 1,400 mAh capacity M9012; the 1,700 mAh capacity M9012C; the 1,600 mAh capacity M9009; the 2,100...
AlcatelEurope. With Orange as a strategic supplier for its third-generation networks throughout Europe.Value: UndisclosedItaly. With Wind Telecomunicazioni as a preferred third-generation network supplier.Value: UndisclosedEricssonChina. With China Telecom and Guangdong Mobile Communications to build a fixed network and expand Guangdong mobile networks.Value: US$550 millionChina. With China Mobile for...
The controversy surrounding European third-generation (3G) spectrum auctions reached a new peak with Dutch and Italian competition authorities launching investigations in early November into possible collusion between rival bidders. These moves put further pressure on the European Community (EC) to instigate a pan-European probe...
ROME-The results of the Italian third-generation license auction are unfortunate for the Italian government and British Telecommunications plc, while most opportune for the five companies that have unofficially won licenses at prices much lower than anticipated.After just two days of bidding among six mobile...
ROME-The Italian auction for five Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses began last Thursday. Italy is Europe's largest cell-phone market, with six groups participating in the auction process, which is expected to raise around $21 billion.The German UMTS auction, which ended in August, drew nearly...
VILNIUS, Lithuania-Lithuanian GSM operator UAB Omnitel awarded Motorola Inc. a contract to supply and deploy GPRS mobile data services on Omnitel's GSM network.The GPRS solution includes Motorola's Smart Mediator, a billing mediation solution designed for GPRS by Motorola and Logica. Nationwide network coverage is...
FranceFrance released details of its plan to award four 3G wireless phone licenses based on a beauty contest. Bidders, given a 31 January, 2001, deadline to submit proposals, will be judged on the strength of their business plans, before being selected to pay US$4.5...
ROME-Eight groups stepped forward to vie for one of five Italian Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) licenses. The government will announce which bids are accepted by Sept. 2, and business plans and technical details will be due Sept. 11.The country's four incumbent operators, Blue,...
PARIS-SnapTrack Inc. said an international consortium of Global System for Mobile communications wireless carriers and equipment manufacturers are preparing to evaluate SnapTrack's Wireless Assisted Global Positioning System technology, which provides services such as location-based billing, mobile directory and roadside assistance and vehicle fleet management.France...
MILAN, Italy-The Italian government has proposed to use a two-stage process to award five Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses later this year. The proposal combines a "beauty contest" with an auction, with the government expecting to raise more than $11.2 billion.The first phase of...
MILAN, Italy-Italian wireless operator Omnitel launched its 2000 Shop Center, an e-commerce site offering products from more than 100 companies.The new online site is accessible to customers through the company's portal, with future plans for Wireless Application Protocol-enabled phone access."After the success of Spazio...
GENEVA-With auction prices of the United Kingdom's five third-generation licenses beating even the most inflated analyst forecasts, all eyes are now on Italy, which is set to allocate five 15-year Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) licenses in a few months.Europe's largest mobile market with...
ROME-Italian wireless operator Omnitel announced a record increase in customers during 1999 with 4.22 million new subscribers, an increase of 68 percent compared with 1998. The company's total subscriber base at the end of 1999 stood at more than 10 million.Bell Atlantic is a...
Vodafone AirTouch plc Friday launched a hostile takeover bid for Mannesmann AG after the German company flatly rejected an earlier all-stock bid of about $106 billion."We made a friendly approach to Mannesmann last Sunday," said Chris Gent, Vodafone AirTouch's chief executive officer. "That proposal...
LONDON-Vodafone AirTouch plc acknowledged speculation circulating last week that it was interested in making a bid for Germany's Mannesmann AG and hinted that a future tie-up of the two could occur."Vodafone AirTouch and Mannesmann are long-standing partners in three of Europe's largest wireless markets...
NEW YORK-The astounding success of NTT DoCoMo's mobile Internet access service is a resounding note of affirmation to proponents of wireless Web services, said Crispin K. Vicars at the Yankee Group's conference Nov. 8.By the end of September, DoCoMo's wireless Internet service had 1.7...
AlcatelPoland. With Formus Polska to supply and implement its broadband wireless access network in Poland.Value: US$126 millionEricssonCanada. With Rogers Cantel to build a third-generation network as an evolution to the carrier's existing TDMA network.Value: US$340 millionChina. With China Unicom for the third phase of its GSM...
Mannesmann AG, parent of Germany's top mobile communications company, confirmed last week it made a bid to buy U.K. mobile carrier Orange plc, which Orange's largest shareholder accepted.The bid values Orange, the United Kingdom's third-largest mobile operator, at about $32 billion.Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa,...
HELSINKI-Nokia Corp. and Omnitel in Italy entered into a $177.6 million agreement for Nokia to add capacity and upgrade the service level of Omnitel's network, said Nokia.Nokia will provide its MSCi mobile switching centers, value-added service platforms and its NMS 5000 network management systems.Nokia...
AerisAeris Communications Inc. added to its senior management team, naming Peter F. Stone chief financial officer and Patricia E. Hart vice president and general counsel.Aeris also announced Douglas M. Pavicich is its new director of operations. Pavicich will oversee all the day-to-day operations and...
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.-Phone.com Inc. revealed that Italian Global System for Mobile communications operator Omnitel Spa has licensed Phone.com's UP.Link Server Suite for its new Omnitel 2000 Internet portal.The Wireless Application Protocol solution will allow WAP-enabled mobile phones to access the integrated voice and data...
Phone.com Inc., formerly Unwired Planet, has been tied to several announcements in the weeks preceding its impending initial public offering that have served to elevate the company to new levels of recognition.Most recently, Phone.com has been mentioned in conjunction with Sprint PCS and Nextel...
