Orange

Chris Gent has had quite a year. For the chief executive of Vodafone Group plc, 2000 began with a hostile takeover of Mannesmann AG, parent of its rival Orange plc, …

NEW YORK-Following similar moves a few weeks earlier by Spain’s Telefonica Moviles and Telekom Austria, Telenor ASA of Norway had to discount its initial public offering in order to get …

BIENNE, Switzerland-The auction of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses in Switzerland ended quickly last week, with only four companies bidding on four licenses, raising $120 million for the government. Swisscom; …

GENEVA-The Financial Times reported the Swiss government will resume its auction of four Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses on Dec. 6. The report said the decision was made after the …

OSLO, Norway-The Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications announced the winners of the country’s four Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses, which were awarded through a beauty contest. The license winners …

BIENNE, Switzerland-Two of the five companies left to bid in a Swiss third-generation license auction merged, causing the Swiss government to postpone the auction of four licenses. Four companies are …

LONDON-Vodafone Group plc and France Telecom’s Orange both acquired stakes in the Swiss wireless market ahead of the country’s Universal Mobile Telecommunications System auction, set to begin next week. Vodafone …

BERNE, Switzerland-Only five bidders will compete for four Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses in Switzerland, as three contenders dropped out late last week, down from an original 10 interested companies. …

VIENNA, Austria-Europe’s fifth auction of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses ended after less than two days of bidding. All six participants gained licenses to operate UMTS systems in Austria, drawing …

VIENNA, Austria-The Austrian auction of third-generation licenses began today, amid investigations into illegal activities among some of the already-completed European 3G auctions. In Austria, six bidders are competing for 12 …

BERNE, Switzerland-The Federal Communications Commission of Switzerland canceled the auction of additional frequencies for mobile services based on the GSM standard. The agency accepted applications from the three remaining candidates …

WASHINGTON-The chief wireless regulator in the United States has been spreading the message of auctions as a key licensing tool in various overseas trips during the last year. “You are …

Alcatel Europe. With Orange as a strategic supplier for its third-generation networks throughout Europe. Value: Undisclosed Italy. With Wind Telecomunicazioni as a preferred third-generation network supplier. Value: Undisclosed Ericsson China. …

BURLINGAME, Calif.-NewsTakes Inc. introduced a service that repurposes existing Web content for various wireless devices last week, naming Dow Jones and Orange as customers. Dow Jones Newswires chose the technology …

LONDON-France Telecom and Orange said they will delay the initial public offering of Orange until early 2001. The Orange IPO originally was scheduled to launch by the end of the …

OXFORD, United Kingdom-The developers of third-generation (3G) infrastructure technology are complaining that mobile operators, which have spent billions acquiring licenses, are demanding heavy discounts on equipment deals. The major manufacturers …

CAMBRIDGE, England-Interest group Cambridge3G was launched to establish Cambridge, England, as a leading test bed in Europe for the early rollout of third-generation mobile services. The initiative is backed by …

LOS ANGELES-AT&T Wireless Services Inc. kicked off its Safe School Program in Orange County, Calif., by donating wireless phones, airtime and school supplies to Edison Elementary School in Santa Ana, …

Until you have actually bought a good or service using a mobile device, it is difficult to comprehend the sheer power of the phone as an electronic wallet. In Europe, …

MELBOURNE, Australia-Hutchison Telecommunications (Australia) had more than 18 months to sweat on its marketing. That is how long it took the wireless carrier, with Samsung, to develop a “revolutionary” wireless …

DUBLIN, Ireland-High license costs and fierce competition have further increased the pressure on European third-generation (3G) operators to quickly roll out their networks. But while this rush to market will …

NEW YORK-The number of licenses awarded, not the prices paid for them, likely will lead Standard & Poor’s Corp. to downgrade the debt ratings of many winning bidders in Germany’s …

NEW YORK-At the suggestion of a franchise owner-operator, McDonald’s Corp., Oak Brook, Ill., has decided to add wireless electronic payment to its menu at several restaurant drive-up windows in Southern …

OSLO, Norway-Seven groups plan to participate in Norway’s selective tender or “beauty contest” process to award four Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses. The licenses will be awarded by the end …

HELSINKI, Finland-The Finnish government said it is in negotiations to sell its 52.9-percent stake in Sonera, the former state telecom monopoly, which operates the country’s largest mobile-phone network. Speculation has …