Orange

LONDON-U.K. wireless operator Orange plc announced a $752 million wireless Internet strategy, including numerous acquisitions, investments, partnerships and content agreements. Dubbed OrangeWorld, the initiative aims to take “wirefree communications beyond …

LONDON-British mobile carrier Orange plc said it bought Ananova Ltd., a new media division that includes an animated Internet newscaster, for $142.5 million in cash from the U.K. Press Association. …

LAFAYETTE, La.-Nextel Partners Inc. launched its digital wireless network in southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas including the cities of Lafayette, New Iberia and Lake Charles, La.; and Port Arthur, Orange …

FRANKFURT, Germany-WorldCom Inc. formally pulled out of the German auction for third-generation licenses. The company is the third bidder to withdraw from the process before the auction officially begins July …

Germany WorldCom, Vivendi and Talkline, an SBC Communications and Tele Danmark joint venture, formally pulled out of the German auction for third-generation licenses, scheduled to begin 31 July. U.K. operator …

DUBLIN, Ireland-The massive sums being invested in third-generation (3G) licenses, network development and acquisitions have placed the major European operators firmly under the financial spotlight. While observers agree there is …

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.-AirFlash Inc. announced Orange PCS Ltd. of the United Kingdom has deployed its location-based information services to customers as part of a service trial there. The test revolves …

BIEL, Switzerland-Ten companies submitted applications to bid for four third-generation licenses in Switzerland in November. Switzerland’s Federal Office of Communications will decide by the end of August which of the …

NEW YORK-In a move that, ironically, furthers consolidation in Europe’s deregulated telecommunications market, France Telecom said May 30 it would buy Orange plc from Vodafone AirTouch plc for $38 billion …

FRANKFURT, Germany-The German telecommunication regulator approved 11 bidders to participate in its Universal Mobile Telecommunications System auction, set to begin in July. The regulator excluded only one company from bidding …

MUNICH, Germany-German utilities Viag and Veba are said to be in talks to sell their stakes in telecommunications interests to British Telecom. British Telecom currently holds 45 percent of Viag …

LONDON-France Telecom is expected to make a $45 billion cash and stock bid for Orange plc early next week, according to international press reports. The French telecom company is reported …

DUBLIN, Ireland-A Supreme Court decision ended a two-year-old dispute over Ireland’s third cellular license. U.S.-Irish consortium Meteor can now establish Ireland’s third wireless network to compete with established operators Esat …

MELBOURNE, Fla.-Harris Corp. said Tekelec, a supplier of signaling and control systems, selected Harris to provide its network management platform, called HNM, as part of a total Internet Protocol SS7 …

TOKYO-NTT DoCoMo Inc. announced it signed a memorandum of understanding with KPN Telecom, acquiring 15 percent of the voting rights in a newly formed holding company called KPN Mobile N.V. …

BERLIN-A consortium comprised of Telefonica, Orange and Sonera will join U.S.-based MCI WorldCom and 10 other groups in bidding for third-generation licenses in Germany. The auction is set to begin …

KPN Telecom is said to be in discussions with Spain’s Telefonica regarding a possible US$54 billion merger. At press time, international reports said the companies had agreed in principle to …

DUBLIN, Ireland-Utility companies across Europe are entering the mobile communications business, hoping to simultaneously grab a slice of an extremely lucrative market and diversify their operations. But analysts are undecided …

British Telecom (BT) could challenge an Internet alliance between Vodafone AirTouch and Vivendi announced just before Vodafone AirTouch’s takeover agreement with Mannesmann in February, the Financial Times reported. The deal …

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 …

A consortium comprised of Telefonica, Orange and Sonera will join U.S.-based MCI WorldCom and 10 other groups in bidding for third-generation (3G) licenses in Germany. The auction is set to …

After eight weeks and 150 rounds, NTL Mobile said enough and dropped out of the U.K. government auction for five Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses. The withdrawal left only five …

MADRID, Spain-Telefonica reported reaching an agreement with Orange plc and Sonera Corp. to apply for the Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service license in Germany through a consortium in which Telefonica InterContinental …

Bidders in the U.K. third-generation license auction appeared to exceed their budgets last week. Bidding for the five licenses totaled an eye-popping $35 billion, and the auction will linger on …

LONDON-The European Union Commission notified Vodafone AirTouch plc last week it received Phase 1 clearance for its acquisition of Mannesmann AG, moving the companies one step closer to creating a …