WASHINGTON-While international attention is focused on Deutsche Telekom AG's $50.3 billion bid for VoiceStream Wireless Corp. and the fireworks it has set off in Congress, merger and acquisition activity in the coming months is expected to be dominated by smaller wireless transactions as large...
The upcoming U.S. spectrum auctions present some interesting times for the wireless industry.Auctions in the past were more predictable, primarily reserved for veteran executives experienced in running wireless networks.Today, the story is much different. Wireless has caught the attention of many powerful and nontraditional...
AT&T Wireless Services Inc. said it will offer two-way short messaging service later this year, giving the carrier a more seamless data offering with its affiliates.AT&T Wireless offers SMS service today and relaunched its PocketNet service, based on Cellular Digital Packet Data service, earlier...
WASHINGTON-A congressional subcommittee and the wireless industry put pressure on the Federal Communications Commission to delay the upcoming 700 MHz auction, while private wireless wants the agency to go ahead with the guard-band auction.In addition, Verizon Wireless asked to delay the Nov. 29 re-auction...
ATLANTA-Stephen Carter was named president and chief executive officer of the joint-venture company that will be created with the merger of SBC Communications Inc.'s and BellSouth Corp.'s wireless operations.Carter was president of SBC Wireless, and was responsible for the company's U.S. wireless operations.Mark Feidler...
WASHINGTON-The joint venture between BellSouth Corp. and SBC Communications Inc. to create the sixth nationwide wireless carrier hit a speed bump in its cruise for approval last month when a small Michigan cellular operator objected.Thumb Cellular L.P. filed papers with the Federal Communications Commission...
The Federal Communications Commission gave final approval to Qwest Communications International Inc.'s acquisition of U S West Inc. after Qwest agreed to sell off its long-distance business serving a 14-state territory where U S West also operates local telephone service.The FCC said the sale...
The Federal Communications Commission received comments from wireless operators over its tentative decision to allow large carriers to bid in the re-auction of C- and F-block personal communications services spectrum. Most large carriers, however, feel the potential rules severely limit their participation.The FCC has...
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 31.France's Vivendi and Talkline, an SBC Communications Inc. and Tele Danmark joint venture, dropped...
MEXICO CITY-Telefonos de Mexico and Bell Canada International announced they will form a new company with an initial capitalization of US$3.5 billion to target the South American market.Telmex and BCI will hold equal interests in the venture.The companies offered SBC Communications the right to...
GermanyWorldCom, 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 Orange also backed out of the Group 3G consortium, which also includes Telefonica and Sonera,...
MEXICO CITY-Telefonos de Mexico and Bell Canada International announced they will form a new company with an initial capitalization of $3.5 billion to target the South American market.Telmex and BCI will hold equal interests in the venture.Telmex and BCI offered SBC Communications Inc. the...
PORTLAND, Ore.-Metro One Telecommunications Inc. will continue providing enhanced directory assistance and other services to subscribers of Pacific Bell Wireless and Nevada Bell Wireless for one year, which could be extended by SBC Wireless, a subsidiary of SBC Communications Inc.Financial details of the contract...
WASHINGTON-The Communications Workers of America will make unionization of wireless workers a priority when negotiations begin in two weeks on a new collective bargaining agreement with Bell Atlantic Corp., a strategy by organized labor that appears designed to take advantage of the high visibility...
DALLAS-SBC Wireless, a division of SBC Communications Inc., introduced Digital Edge USA, its nationwide, flat-rate wireless calling plan.The new offering includes six nationwide plans ranging from $25 for 75 minutes to $150 for 1,500 minutes per month."Research shows that the three most important factors...
WASHINGTON-A Federal Communications Commission ruling on liability could be issued within weeks, with the completion of a staff proposal that is expected to steer clear of specific litigation issues and instead provide general guidance for state courts evaluating consumer claims against wireless carriers."Our goal...
WASHINGTON-The importance public image holds for competitive wireless carriers was highlighted last week when a major daily newspaper here-pointing to the lack of mobile-phone service in underground subways that run through some poor black and Latino neighborhoods-questioned whether Verizon Wireless was engaged in redlining...
The prospect of calling party pays looks like a dying one in the United States, as the Federal Communications Commission appears to be backing away from the issue, and many wonder if the service is needed in light of nationwide rate plans.The wireless industry...
WASHINGTON-The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission last week rejected the notion that new rules designed to reduce the amount consumers pay for long-distance service transfers a portion of the obligation for universal service to wireless carriers."I do not necessarily accept your premise that...
PARSIPPANY, N.J.-Third-generation wireless revenue will increase from $4.3 billion in 2002 to $63 billion in 2007, while wireless infrastructure purchases will grow from $4 billion to $34 billion during the same five-year period, according to a new study from The Phillips Group."For those companies...
LONDON-Sema Group plc, a worldwide Internet technology and consulting company, recently announced that Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems, a subsidiary of SBC Communications Inc., has selected both Sema Group's Short Message Service Center and Over-the-Air Activation and Programming solution.Sema Group's SMSC supports both Time Division...
WASHINGTON-The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association kicked off Wireless Safety Week last week with an emphasis on driver safety.The association focused on different wireless safety aspects each day of the week.CTIA and its member companies launched a national drive-time radio campaign focused on driver safety.In...
WASHINGTON-The wireless industry received a stinging rebuke Thursday about its lack of action on a Federal Communications Commission item that could increase the amount of money wireless customers pay into the universal-service fund."I have been shocked at how timid and placid the wireless industry...
OSLO, Norway-NetCom ASA's board of directors rejected a takeover attempt by Tele Danmark in a $1.6 billion bid.The Danish telecommunications company purchased 25,000 shares of NetCom for $33.38 per share. Because Tele Danmark, together with U.S. partner SBC Communications Inc., owns more than 40...
