BANGALORE, India-Although the growth of South Asia's relatively new markets has temporarily slowed due to political and financial problems, increased competition and investment have made them extremely promising. With managed competition in India, minimal competition in Pakistan and a highly deregulated market in Sri...
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa-The potential bidders for the third cellular license in South Africa are determined to break the existing Vodacom-MTN duopoly. "We will be competing head-on with MTN and Vodacom for a slice of the lucrative market, believed to be worth R10 billion (US$2...
HONG KONG-Mobile number portability (MNP) has been in effect in Hong Kong since 1 March, but there is no sign yet of a switching spree among cellular customers in the territory.Offers of free handsets, free airtime, cash rewards and free services for a couple...
GabonGabon has issued a tender for two licenses to provide GSM 900 service. The application deadline was 30 April, with the licenses scheduled to be issued at the end of May. It appears a newly created subsidiary of the Post and Telecommunications Office (OPT),...
Dear Editor: In a March 29 letter in RCR from Daniel F. Akerson, chairman and CEO, Nextel Communications Inc., Mr. Akerson states "what we are asking the Justice Department to do is provide a level playing field in the wireless industry in which we can...
WASHINGTON-The Internal Revenue Service is coming under attack from Congress again. IRS-bashing is common sport. But this time it is not taxpayer abuse that has the lawmakers upset, it is an obscure technical advice memo-or TAM-that could strip away the tax-exempt status from rural...
WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission needs a "shot clock" when reviewing mergers, said Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.)Kohl, who owns NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, has sponsored a bill with Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) to require the FCC to make a decision on proposed mergers within seven months.The...
While many major cities are supporting up to seven mobile phone operators, cellular carriers operating in small markets aren't expected to face much competition for many years to come, say analysts.According to Chris Larsen, senior wireless analyst with Prudential Securities Inc. in New York,...
WASHINGTON-Rural America may be left out of the re-auction of personal communications services licenses. At the end of round six on Thursday, 37 percent of the C-block licenses had not received any bids.Information provided by the Federal Communications Commission shows these 128 markets had...
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a hamburger and French fries? Probably McDonalds.Think of a pair of tennis shoes, and you probably picture the Nike swoosh. Or a pair of jeans, and you probably think of Levi's....
A new pricing study released by Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. indicates U.S. mobile phone carriers battled it out for high-end wireless customers in 1998.Prices did not fall as quickly in 1998 as they did the previous year, indicated David Freedman, wireless analyst with...
Customers want their questions answered the way they want and in the most convenient manner possible, say mobile phone carriers and analysts. As carriers try to understand how their customers want their questions addressed and problems resolved, many are finding a solution in automation...
Diablo Research Company said it plans to use Motorola Inc.'s ReFLEX chipset to extend two-way paging transmission to utility-related applications by integrating the technology into computers, consumer devices and industrial equipment.BellSouth Cellular Corp. said it selected Compass Telecom Services L.L.C. as its vendor for...
WASHINGTON-The future of the American Mobile Telecommunications Association has become clouded by the anticipated departure of Nextel Communications Inc., the nation's top dispatch radio operator and a major underwriter of the trade association."We're reshaping things," said AMTA President Alan Shark.Shark last week confirmed speculation...
NEW YORK-World Access Inc., Atlanta, which has been targeted recently by shareholder lawsuits related to its recent acquisitions and share price volatility, said it expects most of its 1999 revenues to come from companies it purchased in 1998."We expect $725 million in revenues from...
STOCKHOLM-Ericsson Inc. and EuroTel Bratislava said they have signed a $51 million contract to expand EuroTel's Global System for Mobile communications system in Slovakia.Under the terms of the contract, Ericsson said it will provide base stations, base station controllers and service solutions.In the past...
Utah state representative Ralph Becker said he has withdrawn his bid to ban drivers from using wireless phones."After careful consideration, I have decided not to introduce legislation limiting the use of cellular phones while driving," Becker told RCR. "Rather, I have decided to establish...
BALTIMORE-At press time Friday, Judge E. Stephen Derby told parties in the Pocket Communications Inc. bankruptcy case he would make a decision in the latest round of this convoluted case on Feb. 24.The parties in the case were back in court locked in battle...
KANSAS CITY, Mo.-Sprint PCS announced it signed new affiliation agreements with seven companies. Sprint PCS has signed 16 affiliates to date, representing licensed personal communications services coverage of more than 45 million people in 30 states.Sprint PCS' most recent affiliates include Illinois PCS L.L.C....
WEST POINT, Ga.-Powertel Inc. said it added 67,000 new personal communications services customers during the fourth quarter, ending 1998 with more than 295,000 customers.New PCS customers on post-paid service plans totaled approximately 28,000, while new prepaid customers totaled about 39,000 for the quarter, said...
As the end of the millennium approaches, it is worth pondering whether the recent bout of mergers and acquisitions are precedents to some colossal event of biblical proportions or merely defensive strategies of companies safeguarding themselves against falling commodity prices, uncertain technological change, increased...
NEW YORK-GTE Network Services, Irving, Texas, rolled out a program last month to move wireless directory assistance off the shoulder of the road and into the fast lane of the telecommunications revolution.GTE's Wireless Directory Assistance is intended to take the Catch 22 out of...
ZetronZetron Inc. launched the Model Z907 PCS Fault Finder, which provides fast notification of power amplifier and antenna problems at personal communications services sites. The PCS Fault Finder monitors forward radio-frequency power and antenna return loss in the 1.8 GHz to 2.0 GHz frequency...
We are witnesses to history in the making. Yes, yes, tomorrow's students will study the impeachment of President Clinton in History class (now isn't that something to look forward to), but that is not what I am talking about.Tomorrow's students also could learn about...
