U.S. Global System for Mobile communications carriers took a financial beating in 1998, but analysts expect 1999 to look brighter for these carriers as they look to butter up their bottom lines and find strategic partners.Tight financing, high churn levels and a general under-performance...
The Finnish government said it will be the first European country to grant third-generation mobile phone licenses by spring, and one company's bid to use cdma2000 technology remains.Finland's Ministry of Transport and Communications said Vodafone Group plc and a consortium consisting of British Telecom,...
NEW ORLEANS-The Universal Wireless Communications Consortium and the GSM North American Alliance announced plans to work to achieve interoperability between TDMA and GSM technology, a move that could facilitate national and global consolidation among carriers with incompatible technologies and in particular allow SBC Communications...
NEW ORLEANS-International Telecommunication Union members did not reach any consensus in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, on harmonizing the various radio transmission technology proposals received by the ITU for third-generation technology.The ITU has decided harmonization efforts will rest with carriers and has asked them to put...
ATLANTA-TWS Inc. announced it has joined the Vodafone Business Partners Programme to provide enhanced wireless messaging services to Vodafone subscribers.TWS' bulletIN Internet Messaging Services will allow Vodafone customers in the United Kingdom to use their wireless phones as mobile offices. The technology allows operators...
A Finnish Internet service provider will test the European Commission's claim it has not shut competing mobile phone technologies out of Europe.Clari Net Oy, wholly owned by Finnish ISP Saunalahden Serveri Oy, has applied for a license to operate a third-generation mobile phone network...
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...
In a rapidly consolidating wireless industry, the list of available cellular carriers last week got shorter by two.After entertaining bids from at least two suitors, including Bell Atlantic Corp., AirTouch Communications Inc. opted to tie up with Britain's Vodafone Group plc in a deal...
Chief Executive Officer: Chris GentChairman: Sam GinnDeal value: $97 per shareCombined current market capitalization: $100 billionEquity split: about 50-50Terms: AirTouch shareholders receive firve new ordinary Vodafone shares, or 0.5 of a Vodafone ADR, plus $9 cash for each AirTouch shareWireless customers: more than 23 millionEmployees: 24,000Headquarters: Newbury, EnglandWorldwide presence: Australia, Belgium, Egypt, Fiji, Frnace,...
The union of AirTouch Communications Inc. and Vodafone plc could be a pinnacle event in the third-generation technology debate, industry experts say.The new company's economic decisions could weigh heavily on a sensitive and political debate over wideband Code Division Multiple Access technology. The two...
DENVER-The posturing continued last week among the players interested in buying AirTouch Communications Inc.The Financial Times reported Vodafone Group plc is considering sweetening its $55 billion offer for AirTouch and structuring the deal as an acquisition rather than a merger. The newspaper said the...
In the Top 20 Wireless Resellers list (Jan. 11), Discount Cellular Inc. and The Mobile Phone Co. were listed wrong. The companies are agents for Omnipoint. Discount Cellular also is an agent for Powertel and Sprint PCS and a reseller for several cellular carriers....
NEW YORK-The United Kingdom started off 1999 with a bang, becoming the first country to implement local number portability for wireless telephony customers.All four cellular operators-Orange plc, Vodafone Group plc, Cellnet and One 2 One-had agreed to license amendments in the fall of 1997...
The nation's largest independent cellular carrier last week entertained bids from two potential acquirers in what could become a global bidding war.AirTouch Communications Inc. last week confirmed it was in discussions with Bell Atlantic Corp. for a possible tie-up and later confirmed it had...
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...
OXFORD, United Kingdom-Independent mobile dealers feel threatened in many countries in Europe.Those that have not been swallowed up by the national retail chains or taken over by a cellular network operator increasingly feel isolated and poorly served. Many now believe events surrounding the introduction...
The United States's largest independent cellular carrier in early January entertained bids from two potential buyers in what could become a global bidding war.AirTouch Communications Inc. confirmed it was in discussions with Bell Atlantic Corp. for a possible tie-up and later confirmed it had...
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa-As Africa enters the threshold of the African Renaissance and progresses toward privatizing and liberalizing its telecommunications sectors, powerful alliances are being forged in the wireless arena."The rapid privatization of the telecommunications sector in east African countries and southern Africa is attracting...
NEW YORK-Panafon, the largest cellular carrier in Greece, raised $2.42 billion Nov. 20 in a global public stock offering of 26.9 million shares.Additionally, France Telecom Mobile International, the overseas arm of the French telecommunications company, said it will sell a 13-percent stake the Greek...
LONDON-The GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) market in Egypt took a positive turn at the beginning of the year with an invitation for bids to build and operate a second mobile network. Now as the year is ending, cellular competition is set to...
The Argentine government, in an attempt to proceed with the PCS auctions currently in judicial limbo, is considering selling two PCS licenses each for the northern and southern regions of the country, excluding the greater Buenos Aires area. This maneuvering would speed up the...
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa-Uganda has one of the lowest penetration rates of telephone services in the world. As of July 1995, the Uganda Posts & Telecommunication Corp. (UPTC) had an installed capacity of just under 70,000 lines and approximately 42,000 subscribers. The result is a...
Microcell Telecommunications Inc. said it completed the final phase of its 1998 expansion in Canada with the launch of Fido personal communications services in London, Ontario. The PCS service, operating on the Global System for Mobile communications platform, expands the Fido footprint to 16...
"There's a hole in the bucket, dear Eliza, dear Eliza, There's a hole in the bucket, dear Eliza, my love. Then fix it, dear Henry ..."Many telecommunications carriers face Eliza and Henry's dilemma. There's a hole in their money bucket-their revenue stream-and they lack...
