Western Wireless

One advancement in technology can change everything. Likewise, a change in policy can turn everything topsy-turvy. Witness the Clinton administration’s decision last week to no longer purposely degrade GPS signals, …

WASHINGTON-Wireless technology increasingly is seen as the end-all, be-all to the digital divide issue. But will it get here soon enough? The Clinton administration, through the National Telecommunications and Information …

WASHINGTON-A proposal from the Federal Communications Commission to fund telephone service for Native Americans has come under fire from both inside the commission and the wireless trade associations. FCC Chairman …

WASHINGTON-Both state and federal regulators received lots of advice last week on whether wireless carriers should be granted eligible telecommunications carrier status, a necessity if they want to receive universal-service …

Rural cellular carriers have been reaping generous roaming revenues from nationwide operators since the advent of one-rate plans, but investors in recent weeks have been concerned that this trend is …

The Federal Communications Commission approved the merger of VoiceStream Wireless Corp. and Omnipoint Corp. last week and noted the Department of Justice and the FBI delayed its decision, a problem …

WASHINGTON-Slowly, but surely, the picture is getting brighter for wireless carriers that wish to obtain federal universal service support subsidies as two states recently joined the list of those that …

WASHINGTON-The task force examining universal-service issues in rural areas is creating a subgroup that will focus on competition and portability, said William R. Gillis, chair of the Universal Service Rural …

WASHINGTON-Even as wireless carriers begin paying nearly 6 percent of their interstate and international revenues to the federal universal-service fund, they are gearing up on a number of fronts to …

NEW YORK-The discriminatory patchwork of state and local taxes on telecommunications carriers imposes a roadblock to providers of the highways over which all Internet traffic travels, according to recent testimony …

LOUISVILLE, Colo. – The Federal Communications Commission approved seven additional cellular carriers to use AirCell Inc.’s air-to-ground communications system, which is targeted at general aviation aircraft and regional airlines. “We …

WASHINGTON-The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association last week sent letters to the Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration urging that wireless carriers be given eligible telecommunications carrier …

NEW YORK-Even if it fails to acquire the radio-frequency licenses of NextWave Telecom Inc., Nextel Communications Inc. already owns sufficient spectrum to fulfill its 10-year business plan, according to its …

LOUISVILLE, Colo.-AirCell Inc. signed a contract with Western Wireless Corp. to provide air-ground advanced communications to general aviation customers in the Western and mountain states. AirCell said the contract expands …

LA PAZ, Bolivia-A group led by Western Wireless Corp. won a tender to operate a new nationwide personal communications services system in Bolivia. The bid was for $15.3 million, according …

BUCHAREST, Romania-A subsidiary of Canada’s Telesystem International Wireless (TIW) won the third Czech Republic mobile telephone license in September. The price tag for the GSM 1800 license was fixed at …

WASHINGTON-Wireless carriers next year will begin paying nearly 6 percent of their interstate and international revenues to the federal universal-service fund, according to figures provided by the FCC’s Common Carrier …

NEW YORK-Western Wireless Corp. plans to begin offering competitive local exchange services in a few Minnesota towns by year-end now that it has become the first mobile carrier to gain …

NEW YORK-The Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce is engaged in a monumental juggling act with significant implications for levies on telecommunications in general, judging by comments at its two-day hearing …

WASHINGTON-While President Clinton’s nomination of Greg Rohde to head the National Telecommunications and Information Administration progressed toward Senate conformation last week, the White House’s reappointment of Democrat Susan Ness appears …

BELLEVUE, Wash.-Western Wireless Corp., Bellevue, Wash., said it will pay approximately $195 million to buy rural service area licenses covering about 520,000 people in Arkansas, Texas and Utah from K.O. …

WASHINGTON-A recent agreement by giant wireline telcos about how to reduce the charges long-distance companies pay to local exchange carriers to connect their customers’ calls may end up costing the …

NEW YORK-As the Internet accelerates the globalization of telecommunications, mergers and acquisitions among traditional and nontraditional players have eclipsed initial public offerings as the preferred strategy for retaining competitive advantage. …

The economy is rolling along, wireless subscriber additions are climbing and merger and acquisition activity is heating up. This is good news for the personal communications services industry, which last …

WASHINGTON-With telephone penetration as low as 20 percent on some Indian reservations, the Federal Communications Commission last week began exploring ways to extend telecommunications services to tribal lands. The lack …