1995

WASHINGTON-MCI Communications Corp. made a $25 million loan to personal communications services hopeful U.S. AirWaves Inc., according to an interview with MCI’s President Gerald Taylor published by Dow Jones Investor Service. Taylor reportedly said the loan was not an equity …

A federal case against a Kentucky man accused of creating cellular extension phones is expected to go to trial in what may be the first U.S. criminal case attacking the emulation business. A four-count indictment was issued against Don Billy …

RICHARDSON, Texas-Equipment manufacturer L.M. Ericsson and Omnipoint Corp. have signed an agreement valued at $250 million for Ericsson to supply Omnipoint with Interim Standard-661 and PCS 1900 network equipment and services. The memorandum of understanding includes $40 million for IS-661 …

The quickening pace of competition and regulatory liberalization in global telecommunications markets is increasing demand for wireless local loop technology, with annual equipment expenditures expected to reach $7.6 billion by the year 2000, according to a new report from Northern …

Lured by a chance to swim in the next wave of wireless telephony and reeled in by entrepreneurs casting about for financial support, some big fish from Korea are jumping into the auction of C-block personal communications services licenses by …

Zues Phonstuff has introduced its Always-in-Touch unit, a device that plugs into a home or office phone line and notifies a pager of a call when the phone user is away. The pager displays the caller’s phone number and indicates …

Large markets in Latin America are serving as test beds for a range of digital cellular and personal communications services standards, according to a study from Pyramid Research Inc. The report outlines the astounding cellular growth in Mexico, Central and …

WASHINGTON-A government plan for personal communications services licensees to share microwave relocation costs has received qualified support from both carriers and fixed users, while providing the two warring factions a public forum to continue fighting. The Federal Communications Commission’s proposal …

It’s hard to tell whether the first session of the 104th Congress is winding down or whether Washington is just all wound up. The GOP-led Congress was scrambling to pass the remaining appropriations bills, arguing with itself and the Clinton …

Omnitel Pronto Italia announced it has launched its Global System for Mobile communications cellular network in Italy, competing with government-controlled Telecom Italia Mobile SpA for the first time. In March 1994, the Italian government awarded a contract for its second …

WASHINGTON-The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau’s two-year-old proceeding involving Los Angeles specialized mobile radio operator James A. Kay Jr. has escalated to the point where Kay’s attorneys are expected to reply today to a Dec. 4 “Motion for Summary Decision and Order …

MORRISTOWN, N.J.-AT&T Network Systems Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co. have signed an agreement to build an open software platform they will jointly market to telephone companies and cable operators. The two companies intend to cooperate in creating an intelligent network software …

DENVER-ProNet Inc. has acquired Apple Communication Inc. and the assets of Best Page Inc., announced Communications Equity Associates. Since 1993, ProNet has acquired 13 paging operations and has eight additional transactions pending, CEA said. The company has a current subscriber …

WASHINGTON-House and Senate conferees agreed on key wireless provisions in the telecommunications reform bill last week, but with several controversial issues still unresolved and time running out this session it remains unclear whether the historic legislation can be passed this …

RCR Publications Inc. has named Elizabeth Voisen Mooney its New York bureau chief, and hired veteran wireless journalist Debra Wayne in its Washington, D.C., office. Mooney will be responsible for reporting wireless communications business and financial news from New York. …

TAMPA, Fla.-TelCel, a provider of cellular service in Mexico, and MovilNet, which provides wireless service in Venezuela, have signed contracts with GTE Telecommunication Services for the latest release of its CloneDetector system, GTE announced. In addition to installation, GTE will …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-L.M. Ericsson announced it has signed an agreement with Motorola Inc. giving Ericsson a license to use Motorola’s high-speed paging protocol, FLEX. The license includes pagers and infrastructure equipment. Ericsson said it is seeking to support multiple standards in …

DALLAS-Paging Network Inc. said GTE Telephone Operations will include PageNet’s paging products in GTE’s paging portfolio. GTE expects to begin offering numeric and alphanumeric paging services in the first quarter 1996 and plans to market the service to its customers …

Although federal regulators say they don’t see a problem in letting some small cellular operators bid “at their own risk” for more spectrum in markets where they already hold cellular licenses, insincere bidding can bring stiff financial penalties, warned the …

It’s the morning after. The reporter arrives at 10: 15 a.m. at the historic Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., (conveniently across 14th Street from the National Press Building) to interview the co-recipient of RCR’s 1995 Person of the Year: American …

Comsearch announced it was awarded a contract from MRCB Telecommunications Sdn Bnd to license Comsearch microwave design engineering software. The software, called Interconnect, is being used to support the design, licensing and implementation of the MRCB microwave network for its …

JANUARY 5-8 1996 Winter International Consumer Electronics Show, by the Consumer Electronics Group of the Electronics Industry Association. Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas Hilton, Mirage, Sahara and Sands Hotels, Las Vegas. (703) 907-7600. 9-10 Spectrum Management: The New Realities, …

The Federal Communications Commission on Friday was expected to propose industry-crafted reforms governing interconnection compensation arrangements between commercial mobile radio service providers and local exchange companies, and put the proposed guidelines into effect during the time the rulemaking is pending. …

WASHINGTON-In a bold speech with profound and far-reaching policy implications, new Federal Communications Commission Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Chief Michele Farquhar said she will pursue policies to help wireless carriers compete not only with each other but with local landline telephone …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-L.M. Ericsson said it has signed an order for a Time Division Multiple Access/Advanced Mobile Phone System cellular network with Compania de Telecommunicaciones Moviles Chile S.A., one of two operators in Chile. Ericsson said the system will enable CTCC …