September 1996

WASHINGTON-The U.S. low-earth-orbit data satellite market may end up far less competitive than envisioned as policymakers struggle to craft rules around a smaller-than-anticipated spectrum allocation capable of supporting only a few licensees. The Federal Communications Commission delayed proposing rules last …

As an embattled small business curmudgeon and wireless industry activist, I find it necessary to respond to Federal Communications Commission spokesperson Michele Farquhar’s recent letter that appeared in the July 29 issue of RCR. Ms. Farquhar excels in her newly …

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-Metrocall Inc. announced it will reschedule a special meeting of shareholders concerning its merger with A+ Network Inc. The meeting, originally planned for mid-September, will be held in late October or early November, said the company.

NEW YORK-Millicom International Cellular S.A. has reached an agreement in principle to exchange its option to acquire 20 percent of Comviq GSM AB, the Swedish cellular telephone operator, in return for shares in NetCom Systems AB, Comviq’s publicly traded parent. …

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill.-Motorola’s Cellular Infrastructure Group plans to begin implementing an emergency call location identification system called “Wireless E911,” during the second quarter of 1997. With Wireless E911, the public safety answering point will receive the location of cell sector …

Motorola Inc. unveiled a new open messaging software platform called Memos that is adaptable to all networks but optimized for the unique environment of wireless. “Motorola believes the establishment of standard software platforms will further expand the market,” said Doug …

VANCOUVER, British Columbia-Following successful completion of field trials of Northern Telecom Ltd.’s 800 MHz Code Division Multiple Access network, BC Tel Mobility has committed to move forward with full commercial rollout of its CDMA digital cellular service in British Columbia, …

NEW YORK-Metricom Inc. will mark its second commercial launch within a month when it begins offering its data-only wireless Internet access services in late September in the Washington, D.C., area. The company, headquartered in Los Gatos, Calif., has provided wireless …

NEW YORK-Skywire Corp., a provider of wireless data products and services, announced Sept. 3 it completed a $12 million private placement. Marketed by Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc., New York, the private placement generated $6 million from Chancellor Capital Management, …

RALEIGH, N.C.-North Sight Communications Inc. of Levittown, Puerto Rico, has selected SmartLink Development L.P. to supply and install a multiprotocol trunking and networking system behind its 800 MHz channels throughout Puerto Rico. North Sight will use SmartLink’s trunking and networking …

Ameritech Cellular Services has joined several other carriers in deploying authentication technology to combat cloning fraud. Concurrently, Bell Atlantic Nynex Mobile announced it has extended authentication fraud protection into its eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island markets. Authentication is seamless to …

WASHINGTON-Organized labor wants to make inroads in the wireless telecommunications industry as part of a broad makeover to regain political clout that has been waning for the past two decades. “It’s a major priority,” said Jeffery Miller, a spokesman for …

The abundance of new wireless licenses in Indonesia could have as much to do with politics as market opportunity, said a Pennsylvania State University college professor who specializes in international telecommunications. “Many of the ruling elite have recognized the value …

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-The Personal Communications Industry Association announced the Industry Award Winners for 1996. Winners will receive their awards at the industry award dinner on Sept. 18 at PCIA’s annual PCS conference in San Francisco. The Pioneer Award, given for landmark …

Superconducting Core Technologies Inc. has named G. Ron Olexa chief operations officer with overall responsibility for the company’s Reach receiver front end products. Olexa also will manage the company’s relationship with Raychem Corp., SCT’s new sales and distribution partner for …

LAS VEGAS-Russ Burd was named the new vice president and general manager for Pocket Communications Inc.’s Las Vegas market. By the end of March, Pocket expects to begin offering wireless services to the area. Prior to the joining the company, …

CellPort Labs Inc. is redesigning and enhancing its universal car kit for both cellular and personal communications services applications. Car kits provide power and hands-free talking capability for portable handsets, but most are designed for use with only one type …

ATLANTA-LHS Communications Systems Inc. announced it has licensed its Business Support and Control System to Powertel Inc. of West Point, Ga. The agreement follows recent licensing agreements with American Portable Telecom Inc. for personal communication services in major trading areas …

Allen Telecom Group’s Telecom Systems Division introduced NanoLite, a fiber optic microcell system the company said allows service providers to select locations for optimum cell site coverage while reducing site-related costs. The NanoLite remote unit can be mounted on utility …

DENVER-RCR Publications Inc. has promoted Jerry Blake to associate editor and promoted Lynnette Luna to reporter as part of the editorial department’s expansion. Blake, who has served as research editor at RCR since he joined the company four years ago, …

CHARLOTTE, N.C.-The Wireless Messaging Group of Glenayre Technologies Inc. and Paging Network Inc., a wireless messaging company with 7.9 million subscribers, teamed up to install Motorola Inc.’s InFLEXion voice messaging system. During tests in San Francisco, voice messages were sent …

PHOENIX-Bobby G. Thompson & Associates, a land mobile radio management consulting services provider, and Internet Direct Inc. are teaming up to create specialized Internet World Wide Web site production services for land mobile radio dealers and servicers. Internet Direct Inc., …

Some Personal Communications Services contenders are looking to differentiate themselves in the new age of wireless competition with data services based on the established Global System for Mobile communications standard. “We see this as a strong differentiator for us and …

ATLANTA-Focusing attention on GTE Corp.’s corporate identity, GTE Mobilnet Inc. will start referring to the company as just “GTE” in some of its marketing efforts. Ron Grawert, executive vice president of operations for GTE Mobilnet Inc., said that “on a …

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.-Safety tops the list of why customers use cellular phones, according to the Personal Wireless Communications Survey conducted by IDC/LINK, a division of International Data Corp. More than half of the respondents in a national survey of cellular users …