Pathnet Inc. signed an agreement with Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative to help upgrade the utility company’s existing internal communications network. Under the agreement, Pathnet plans to begin preliminary construction and engineering of 11 paths, extending about 200 miles, during the first quarter of 1998. Other companies that have formed alliances with Pathnet include Texaco, KN Energy and Northern Border Pipeline.
Quickphone, a wholly owned subsidiary of UC’NWIN Systems, said that eight of its shareholders responded to the company’s request for financing-to fund product development-by providing more than $100,000 within one 24-hour period. “These monies will immediately be put to work to finalize the development of a prepaid wireless product that will be marketed to business and commercial accounts,” said Howard Helfant, president of Quickphone. Gary Robinson, chief executive officer of UC’NWIN, said the final costs are for software development and computer hardware.
interWAVE Communications International Ltd. announced its products will be deployed in Total Access Communication Public Co. Ltd.’s digital microcellular network in Thailand. Initially, the interWAVE WAVEXpress base transceiver station and WAVEXpress base station controller will be implemented in the TAC network rollout. Later, plans call for expansion to the MicroXpress BTS, which currently is in a network field trial with TAC. Completion of the current network rollout, which is planned to include 200 BTS nodes, is expected early next year.
Brightpoint Inc. entered into a definitive agreement to acquire certain net assets and the wireless telephone distribution business of Matel-Tecnologia de Teleinformatica S.A.-Matec, Brightpoint announced. Matel, a Sao Paulo, Brazil-based wholesale distributor of wireless handsets and accessories, recorded sales of about $12 million for the nine-month period ended Sept. 30. Matel also sells and services business communications solutions for voice, data and video. The acquisition is expected to close on or before Jan. 31, and is subject to government approval, Brightpoint said.
Shareholders of both Metrocall Inc. and ProNet Inc. approved the companies planned merger scheduled to close Dec. 30, ProNet announced. The merger is subject to final approval of pending securities litigation settlements involving ProNet. Under the terms of the merger, ProNet shareholders will receive .9 of a Metrocall share per ProNet share they own, although the ratio could change based on certain performance requirements, said Kelly Love, director of investor relations at ProNet. Pricing will be based on the current market value at the time of closing. Dallas-based ProNet provides wireless paging and security system operations to more than 1.4 million subscribers.
