April 1998

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.-InterDigital Technology Corp. will keep its patent on the Time Division Multiple Access wireless radio communications system used in Germany, said the company, after an appeal before the German Supreme Court challenging its validity was withdrawn by …

WASHINGTON-Federal Communications Commission Chairman Bill Kennard responded March 30 to a congressional letter questioning the commission on its recent C-block personal communications services financial-restructuring reconsideration order and on its pending deal with one bankrupt C-blocker’s creditors. Reps. Thomas Bliley (R-Va.), …

To the Editor: I felt compelled to write after your recently published guest article by Reed Hundt (RCR, Feb. 23). Mr. Hundt, now unencumbered from tempering his personal beliefs and feelings, expresses why we, the two-way radio industry, have so …

To the editor: In response to Kristen Beckman’s story “Pilots break no cell phone use” in RCR, March 16, 1998: I wonder if the fears of reduced revenue for cellular providers who have air phones installed in commercial airlines is …

MURRAY HILL, N.J.-Lucent Technologies Inc. introduced wireless intelligent network software applications designed to lower costs and increase revenues for network service providers, as well as provide a solution for meeting upcoming regulatory requirements, Lucent said. The new applications for all …

FORT LEE, N.J.-Beginning this month, MobileMedia Corp., dba MobileComm, no longer is charging a 50-cent fee to deliver an e-mail message to a subscriber’s pager. E-mail messages will count against the customer’s call account in the same way as self-dispatch …

April 7-8 IGI Consulting. Holiday Inn, Washington, D.C. (800) 323-1088 or (617) 232-3111. Asian Consumer Electronics Show April 9-11 Kenfair International Ltd. Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong. (852) 2311 8216. Wireless Americas ’98 April 14-17 The Latin …

The March 16 article on Justice Department probes involving lobbyist Peter Knight should have stated that $230,000 was contributed by Portals Developer Franklin Haney to the Democratic Party and $300,000 was contributed to Democrats from Indian tribes in Minnesota and …

NIXA, Mo.-Applied Cellular Technology Inc. acquired Salt Lake City-based Winward Electric Service Inc., which provides services in the fiber-optic interface and data cabling areas. “The company has impressive profit margins and is expected to add approximately $14.5 million in revenues …

The Federal Communications Commission approved a request from American Mobile Satellite Corp. to modify its satellite license so it can temporarily consolidate its space segment facilities with TMI Communications and Co. L.P. Under the satellite sharing agreement announced early last …

LONDON-Cable & Wireless plc plans to sell its 22.3-percent stake in OCCEL, which provides wireless services in the western region of Colombia, to a subsidiary of Bell Canada International Inc. for $98 million in cash. “This disposal is in line …

CAMPBELL, Calif.-P-Com Inc. announced it completed its acquisition of the Wireless Communications Group of Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Cylink Corp. P-Com acquired the unit for $60.5 million, $46 million of which was in cash and $14.5 million in a short-term, non-interest bearing …

DALLAS-James L. Donald, chairman, president and chief executive officer of DSC Communications Corp., last week announced he will retire from the posts of president and chief executive officer. The announcement made public a decision Donald had expressed to the DSC …

SAO PAULO, Brazil-The pace of liberalization in the Brazilian wireless markets has taken on new speed in the past two weeks following a judicial ruling grant-ing the region 2 B-band license to the Telia-led Tess consortium and swift movement by …

WASHINGTON-Following a demonstration of disabilities-compatible telecommunications equipment by four Americans with audio, visual and neuromuscular problems, the Federal Communications Commission last week unanimously adopted a notice of proposed rule making that would mandate accessibility of wireless equipment to physically challenged …

WASHINGTON-Seeking to end a century-old “luxury” tax on telephony, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) along with House colleagues Jennifer Dunn (R-Wash.) and Billy Tauzin (R-La.) introduced bills aimed at repealing the 3-percent federal excise “tax on talking.” With this action, McCain …

NEW YORK-A fire storm has erupted among corporations and legislators over Internal Revenue Service proposals released last month aimed at curtailing overseas transactions the agency believes are designed primarily to avoid U.S. taxes. In its latest salvo, the IRS has …

The annual growth rate of worldwide subscribers using Time Division Multiple Access technology is expected to increase more than 100 percent this year, according to figures released last week by the Universal Wireless Communications Consortium. UWCC estimates there were 9.2 …

NEW YORK-Transcrypt International Inc., a Lincoln, Neb., manufacturer of wireless information security and land mobile radio products, has been sued by shareholders in a class action lawsuit filed March 31. Also subject of a shareholder lawsuit filed last month is …

Two wireless enhanced 911 services vendors last week announced their systems were live in time for the Federal Communications Commission’s Phase I deadline, which calls for carriers to be able to transmit a call-back number and the location of the …

BOSTON-In terms of dollars and labor, wireless number portability will cost wireless carriers more than any other single issue, according to the Yankee Group in its recently released report, Wireless Number Portability: A Bowl of Cherries for Competition … but …

While the world continues to debate the mechanics of third-generation technology, many industry watchers wonder what business case, if any, this new technology will have for carriers. The International Telecommunications Union, a part of the United Nations that has put …

MINNEAPOLIS-ADC Telecommunications Inc. opened a $26 million, 284,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Shakopee, Minn., near its Minneapolis headquarters. ADC’s Broadband Connectivity Group is housed in the new facility. The BCG makes broadband connectivity products for wireless, twisted pair copper, fiber-optic …

PHOENIX-AG Communication Systems introduced Incoming Call Screening, an application that enables wireless service providers to offer enhanced call-management services to their subscribers, said the company. INgage ICS is a wireless intelligent network application that allows subscribers to filter incoming calls …

NEW YORK-CTI Holdings S.A., a pure play wireless carrier serving the interior region of Argentina, plans to place privately up to $150 million to help finance its network construction. By the end of last year, CTI had deployed 698 cell …