1999

Key to the merger agreement between Paging Network Inc. and Arch Communications Group Inc. is a massive debt reduction to be achieved through a proposed recapitalization plan that would convert their separate debt into equity of the new company. Arch …

WASHINGTON-The Clinton administration, bowing to industry pressure here and across the Atlantic, last week signaled for the first time a willingness to consider supporting global harmonization of third-generation mobile spectrum at next year’s World Radiocommunication Conference in Turkey. “We’ve started …

In a deal loud with industry-shaking repercussions, the nation’s top two paging carriers announced their intention to merge last week, raising the consolidation bar to a level as yet unseen in industry’s history. Arch Communications Group Inc., the second-largest paging …

BETHESDA, Md.-Omnipoint Corp. said it added 104,000 subscribers in the third quarter, ending the three-month period with 698,000 subscribers. The carrier said revenues hit $110 million for the quarter, exceeding second-quarter revenues by about $20 million. Net loss was $134.2 …

WASHINGTON-With the tidal wave of telecommunications mergers occurring, regulators must ensure that whatever conditions they impose on companies to protect consumers are done right the first time. “It is not really practical to go back later. You do the best …

WASHINGTON-Whether Congress and the White House can balance the budget for fiscal 2000 this week without delving into the Social Security Trust Fund may depend on whether the Clinton administration is able to push through a plan to recover at …

The House, over protests from the White House and some congressional Democrats, last week approved legislation to make electronic signatures legal. The measure, which passed by a 356-66 margin, comes as more and more commerce moves to the Internet, which …

BELLEVUE, Wash.-VoiceStream Wireless Corp. announced it raised about $1.5 billion in proceeds from the issuance of 10.375-percent senior notes and 11.875-percent senior discount notes. The 10.375-percent senior notes due 2009 were issued at par, raising $1.1 billion. Approximately $720 million …

BEDMINSTER, N.J.-Bell Atlantic Mobile said it plans to introduce its Web Access service this month, designed to allow customers to obtain Internet-based content on their wireless handsets. The service will be available on Qualcomm 860 Web-enabled phones, which also will …

STAMFORD, Conn.-AT&T Corp. jumped from fifth to second place in Corporate Branding L.L.C.’s latest annual ranking of telecommunications companies, the firm said. Motorola Inc. retained the study’s top spot, while GTE Corp. was bumped from second to third. “Acquisitions and …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission last week proposed 24 GHz auction rules that would aid small businesses and possibly rural telephone companies. The FCC plan provides bidding credits of 15 percent and 25 percent to small businesses and very small businesses, …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission is expected to revise wireless enhanced 911 rules that would eliminate the cost-recovery obligation that now must be met before E911 services have to be deployed. The move faced heavy lobbying from wireless carriers, two associations …

SAN FRANCISCO-Act now! GSM carriers need to deploy wireless data today, speakers told Global System for Mobile communications operators at last week’s GSM in North America conference here. Carriers need to get data applications into the hands of consumers before …

TOKYO-Singapore Telecom and KDD Corp. of Japan formed a partnership under which the two companies agreed to swap shares, forming a joint venture to provide managed end-to-end telecom services for multinational corporations and business customers over a common ATM|backbone. Tadashi …

NEW YORK-The astounding success of NTT DoCoMo’s mobile Internet access service is a resounding note of affirmation to proponents of wireless Web services, said Crispin K. Vicars at the Yankee Group’s conference Nov. 8. By the end of September, DoCoMo’s …

Crown Castle International Corp. plans to acquire about 2,300 towers through a joint venture with GTE Corp. Crown Castle has a similar joint venture agreement with Bell Atlantic Corp., which is in the process of acquiring GTE. Including the GTE …

PARIS-In Fusio, a games development and animation provider, announced it has joined forces with Webraska, a provider of mapping and guidance services for Wireless Application Protocol phones, to create location-based games for Internet-enabled phones.

SEATTLE-Tegic Communications Inc. announced it released an upgrade to the Chinese language version of its T9 Text Input software, including features such as component-based entry, intelligent phrase completion and alternate stroke input.

BERLIN-Siemens AG and NEC Corp. announced a joint venture to develop infrastructure equipment for third-generation systems. The joint venture, in which Siemens will hold 51 percent and NEC will hold 49 percent, is called Mobisphere Ltd. The Reading, United Kingdom-based …

SAN FRANCISCO-North American Global System for Mobile communications operators had an upbeat story to tell international GSM carriers this year at the GSM in North America conference last week. Last year’s conference saw frustrated European and other international GSM operators …

WASHINGTON-The No. 1 issue for the wireless telecommunications industry is access to additional spectrum, whether it is the incumbent cellular operators wanting the spectrum cap lifted (and start-up operator attempts to thwart that), spectrum for third-generation wireless or uses for …

CARROLLTON, Texas-CellStar Corp. said it signed a three-year agreement to distribute wireless phones, airtime cards and related accessories, as well as customized packaging, returns management and product repair services, for Topp Telecom Inc.

After scoring an agreement with Vodafone AirTouch plc to deploy its location-based technology in the carrier’s U.K. network, Cambridge Positioning Systems is ready to push its product in the United States. “We have not done a lot of marketing in …

LONDON-Vodafone AirTouch plc acknowledged speculation circulating last week that it was interested in making a bid for Germany’s Mannesmann AG and hinted that a future tie-up of the two could occur. “Vodafone AirTouch and Mannesmann are long-standing partners in three …

SWINDON, United Kingdom-BT Cellnet, using Motorola Inc.’s Network Solutions Sector’s core General Packet Radio Services network solution, said it successfully achieved a live GPRS data transfer call over a Global System for Mobile communications network. The call demonstrates the first …