1999

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 …

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 …

SANTA CLARA, Calif.-Lucent Technologies Inc. introduced a uniform gateway to its Autoplex and Flexent Wireless Networks products, enabling network operators to introduce personalized or user-customized wireless data services that depend on specific customer information. The data call is initiated by …

TOKYO-DDI Corp. announced it acquired the stakes held by Nissan Motor Co. in three Tu-Ka cellular phone firms, completing a deal that was announced in August, according to The Nihon Keizai Shimbun. Japan Telecom Co. and a member of the …

WASHINGTON-While lawmakers and industry executives debated the proposed $130 billion merger between MCI WorldCom Inc. and Sprint Corp.-the largest transaction in history-Senate Judiciary Committee Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) introduced legislation last week to relax regulatory and financial requirements for smaller mergers. …

DALLAS-Texas Instruments Inc. and ARM Ltd. last week announced plans to collaborate on developing a digital signal processor and microcontroller platform for use in next-generation wireless information devices, including smart phones, personal communicators and wireless Internet-enabled products. TI and ARM …

It could have been an isolated path for TDMA operators going forward as they struggled for economies of scale in their businesses, but with a new agreement with the GSM Association, the Universal Wireless Communications Consortium hopes to gain access …

MONTREAL-Telesystem International Wireless Inc. announced the creation of Hong Kong-based TIW Asia N.V. “TIW Asia will primarily focus on the acquisition of existing wireless companies and the development of new services or technologies within existing or new operating companies,” said …

WASHINGTON-When it comes to spending money to open doors and change hearts and minds in official Washington, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association is King of the Hill. As a wireless trade association, CTIA is without peer-a lobbying juggernaut. Money appears …

WELLINGTON, New Zealand-The cellular operators in New Zealand have released their third-quarter subscribers figures. Telecom New Zealand, owned 25-percent by Bell Atlantic Corp., reported 760,800 as of Sept. 30, while Vodafone New Zealand Ltd. had 293,000. The current cellular penetration …

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.-Motorola Inc. said it will provide travel information to wireless devices by adding content from Worldspan, an online travel reservation system, to the Mobile Internet Exchange communications platform. The agreement will allow carriers to offer travel services such as …

ORLANDO, Fla.-American Mobile Satellite Corp. introduced a new version of its MobileMax fleet management communications service for the transportation industry. MobileMax2 adds new features such as automatic check calls, dispatching, mileage tracking, maintenance scheduling and shipment tracking. It combines both …

ICO Global Communications Ltd. received final commitments for the $1.2 billion in financing needed to finish building its satellite voice network from none other than cellular industry pioneer Craig McCaw. ICO announced at the end of October it had received …

WASHINGTON-Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) introduced legislation to bolster U.S. high technology by lifting the cap of visas and awarding grants to students and older Americans to improve technology-related skills. “Many companies are finding that there are more …

MURRAY HILL, N.J.-Lucent Technologies Inc.’s Bell Labs has developed a single-chip digital signal processor that operates at 100 MHz using only 1 volt of power, the company said. Typical system-on-a-chip technology combines on a single silicon chip a number of …

WASHINGTON-Sen. John McCain late Friday called on the Federal Communications Commission’s Office of Inspector General to “promptly, fairly, and thoroughly investigate” an allegation from a high-ranking civilian FCC employee that FCC Chairman William Kennard and FCC Chief of Staff Kathryn …

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-Metrocall Inc. reported revenues for the third quarter, ended Sept. 30, of $143 million, an increase of 44 percent from the previous year’s third-quarter revenues of $99.4 million. The company said it had a net loss of $48 million, …

HELSINKI-Nokia Networks, the infrastructure arm of Nokia Corp., said it and Mitsubishi Electric initiated interoperability testing between their products and solutions supporting the Wireless Application Protocol 1.1. The intent of the tests is to enhance the compatibility of WAP-based products …

WOODBURY, N.Y.-Comverse Technology Inc. introduced its new subsidiary, star*home, which will enable wireless carriers to offer to their roaming and visiting customers access to a variety of data and communication services-in the customer’s native language-by dialing “* home,” or using …

WASHINGTON-Competition in the local loop does not need to come from wireline competitive local exchange carriers, it can come from wireless carriers, a high-level executive told the Senate communications subcommittee last week. “We truly do fulfill the intent of the …

VIENNA, Va.-Teligent Inc. said it raised $500 million in new capital through an investor group led by Microsoft Corp. and private equity firm Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst Inc. Other investors include Chase Capital Partners, DB Capital partners and Olympus …

WASHINGTON-As the Clinton administration scrambles to strike a deal on China membership in the World Trade Organization before the start of a global trade conference later this month in Seattle, it appears that major telecom concessions made here in April …

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-Cisco Systems Inc. and Software.com, a developer of carrier-scale Internet infrastructure applications, announced a joint-venture initiative the companies said will jump start the convergence of Internet Protocol networks and wireless networks. Software.com will provide infrastructure for storing and …

Dear Editor: I totally disagree with your unsupported conclusion that digital cellular phones are less dangerous than their analog counterparts. The exact opposite is true! The brain cells of digital cellular users are quite literally being “all shook up.” Digital …

TOKYO-Chubu Telemessage Inc., a beeper carrier based in the Nagoya metropolitan area of central Japan, will shut down its business by March 2000. The carrier’s subscribers-109,000 at the end of September-are expected to be taken over by NTT Tokai Mobil …