1999

WASHINGTON-The wireless industry is on the verge of arguably its biggest victory since congressionally mandated state deregulation in 1993: liability protection. Congress is poised this fall to give wireless carriers liability protection on par with wireline carriers across the country. …

International joint ventures formed by manufacturing concerns, and the failure rates of these companies, have been well-documented over the years. The pioneering efforts of telecommunications service providers from developed countries, which have formed joint ventures to provide both goods and …

SAN MATEO, Calif.-RightPoint Inc. said VoiceStream Wireless Corp. is implementing RightPoint’s real-time e-marketing suite to personalize its customer sales and support Web site. RightPoint said it’s e-marketing suite enables visitors to VoiceStream’s Web site to view service offerings and recommendations …

The U.S. cellular adoption level is fast approaching 30 percent-not bad. However, it’s also a long way from the penetration rates we see in Europe, particularly in the benchmark countries of Scandinavia. Will the United States match Finland with a …

TIVERTON, R.I.-S.V. Designs Inc., which provides wireless phone companies aesthetic concealment solutions for their antennas and cables, announced it expanded its service area from New England to now include the mid-Atlantic region, North Carolina and South Carolina.

ARLINGTON, Va.-The Telecommunications Industry Association published a new interim standard, “Cellular Radiotelecommunications Intersystem Operations-Over-the-Air-Service Provisioning and Parameter Administration.” The document presents Stage-1 recommendations for OTASP subscriber and OTAPA network feature descriptions. It also provides intersystem operation recommendations for supporting OTASP …

MELBOURNE, Fla.-Interoperability testing between AirNet Communications Corp.’s base station subsystem and a Lucent Technologies Inc. mobile switching center was successfully completed and will be deployed by Carolina PCS I Ltd. Partnership, said AirNet. “This highlights the power of the open …

LOS ALTOS, Calif.-Wireless Online Inc. introduced an antenna system for two-way messaging called the WOL-2000R, which it said reduces the cost of planning, deploying and operating two-way wireless messaging networks. The company said the antenna, which uses Spatial Division Multiple …

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.-CellMania.com entered into a partnership with ShopNow.com Inc. under which ShopNow.com’s customers will have access to CellMania’s wireless shopping site. ShopNow.com also will offer CellMania.com users membership in the MyShopNow.com program-a collection of personalized, pre-stocked storefronts that offer …

TOKYO-Motorola Inc. will purchase Toshiba’s interest in Tohoku Semiconductor Corp., Toshiba’s wafer manufacturing joint venture in Sendai, Japan, said the companies. “TSC will support our planned growth by providing important, state-of-the-art wafer manufacturing capacity for Motorola’s embedded DigitalDNA solutions,” said …

Wireless carriers could deploy commercial location services in advance of the phase II enhanced 911 services deadlines mandated by the Federal Communications Commission. Gary Ritter, wireless offer manager, location services, for Lucent Technologies Inc., said many commercial services could be …

ARLINGTON, Va.-The Telecommunications Industry Association announced an initiative to develop wireless Internet Protocol standards under the guidelines of the American National Standards Institute’s open standards process. The initiative supports TIA’s ongoing efforts to develop standards for wireless Internet and emerging …

This analysis explains why initial terminal forecasts for 1999 averaged 55 million units below what will likely be 260 million terminals shipped. It reveals that between 1996 and 1998 the world terminal replacement rate increased from 19.7 percent to 32 …

SANTA CLARA, Calif.-Intel Corp. said it invested in Formus Communications in an effort to build out Formus’ networks, which will provide improved broadband Internet access to small- and medium-sized businesses, as well as finance business development activities in Europe. Denver-based …

The need to add a wireless play in global telecommunications alliances became clearer last week as AT&T Corp. and British Telecommunications plc announced a strategic alliance designed to create seamless mobile communications services worldwide. “In general, we’ve seen a lot …

WASHINGTON-With just two weeks left in the fiscal year and many appropriations bills still pending, Congress and the White House once again are on a collision course for a budget showdown that could change the dynamics of wireless provisions wrapped …

We recently heard a captivating story that has ramifications for the wireless industry, and for that matter, any industry that deals with the nasty problem of customer turnover. Last month, a friend went on a volunteer trip to lead a …

Cupertino, Calif.-based chip manufacturer DSP Communications Inc. today plans to introduce two new products for current and future Code Division Multiple Access handsets. Immediately available is DSPC’s new CDMA Manufacturers Development Kit for wireless handsets, which will enable handset manufacturers …

NEW YORK-The Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce is engaged in a monumental juggling act with significant implications for levies on telecommunications in general, judging by comments at its two-day hearing last week. Charged by Congress with recommending whether and how …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-L.M. Ericsson said it signed two contracts, valued at more than $55 million, with Advanced Info Service Public Co. Ltd. in Thailand for the expansion of its Global System for Mobile communications network. When fully implemented in the first …

WASHINGTON-Key lawsuits are set to go forward next month involving claims of fraudulent auditing and privacy violations against Wireless Technology Research L.L.C. and an allegation that a prototype mobile phone antenna caused brain cancer to a Motorola Inc. engineer in …

Confirming weeks of speculation, 3Com Corp. announced it plans to spin off its Palm Computing subsidiary into an independent public company by next year. The restructuring will allow 3Com to focus more on its networking connectivity and infrastructure interests, the …

WASHINGTON-The Justice Department, already embroiled in controversy over a secret wireless licensing pact with Nextel Communications Inc. and the Federal Communications Commission, last week urged a federal court here to reject challenges to the proposed relaxation of the 1995 Nextel …

WASHINGTON-The Personal Communications Industry Association last week attempted to neutralize legislation to curb antenna siting by telling Congress that consolidation in the tower business will reduce the number of wireless facilities in communities across the country in the future. John …

NEW YORK-In fulfilling a commitment made earlier this year, AT&T Corp. announced it had priced a three-year $450 million all-minority lead and underwritten bond offering. The company said the bond offering consists of three-year notes due Sept. 15, 2002, carrying …