1999

Qwest Communications International is pursuing an acquisition of U S West in competition with another bidder, Global Crossing. Microsoft announced in mid-May a US$600 million investment in Nextel Communications, the …

TOKYO-Tokyo Telemessages Inc. (TTM), a paging company suffering from huge debts due to a sharp drop in customers because of strong competition from mobile phone operators, went bankrupt at the …

TOKYO-NTT International Corp. (NTTI), a subsidiary of NTT Corp., promotes overseas telecommunications projects in developing countries using Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding. Since it was founded in 1985 as …

Cambodia: NTT International Corp. (NTTI) promoted the telecom network upgrade plan in Phnom Penh between August 1995 and March 1998, using grant assistance from the Japanese government. The grant money …

AUSTRALIA Telstra will extend its CDMA network in Australia to include country locations currently covered by its GSM network but lacking in analog coverage, said the company. Hutchison Telecoms in …

Australia Australian telecommunications provider Telstra Corp. welcomed the Australian parliament’s decision to pass the Telstra Sale Bill and the government’s announcement it will sell an additional 16.6 percent of the …

DENVER, United States-A new battery-system invention coming on the market can boost customer satisfaction, make mobile phones more powerful and create higher revenue for carriers, the system’s creator company believes. …

DUBLIN, Ireland-The phenomenal growth of cellular services around the world has created problems for operators as their networks become increasingly congested, encouraging companies to develop technologies and systems to increase …

In response to wireless customers’ demands that they be able to use their cellular phones outside their home calling area, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association in the United States decided …

GENEVA-Five rivals made the shortlist in the bid for control of the United Kingdom’s fourth-ranked mobile operator, One-2-One, which was put up for sale by owners Cable & Wireless and …

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina-As expected, the auction of the six regional PCS licenses (40 megahertz each) in Argentina broke records, with takings amounting to US$849 million. If the privatization commission approves …

TOKYO-All three PHS carriers in Japan are predicting an increase in subscribers in fiscal 1999, ending 31 March 2000. The number of PHS subscribers finally increased in April after 19 …

Eight consortia are officially in the running for the third cellular license in South Africa. A ninth, Zintatu Communication Power, was disqualified. The eight consortia are Telenor/Telia; Nextcom Cellular (Pty) …

SINGAPORE-Singapore Telecom is looking to roll out extensive mobile phone services in the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) region as it leverages its investments in Thailand and the …

TOKYO-Sony Corp., the globally renowned manufacturer of consumer electronics products, plans to launch wireless local loop (WLL) service in Japan before the end of the year. Sony has submitted an …

Health scares are all the rage in Europe this summer. It’s not just mad cow disease. The detection of dioxin in some animal feeds has removed many foodstuffs from the …

United States The U.S. Federal Communications Commission will auction 16,000 paging licenses later this year in the upper bands of 929-930 MHz and 931-932 MHz, and the lower bands of …

Albania Albania said it plans to issue a public tender to sell a majority stake in Albanian Mobile Communications, the sole cellular provider in the country. The government also plans …

DUBLIN, Ireland-One of the most common complaints from telecommunications companies competing with former monopoly operators is cross-subsidization by the incumbent, particularly in countries where the incumbent also controls a major …

WASHINGTON-The close of the six-year, US$27 million Wireless Technology Research program in the United States has re-energized a public debate about whether mobile telephones cause cancer or pose other health …

MELBOURNE, Australia-In a bid to revive Australia’s flagging paging market, Hutchison Telecom has launched a new data broadcasting network using the VHF band and Motorola’s FLEX protocol. The new system …

BANGALORE, India-The Department of Telecommunications'(DoT’s) decision to launch cellular services has created a shock wave among private cellular service providers (PCSPs). Taking advantage of its all-India fixed-line network, DoT plans …

NEW YORK-“In Motorola’s view, the technology for 2.5 generation is really here,” said Moe Grzelakowski, senior vice president and general manager of 3G for Motorola Inc. In Japan later this …

LONDON-The main trends in the Middle East wireless industry for the current year were highlighted back in March with calls from senior industry professionals for greater private-sector participation and the …

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa-Nigeria has the potential of more than 5 million wireless subscribers and shows all the signs of becoming another wireless phenomenon in Africa. Looking at hard facts, this …