BRAZIL
Transcrypt International Inc.’s subsidiary, EFJohnson Co., has been awarded a $2 million contract to supply its LTR-Net communication system to the State of Santa Catarina Police Department in Brazil, linking the majority of Brazil’s large metropolitan areas.
IRELAND
The offer that UBS Warburg Ltd. made on behalf of Vodafone Group plc for Eircell 2000 plc is now wholly unconditional in all respects, all conditions having either been satisfied or waived. Vodafone has received 1.76 billion Eircell 2000 shares, or 79.6 percent of the company’s issued share capital. Eircell 2000 shareholders who have accepted the offer will receive new Vodafone shares. In addition, the current directors of Eircell 2000 have resigned and Ian Maxwell, Peter Bamford, Phil Williams, Stephen Brewer, Niall O’Sullivan, Gerry Fahy and Dermot Griffin will now serve as directors of Eircell 2000.
THE PHILIPPINES
Nokia Corp. signed a $310 million contract with Globe Telecom’s cellular mobile telephone system, Handyphone service, to expand its GSM network in the Philippines. Nokia will expand Globe’s existing GSM 900 and 1800 network services nationwide.
MEXICO
Telefonica Moviles is reportedly in talks to buy a stake in Mexican wireless carrier Pegaso. International press reports said the Spanish carrier, which has significant Latin American holdings, is in discussions with Pegaso and other Mexican carriers, with a deal expected in a few weeks. Last year, Telefonica bought four mobile operators in northern Mexico from Motorola Inc. A Pegaso buy would give Telefonica a crucial nationwide foothold in Mexico’s lucrative wireless market. Grupo Pegaso owns 51 percent of the carrier, and U.S.-based Leap Wireless owns 20 percent.
CHINA
Equipment supplier UTStarcom Inc. has signed $14 million in follow-on contracts for its PAS systems in cities in China’s Zhejiang Province. PAS limited mobility wireless local loop equipment provides consumers within a city or community telephony service over small mobile handsets.
