2002

ASTANA, Kazakhstan-Leading Kazakh carrier GSM Kazakhstan said the Finnish Sonera has granted it a US$55 million loan for further development in 2003 and the introduction of new technologies, such as …

MURRAY HILL, N.J.-Lucent Technologies Inc. released a new chip the company said will work as a smart antenna for CDMA networks, doubling the networks’ capacity for voice and data traffic. …

Rural Cellular Corp. is being sued by the law firm of Schiffrin & Barroway in a shareholder class-action lawsuit. “The complaint charges Rural Cellular Corp. and certain of its officers …

TORONTO-Canadian carrier Bell Mobility announced it will begin offering basic location-based services through its new MyFinder application and that it plans to expand the service with additional features. The service …

NEW YORK-Following an unsuccessful court challenge by some bondholders, Qwest Communications International Inc. reduced its outstanding debt by $1.9 billion to $22.6 billion through an exchange offer. Qwest offered the …

SAN FRANCISCO-Messaging company Critical Path Inc. said it is out of compliance with the Nasdaq Stock Market’s minimum bid price requirement of $1. The company said it requested a Jan. …

LONDON-LogicaCMG plc announced the merger between Logica plc and CMG plc is now complete. “We are very pleased that the merger has completed on our original schedule so that we …

SEATTLE-Billing and content management company Qpass Inc. scored $10.7 million in funding to kick off the new year, with Westbury Partners, Hook Partners, Oak Investment and others participating. “Over the …

ATLANTA-Sprint PCS affiliate AirGate PCS Inc. said its subsidiary, iPCS, is working toward financial restructuring that will likely involve a federal bankruptcy proceeding. AirGate also said it will delay filing …

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands-Electronics giant Royal Philips Electronics announced it will acquire Systemonic, which makes silicon products for wireless local area networks, a move Philips said will help the company add …

The nearly one-year-old Association of Wireless Professionals is offering the industry a new way to better reach its ever-valuable consumer base-through educated wireless retail professionals working on the front lines …

As one of the most challenging years in telecom history winds down, the wireless sector faces a variety of threats from within and outside the industry. Which threats will prove …

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.-Sprint PCS announced it will begin selling Samsung Telecommunications America’s new SPH-i330 personal digital assistant/mobile phone device. The device is much like the Samsung SPH-i300, but includes support …

TORONTO-Microcell Telecommunications Inc. said its secured lenders have agreed on the terms of a recapitalization plan for the struggling company. Microcell missed a US$29.3 million interest payment that was due …

SEOUL, South Korea-Hanaro Telecom Inc., South Korea’s second-largest broadband and fixed-line carrier, announced it would take over its rival Korea Thrunet Co., signaling a major change in the fast-evolving high-speed …

The exit of Sir Christopher Gent from the chief executive post at Vodafone marks a milestone for the company and the industry. Unlike many of his counterparts, Gent is stepping …

WASHINGTON-The wireless policy-making world will ring in 2003 in much the same way it rang in 2002: by debating the merits of wireless local number portability. In the final days …

Fresh off the government’s decision to release all participants from the financial responsibility related to the ill-fated auction of NextWave Telecom Inc.’s wireless spectrum, Verizon Wireless Inc. purchased 50 wireless …

ST. LOUIS-CenturyTel Inc. has offered $38 million to buy Digital Teleport’s fiber-optic business and Digital has requested approval to hold an auction for the unit. Digital Teleport, which filed for …

MOSCOW-Russia’s second-largest wireless carrier, Vimpelcom (BeeLine), purchased 100 percent of the East-West Telecom Co., which holds GSM licenses for 12 regions of the greater Urals. Until the buy, Vimpelcom only …

Hitachi Ltd. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. will merge most of their semiconductor operations April 1 into a new company, Renesas Technology Corp., with the goal of turning a profit in …

MILPITAS, Calif.-Handheld device makers Palm Inc. and Research In Motion Ltd. seemed to fare relatively well over the quarter, with both companies reporting relatively solid earnings. Palm said it managed …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-L.M. Ericsson said it was awarded an additional $25 million for CDMA 1xRTT equipment and services to China Unicom. The deal comes after Ericsson announced it signed an agreement …

TOKYO-J-Phone said it has requested permission from the Japanese regulator to unify its regional company price plans into six national price plans and seven discount services for its PDC networks, …

WASHINGTON-It would be nice to say this policy or that technology will shape the direction of the wireless industry in 2003. But neither industry nor official Washington has that luxury. …