Editor’s Note: The RCR Wireless News Time Machine is a way to take advantage of our extensive history in covering the wireless space to fire up the DeLorean and take a trip back in time to re-visit some of the more interesting headlines from this week in history. Enjoy the ride!
The year ahead: Old issues with new twists will confront wireless world in ‘97
If the wireless telecom industry has learned one thing in recent years, it is that rules for paging, cellular, specialized mobile radio, personal communications services, mobile satellite, microwave, wireless local loop and private wireless services are not made in a vacuum. Wireless regulations and legislation-even presidential executive orders-are increasingly shaped, influenced and sometimes flow directly from broad public policy initiatives of the White House and Congress. … Read More
Smart phones defy description but still attract manufacturers
Like the fabled elephant described by a group of blind men positioned near various points of its anatomy, equipment vendors at the recent “PCS-1900 in North America” conference gave widely different definitions of so-called “smart phones.” The closest thing to a consensus reached was about what they are not-they’re definitely not plain vanilla analog cellular handsets, nor are they personal digital assistants or laptop computers. But they may combine aspects of all these devices. And whatever they are, or end up being, they had better cost under $600 to gain widespread acceptance. … Read More
Qualcomm answers Ericsson’s patent lawsuit with 1 of its own
Qualcomm Inc. has made a double-barrel response to claims by L.M. Ericsson that Qualcomm’s Code Division Multiple Access products infringe on Ericsson technology patents. Both Qualcomm and Ericsson hold CDMA U.S. patents. Qualcomm has designed and is building commercial CDMA infrastructure and handset equipment for the world market. Ericsson has chosen not to manufacture commercial CDMA equipment at this time, saying it doesn’t feel Interim Standard 95 is mature enough for full-scale product deployment. … Read More
German PCN license draws scant interest from major players
As European countries progressively open and grow their wireless markets, the contest for licenses is hot. But in Germany, only one group entered a bid for a second personal communications network license by deadline, which leaves questions as to the viability of launching a fourth wireless system in the country’s advanced and competitive mobile phone market. Germany is already home to two Global System for Mobile communications 900 MHz cellular operators and one Digital Cellular Service 1.8 GHz operator. Penetration is about 6 percent. … Read More
C-Block PCS bidders put pressure on NextWave
C-block personal communications services bidders Antigone Communications L.P. and PCS Devco Inc. continued to put NextWave Personal Communications Inc.’s feet into the fire regarding its pending C-block licenses. This time it asked the Federal Communications Commission Dec. 6 to force the PCS hopeful to reveal information it redacted Nov. 29 when answering the commission’s recent barrage of questions. The petitioners want NextWave to make public the entire text of its convertible loan and security agreement from Qualcomm Inc. and its agreement to buy equipment from that manufacturer. Antigone and Devco claimed they could not comment effectively on the documents because market-trial, equipment-pricing and “auction conclusion” information was missing. … Read More
Oki will concentrate on producing CDMA phones
Oki Telecom Inc. says it expects to be first to market with a tri-mode wireless phone based on Code Division Multiple Access technology, a move in line with the company’s selection of CDMA as its product niche for the U.S. market. The year 1996 has seen numerous strategic changes by smaller handset manufacturers, which are positioning themselves to compete in what has become an intensely crowded and competitive market. Fujitsu Network Transmission Systems Inc. decided to stop producing cellular phones to focus on digital ones. JRC International Inc. adopted a new strategy that included prepaid cellular phones. Philips Electronics NV of the Netherlands announced it was going to be a significant wireless handset provider. … Read More
National Telemanagement answers prepaid wireless dilemmas
National Telemanagement Corp. believes it has solved the problems of the prepaid wireless industry. Selling debit cards is like selling a pack of cigarettes, said Jerry Easom, director of business development for NTC’s SmartPay Wireless. A carrier has no way of knowing who the customer is. The company said its SmartPay service is implemented at the local switch platform. A call management system is installed next to the carrier’s switch and prepay calls are routed to the system, processed and returned to the switch for call completion. This allows for extensive reports of all transactions and complete control of the call and processing, said NTC. … Read More
PCS winners gain flexibility in selling licenses under FCC rules
The Federal Communications Commission voted Friday to allow broadband personal communications services auction winners to sell off parts of licenses and proposed to give all commercial wireless carriers the same flexibility, moves aimed at helping operators better react to market forces and to foster entry of small businesses that don’t have wireless permits. The action also may help to speed the delivery of PCS service to less populated areas, which are typically the last to see new technology because they are less attractive to carriers in terms of generating revenue. Women and minorities, who lost bidding preferences as the result of a Supreme Court ruling last year, expect to benefit as well. … Read More
Group seeks a single name for all CDMA technology offerings
The CDMA Development Group has said it wants to create a single name for the Code Division Multiple Access family of products. Wireless local loop, cellular and personal communications services are based on the same specification, said Perry LaForge, executive director of the CDG. “There’s an enormous scale for CDMA but many don’t realize it’s all the same specification … We would have something that describes the technology.” The name will not conflict with individual service brands, but could be used in conjunction with carriers’ brand names, said LaForge. The CDG is expected to select a name before next May when the group holds its next World Congress. … Read More
Business world thinks of LECs as less innovative
Business executives rate long-distance carriers as being more innovative in their customized telecom solutions than are local exchange carriers, an opinion wireless carriers should heed when considering a venture into the local loop, according to an updated survey. “The Third Annual Telecommunications Survey-Business User Perspectives on Competition Issues,” compiled by Atlanta-based Deloitte & Touche Consulting Group from 540 responses, also found that long-distance carriers, by a 2:1 margin, exceeded business-customer expectations regarding customized billing and reporting, rapid provisioning capabilities, and prompt and effective network problem resolution. More than 25 percent of the respondents-who were drawn from such sectors as transportation/utility, financial services, manufacturing, food/beverage/retail and the public sector-said they were “very dissatisfied” with LEC operational and support capabilities. … Read More
