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!
‘Religious’ technology wars continue as TDMA seeks converts
”Until a few weeks ago, I was under the impression that the outlook for TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) was quite different than it is today,” said investment banker Brad Peery at last week’s TDMA Global Summit here. “Qualcomm (Inc.) has done a good job of portraying the 10-times (analog cellular) capacity of CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access),” said Peery, who is president of Brad Peery Capital, Mill Valley, Calif. “TDMA advocates have not been as verbal about the capabilities that IS-136 offers.” The Interim Standard-136 version of TDMA allows Advanced Mobile Phone Service, the United States analog cellular standard, to co-exist with TDMA digital cellular networks using the same frequencies and radio channels, according to Universal Wireless Communications, Redmond, Wash. UWC, a consortium of vendors and carrier promoting TDMA, held a “Global Summit” here last week on TDMA. … Read More
PageNet premiers VoiceNow in Dallas
PageNet Inc.’s VoiceNow voice paging service is priced not only to compete, but to undercut industry rates for most numeric, alphanumeric and other advanced paging and messaging services. The company turned on its voice paging service in Dallas, marketing to both personal and business users, which is reflected in the pricing structure, a broad array of distribution channels, new logo and a $10 million television, radio and newspaper advertising campaign. VoiceNow is built on Motorola Inc.’s InFLEXion protocol, which operates at a capacity of up to about 112 kilobits per second. The pager allows callers to record a message and users can instantly play back and save messages. … Read More
PacBell Mobile tests new Wildfire
Wildfire plans to spread faster than ever with Network Wildfire, a new carrier version of Wildfire Inc.’s electronic assistant that Pacific Bell Mobile Services is currently testing for its personal communications services network. Wildfire is an automated secretary, organizer, rolodex and more-all intended to make life easier. The system’s vocal interface is designed to be easy to use and feel human. A subscriber speaks a phone number, a person’s name or another request, and Wildfire-a friendly and mature female voice-interprets commands using voice recognition technology. She has the user’s name stored and validates a user’s passcode before a session. … Read More
Globalstar’s new senior notes will fund its world network
Globalstar Telecommunications Ltd. plans additional financing to help build and launch 56 low-earth-orbit satellites for digital wireless voice and data service covering most of the world by mid-to-late 1998. Headquartered in New York, Globalstar is a limited partnership led by Loral Space & Communications Ltd. In addition, the partnership includes Qualcomm Inc., which is its co-founder, Alcatel, Hyundai, Finmeccanica, Daimler-Benz Aerospace, AirTouch Communications Inc., Dacom Corp., France Telecom and Vodafone Group plc. … Read More
2.3 GHz auction plan scaled back by FCC
The Federal Communications Commission, bowing to congressional and wireless industry pressure, scaled back a budget-driven proposal to raise $3 billion this year from the sale of flexible 2.3 GHz wireless licenses. The FCC decided against auctioning a nationwide license, opting instead to sell two 10 megahertz Wireless Communications Service licenses in each of 52 major economic areas and two 5 megahertz licenses in every one of 12 regional economic areas. The wireless industry strongly opposed nationwide license and flexibility options floated by the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau last November, saying the initiative would disrupt Wall Street funding of new personal communications services licensees and that it posed problems for manufacturers. … Read More
Dual-band phone pacts still up in air
If demand for dual-band handsets can be measured by vendor contracts, carriers must only now be finalizing plans for multi-frequency roaming. The industry’s most prolific terminal manufacturers have yet to announce volume contracts for these expensive new phones, although some expect to have agreements in hand later this year. Motorola Inc.’s handset division does not, as a rule, reveal contract information. Nor will Motorola forecast when a product will be introduced, until the item is about to be shipped. … Read More
FCC puts NextWave’s foreign ownership near 40%
The formal memorandum opinion and order regarding the award of NextWave Personal Communications Inc.’s long-awaited personal communications services licenses creates more questions than answers about the licensee’s foreign capitalization and its equity vs. debt. The order, written by the commission’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, tasked with investigating NextWave’s suitability for licensing, cites errors and questionable loan-repayment deals made by the company that raise questions as to NextWave’s fund-raising strategies. … Read More
New group targets gaps in wireless education
Four wireless industry heavyweights and three universities announced Feb. 17 they had formed the Global Wireless Education Consortium to “attract and educate new technicians and engineers to the booming wireless industry.” Thousands of new wireless technicians and engineers will be needed each year, at least through 2001, to meet the demands of this growing industry sector, according to the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association. … Read More
Tower firms hope laminated wood poles grow on zoning boards
The idea of using laminated wood poles instead of steel for antenna towers made salesman Don Simon say, “Why didn’t I think of that?” AT&T Wireless Services Inc. recently installed a laminated wood pole in the Loveland snow ski area after local residents resisted the use of steel, Simon said. Laminated wood poles are placed directly into the ground and no concrete foundation is needed, Simon said. A hole is dug or blasted, the pole is lifted and dropped in, then the hole is filled with crushed rock. … Read More
International business is where real growth rests for carriers
Profits U.S. carriers are beginning to receive from their international investments may position them well for the marketing battle on the homefront. According to David Roddy, chief telecommunications economist for Deloitte & Touche Consulting Group, carriers that situate themselves as a global wireless business should make above average returns during the next decade. … Read More
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