Editor’s Note: RCR Wireless News goes all in for “Throwback Thursdays,” tapping into our archives to resuscitate the top headlines from the past. Fire up the time machine, put on those sepia-tinted shades, set the date for #TBT and enjoy the memories!
FCC assigns spectrum for intelligent transportation
WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission last week allocated 75 megahertz of spectrum for smart highway technologies, such as automated toll booths, monitoring traffic jams, travelers’ alerts, and enabling traffic signals to be altered remotely to aid ambulance drivers. The agency expects to rule on licensing procedures for the new spectrum early next year, said Julius Knapp, deputy director of the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology. Smart highways technologies will employ dedicated short-range wireless links to transfer information between vehicles and roadside systems. The technologies are being developed by private industry with input from the Department of Transportation. … Read more
Sea Launch logs first DirecTV satellite launch
LOS ANGELES-Sea Launch, the multinational ocean-based launch services company, Oct. 9 successfully launched its first commercial satellite-a DirecTV 1-R satellite from its Odyssey launch platform located on the equator, about 1,400 miles southeast of Hawaii. Hughes Space & Communications built the DirecTV satellite, which once signal acquisition is complete, should play a key role in expanding capacity and delivering local broadcast network channels to DirecTV customers in major metropolitan markets across the country. Sea Launch said launching satellites from the equator is the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary transfer orbit, allowing customers to launch heavier payloads while using less fuel. For telecommunications companies, this means they can launch more satellites for less cost. … Read more
US Senate reviews new wireless sourcing bill
WASHINGTON-Sens. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and Byron Dorgan (N.D.), backed by industry and cities, last week introduced legislation to simplify taxation of wireless carriers by local and state authorities. Instead of having wireless calls taxed by multiple jurisdictions, the Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act would assign all state and local taxes to a customer’s place of primary use. That could be a residence or business address. The current system is said to be an accounting nightmare for carriers and a drain on local governments. “State and local taxing authorities would be relieved of burdensome audit and oversight responsibilities without losing the authority to tax wireless calls. And consumers would enjoy lower prices and fewer billing headaches,” said Brownback, a member-like Dorgan-of the Senate Commerce Committee. Aides to the lawmakers said they will push for passage of the bill before Congress adjourns for the year on Nov. 19. … Read more
Sprint says data will drive PCS demand
The wireless industry is waiting to see how many customers are attracted to Sprint PCS Group’s wireless Internet services, but they will have to wait at least another quarter. Sprint PCS, which launched nationwide wireless Web service in late September, said it’s too early to give numbers on how many customers are signing up for the service. But Sprint PCS President Andy Sukawaty said Sprint PCS is signing up thousands of customers a week. “Data will be a powerful driver of demand,” said Sukawaty. “Even if customers don’t want Web services today, they want to be with a provider that offers it … We have more than 2 million data-capable phones in our customer base through October.” Last week, the carrier announced an agreement with Ameritrade that will allow Sprint PCS customers to trade stock via their handsets. The company will continue to announce more content providers and handsets in addition to its agreements with Yahoo!, Bloomberg and CNN, said Sukawaty. … Read more
PageMart rebrands as WebLink Wireless, says e-pager is the ‘new world’
In an attempt to position paging devices and services as Internet appliances, as opposed to telephone appliances, PageMart Wireless Inc. said it will change its name to WebLink Wireless Inc., effective Dec. 1, and also introduced a new line of products and services called e-pager, available nationwide. “If we were just in the traditional paging business, the PageMart name would be fine,” said John Beletic, the company’s chairman and chief executive officer. “But we have three-fourths of our capital invested in something radically different, and PageMart is a poor descriptor of this new world.” While all one-way numeric pagers and service will continue to be marketed and sold under the PageMart brand, Beletic said all advanced messaging products and services will fall into the e-pager family. “The e-pager clearly positions itself in the consumers’ minds that this is different. This is Internet-based. It brings out a hidden attribute not associated with alphanumeric pagers.” In support of the e-pager debut, PageMart launched a new Web site-www.e-pager.com. … Read more
Check out the RCR Wireless News Archives for more stories from the past.
