TDMA proponents countered rival CDMA in wooing analog converts, while the FCC scaled back 2.3 GHz spectrum auction plans … 20 years ago this week.
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 the sepia-tinted shades, set the date for #TBT and enjoy the memories!
‘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
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
BellSouth to offer common stock directly to would-be buyers
Potential investors in BellSouth Corp. may soon be able to buy its common stock directly from the company under a new plan the Atlanta-based telecommunications company announced Feb. 18. BellSouth, a $19 billion communications giant, said the “plain English” prospectus it has developed is a first for a corporation of its size. The company has submitted its proposed offering statement to the Securities and Exchange Commission for consideration under a pilot program of the SEC. … 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
U.S. Robotics in lawsuit over modem standard
Motorola Inc. has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Robotics Inc. in a Boston federal court, alleging infringement of patents pertaining to advanced, high-speed data modem technology. The companies said they have been negotiating the issue for months, but were unable to reach an agreement. U.S. Robotics said “Motorola continued to demand more than reasonable compensation for its alleged intellectual property.” U.S. Robotics said it intends to vigorously defend its patent claim. … Read More
4 LEO carriers to garner 80% of business
Several low-earth-orbit satellite systems will have initial launches this year, marking the beginning of services that a Washington, D.C., consulting firm says “will fill the gaps other wireless systems don’t cover.” Big LEOs and medium earth orbit systems will not only be viable but will thrive in the evolving personal communications services marketplace, according to a new study by C.A. Ingley & Co. The study focuses on the big four satellite communications companies-Iridium Inc., Globalstar L.P., TRW’s Odyssey and ICO Global Communications. The services initially will transmit voice and data. … 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
Negotiators near free trade agreement despite controversies
Negotiators in Geneva appeared poised to reach a free trade agreement on telecommunications services by Saturday’s midnight deadline, despite infighting in Congress and indications that several countries remained unwilling to open their markets completely. The United States, which pulled out of telecom free trade talks last April because of frustration over the lack of market-opening proposals by other nations, appeared to be in position to make or break the global trade accord. About 130 nations from the World Trade Organization met last week hoping to reach an unprecedented deal. … 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 home front. 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
Phone use scrutinized due to accident link
A new study from the University of Toronto released last week concludes drivers face a four-fold increase in risk of having an injury-producing accident when using a cellular telephone. Researchers Dr. Donald Redelmeier and Dr. Robert Tibshirani studied 699 drivers who had cellular phones and who had been involved in traffic accidents, analyzing 26,798 cases in all. “Our study found a four-fold increase in the risk of a collision during the brief interval of time that an individual was using their cellular telephone,” Redelmeier said. … Read More
Check out RCR Wireless News’ Archives for more stories from the past.
