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FIRM PLANS TO AID PCS HOPEFULS IN BIDDING, BUILDING, BRANDING

Positioning itself for the impending rush on broadband personal communications services licenses, The PCS Group, a Minneapolis-based consulting firm, has formed to offer one-stop assistance to entrepreneurs in this emerging wireless industry segment.The PCS Group President Brian Friedman said, "To succeed in PCS will...

FIRM USES A `COOL’ TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE CLEARER BASE STATIONS

Illinois Superconductor Corp. said it has introduced an interference filter for cellular base station receivers that uses superconductor technology, enabling the base station to hear weaker signals more clearly.Superconductivity involves cooling certain metals and alloys to a very low temperature so electrical currents can...

NORTHERN TELECOM SIGNS TO DELIVER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OMNIPOINT’S NETWORK

DALLAS-Omnipoint Corp. announced it has signed a five-year, $100 million agreement with Northern Telecom for a public, digital personal communications services network to serve the New York major trading area.Northern Telecom will supply the PCS network based on Omnipoint's PCS2000 spread spectrum radio frequency...

BELLCOS FORM UNIBRIDGE VENTURE TO OFFER SERVICE TO PCS CARRIERS

Six regional Bell telephone companies have signed a joint marketing agreement to offer their individual network services and products to new personal communications services providers.Ameritech, Bell Atlantic Corp., BellSouth Telecommunications, Nynex Corp., Pacific Bell and U S West Communications have joined together to offer...

QUALCOMM INTRODUCES HANDSET, SOFTWARE FOR PCS MARKETPLACE

Gearing up for upcoming personal communications services auctions, Qualcomm Inc. has introduced several products based on its Code Division Multiple Access digital technology, including the company's first portable phone for the PCS market.Qualcomm's eight ounce QCP-1900 transmits radio frequency power at extremely low levels,...

MOTOROLA’S TELEDENSITY PRODUCT CAN REPLACE WIRELINE TELEPHONE

Motorola Inc.'s Personal Communications Systems formally introduced its Teledensity product, a wireless system designed for local loop and personal communications services applications, at the recent Personal Communications Industry Association Showcase in Seattle.Earlier in September, Motorola announced its first customer for Teledensity would be Southwestern...

ARCH BEGINS NATIONWIDE PAGING WITHOUT BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE

Arch Nationwide Paging says it has built a nationwide paging network without constructing one.Last fall, Arch announced its intention to offer paging service in every major U.S. city by using other carriers' existing infrastructure and the company's proprietary software. The company says it has...

DATA OVER CELLULAR BRINGS ABOUT A NEW TELECOMMUNICATIONS ERA

As a product, cellular voice has been a spectacular exception to the current slow growth rate for most industries. In fact, some experts claim that cellular's coming of age is unparalleled in consumer electronics."I think it's terribly significant that this industry has gone out...

VIEWPOINT

The Federal Communications Commission is experiencing a metamorphosis: Established as a custodian of the public airwaves in the interest of the public, it has become a cash cow for the U.S. treasury.The FCC is on the brink of going auction mad, with seemingly little regard...

MCCAW’S MESSAGING DIVISIONS TO USE AT&T NAME BY YEAR-END

AT&T Corp.'s $11.5 billion acquisition of McCaw Cellular Communications Inc. is part of a grand plan to package wireless and wireline products and services under what is perhaps the most recognized brand name in telecommunications-AT&T."My confidence in this merger is bolstered by the fact...

GERMAN OPERATOR TO OFFER NATIONWIDE DATA NETWORK BEGINNING IN JULY 1995

STOCKHOLM-An international consortium involving Ram Mobile Data Network GmbH, a German subsidiary of BellSouth Corp., said it has chosen Mobitex technology for its mobile data network in Germany.Gessellschaft fur Datenfunk GmbH, a German consortium, was awarded a license in May from the German Bundesposte...

CALIFORNIA MICROWAVE HAS RECORD NET INCOME YEAR

SUNNYVALE, Calif.-California Microwave Inc. reported a 50 percent increase in net income for fiscal year 1994, ended June 30 for a record $15.1 million, or $1.20 per share.Fiscal 1994 results include eight months of operating results for California Microwave-Telecom Transmission Systems, which the company...

INFOMOBILE PAGING CONSORTIUM BEGINS ERMES SERVICE IN PARIS

Preliminary service for the first commercial paging system based on the European Radio Messaging System standard has begun in Paris, according to AirTouch Communications.Infomobile, a joint venture 18.5 percent owned by Walnut Creek, Calif.-based AirTouch, has launched its ERMES operations in the Paris region....

CALENDAR

OCTOBER3-5 Power '94, by BIS Strategic Decisions. The Westin Hotel, Santa Clara, Calif. For information call (800) 874-9980.4-5 Wholesale PCS: Less Capital for Small Business and Small Business PCS Association Annual Meeting, by the Small Business PCS Association. Hyatt Arlington, Arlington, Va. For information call...

IRIDIUM FINISHES EQUITY FUNDING WITH $310M FROM NEW BUSINESS

With three new investors injecting a fresh $310 million into its low-earth-orbiting satellite project, Iridium Inc. said it has completed its planned equity financing.That means the Motorola Inc.-led international group now can make debt financing arrangements to fund the remainder of its commitments.Iridium seeks...

FCC IS HURTING PRIVATE INDUSTRY BY BECOMING A FUNDING SOURCE

ussell H. Fox, Esq. My intent, in writing an article in RCR, was to analyze the Federal Communications Commission's decision in the Docket No. 93-252 proceeding, which addresses the new rules governing commercial mobile radio service providers.The new rules, designed to achieve "regulatory parity"...

CARRIERS REPORTING LOWER CHURN, BUT INDUSTRY ANALYSTS DISAGREE

Accurate cellular subscriber churn rates continue to be elusive for most people to obtain except those really "in the know" at cellular service companies, which makes it difficult for analysts and consultants to confirm carrier reports that their churn rates are decreasing.BellSouth Cellular Corp....

WIRETAP BILL GETS SUPPORT

House and Senate Judiciary committees late last week approved digital wiretap legislation, improving chances for passing a bill before the 103rd Congress adjourns for the year.Meanwhile, House Budget Committee members blasted the Clinton administration's new formula for determining how much three pioneer preference winners...

ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER HELPS TO KEEP CUSTOMERS `ON THE AIR’

NORTHBROOK, Ill.-It's no secret that people don't like paying bills, so the mobile communications industry is taking part in a nationwide trend that aims to help retain customers by using electronic funds transfer.Some cellular and paging operators are testing programs that let customers pay...

NEW 500 AREA CODE MAY BOOST DEMAND FOR 1-NUMBER SERVICES

Demand for one-number services may become even greater now that the non-geographic 500 area code is available, according to Accessline Technologies Inc., a company in the one-number ball game."The whole idea of having a personal phone number has become very popular. Now, with the...

PAGING COMPANIES TEAM FOR CROSS-BORDER SERVICE

HARTFORD, Conn.-Message Center USA is teaming with Continental Paging Corp. of Canada to offer an integrated North American paging service between Canada and the United States on their common 900 MHz paging channel.The Canadian Connection service will employ a combined total of 735 satellite-controlled...

STOCKHOLDERS CLAIM GTE’S OFFER FOR CONTEL CELLULAR STOCK IS LOW

The price GTE Corp. is offering for publicly held Contel Cellular Inc. shares was set arbitrarily, does not take into account that the company's profits are expected to increase and places an artificial lid on the market price for the stock, enabling GTE to...

PCIA SHOW HIGHLIGHTS GROWTH, OBSTACLES OF WIRELESS INDUSTRY

SEATTLE-The Personal Communications Industry Association's annual meeting started here last Wednesday with a bang but ended with a bust.About 7,000 people attended the three-day Personal Communications Showcase, more than double the attendance of last year's event. Exhibit and hotel space sold out early. About...

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Horizon Cellular Group has acquired the Georgia 2 rural service area in northeast Georgia from Southern Cellular Inc. This addition brings Horizon's total population equivalents up to approximately 2.9 million in 14 markets. It expands Horizon's presence around Atlanta to 460,000 pops.USA Mobile Communications...