WASHINGTON-Reps. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Bob Matsui (D-Calif.) last week unveiled legislation to repeal the 3 percent federal excise tax on wireless and wireline telephone calls.In the past, similar bills offered by telecom lawmakers have not fared well in Congress.But that could change. Matsui...
SAN FRANCISCO-Ensemble Communications Inc., a supplier of next-generation broadband wireless access equipment, has entered into a nonexclusive, worldwide marketing and distribution agreement with Digital Microwave Corp.Under terms of the agreement, Digital Microwave will place an initial purchase order for $5 million of Ensemble's Fiberless...
LISBON, Portugal-Portugal Telecom announced a bid to gain control of its Brazilian affiliate, Telesp Celular Participacoes S.A. TCP holds the A-band cellular license for the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil.Portugal Telecom said it would offer 30 Brazilian reais for every 1,000 TCP shares. The...
U.S. WirelessThe board of directors of U.S. Wireless Corp. announced the appointment of Dale Stone as president, chief operating officer and member of the board of directors. Stone is the former president of Qualcomm Inc.'s infrastructure division.TellabsRichard Notebaert, retired chairman and chief executive officer...
ORLANDO, Fla.-Cendant Internet Group and the Real Estate Division of Cendant Corp. reported that move.com, the company's home-related services portal, and CellularPhones.com Inc. signed a comprehensive agreement designating CellularPhones.com as the exclusive online cellular phone and service provider for move.com.Under the two-year agreement, move.com...
SANTA ANA, Calif.-Microsemi Corp. reported that application of its patented Powermite 3 surface mount packaging has created a new power conditioning device that can reduce the size and increase the efficiency of battery charging circuits in next-generation mobile phones.According to Angelo Santamaria, vice president...
GENEVA-A 26-member Reform Advisory Panel, comprised of ministers and other senior government officials, industry heads, regulators and operators, met in Geneva to agree on key principles that should guide the reform of the International Telecommunication Union.The panel made broad recommendations for changes ranging from...
FAIRFAX, Va.-Fixed wireless is the best method for providing last-mile broadband while fiber is best for long haul, an executive of a fixed-wireless company told the Global Internet Summit last week."WinStar's conviction is that fixed wireless is the most cost effective to provide last-mile...
BLUE BELL, Pa.-PhoneFish. com, a provider of wireless Internet solutions, introduced PhoneFish, a wireless Internet e-mail service specifically designed for Web-enabled phones.With the PhoneFish service, people can access their existing Internet service provider e-mail account via the built-in browser on wireless Web phones without...
Unified Communication Services ConferenceMarch 20-22International Business Communications Inc. Orlando, Fla. (508) 481-6400.Trillium's IP Telephony and 3G Wireless Technical SeminarMarch 22Trillium Digital Systems Inc. Santa Clara, Calif. (310) 442-9222 ext. 1104.The 24th International Wireless Communications ExpoMarch 22-24Primedia Co. Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas. (800)...
Star One AG, a Germany-based wireless broadband telecommunications company, received $72 million in its second round of funding from investors headed by Incepta International. Star One was awarded 158 license areas to build and operate a point-to-multipoint broadband wireless network in Germany, with plans...
NEW YORK-GTE Corp. is hopeful the Federal Communications Commission will approve its merger with Bell Atlantic Corp. before the 700 MHz spectrum auctions in May so the combined company can focus undivided attention on the bidding."The 700 MHz auction is something being very intensively...
SYDNEY, Australia-Hutchison Telecommunications (Australia) Ltd. joined three Australian mobile phone incumbents in securing spectrum in the 1800 MHz band. Proceeds of the spectrum auction totaled more than $809.5 million for the Australian government, with One.Tel Ltd., Telstra Corp. and Vodafone AirTouch plc also receiving...
WASHINGTON-The wireless industry has won several key court cases involving antenna siting, liability and health protection, but litigation is expected to continue well into the future as pagers and mobile phones further penetrate the consumer market.That some federal courts have sided with carriers recently...
DALLAS-Preferred Voice Inc. and Carolina West Wireless announced a 10-year revenue-sharing agreement calling for Preferred Voice to install its Voice Integrated Platform System in the network control center of Carolina West, with Carolina West offering "Safety Talk" hands-free speech recognition voice dialing services to...
DALLAS-Preferred Voice Inc. will install its Voice Integrated Platform System in the network control center of CellularOne North East Arizona, allowing CellularOne to offer "Safety Talk" hands-free dialing services to its cellular subscribers."We believe all cellular carriers will have to provide voice-activated dialing to...
DENVER-The government of Norway awarded broadband wireless access licenses to Formus Communications Inc. and Broadnet.Formus said it plans to invest about $23.7 million in its Norway network, which will offer broadband radio services to 24 Norwegian communities."We are optimistic this license will lead to...
SAN DIEGO-Wireless Facilities Inc. and L.M. Ericsson announced a multi-year, strategic outsourcing agreement to deliver a complete suite of network management services to wireless operators and service providers in the U.S. market.According to the agreement, WFI will obtain and operate the resources of Ericsson's...
PROVO, Utah-Big Planet Inc. unveiled a private-label, voice-and Web-enabled wireless phone offering called Big Planet Wireless, to be available in major U.S. markets via Sprint PCS' nationwide digital network."Big Planet representatives will be paid a commission on the airtime usage of each individual customer,...
NEW YORK-Zagat Survey said it will extend the restaurant and hotel guide information existing at its Zagat.com Web site to wireless devices through a wireless interface developed by Wireless Knowledge L.L.C.
HOUSTON-Crown Castle International Corp. announced the quarterly dividend on its 12.75-percent senior exchangeable preferred stock will be paid on March 15 to shareholders of record on March 1.The company noted that the dividend will be paid in shares of the preferred stock at a...
The Feb. 28 article, "Angelos, Carlo join to head research program," should have stated that AT&T Corp. holds a 19.9 percent stake in Metrocall Inc.In addition, due to incorrect information provided by the Food and Drug Administration, RCR reported that FDA recommendations for additional...
The United States and European Union negotiated a compromise on data privacy that could pave the way for a final deal this summer. An agreement on data privacy is key to future transatlantic business, including that involving wireless telecom trade.Scott Cleland, a telecom analyst...
WESTBOROUGH, Mass.-Arch Communications Group Inc. announced it will create a new, customizable Web portal through an agreement with MyWay.com.The co-branded site is expected to launch in the second quarter. It will allow customers to personalize the Internet-based content sent to their devices, as well...
