AT&T

NEW YORK-With up to seven competitors in some large markets, price wars have begun that are not sustainable as a long-term business case for carriers, telecommunications executives said last week at the “Kagan Wireless Telecom Summit.” “Verizon missed its additions …

MONTREAL-Airborne Entertainment and AT&T Wireless launched PocketBoxOffice via AT&T’s PocketNet wireless Internet service. The new service delivers short bursts of original content designed specifically for wireless devices, including The Funniest and CraniumCrank, Dear Abby, Fashion Wire Daily and News of …

LONDON-Vodafone Group plc has agreed to pay $6.9 billion total for British Telecommunications plc’s interests in Japan and Spain. The sale includes BT’s 20-percent stake in Japan Telecom and its 20-percent stake in J-Phone Communications, JT’s mobile subsidiary, making Vodafone …

The role Thomas F. Carter played in the birth of modern telecommunications has been largely overlooked.”He had a huge impact on the telecommunications industry-way beyond what I think people give him credit for,” said George Benson, chairman and chief executive …

While many people make a name for themselves by inventing technology that somehow changes the world, James A. Dwyer Jr.’s contribution to the wireless communications industry during the past 40 years is a little more subtle. Instead of earth-shattering technology, …

TOKYO-Vodafone Group, the largest mobile carrier in the world, announced in May it will acquire British Telecommunications’ (BT) entire stake in Japan Telecom Group (JT) for 652.3 billion yen (US$5.4 billion). Following the deal, Vodafone Group will hold a 45-percent …

NEW DELHI, India-The Asia-Pacific region is witnessing a rapid growth of short message service (SMS), which is not only beginning to contribute significantly to operators’ revenues, but is also setting the stage for future mobile data services. The Philippines continues …

WASHINGTON, D.C.-The Wireless Communications Association has elected seven new members to its board of directors. They are: Jai P. Bhagat, chairman and chief executive officer of Air2Lan Inc; David B. Gibbons, vice president and chief architect of fixed wireless at …

For faltering fixed wireless carriers, April proved every bit as cruel as T.S. Eliot decried in The Waste Land. Eliot, it turns out, was as much a prophet as he was a poet. Local telecom competition is quickly becoming a …

The future of third-generation networks took a hit last week following NTT DoCoMo’s announcement that it was suspending the introduction of its highly touted 3G network in Japan from May until October. Japan’s largest wireless operator, which many in the …

A number of wireless carriers released surprising first-quarter financial results last week showing stronger than expected customer additions despite continued uncertainty in the U.S. economy. “In fact, based on the results in so far, net additions are tracking 5-percent below …

Shunichiro Mishima, vice president of business development for NTT DoCoMo USA Inc., said the Japanese parent company would convert its 16-percent ownership of AT&T Wireless Group into tracking stock of the AT&T unit once those securities are sold publicly. In …

WASHINGTON-The nation’s growing driver-distraction problem has taken on new urgency as a result of a deadly traffic accident in Las Vegas allegedly caused by woman speeding and talking on her mobile phone when her Toyota Landcruiser plowed into another car, …

Wideband CDMA and cdma2000 are not only migrating to the future, but also to the battleground. Both technologies will hoist their banners as they deploy their strengths and shield their weaknesses, especially in the two main places where they hope …

NEW YORK-Rogers Wireless Inc., Toronto, has raised $400 million through a 10-year issue of senior secured notes, which it will use to finance the costs it anticipates through 2003 for construction of a new third-generation network. Formerly known as Rogers …

WASHINGTON-Congress, watching dazzling new technological and marketing advances driven by the Internet and its uncertain migration to wireless devices, has been dragged into high-stakes controversy over whether business methods patents are stifling innovation in the New Economy. The nasty and …

As the apparent economic slowdown continues to shake up Wall Street and dislodge stocks, many in the wireless industry are holding their breath to see whether the situation is grave enough to cause consumers not to jump on-or jump off …

NEW YORK-AT&T Corp said it will issue 1.176 shares of AT&T Wireless Group tracking stock in exchange for each share of AT&T common stock tendered and not withdrawn, representing a 7-percent premium on AT&T common stock. According to the exchange …

NEW YORK-Not surprisingly, the number and size of mergers and acquisitions for which a dollar value was made public declined markedly in all industries when compared to the same period a year ago, Los Angeles-based Mergerstat reported. Announced transactions involving …

Players throughout the wireless industry are waiting for the Federal Communication Commission to determine the fate of the current spectrum-cap rules. If the caps are kept in place-an idea favored by most of the small wireless operators-the wireless industry landscape …

The federal government recently has been looking at freeing up spectrum in the 1710-1850 MHz band, currently being used by the Department of Defense, and the 2500-2690 MHz band, which is occupied by a variety of tenants including religious, educational …

The big names walked into the building just as Elvis decided to leave. In spite of recent gloomy economic signals, Sony Electronics Inc., Panasonic Telecommunications Systems Co., Cisco Systems Inc. and Siemens AG believe they can leverage their resources and …

WASHINGTON-A public-safety initiative to bring all those involved in enhanced 911 implementation together got off to a rocky start last week when many of the largest carriers said they had either not been invited or were unaware of a press …

WASHINGTON-The law firm of Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos, which earlier this year took control of an $800 million mobile phone-brain cancer lawsuit, has joined forces with attorneys in a New Orleans class-action case against the wireless industry seeking to …

NEW YORK-As it gears up to export i-mode to the United States as part of its alliance with AT&T Wireless Services Inc., NTT DoCoMo recently has established an American subsidiary and offices on the East and West coasts. The Japanese …