AT&T

WASHINGTON-The two trade associations representing the wireless industry last week joined other trade associations and the federal government in a major advertising campaign asking, “Are You Y2K OK?” The campaign’s objective is to reach small- and medium-sized companies that may …

NEW YORK-After a flurry of announced mergers and acquisitions earlier this year, amid booming stock and high-yield bond markets, the deal flow has slowed in tandem with deteriorating conditions in the public capital markets. Even if the appetite of investors …

Germany-based Mannesmann A.G. and Italy’s Olivetti last week announced they will launch a joint-venture company, Mannesmann euro.map, to provide cross-border voice and data services using already-existing infrastructure in individual European countries. The new company is set to launch in first-quarter …

LAS VEGAS-Microsoft Corp. announced last week at Wireless I.T. in Las Vegas plans to create a microbrowser designed specifically for handheld wireless devices to access Web content. According to Cameron Myhrvold, vice president of the company’s Internet consumer unit, this …

AT&T Corp.’s announced acquisition of Vanguard Cellular Systems Inc. has raised some questions as to what AT&T plans to do with Vanguard’s paging operations. Many analysts expect AT&T to sell off the business unit, just as it did its own …

Officials at MobileMedia Corp. said they will not postpone the Oct. 14 bankruptcy court hearing to review its disclosure statement, setting in motion the legal process necessary to complete its acquisition by Arch Communications Group Inc. and putting to rest …

ORLANDO, Fla.-“We here are circumscribed by a group that accepts and celebrates technology, but we are a very rare breed, a tribe that thinks it is uniquely important because our reality depends on it,” said James A. Taylor, chief marketing …

AT&T Corp. last week announced plans to buy Vanguard Cellular Systems Inc., ending months of speculation about who might acquire the independent cellular operator. Vanguard has been rumored widely to be an acquisition target, fueled by a decision it made …

Let the battle for the high-end mobile phone users begin. Sprint Spectrum L.P. late last week introduced three new all-inclusive national pricing plans that eliminate roaming and long-distance fees on its digital network nationwide. The plans charge $70 per month …

Motorola Cellular Service Inc. announced it achieved operational and marketing certification to become a North American service provider of Iridium L.L.C.’s satellite communications services. MCSI will offer Motorola Satellite Series phones and pagers with the full range of Iridium services. …

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-Metrocall Inc. announced its shareholders have approved the company’s acquisition of AT&T Wireless Inc.’s Advanced Messaging Division and set the stage for a series C convertible preferred stock offering needed to complete the deal. The series C preferred stock …

WASHINGTON-Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Commerce Committee, has added his voice to those who believe that wireless, specifically personal communications services, is a substitute for wireline. Indeed, McCain said, “Congress intended that PCS networks could satisfy the requirements …

The Personal Communications Industry Association hasn’t released the official number of those who attended PCS ’98 two weeks ago in Orlando, Fla. It wants to take its time to ensure that it releases the most accurate number possible. I would …

AT&T Corp. plans merge AT&T Wireless Services Inc. into the corporation by 1999, and appoint Dan Hesse, current AT&T Wireless president and CEO, head of the company’s customer-care units. “AT&T has actually been in an evolution of bringing wireless into …

SONY Sony Electronics’ Personal Mobile Communications-America announced the availability of a dual-mode 800 MHz analog/Code Division Multiple Access version of its D-Wave Zuma wireless handset. The lithium ion battery provides up to 2.3 hours of talk time or up to …

BELLSOUTH BellSouth Corp. appointed Nancy Humphries vice president of investor relations. For the past seven years, Humphries served as executive director of investor relations for BellSouth, responsible for communicating the company’s strategies, financial results and management philosophy to both institutional …

ORLANDO, Fla.-Carriers in the Asia-Pacific are beginning to re-evaluate their choice of digital technology, opening a new door for Interim Standard-136 Time Division Multiple Access in the region, said officials and members of the Universal Wireless Communications Consortium last week. …

As an industry, we are all too aware of the fundamental changes in our business. The days of high average revenue per minute of use, phenomenal subscriber growth numbers, low churn rates and duopoly markets are long gone. Industry transformation …

Competition is changing the customer satisfaction landscape in wireless markets, according to J.D. Power and Associates’ 1998 U.S. Wireless Customer Satisfaction Study. Carriers who previously led in customer satisfaction changed in 10 out of 18 markets, said the study. “With …

INTERDIGITAL Gerard Pepenella was hired by InterDigital Communications Corp. as vice president and general manager of broadband Code Division Multiple Access technology. He will collaborate with Gary Lomp, chief technology officer, on growth and enhancement of the company’s technology and …

CANADA Rogers Cantel Inc. said its prepaid offering will be sold by Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix under a new retail agreement between the companies. “Cantel AT&T Pay As You Go” will be available in 650 of Shoppers Drug Mart’s 850 stores …

MALVERN, Pa.-Triton PCS Inc. announced it reached a definitive agreement to purchase AT&T Wireless Services Inc.’s Norfolk, Va., personal communications services operations for an undisclosed amount. The Norfolk market will add 1.8 million pops to Triton’s subscriber base, bringing it …

Tellabs Inc. and Ciena Corp. last week each saw their stock hit new 52-week lows after announcing they had scrapped plans to merge after a spate of bad news for Ciena. Tellabs, which had been trading as high as $93.13 …

WASHINGTON-NAACP President Kweisi Mfume last week called for a boycott of two top wireless firms-AirTouch Communications Inc. and AllTel Corp.-for inadequate representation of African Americans in employment and contracting practices, a backlash becoming more pronounced as a result of affirmative-action …

CTIA Christopher Putala joined the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association as vice president for congressional affairs. Putala worked for nine years with the Senate Judiciary Committee on a wide variety of law-enforcement issues and served as Democratic staff director and chief …