AT&T

NEW YORK-After more than two years of effort, standards for interoperability of smart cards for U.S.-based personal communications services received approval May 30. “It represents a breakthrough. This is one step forward in the same direction of a universal phone …

AT&T Wireless Services Inc.’s plan for a digital personal communications services nationwide network has finally kicked off. After receiving its long-awaited shipment of dual-band, dual-mode handsets from Ericsson Inc. last month, AT&T began offering its Digital PCS service at 1900 …

Aerial Communications Inc. launched personal communications services June 2 in Kansas City and Pittsburgh-the latest of five markets the PCS provider has rolled out in the last 11 weeks. Aerial’s initial coverage of the Kansas City area encompasses nearly 70 …

WASHINGTON-A merger between long-distance giant AT&T Corp. and local telco stalwart SBC Communications Inc. would raise wireless competition questions and face legal and regulatory hurdles that could prove insurmountable, according to antitrust policy experts. At $50 billion, an AT&T-SBC marriage …

Telemac appointed Peter McCracken chief executive officer, with responsibility for overseeing the development of innovative software technology and formulating strategic alliances with wireless industry leaders. Previously, McCracken was president and CEO of VentureLine Database Corp., an Internet/intranet database company he …

Noise/Com Inc. introduced its BS-800 Dual Interference Signal Generators to aid in interference testing of Code Division Multiple Access and Time Division Multiple Access base stations. The products include two synthesized CW signal generators and all necessary radio-frequency components including …

Six months ago, personal communications services came to New York with the promise of revolutionizing the cellular market. But the new digital wireless service has had a rough struggle here. The first entrant, Omnipoint Communications Inc., signed up a mere …

NEW YORK-Barely finished with its acquisition of Pacific Telesis Group, SBC Communications Corp. is widely rumored to be exploring merger possibilities with AT&T Corp. Ruthlyn Newell, a spokesman for AT&T, headquartered in New York, declined to comment, citing company policy …

My husband and I were vacationing in Mexico when a newspaper peddler cried out for us to read all about O.J. Simpson accused in the brutal murder of his ex-wife. I marveled to myself at how Mexican tabloids must be …

Coherent Communications Systems Corp. announced its chief financial officer, Michael Gendron, has left the company to pursue other interests. Gendron’s responsibilities will be assumed by Joan Cominski, corporate controller, while the company searches for a new CFO. Cellexis International Inc. …

Groups led by AT&T Corp. and Telia of Sweden are among those that recently purchased bidding packages from the Argentine government, which plans to award two 1900 MHz personal communications services licenses this fall. Interested companies must present initial offers, …

A class action lawsuit charging Los Angeles cellular carriers with price fixing is set to go to trial July 7 in Orange County Superior Court, nearly four years after it was filed. Arthur Garabedian, who sells cellular phones and service …

WASHINGTON-In a January 1993 article, a year-and-a-half before joining the Federal Communications Commission, then-attorney Rachelle Chong laid out what has turned out to be a model defense of cellular phone-cancer lawsuits. Chong, in a paper titled “Zap, Crackle, Pop” delivered …

WASHINGTON-Two House lawmakers introduced legislation last week to stem the tide of high-tech class action securities lawsuits that have migrated from federal courts to state courts in the aftermath of congressional efforts two years ago to curb such litigation at …

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.,-Kenan Systems Corp. has introduced Arbor/OM, the first UNIX-based order entry and management system designed to support service providers in the converging communications industries worldwide, including wireline and wireless telephony, Internet and electronic commerce and cable TV. Kenan supplies …

AT&T Wireless Services Inc. only now is receiving the dual-band handsets necessary to make its vision of a Digital PCS nationwide network a reality. “Things will start happening pretty quickly,” said AT&T Wireless spokesman Ken Woo. AT&T has not launched …

This week Southwestern Bell telephone company will be the first company to launch a Time Division Multiple Access network at 1900 MHz when it turns on service in Tulsa, Okla. The nation’s other TDMA proponent, AT&T Wireless Services Inc., has …

Editor’s Note: The cities listed here represent the 20 largest cellular markets in the United States. Ranking is based on the total number of subscribers in each metropolitan statistical area. Most carriers are unwilling to reveal subscriber numbers because of …

TORONTO-Rogers Cantel Inc. has become the first Canadian company to offer digital personal communications services coast-to-coast across Canada. With this rollout, the enhanced suite of services that are part of Cantel AT&T Digital PCS are available in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, …

DENVER-Wireless carriers in Denver now are required to take proactive steps with the community if they want their towers and antennas placed in certain areas of the city. The Denver City Council approved last week a new zoning ordinance that …

PORTLAND, Ore.-Metro One Telecommunications Inc., an enhanced directory assistance provider to the wireless telecommunications industry, signed an agreement with AT&T Wireless Services Inc., allowing the carrier to offer Metro One services in certain regions. “We are very pleased to expand …

WASHINGTON-Overarching economic, trade and political policies evolving in the United States and abroad are likely to eclipse telecommunications policy as the key drivers of wireless commerce in the next century. The trend toward telecommunications deregulation around the world is making …

Canada’s Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission opened the market for local phone service last week, which has wireless players ecstatic. The CRTC has “issued a strong endorsement of the role wireless carriers will play” in the local market, said Microcell Telecommunications …

Since the narrowband personal communications services licenses were awarded nearly two-and-a-half years ago, many companies have pushed ahead with plans to offer commercial service. Yet others seem to be creeping slowly, biding their time by determining market position or waiting …

AT&T Wireless Services Inc. President Steve Hooper and Vice Chairman Wayne Perry resigned last week, but the duo will remain kissing cousins with the old regime through a new venture into the local exchange business. Hooper and Perry will lead …