International Wireless

The regional telephone companies, as well as AirTouch Communications Inc. and GTE Corp., have collectively invested more than $10 billion in international telecommunications ventures, according to a report issued by Decision Resources Inc. In 1996, the regional telephone companies together …

Geotek Communications Inc. announced its plans to restructure corporate assets and management structure to focus resources on its operations in the United States. Geotek said it has reached agreements to sell its European analog assets to Montreal-based Telesystem International Wireless …

PHILADELPHIA-Grupo Iusacell, Bell Atlantic Corp.’s communications venture in Mexico, plans to launch Mexico’s first Code Division Multiple Access network as part of a $200 million upgrade beginning in Mexico City early next year, said the company. Lucent Technologies Inc. will …

ArrayComm Inc. announced that G. John Gruen III will fill the newly created position of director of corporate development. Gruen will be responsible for building and enhancing strategic partnerships and corporatealliances as well as developing pre-initial public offering strategies and …

U S West Inc. said it plans to split U S West Media Group and U S West Communications Group into separate public companies with separate boards of directors sometime after mid-1998. The proposed split is an acknowledgement that U …

NEW YORK-Moody’s Investors Service assigned a low-tier speculative grade rating of Caa1 to Telesystem International Wireless Inc.’s planned issue of $167 million in 10-year senior discount notes paying 10.5 percent interest. Proceeds will be used to fund current operations and …

NEW YORK-Two months into Bell Atlantic Corp.’s completed acquisition of Nynex Corp., company executives told the investment community they expect greater savings and higher earnings growth than originally envisioned for the merged company. “Unlike dilutive mergers, this was an accretive …

PageMart Wireless Inc. announced its international paging network is now operational, as a result of recent agreements with telecom companies in Mexico, Panama and El Salvador. These agreements-added to those established in Canada, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the …

Tectonic Engineering Consultants P.C. named Robert E. Lister a supervising engineer, with responsibility for the structural design and analysis of buildings, infrastructure projects and wireless communication facilities. A licensed professional engineer, Lister most recently was responsible for the construction buildout …

WorldCom Inc. last week made an unsolicited offer to merge with MCI Communications Corp. in a deal that would eclipse British Telecommunications plc’s planned acquisition of MCI, which has been in the works for nearly a year. If approved, the …

Bad hair week for the Baby Bells and smut police. A near miss for wireless. The Justice Department last Wednesday recommended against Ameritech’s foray into the Michigan long-distance market. So Joel Klein really does want Sen. Hollings’ blessing after all. …

NEW YORK-Telesystem International Wireless Inc., Montreal, was expected to place privately last week a 10-year note issue of about $150 million to help finance its overseas ventures in cellular telephony, specialized mobile radio and paging. Part of the proceeds also …

Mobil Rom, a consortium led by France Telecom Group, launched Global System for Mobile communications digital cellular services in Romania. Called Dialog GSM, the service already is in high demand, according to foreign press. France Telecom owns a 51-percent stake …

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.-U S West Media Group said it began shifting its focus to cable networks during the first quarter, even as its domestic wireless subscriber base grew 38 percent. The company is selling its domestic cellular interests to AirTouch Communications …

Core performance helps Bell Atlantic with PrimeCo costs PHILADELPHIA-Bell Atlantic Corp.’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Raymond Smith, said during the first quarter the company was able to absorb start-up costs for its new ventures such as PrimeCo Personal Communications …

SAN FRANCISCO-MobiFon, the Romanian cellular venture of Telesystem International Wireless of Canada and AirTouch Communications Inc., launched commercial service less than five months after receiving a license. The network uses Global System for Mobile communications technology. Service is available in …

Small- and medium-sized dispatch radio operators gathering at the 21st annual International Wireless Communications Expo this week in Las Vegas will recognize each other as the fierce competitors they are by day. But many, whether they know it or not, …

APRIL 13-15 4th Annual Credit Risk Management Forum, by American Management Systems Inc. Loews Coronado Bay Resort, San Diego. (703) 267-5280. 14 Making Sense of the New Telecommunications Marketplace, by TeleStrategies Inc. Sheraton Crystal City Hotel, Washington, D.C. (703) 734-7050. …

APRIL 7-11 Infocom ’97, by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., Kobe, Japan. (714) 856-5474. 8-9 Wireless Interconnection ’97, by Bellcore. Hotel Royal Plaza, Orlando, Fla. (800) 832-2463. 8-9 A Practical Introduction to Wireless Data, by Data on …

Cellular offsets PCS costs for TDS CHICAGO-Telephone and Data Systems Inc. said strong cellular performance was offset by personal communications services development costs to produce a decline in net income for the fourth quarter 1996. Net income was $10.9 million, …

The Romanian Ministry of Communications awarded two 900 MHz Global System for Mobile communications licenses to the consortia of Mobil Rom, led by France Telecom International Mobiles, and to MobiFon, led by Montreal-based Telesystem International Wireless Services. AirTouch Communications Inc. …

NOVEMBER 4-6 Wireless Buildout 1996-MTAs 83, 85 and 77, by ShoreCliff Communications. Coeur d’Alene Resort, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. (714) 443-3735. 4-6 Mobile Business ’96, by Telecommunications Industry Association. Utrecht, The Netherlands. Call Gray Jessup at (703) 907-7736 or Mike Wallis …

Nextel Communications Inc. charted a new frontier in its acquisition strategy with plans to buy most of Wireless Ventures of Brazil Inc., owner of Brazil’s only nationwide specialized mobile radio license. Nextel of McLean, Va., said it reached definitive agreements …

Sixteen wireless operators have made the cut to be considered possible partners for Greece’s government telephone company. Watching the success of the country’s two private cellular providers, the government has awarded a third mobile license to its own landline entity, …

OCTOBER 28-29 Mergers & Acquisitions in Media and Communications, by Management Circle. The New York Helmsley, New York. (800) 338-3004. 28-29 New Paradigms in Telecommunications Research & Development: Rapidly Bringing New Telecom Products and Services to Market, by the Institute …