Mobile Phones

ATLANTA-BellSouth Cellular Corp. and wireless-location company SigmaOne Communications Corp. announced an agreement calling for BellSouth to conduct a market trial of SigmaOne’s Sigma 5000 Advanced Mobile Phone Service/Time Division Multiple Access network-based location system. SigmaOne’s location technology combines time difference …

WASHINGTON-The Food and Drug Administration-which recently agreed with the cellular industry to replicate two studies by Wireless Technology Research L.L.C. that showed positive findings-may have rejected cooperating with industry on research when mobile-phone cancer allegations first surfaced in 1993 because …

WASHINGTON-In a major setback to Bell Atlantic Mobile and AT&T Wireless Services Inc., the Virginia Supreme Court ruled wireless carriers must have local approval to erect towers on state-owned property. The decision complicates a 1997 agreement by the Virginia Department …

WASHINGTON-The Clinton administration, bowing to industry pressure here and across the Atlantic, last week signaled for the first time a willingness to consider supporting global harmonization of third-generation mobile spectrum at next year’s World Radiocommunication Conference in Turkey. “We’ve started …

United Kingdom British Telecommunications plc is close to a deal with Viag, the German utility, that would give it access to the Austrian telecom market and more control in Switzerland, the Financial Times reported. BT will take a 50-percent stake …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-L.M. Ericsson announced it received orders from three European mobile operators for its GSM Pro system. GSM Pro enables mobile phones to operate like two-way radios, adding group communications functions to Global System for Mobile communications technology. Switzerland’s Swisscom, …

The House, over protests from the White House and some congressional Democrats, last week approved legislation to make electronic signatures legal. The measure, which passed by a 356-66 margin, comes as more and more commerce moves to the Internet, which …

NEW YORK-The astounding success of NTT DoCoMo’s mobile Internet access service is a resounding note of affirmation to proponents of wireless Web services, said Crispin K. Vicars at the Yankee Group’s conference Nov. 8. By the end of September, DoCoMo’s …

NORMAN, Okla.-The Center for the Study of Wireless Electromagnetic Compatibility said it will conduct research to determine whether mobile phones can interfere with aircraft navigation systems or ignite gasoline fumes at gas pumps. “To date, there are not confirmed reports …

The concept of a trade show devoted to wireless data applications, like Wireless I.T., is as marvelous as it is timely. The show no doubt is destined for greatness. Internet and wireless technologies-separately and converged-are the hottest things going these …

NEW YORK-Landline replacement, the Holy Grail of wireless telephony, received a boost from an array of forces unleashed simultaneously into the communications environment. This is not a high-stakes game of winner takes all, however. Telecommunications providers are learning more about …

WASHINGTON-As the Clinton administration scrambles to strike a deal on China membership in the World Trade Organization before the start of a global trade conference later this month in Seattle, it appears that major telecom concessions made here in April …

WASHINGTON-When it comes to spending money to open doors and change hearts and minds in official Washington, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association is King of the Hill. As a wireless trade association, CTIA is without peer-a lobbying juggernaut. Money appears …

The first satellite for the Asia Cellular Satellite (ACeS) mobile telephony and data services communication system is scheduled to be launched in November from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, according to the satellite’s manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The ACeS System is …

The Chinese government announced it will enforce regulations announced last year requiring all foreign-manufactured mobile phones and other telecommunications equipment to carry a government-issued seal indicating authenticity. The government said the move will help it reduce smuggled goods from entering …

BEIJING-Tough times lie ahead for equipment suppliers and operators with the establishment of China Mobile expected to slow equipment purchases and with China Unicom still struggling to end its China-China-Foreign contracts and feverishly trying to secure alternative financing. With China …

A U.S. investigative news television program caused a mild stir in the wireless industry after airing a report in October on the possible link between cellular phones and health problems. It was the first major U.S. media report on the …

Greece Panafon and France Telecom announced recently they are holding discussions regarding a possible offering or an issue of an exchangeable bond by France Telecom of all or part of its remaining 20-percent equity stake in Panafon. France Telecom sold …

DUBLIN, Ireland-In any international cellular tender, carriers must determine whether the price paid represents true value for the money or a sizable gamble. On the other side of the coin, wireless license fees can be the equivalent of a gift …

The GSM Association and the Universal Wireless Communications Consortium (UWCC) announced they signed a memorandum of understanding to work toward worldwide interoperability between GSM and TDMA technologies. The nearly 490 GSM and TDMA carriers currently have 290 million subscribers worldwide. …

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina-Following guidelines laid out during the PCS auctions in Argentina, mobile phone operator Miniphone ended operations on 1 October. Its 800,000 customers were divided between operators Unif

Finland. Sonera began offering High Speed Circuit Switched Data services to its data customers 6 September, but without available handsets. Sonera said it wanted to be ready when handsets are available later this year. France. At Telecom ’99 in Geneva, …

In the debate over whether radio-frequency emissions from handsets cause adverse human health effects, the wireless telecommunications industry should borrow a page from the energy industry. Recently, the Wall Street Journal ran a package of stories on corporate response to …

WASHINGTON-Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.), ranking minority member of the Governmental Affairs Committee, called for a congressional investigation into whether mobile phones pose a health risk to the nation’s 80 million subscribers. “In the last five years, the numbers of Americans …

WASHINGTON-House Republicans last week signaled their intention to pursue Federal Communications Commission reform sooner and in a more drastic fashion than envisioned by FCC Chairman William Kennard. “Five years is simply too long,” said House telecommunications subcommittee Chairman Billy Tauzin …