Mobile Phones

WASHINGTON-In a surprisingly candid admission, the head of the cellular industry’s cancer research project said he will leave the six-year, $28 million program in mid-1999 without conducting either short-term or long-term animal exposure studies. Last week’s revelation, which Wireless Technology …

COLUMBIA, Md.-Tecore Inc. has developed a scalable mobile switching center that it says will allow personal communications services license holders to implement a variety of advanced features without purchasing additional switches and systems. The MSC includes such features as pre-paid …

Beating other U.S. personal communications services carriers to the punch, Western Wireless Corp. announced Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecommunications Ltd.’s intention to invest about $248 million in its Global System for Mobile communications PCS business. HTL, a subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa …

WASHINGTON-National Telecommunications and Information Administration head Larry Irving called the first U.S.-China telecommunications summit “a resounding success,” an appraisal that belies the Clinton administration’s growing frustration with Chinese trade barriers and one that could reinforce the view that high-tech commerce …

PanaVise Products Inc. introduced a combination mounting kit designed to keep cellular phones secure while driving, but quickly release the phone for easy removal from the vehicle. The PortaGrip 2000 cellular phone holder can be used alone to prevent a …

CUPERTINO, Calif.-DSP Communications Inc. said it delivered Code Division Multiple Access baseband processor samples to original equipment manufacturer customers for use in subscriber handsets. At the same time, DSPC and NEC America Inc. announced joint development efforts for Interim Standard …

L.M. Ericsson signed three contracts valued at $223 million to expand Global System for Mobile communications and Total Access Communications System mobile networks in China. The first contract, signed with the Guangxi Posts and Telecommunications Administration of Guangxi Province, includes …

NEW YORK-Established and new entrants to the wireless handset manufacturing sector are sitting pretty on the crest of a wave of growing worldwide demand, said participants in the NatWest Securities Corp. “Global Mobile Handset Conference.” Handset sales could reach 250 …

WASHINGTON-The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association announced Philips Consumer Communications’ Trapeze Global System for Mobile communications 1900 MHz wireless mobile phone has been certified by the association. Philips’ Trapeze, model TCD-718, was granted CTIA certification based on its successful compliance with …

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill.-Motorola Inc.’s Cellular Infrastructure Group was awarded a contract to expand the Code Division Multiple Access cellular network in Peru, the company said. Valued by Motorola at $350 million, the contract with Peruvian operator Telefonica del Peru will …

With cellular, personal communications services and enhanced specialized mobile radio providers vying for an estimated 14 million new customers in 1997, the wireless industry is expected to end this year with more than 58 million subscribers-a 32 percent annual gain, …

More than two years after offering iDEN technology to other manufacturers willing to license it, Motorola Inc. still hasn’t found any takers, despite the growing success of iDEN-user Nextel Communications Inc. “There’s a lot of interest in the technology,” insisted …

WASHINGTON-The House Judiciary Committee last week approved a bill to crack down on radio scanner interception of wireless communications and mobile phone identification numbers. The panel passed the Wireless Telephone Protection Act on a voice vote, without any amendments.

WASHINGTON-Wireless resellers have interconnection rights that have been ignored by carriers and federal regulators said an industry coalition, including surprise MCI Communications Corp. suitor WorldCom Inc., in a brief filed in federal appeals court. The Federal Communications Commission “has inexplicably …

Lai treated poorly in cancer article Dear Editor: I must say I am very concerned with your article entitled “Scientist faults claim on cell phones and memory loss.” I understand you spoke to Henry Lai last week and you never …

MARLBORO, Mass.-Australian telecommunications provider Total Tel Ltd., in conjunction with Network Vodafone, launched Australia’s first prepaid mobile phone service, announced Total Tel. Designated to attract a previously neglected market segment, Total Tel PrePaid Mobile is accomplished using a continuously available …

MILAN-Omnitel Pronto Italia, a private Global System for Mobile communications operator in Italy, introduced a rechargeable GSM Subscriber Identity Module card that will allow users to make international calls from Italy and in foreign countries, and does not have a …

WASHINGTON-Having failed to secure antenna siting moratoria relief from Congress, the wireless telecom industry now faces the bitter prospect of legislation to limit federal intrusion into local zoning matters along with an unwanted battle with powerful organized labor. Warnings by …

The Australian Communications Authority has postponed its planned auction of spectrum for personal communications services until early 1998 to clear up key policy issues that may be ambiguous to potential market entrants. The ACA was preparing to auction spectrum in …

Sprint Spectrum L.P. said it will offer personal communications services to customers in San Francisco tomorrow offering packages that include 1,000 minutes of long-distance calling from any Sprint PCS service area. The San Francisco Bay area, including San Jose and …

WASHINGTON-Senate Commerce Committee members sternly advised Federal Communications Commission chairman nominee William Kennard to rethink agency positions on federal pre-emption and wireless universal service funding and to stop dragging its feet on little low-earth orbit satellite licensing. But despite sharp …

Clearnet Communications Inc. launched its Mike enhanced specialized mobile radio network in Ottawa-Hull. The Ottawa-Hull, Ontario, network covers nearly 1 million people in the region-on the Ontario-Quebec border-including Aylmer, Barrhaven, Chelsea, Cumberland, Gatineau, Gloucester, Kanata, Manotick, Nepean, Orleans, St. Onge, …

A shift in mobile phone operators’ attitudes toward leasing sites has caused a Cary, N.C., company to push ahead with plans to develop and build its own tower sites and offer collocation leasing nationwide. “Six months ago if you were …

LONDON-The Cellular Service Provider Group of the Federation of Communications Services in the United Kingdom said it opposes the Office of Telecommunications’ mandate that requires mobile phone operators to offer number portability in less than a year. The FCS’ CSPG, …

The months-long debate at the Federal Communications Commission over C-block personal communications services debt restructuring, culminating in last month’s factious decision to offer limited relief to floundering auction winners, saw the unprecedented clashing of conflicting legal doctrines and policy objectives …