Mobile Phones

The hefty number of strong, new competitors entering the handset market doesn’t intimidate longtime terminal supplier Audiovox Communications Corp. “Look how many have exited in recent years, like Clarion, Sharp, Panasonic, Sanyo, NovAtel,” said Philip Christopher, president and chief executive …

Samsung Telecommunications America Inc. introduced its SCH-1011, a personal communications services handset using Code Division Multiple Access technology, and SCH-110, a cellular dual-mode CDMA handset. The products include menu-driven interfaces to access functions like messaging and memory. Other features include …

Netro of Santa Clara, Calif., makes what it says telecommunications operators building networks in the new era of deregulation need-radio equipment that uses a wireless Asynchronous Transfer Mode protocol. Introduced about five years ago and driven by networking giant Cisco …

Israel’s two cellular operators are working hard to sign up as many customers as possible while the government continues to ponder details for licensing a third cellular operator. “The (technology) standard of the third license hasn’t been determined yet. The …

The government of Taiwan delayed the award of new mobile phone licenses because of misgivings about the foreign ownership of several consortia. Taiwan is offering two nationwide personal communications network licenses and six regional licenses. Consortia applying for the licenses …

MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill.-More than half of cellular customers surveyed in an Illinois Superconductor Corp. study said they want improvements in their cellular service. More than a third of those questioned said cost was their top concern about cellular phone service, …

The Palestine Telecommunications Co. is looking for a turnkey provider to design and supply a Global System for Mobile communications network in the areas of Palestinian Authority. Paltel is a private, one-year-old company with headquarters in Nablus. Paltel signed a …

Audiovox Communications Corp. will introduce three new phones at the Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas. Its 800/900 MHz combination phone, the ACT-900, acts as both a cellular phone and a cordless phone. Features of the ACT-900 include …

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill.-Motorola Inc.’s European Cellular Infrastructure Division deployed a digital microcellular system for Belgacom Mobile to expand and enhance its network in Belgium. Belgacom Mobile operates the Proximus Global System for Mobile communications network. The company said it required …

Editor’s Note: No other debate has ignited the wireless telecommunications industry like the one that rages between TDMA and CDMA technology. For several years, the greatest argument against CDMA technology was that it was not commercially available. That changed in …

Bell Atlantic Corp. has increased its ownership in Italian carrier Omnitel Pronto Italia, nullifying Mannesmann AG’s agreement with Olivetti SpA to purchase an additional 5.8 percent stake in the operator. Germany-based Mannesmann, which holds a 5.9 percent interest in Omnitel …

King Communications U.S.A. Inc. introduced Sentor, a package consisting of radio frequency monitoring, hot standby controller, site management and tower light control systems. Sentor does not require a computer at the remote site and can be addressed by RF or …

NEW YORK-Like the fabled elephant described by a group of blind men positioned near various points of its anatomy, equipment vendors at the recent “PCS-1900 in North America” conference gave widely different definitions of so-called “smart phones.” The closest thing …

WASHINGTON-The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is due to release a report next year on the safety of cellular phones in vehicles. A preliminary draft of the one inch-thick report is under review, according to a source who’s seen the …

WASHINGTON-In a move that has jolted global telecommunications and financial institutions and may have repercussions for U.S. wireless traders, Russian President Boris Yeltsin ousted western investors from a $1 billion deal to privatize state-run telecommunications facilities and replaced them with …

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina-CTI Movil, a cellular network operator in Argentina, selected Lucent Technologies Inc. to expand its Advanced Mobile Phone Service network and install an online billing platform. Lucent values the contract at $35 million. The expansion calls for Lucent …

Northern Telecom Ltd. signed a three-year agreement to supply equipment to Mobility Canada for its 800 MHz cellular network. “Our enhanced 800 MHz cellular platform will allow Mobility Canada to offer advanced voice and data services complementary to those services …

As European countries progressively open and grow their wireless markets, the contest for licenses is hot. But in Germany, only one group entered a bid for a second personal communications network license by deadline, which leaves questions as to the …

Sabre Communications Corp. introduced a new line of monopoles designed to support antenna loadings for cellular, personal communications services, enhanced specialized mobile radio and microwave applications. The monopoles extend 200 feet and are constructed of tapered sections for easy assembly …

TAMPA, Fla.-GTE Tele-communications Services Inc. has agreed to supply its CloneDetector system to PrimeCo Personal Communications. The agreement also calls for GTE Telecommunications Services to manage the maintenance and operation of the system’s software and hardware platforms. The system identifies …

A Seattle company has created model legislation that wireless carriers can use to convince state legislators to create a dedicated wireless E-911 fund administered at the state level. “We have met with numerous carriers and there is a feeling that …

WASHINGTON-The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association agreed last week to insure Wireless Technology Research L.L.C. scientists against lawsuit damages, while dashing speculation that it wants to dissolve WTR over the indemnification issue. The stalemate over legal coverage threatened to shut down …

MURRAY HILL, N.J.-Lucent Technologies Inc. said a “soft-handoff” feature deployed in its Code Division Multiple Access infrastructure enables mobile phones to simultaneously maintain a wireless connection to service areas served by different mobile switching centers. “This achievement proves that there’s …

Tektronix Inc. added an Advanced Mobile Phone Service option for its CMD80 digital radio communications test set. The AMPS Option 17 makes the CMD80 a “one-box” test solution for digital cellular and personal communications services mobile phone equipment, the company …

L.M. Ericsson on Jan. 1 plans to reorganize its five business areas into three: Telephones & Terminals, Mobile Systems and Infocom Systems. Telephones & Terminals will be responsible for consumer products, including mobile phones and cordless phones. Mobile Systems will …