operator

The Federal Communications Commission approved the merger of VoiceStream Wireless Corp. and Omnipoint Corp. last week and noted the Department of Justice and the FBI delayed its decision, a problem that may grow as U.S. operators hook up with international …

WASHINGTON-There is a split at the Federal Communications Commission regarding whether the agency should be lobbying for changes in the law that would protect radio-frequency licenses from bankruptcy. I “do not support the statements made by [FCC Chairman William Kennard] …

ESPOO, Finland-Nokia Oy announced the early availability of its open Iu Interface for third-generation mobile networks. Nokia said it will provide full compatibility to the Iu Interface-according to the 3G Partnership Program standards-when the first service launches next year. This …

VoiceStream Wireless Corp. announced plans to invest in Canadian Global System for Mobile communications operator Microcell Telecommunications Inc., a move that sets the stage for a seamless North American footprint. VoiceStream will invest $275 million to purchase 9.59 million newly …

Globalstar L.P.’s worldwide service rollout took another step last week, bolstering its presence in Mexico where Globalstar de Mexico and Mexican cellular operator Iusacell formed a marketing agreement. According to the deal, Iusacell, Mexico’s second-largest carrier, will sell Globalstar satellite …

HONG KONG-An Asian Internet company is looking to block the proposed merger between Cable & Wireless HKT Ltd. and Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., Reuters reported. Pacific Century CyberWorks Ltd. hinted that it could launch a competing bid for Cable & Wireless …

Scandinavia Millicom International Cellular S.A., a worldwide cellular telephone and telecommunications company, said it sold 900,000 class B shares from a total of almost 6 million class A and class B shares held in NetCom AB, a provider of telecommunication …

WASHINGTON-Last Thursday was a bad day for bankrupt personal communications services operator NextWave Telecom Inc. Not only did a federal appeals court deny its petition for rehearing but a United States senator took the opportunity of a Senate Budget Committee …

OSAKA, Japan-KansaiTele-Message became the latest victim in Japan’s declining paging industry by filing for liquidation with $183 million in debts, according to a Kyodo News Service report. The filing came five months after the paging company announced it was no …

General Packet Radio Service technology is a powerful proposition for Global System for Mobile communications operators anxious to comb in the huge revenues packetized wireless Internet access promises. That’s why they want GPRS handsets this year. Product delays have been …

While Vodafone AirTouch plc last week advanced its merger with Germany’s Mannesmann AG, the company indicated it may look to fill in its footprint with smaller acquisitions. In particular, the company has been closing in on a bid for a …

CANNES, France-Motorola Inc. and Turkish Global System for Mobile communications operator Telsim announced they signed a $1.5 billion contract calling for Motorola to provide infrastructure, handsets and associated services to expand the countrywide GSM network in Turkey. The contract also …

BOULDER, Colo.-SignalSoft Corp., a software developer focused on the wireless location industry, completed $33 million in private equity financing from existing investors as well as new financial and strategic investors in the United States, Europe and Japan. Salomon Smith Barney …

CANNES, France-The GSM Association, encompassing 400 wireless operators from 143 countries, awarded Czech wireless operator EuroTel Praha the “GSM in the Community” humanitarian award at the GSM World Congress in Cannes, France. EuroTel was honored for coming to the aid …

SAN DIEGO-China United Telecommunications Corp. and Qualcomm Inc. announced an agreement outlining guidelines for Chinese manufacturers to license Qualcomm’s intellectual property to manufacture and sell Code Division Multiple Access wireless equipment. The deal stipulates that Chinese manufacturers that enter into …

NEW ORLEANS-As a New Orleans appeals court heard arguments on whether Metro PCS can keep its 14 personal communications services licenses, other developments in the continuing saga of the C-block auction further confused what ultimately will happen to certain C-block …

United Kingdom Britain-based Marconi plc announced it has sold its Network Components & Services business in Europe and China to Viasystems Group Inc. for $115 million in cash. The sale of NC&S, a component manufacturer for the telecommunications industry, is …

France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom made significant moves to part ways last week with France Telecom agreeing to purchase Deutsche Telekom’s and Sprint Corp.’s stakes in the Global One joint venture for a total equity value of $3.88 billion. The …

WASHINGTON-Two attempts to stop litigation involving bankrupt wireless operator NextWave Telecom Inc. failed last week as both a federal appeals court and a bankruptcy judge refused requests to interpret a recent appeals court ruling in such a way that it …

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill.-Motorola Inc.’s Network Solutions Sector announced a successful launch in Japan of its commercial high-speed wireless Internet access for cdmaOne networks. The new service, deployed by DDI Corp. and IDO Corp., allows subscribers to access the Internet at …

SBC Communications Inc. said it will convert the remaining Ameritech Corp. wireless properties it owns from Code Division Multiple Access technology to Time Division Multiple Access technology. SBC and Ameritech merged last year and sold 20 Ameritech cdmaOne wireless properties, …

LONDON-BT Cellnet said it will be the first U.K. mobile phone operator to commercially launch General Packet Radio Service this summer. The carrier also officially launched commercial Wireless Application Protocol service. BT Cellnet’s GPRS service will begin with a 500-person …

Attention to wireless security concerns emerged as the de facto theme of this year’s RSA Security Conference in San Jose, Calif., where several internationally recognized corporate security software firms stated their intention to concentrate on the wireless industry going forward. …

SWINDON, England-Motorola Inc. received a $122 million contract from Pele-Phone Communications to supply and deploy infrastructure equipment to expand Pele-Phone’s Code Division Multiple Access digital cellular network. The new infrastructure will expand Pele-Phone’s CDMA digital network in Israel, which currently …

BONN, Germany-Deutsche Telekom announced it will bundle its cellular phone activities into a new holding company called T-Mobile International AG. Kai-Uwe Ricke, currently head of Deutsche Telekom’s German wireless operator T-Mobil, will become chairman of the management board of the …