operator

CLEVELAND-Reltec Corp. officially adopted Marconi Communications’ corporate name, logo, signage and letterhead, said Marconi, establishing a North American operator for the United Kingdom-based company. In March, General Electric Co. plc acquired Cleveland-based Reltec for $2.1 billion. GEC subsequently merged Reltec …

NEW YORK-Moody’s Investors Service, London, assigned a speculative grade rating of Ba3 to Orange plc’s planned private placement of $562 million in 10-year senior notes. “The Ba3 rating factors in the risks associated with Orange’s funding of its capital … …

Sprint PCS announced it will stop operating its Global System for Mobile communications network in Washington, D.C., by the end of the year, ending months of speculation and denials from the nationwide Code Division Multiple Access operator. Sprint PCS, which …

Another U.S. mobile phone carrier has announced definitive plans to commercially launch Internet access during the fourth quarter. Code Division Multiple Access operator Sprint PCS said it has signed an agreement with Yahoo! Inc. to deliver Web content and services …

As Telephone and Data Systems Inc. pursues a spinoff of personal communications services operator Aerial Communications Inc., it is dealing with sticky issues involving Sonera Ltd.’s investment in Aerial. Aerial announced last week Finland-based Sonera’s right of first negotiation to …

NEW YORK-Nextlink Communications Inc., a Bellevue, Wash., provider of competitive wireline local and long-distance services, plans a $750 million offering of 10-year notes to help finance its network buildout. In according the proposed debt issue a speculative grade rating of …

U S West Inc.’s and Global Crossing Ltd.’s marriage announcement last week leaves BellSouth Corp. the only Baby Bell not betrothed in the telecommunications industry. “There no longer is a need for a regional Bell operating company or a local …

Sprint PCS believes it has a strong enough wireless footprint to begin aggressively targeting business users. Analysts didn’t expect the company to heavily pursue this segment until next year, but Sprint PCS cites a national network that is well positioned …

Industry executives in February hailed the TransAtlantic Business Dialogue agreement as a major breakthrough in the 3G debate, but today it appears standards bodies have made little progress to pursue this framework, and political infighting among the 3G players remains. …

LUTON, United Kingdom-A new report compiled by Strategy Analytics shows low-spending customers and the introduction of prepaid services in Europe are causing average revenue per user rates to progressively decline for many cellular providers. “While cellular ARPU levels are now …

NEW YORK-All eyes are on Omnipoint Corp., which one investment banker has likened to a poster child for personal communications services. What will be the final chapter in Omnipoint’s search for a strategic partner, and how soon will it be …

MONTEREY, Calif.-Wireless data industry leaders met in Monterey, Calif., earlier this month to discuss further actions needed to capitalize on the momentum the long-fledgling market has been able to create recently. At a welcoming reception, Starfish Software President and Chief …

NEW YORK-U S West Inc. reportedly is in merger talks with Global Crossing Ltd., the independent global fiber-optic network operator that recently announced plans to purchase Frontier Corp. Published reports indicate any deal between U S West and Global Crossing …

DEVON, Pa.-Transport International Pool announced it will launch a satellite-based trailer tracking system developed by Vantage Tracking Solutions, a division of low-earth-orbit satellite operator Orbcomm Global L.P. The system will be designed to track TIP’s trailers, as well as collect …

WASHINGTON-MCI WorldCom Inc. last week halted talks to buy Nextel Communications Inc. after succumbing to differences over price, putting shares of the No. 2 long-distance telephone company and the last independent national wireless operator on a wild roller-coaster ride for …

AT&T Corp. last week signed a definitive merger agreement with cable company MediaOne Group after cutting a deal with rival bidder Comcast Corp., which agreed not to try to outbid AT&T’s offer. Comcast and AT&T agreed to exchange various cable …

Western Wireless Corp. appears to have a long struggle ahead as it attempts to offer fixed wireless service in rural America. The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission denied Western’s application requesting eligible telecommunications carrier status in the state. ETC status …

Leveraging its parent company’s strength as a landline and Internet service provider, U S West Wireless said it expects to roll out commercial mobile text-based Internet access during the fourth quarter. “Our service will be different than what our wireless …

The Operators Harmonization Group, an assembly of mobile phone operators from around the world, said they agreed last month in Tokyo to a baseline proposal to harmonize ITU CDMA-based third-generation technology proposals. The proposal needs further refinement, a process that …

RESTON, Va.-Orbcomm Global L.P. hosted its 1999 Global Solutions Conference last month, during which the low-earth-orbit satellite data and messaging services network operator and its partners made several announcements. First, Orbcomm said it signed a service license agreement with an …

WASHINGTON-MCI WorldCom Inc. chief Bernard Ebbers, basking in glow of first-quarter earnings that surpassed forecasts, last week did not indicate whether the No. 2 long-distance telephone company is seriously interested in acquiring national wireless operator Nextel Communications Inc. any time …

Telecommunications companies are offering some of the largest bond sales ever. Sprint Capital Corp. on Thursday expanded its $3 billion global bond sale to $3.5 billion. The proceeds will cover negative cash flow associated with building out Sprint PCS’s personal …

Carriers are keeping quiet about events that transpired during a third-generation harmonization meeting two weeks ago in Japan, but an independent study commissioned by Vodafone plc is seen by cdmaOne players as a smoking gun in favor of their technical …

Two of the largest challenges facing today’s telecom carriers are their existing IT systems and their employees. And both need to become more flexible if companies plan to prosper in today’s changing-at-the-speed-of-light market, according to telecom execs who spoke at …

The U.S. Commerce Department says it provided support to CDMA vendors wanting to sell their products in China, but did not discriminate against Time Division Multiple Access technology when it encouraged China to expand Code Division Multiple Access networks during …