operator

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa-High on the agenda of issues raised by African ministers at Africa Telecom ’98 held here in May was using satellite technology for boosting African economies and low telephone-penetration rates. Africa presents an ideal candidate for Mobile Satellite …

CHINA L.M. Ericsson signed a $50 million framework agreement to expand capacity on SmarTone’s Global System for Mobile communications network in Hong Kong during the next year. SmarTone acquired an 1800 MHz license when it bought the original holder, P …

SPOKANE, Wash.-Star Data Service, a joint venture between Itron Inc. and UK Data Collection Services Ltd., was approved as a meter data management agent in California. MDMA approval is required to serve customers in California’s unbundled metering services market. The …

SINGAPORE-The International Telecommunication Union has some difficult work ahead of it to harmonize the various third-generation proposals standards bodies around the world will submit by tomorrow. While most of the world’s standards bodies and individual groups of companies diligently tried …

MCI Communications Corp. apparently is selling cellular service to residential customers once again after customer service representatives had told potential customers MCI wasn’t taking on new cellular subscribers after June 1. Kelly Seacrist, an MCI spokeswoman, said the company, which …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-L.M. Ericsson was selected by Srinivas Cellcom Ltd., a Global System for Mobile communications operator in India, to build the largest mobile network ever to be rolled out in India, Ericsson said. The value of the contract was not …

Peru PageMart Wireless Inc. teamed with Peruvian paging carrier Uniworld S.A., to make Peru the first South American market to join PageMart’s network. Service is expected to begin by the fourth quarter. In the past year, PageMart’s network was expanded …

LONDON-Recently formed Belgian wireless communications company KPN Orange Belgium NV was awarded the third license to build and operate an 1800 MHz Global System for Mobile communications network in Belgium. The new company will pay a $225.3 million license fee …

Enhanced specialized mobile radio operator Nextel Communications Inc. is offering landline long-distance service to its existing customers in several markets. The nationwide carrier, which targets work groups because of its product’s instant-conferencing feature, has been calling Nextel customers to convince …

The Italian government named the Wind consortium the winning bidder for the country’s third mobile phone license, bringing to a close a tender process that began in the fall of 1996. The Ministry of Communications made the announcement June 10, …

MADRID-Spain’s incumbent mobile phone operators Telefonica and Airtel could have some competition soon, as the country prepares to award a third license this month. Involved in the auction is the mobile arm of the Spanish fixed-line operator Retevision, called Retevision …

NEW YORK-Telesystem International Wireless Inc., Montreal, scaled back but proceeded June 9 with its first stock sale in the United States. The carrier sold 6.75 million subordinated voting shares, down from the 8 million originally planned. The stock, which now …

The Italian government said it plans to award the license for a third mobile phone service later this month. A spokeswoman for the communication regulatory agency said it expects to finish assessing the three bids by June 10 and likely …

PRINCETON, N.J.-Intek Global Corp. announced it acquired privately held Mobile Data Solutions Inc., the operator of Data Express, in a move that added automatic vehicle-location to its list of services and data applications. Specific terms of the all-stock transaction were …

Conxus Communications Inc. said it completed a $100 million convertible senior subordinated note offering. Conxus plans to use proceeds from the private placement to fund network buildout, operating expenses, working capital requirements and general corporate purposes. Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette …

WASHINGTON-While lawmakers and industry executives toiled last week through the minutia of competing third-generation wireless technologies, Qualcomm Inc. was laying the foundation to parlay an esoteric standards dispute into a major trade debate that would pit the United States against …

Cable & Wireless Communications plc confirmed the company is in negotiations with four mobile telecommunications operators in the United Kingdom for the possible sale of its mobile services division. The company is talking with Vodafone Group plc, Orange plc, Cellnet …

BURLINGTON, Mass.-KPN Telecom, a national telecommunications operator in the Netherlands, formerly named PTT Telecom, said it selected software and services from Lightbridge Inc. in a proactive initiative to help the company target its marketing efforts and enhance customer satisfaction. IBM …

Omnipoint Communications Inc. signed its 50th international roaming agreement with Mobilkom Austria AG. The personal communications services provider subsequently entered into a roaming deal in the Slovak Republic with Global System for Mobile communications operator Globtel GSM. Omnipoint also said …

BUCHAREST, Romania-Northern Telecom Ltd. signed a three-year supply agreement with MobilFon S.A. to expand the carrier’s nationwide Global System for Mobile communications network in Romania, called Connex GSM. The agreement with MobilFon includes radio equipment, maintenance and operations systems as …

PHILADELPHIA-Less than two weeks after it purchased two 10-megahertz licenses in northern Mexico for $58 million, Iusacell began offering digital personal communications services. Bell Atlantic Corp. owns 42 percent of Iusacell and took management control of the cellular operator in …

Western Wireless International announced it began Global System for Mobile communications cellular service in Iceland through its TAL Ltd. partnership. The initial network covers about 70 percent of the Icelandic population. Nexus Telocation Systems Ltd. said it was selected by …

UNION CITY, Calif.-Diva Communications Inc. announced it signed a contract with South Park Telephone Co. to supply its Diva-2000 wireless local loop system that will provide basic telephone service to residential subscribers outside Hartsel, Colo. Pending Federal Communications Commission approval, …

The number of digital wireless subscribers is expected to increase rapidly this year as more cellular carriers begin to push digital service aggressively. While many cellular carriers last year offered digital service as a way to offer products similar to …

NUREMBERG, Germany-Lucent Technologies Inc. said it signed a contract valued at about $60 million to supply Global System for Mobile communications equipment to German cellular network operator T-Mobil, for its D-1 network expansion. Lucent has been awarded a series of …