PCIA – Wireless Infrastructure Assoc.

The paging industry is gearing up for a fight over what one industry executive termed “one of the most important issues affecting our industry at this point.” The comment refers to the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to adopt a per-call, …

WASHINGTON-According to a new book on wireless regulations written by former Industrial Telecommunications Association staffer Fred Day, “In 1993, Congress amended the Communications Act to incorporate a new term, `commercial mobile service,’ also referred to as `commercial mobile radio service.’ …

Sorry Jay, the edge this week goes to your friends at CTIA again. That’s right. Tom just hired himself some “tall timber” lobbying talent: Steven K. Berry, former chief counsel for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, ex-Bush administration lobbyist and …

PCIA vs. CTIA: An update on the battle for the heart, soul and wallets of the wireless telecom industry. The nod for last week goes to CTIA, somewhat by default. PCIA President Jay Kitchen may have inadvertently rubbed NextWave Telecom …

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 …

WASHINGTON-The Senate Commerce Committee last week rejected spectrum fees and toll-free telephone number auctions, but embraced lease fees for private wireless licensees in budget legislation lawmakers concede will fail to generate $26.3 billion from wireless license sales during the next …

WASHINGTON-Two seemingly unrelated national policy actions highlight how regulators and lawmakers may be overlooking and underestimating the value of wireless technology in the new telecommunications paradigm that stresses competition and connectability. Last month, the Federal Communications Commission created a new, …

Coherent Communications Systems Corp. announced its chief financial officer, Michael Gendron, has left the company to pursue other interests. Gendron’s responsibilities will be assumed by Joan Cominski, corporate controller, while the company searches for a new CFO. Cellexis International Inc. …

WASHINGTON-In an effort to control paperwork and legal fees connected with compliance to certain Federal Communications Commission guidelines mandated by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Personal Communications Industry Association submitted a petition for forbearance that deals with six sections …

WASHINGTON-Personal Communications Industry Association President Jay Kitchen blasted the Federal Communications Commission last week for ignoring congressional requests to reduce paging carrier contributions to the $2 billion annual universal service fund. “The commission’s actions … are clearly inequitable and discriminatory …

WASHINGTON-Key wireless initiatives are caught in the grip of legislative inertia that has paralyzed Congress and the White House and shaken the foundations of both institutions in the aftermath of House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s (R-Ga.) ethics violations and the Clinton …

WASHINGTON-Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Personal Communications Industry Association as part of the festivities surrounding the annual Eugene Bowler Award ceremony scheduled for April 29. At press time, this year’s Bowler Award recipient …

After a 1993 lawsuit charged a woman’s brain tumor was the result of her cellular phone use, the wireless industry funded an independent research program to study any possible link between brain cancer or any other health maladies and the …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission’s second report and order that codifies new auction rules for common carrier and private carrier paging along with partitioning of geographic licenses follows in most cases auction rules set up for other wireless commercial services. However, …

The Personal Communications Industry Association has decided to contract out for more “been there, done that” expertise to help forward its wireless agenda on Capitol Hill. As of March 1, Jack Fields, former chairman of the House Telecommunications and Finance …

WASHINGTON-The Personal Communications Industry Association announced last week it will hold an Asia-Pacific wireless trade show in Singapore every two years beginning next January. Wireless Showcase Asia will premier at the Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre in January 1998. …

Having problems? Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) wants to fill the GOP vacancy at Federal Communications Commission with Michael Powell, chief of staff in the Justice Department’s antitrust division and son of retired Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman …

The Personal Communications Industry Association filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission regarding universal service fund reform. PCIA agreed with the FCC that it must implement access charge and universal service fund reform concurrently to avoid local exchange carriers receiving …

WASHINGTON-Commenting on a petition regarding moratoria on siting issues, the Personal Communications Industry Association last week submitted to the Federal Communications Commission a laundry list of criteria that should be included in any FCC-generated pre-emptive policy. The group also asked …

NEW YORK-To address a widely acknowledged shortage of wireless technicians and appropriate training schools, the State University of New York at Canton hopes to launch in September a two-year degree program in collaboration with the wireless industry. “It is very …

WASHINGTON-The Personal Communications Industry Association petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to grant an extension of the now-expired 120-day special temporary authority given to current Part 90 licensees to continue operation of their facilities until the commission grants their pending applications. …

WASHINGTON-Viking Dispatch Services Inc., whose 42 applications to build cooperative, non-profit private radio networks were rejected by the Federal Communications Commission’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau June 7, continues to fight for a review of the decision based on facts it has …

WASHINGTON-Commenters on both sides of the issue regarding the Federal Communications Commission’s proposal to kill its finder’s preference programs have one thing in common-their arguments all come down to money. Many of those who oppose the commission’s plan first to …

WASHINGTON-The Personal Communications Industry Association and the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association have advised the Federal Communications Commission to take a more proactive role with individual states to ensure the success of wireless tower siting on state-owned property. In comments submitted …

WASHINGTON-The wireless telecommunications industry is leery of a new budget-driven, flexible-use auction proposal that could create more competition for carriers on Main Street and Wall Street. The auction of the 2305-2320 MHz and 2345-2360 MHz bands has to begin by …