BROWSING: TDS

U.S. Cellular, Aerial report strong growth

NEW YORK-United States Cellular Corp. and Aerial Communications, the two wireless subsidiaries of Telephone and Data Systems Inc., Chicago, reported strong growth during the first quarter.U.S. Cellular reported net income of $47.14 million, an increase of more than 69 percent from the same period...

NEWS BRIEFS

L.M. Ericsson introduced a mobile Internet portal solution developed for wireless networks called the Ericsson WISE Portal. WISE was designed as a single point of access for various Internet-enabled devices, including personal computers, browser-enabled mobile phones and connected personal digital assistants. It supports both...

ROAMING REVENUE BOOSTS U.S. CELLULAR’S FINANCIAL RESULTS

Fueled by United States Cellular Corp.'s strong financial results, parent company Telephone and Data Systems Inc. increased revenues and operating cash flow by 17 percent and 28 percent, respectively, in the third quarter.U.S. Cellular said service revenues, compared with the same period last year,...

SONERA CLAIMS STAKE IN POWERTEL

Finnish operator Sonera Ltd. agreed to purchase 9.1 percent of GSM operator Powertel Inc. last week, giving Powertel a financial partner to pursue strategic acquisitions.Sonera will acquire 100,000 Powertel shares from Ericsson Inc. for $122.7 million, throwing another player into the Global System for...

PCS TROUPE CLOSING THE GAP ON CELLULAR

The economy is rolling along, wireless subscriber additions are climbing and merger and acquisition activity is heating up.This is good news for the personal communications services industry, which last year found itself suffering from tight financing and a general underperformance in small capitalized stocks....

AERIAL ADDS ONLY 15,000 SUBS IN QUARTER

Poor financial results continue to plague personal communications services operator Aerial Communications Inc., and its spinoff from parent company, Telephone and Data Systems Inc., is moving slower than anticipated. Analysts believe TDS may be better off selling the company.Aerial Communications Inc. added just 15,000...

SONERA THREATENS LAWSUIT OVER AERIAL SPINOFF

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 acquire the company terminated after...

AERIAL CUSTOMER ADDITIONS LAG IN FIRST QUARTER

Personal communications services operator Aerial Communications Inc. managed to decrease its historically high churn rate during the first quarter, but customer additions were less than expected.Aerial added 20,000 customers during the first quarter, ending the quarter with 330,000 subscribers. The company's post-pay churn rate...

AERIAL APPROVES TAX SETTLEMENT WITH TDS

CHICAGO-Personal communications services operator Aerial Communications Inc. announced its board of directors approved a tax settlement agreement with Telephone and Data Systems Inc.TDS owns 82.3 percent of Aerial. The agreement called for TDS to pay $114.5 million to Aerial March 15. TDS said the...

PCS ROLLOUT CONTRIBUTES TO TDS LOSS

NEW YORK-In its fourth-quarter results released Jan. 27, Telephone and Data Systems Inc., Chicago, reported substantial increases in revenues and customers but a net loss per share of common stock.Revenues grew 28 percent to $495 million over the last quarter of 1997 "fueled by...

AERIAL TO GO IT ALONE

Telephone and Data Systems Inc. said Friday it would pursue a spinoff of its personal communications services business Aerial Communications Inc., a segment that has been a continual drag on its cash flow and earnings.TDS opted to withdraw its offers to exchange tracking stocks...

STOCK OWNER HOLDS TRUMP CARD IN MERGER PLANS

NEW YORK-Even if telecommunications giants seeking to combine with each other clear the myriad hurdles confronting their plans, the success of their bids to merge may depend ultimately on approval by the little guy.Holding what may be the ultimate trump card is the holder...

AERIAL’S OPERATIONS DRAG DOWN TDS’ INCOME

Telephone and Data Systems Inc. said start-up costs associated with its personal communications services business, Aerial Communications Inc., reduced cash flow and operating income during the first quarter, while United States Cellular, TDS' cellular business, continued to be the company's work horse.TDS reported a...

TDS CLOSES ON MERGER OF API MERGER & AMERICAN PAGING

NEW YORK-Telephone and Data Systems Inc. announced it completed the merger of its wholly owned subsidiary, API Merger Corp., with American Paging Inc., effective March 20.TDS announced March 18 that its buyback program for its paging subsidiary's publicly held stock had expired. Through API...

AFRICA TELECOM 98: A MILESTONE FOR AFRICA

JOHANNESBURG-The international telecommunications exhibition and forum-Africa Telecom 98-promises to be an important milestone for the African continent.The event is scheduled for 4 May to 9 May at the Expo Centre (Nasrec), Johannesburg, and aims to attract 300 exhibitors and 15,000 visitors. It is organized...

TDS AGREES TO BUY AMERICAN STOCK

CHICAGO-Telephone and Data Systems Inc. entered a definitive agreement to acquire the approximate 3.6 million outstanding shares in American Paging Inc. it doesn't already own for more than $9 million, said Murray L. Swanson, executive vice president of finance for TDS.TDS has agreed to...

TDS SELLS $150M DEBT ISSUE

NEW YORK-Telephone and Data Systems Inc., Chicago, has sold a $150 million debt issue of 8.04-percent Trust Originated Preferred Securities, a trademark name assigned to the securities by lead underwriter Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc., New York.TDS, a cellular, landline, paging and personal communications...

PEOPLE

United States Cellular Corp. appointed Paul Henri Denuit to a special committee of the board of directors that will consider how the company should respond to a proposal from its parent organization, Telephone and Data Systems Inc. He has been on the board of...

TDS REPORTS LOSSES ASSOCIATED WITH AERIAL LAUNCH

NEW YORK-Along with its fourth-quarter earnings release Jan. 28, Telephone and Data Systems Inc., Chicago, reported a lawsuit challenging its plan to repurchase publicly held stock in three of its subsidiaries.The company-parent and majority owner of Aerial Communications Inc., American Paging Inc., United States...

TSR AND AMERICAN CREATE NEW CARRIER: MERGED FIRM CALLED TSR WIRELESS

NEW YORK-Telephone and Data Systems Inc., Chicago, announced Dec. 23 a definitive agreement to merge its Minneapolis-based American Paging Inc. subsidiary with TSR Paging Inc., Fort Lee, N.J., to create a new carrier called TSR Wireless L.L.C.For some time, industry analysts have identified American...

TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS OUTLINES STOCK RESTRUCTURING PLAN

NEW YORK-Telephone and Data Systems Inc., Chicago, announced Dec. 18 a plan for "roll-up mergers" involving its repurchase of the publicly traded stock of its three subsidiaries and issuance of three new classes of "tracking stock," one each for United States Cellular Corp., Aerial...

AIRTOUCH TO BUY USCC INTERESTS

CHICAGO-United States Cellular Corp. and its parent company, Telephone and Data Systems Inc., announced plans to sell to AirTouch Communications Inc. its minority interests in the cellular systems serving Seattle and Olympia, Wash.; Tucson, Ariz.; Duluth, Minn.; and rural areas in Arizona, Colorado and...

TDS TO OFFER $400M IN TOPRS

NEW YORK-Telephone and Data Systems Inc., Chicago, said Oct. 21 it had filed a shelf registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission covering $400 million of "Trust Originated Preferred Securities," or TOPrS.TOPrS is the name that Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc., lead underwriter for...

U.S. CELLULAR DEBT RATING RAISED

NEW YORK-Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co. said June 25 it had raised the ratings on debt securities issued by U.S. Cellular Corp. while affirming the ratings on outstanding debt of its parent, Telephone and Data Systems Inc., Chicago. TDS and its subsidiaries have...