Wireless Services

PHILADELPHIA-Sprint Spectrum L.P. launched service in Philadelphia on April 3, now the 20th market in which the carrier offers service. The Philadelphia major trading area license actually is held by PhillieCo L.P., a consortium of three Sprint Spectrum L.P. owners-Sprint …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission would be phased out over five years and spectrum management given over to a board with limited powers, under a new balanced budget proposal by a conservative think tank. “Although the Telecommunications Act of 1996 eliminated …

Timing, surprise and troop strength. These are the tools used by military leaders worldwide to fight a war, and the same methods should be expected from personal communications services carriers in their bloody battle for market share. First, you must …

Bell Atlantic Nynex Mobile began integrating DSC Communications Corp.’s INfusion Signal Transfer Point W/2 into its cellular network. The INfusion STP W/2 provides packet switching of Signaling System 7 signaling messages for basic and advanced services such as call set-up, …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission’s adoption of long-awaited rules for digital television service also buoyed up hope that additional spectrum for public safety and other wireless services via reallocation of channels 60-69 may become a reality sooner rather than later. According …

The sixth largest PCS carrier (by pops) went bankrupt long before it ever got to market. Pocket Communications has $1.5 billion in liabilities, most of which is a large debt to the federal government. When people buy a typical business …

DENVER-AT&T Wireless Services Inc. issued a special offer to members of the media covering the Oklahoma City bombing trial, which is set to begin in Denver this week. The company is offering a Nokia Corp. 2160 cellular phone for $150, …

NEW YORK-Prime Matrix Wireless Communications, a California-based cellular reseller, plans to sell publicly an $80 million issue of senior notes due 2004. Prime Matrix, headquartered in Calabasas, will be the largest cellular reseller in California after completing its announced acquisition …

Globalstar Canada was granted approval by Industry Canada to provide mobile wireless services throughout Canada using the Globalstar satellite-based telecommunications system. It is the first big low-earth-orbit license to be granted in Canada, the company said. The service is part …

If you look at maps of the United States that depict the 1900 MHz coverage for the nation’s three primary digital standards, it appears each standard will cover a great deal of the country. In the future, that is, because …

Cellular One offers DPCS in Bay area Cellular One said it will begin offering digital cellular service branded Digital PCS in the San Francisco Bay area today. In conjunction with the launch, Cellular One is premiering a simplified rate plan …

To those Europeans who scoff at Americans and their (too) many wireless standards choices, we now have a response: FLEX. AT&T Wireless Services Inc. has decided not to deploy personal Air Communications Technology two-way paging technology in its markets. For …

AT&T Wireless Services Inc. reversed course in narrowband personal communications services, resolving not to deploy services using the personal Air Communications Technology advanced paging protocol. AT&T Wireless said it still supports the technology development of pACT, but the turnabout could …

One clear strategy in marketing wireless phones to consumers is keep it simple. The phone is not just a business tool but an easy, fun device that keeps you in touch and could save your life. But how simple is …

Brazil is in the wireless spotlight. Demand is high, penetration is low and growth in all sectors is being fueled by deregulation and a stronger economy. Brazil’s current annual cellular growth rate is about 70 percent. The number of subscribers …

NEW YORK-SBA Communications Corp., a tower site development and management company, announced March 14 it had raised $50 million to help it enter the site ownership business through acquisition and construction. Institutional investors ABS Capital Partners, TA Associates and The …

DENVER-The city of Denver is close to adopting a new zoning ordinance pertaining to wireless tower and antenna siting. Denver carriers and the city have been working together since January on crafting a new ordinance, which is set to be …

HARRISBURG, Pa.-A new Pennsylvania training program designed to help police officers crack down on illegal duplication and use of cellular phones drew praise from state Sen. Christine Tartaglione last week. Tartaglione has first-hand knowledge of cellular fraud. She twice has …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission issued two notices of proposed rulemaking at its monthly meeting March 12, one dealing with streamlining its authorization process for RF-related equipment and the other to allocate spectrum for commercial wireless operations in the 36 GHz-51 …

Western Wireless Corp. launched its personal communications services network in El Paso, Texas, and Las Cruces, N.M. The system is branded VoiceStream. The new PCS markets are part of the Albuquerque, N.M., major trading area, the company said. It launched …

Editor’s Note: The companies listed below represent the 20 largest resellers of cellular service in the United States. Rankings are based on the total number of cellular resale subscribers reported by each company. Personal communications services was not included because …

WASHINGTON-Vice President Gore’s major-and questionably legal-role in Clinton administration fund raising raises more questions about whether telecommunications and trade policies continue to be compromised by campaign contributions from donors seeking a lane on the Information Superhighway. Gore, the most influential …

What began as a Craig McCaw idea became a definitive project for AT&T Wireless Services Inc. last week when the company announced plans to deploy a proprietary fixed wireless technology that could effectively cut into local home telephone service. The …

The clear leader in innovation as honored at the third annual Mobile Insights Mobility Awards dinner was Palm Computing Inc.’s Pilot organizer, a diminutive device that currently has no wireless access. Jeff Hawkins, Palm’s chief technical officer, was named industry …

Four years ago Systems/Link Corp. introduced RoamEx, which “allowed carriers with fraud problems in big cities access to what was going on,” said Diane Sammer, president of Systems/Link. Today RoamEx is rapidly becoming the ticket to global roaming. RoamEx exchanges …