Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : The New Qualcomm - a S&P500 company -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Caxton Rhodes who wrote (2109)	10/7/1999 3:47:00 PM
From: bananawind	Respond to of 13582

Bell Atlantic leads a local revolution By John Borland Staff Writer, CNET News.com October 7, 1999, 12:10 p.m. PT Q&A NEW YORK--When the head of one of the nation's largest phone firms dismisses ordinary telephone service as becoming "incidental," one can be sure a telecommunications revolution is underway. Chief executive Ivan Seidenberg is reconfiguring his company to such an extent that Bell Atlantic's new national wireless and data focus may overshadow its primary local phone business in a few years, he said in an interview with CNET News.com today. This vision is not unusual, as telecommunications companies move toward offering advanced services and dabbling in fields outside their traditional expertise. The long distance and local phone companies--AT&T, MCI WorldCom, SBC Communications, and others--are striking deals left and right while planning integrated packages of voice, video, and Internet services to better compete in the market. Unlike AT&T, which seeks to establish a national local phone network, Bell Atlantic aims to push its wireless and data interests, but not necessarily its local phone business, outside its regional boundaries. Yet federal regulators could keep the Bell's nose to its local grindstone, as they have already required SBC in its merger with Ameritech to expand its local service in 30 markets outside its region. Under Seidenberg, Bell Atlantic has been a deal-making powerhouse, sealing a merger with GTE, which owns local phone properties in 40 states and has a thriving national data business. The Baby Bell also agreed to create a joint coast-to-coast wireless phone venture with recently merged Vodafone AirTouch. Today Bell Atlantic took a near 20 percent stake in Metromedia Fiber Network, a fiber-optic firm that will give it access to high-speed data networks in metropolitan areas. This follows its application to the Federal Communications Commission last week to offer long distance service in New York--and analysts believe it will be the first successful bid by a Baby Bell. At the Internet World '99 industry trade show, CNET News.com asked Seidenberg about his company's expansion plans and about the consolidation wave that is sweeping across the telecommunications industry. NEWS.COM: Will you use today's Metromedia investment to expand outside of your home territory? Seidenberg: There are a few things that Metromedia helps us do, such as follow our multinational customers to other cities. To the extent our customers are out of region, we will serve them. Remember, GTE already offers service in 40 states around the country. Will the company offer customers voice service in new regions in the United States, the way SBC Communications has promised to do? I think voice becomes incidental to data. We're really focused on building a national wireless presence, a national data presence. I think in three to four years, voice becomes incidental to that. Will the merger between Sprint and MCI WorldCom affect Bell Atlantic's business at all? Will you have to grow your business to compete? [Sprint and MCI WorldCom] is an expected move, a response to the industry in general. But in this particular case, I think a few things need to be looked at very carefully. One of those things is the timing of this--the assumption that this could happen and be approved before Bell Atlantic is able to offer long distance is disturbing. And the consolidation of Internet assets before we can offer long distance is unthinkable. Are there other acquisitions you need to make? I think there are places in the business where we continue to build scale. We need to build by getting into the long distance markets. On wireless, look where we were with respect to wireless assets. Now we've done that deal [with Vodafone AirTouch]. But wireless data is now a brand new market. This is a never-ending mosaic. Do you need to acquire wireless data companies, then? I'm not sure there are any wireless data companies out there that are ready. But wireless data is going to be fun. It's going to be the same things that we saw driving the voice wireless market over again. Bell Atlantic has previously been very interested in convergence of voice, data, and video, with an early focus on interactive TV. Do you still see the company interested in that space? Our focus is really more on the network side. Our strength is to bring the technology out, add network services, and all of the things that go along with that. The difference today is that back then it looked like the telephone industry was moving toward the cable model. Now we're applying the Internet model. We've really skipped going through the cable model. You see those companies offering subscribers 100 or 500 channels or so. Bell Atlantic's role will be more on the Internet side, offering access to the Internet. Is the government, and particularly the FCC, helping or hindering the introduction of broadband services? It's not helping. But that's inadvertent, I think. If you go to Wall Street, you find that companies that have light regulation or no regulation are valued higher. Those of us that carry lots of old regulation have constraints. You can see what MCI WorldCom, with its high-flying stock, is able to do. Some Bell companies, like US West, have complained that Wall Street hasn't valued them as highly as start-ups, even though they have similar high-speed Internet technology. Do you feel the same way? What we've learned is that if the Street perceives things one way, all the whining in the world isn't going to make it any different. The Street said a year ago we needed to fill out our wireless footprint. We tried, and couldn't do it then. But now we have. The issue is, you can't complain about not getting credit for something. You just have to go out and do it.

To: Caxton Rhodes who wrote (2109)	10/7/1999 3:50:00 PM
From: bananawind	Respond to of 13582

Ericsson Canada and Microcell Make World's First WCDMA 1900 MHz Multimedia Call MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 7, 1999--Today Ericsson Canada and Microcell, representing the North American GSM Alliance L.L.C. and Telesystem International Wireless (TIW), took an important step toward delivering the next generation of wireless technology to North America. Anthony Schultz, Vice-President Network Planning and Operations, Microcell Connexions, and Monique Lefebvre, Vice-President, Quebec and Atlantic Region, Ericsson Canada, engaged in a historic multimedia conversation, using Ericsson's WCDMA 3rd generation wireless solutions (3G) for the North American environment. This event inaugurates Ericsson Canada's participation in the GSM Alliance L.L.C. and TIW 3G trial being conducted by Microcell Connexions in Montreal. Ericsson has been successful in establishing multimedia mobile calls based on WCDMA technology in other countries such as Japan, UK, Germany, Italy, China and Sweden over the past few months. In North America, however, technical and spectral requirements in the WCDMA/NA defined standard required additional development and testing. Ericsson has reinforced its commitment to support the North American GSM Alliance L.L.C. and TIW with the world's first version of a WCDMA system able to operate in the same 1900 MHz spectrum where Personal Communication Services (PCS) are currently deployed. This system will allow North American operators to harmonize their 3G networks with others around the world. ``Harmonizing our 3G systems means that users will have the ability to carry their multimedia terminals between North America and the rest of the world, enjoying the same voice, data, multimedia and Internet features they can get at home,' Mr. Schultz said. ``Microcell, representing the GSM Alliance L.L.C. and TIW, is proud to participate in the unfolding of this new technology. WCDMA will provide Microcell and other North American and global operators with a solid platform to deploy third generation wireless multimedia applications.' ``With this first call, Ericsson is demonstrating its leadership in delivering true multimedia services to the users. At Ericsson Canada, we look forward to working with the industry to develop the new wireless standard for North America, one that allows for greater quantities and quality of data to be quickly transferred over mobile terminals,' said Monique Lefebvre. Ericsson is leading 3G development and is ideally positioned to support any operator to migrate to next generation systems. Being the only supplier with a complete portfolio of technologies for 2G (PCS) and 3G systems, the company is in a prime position for the further expansion of its world-leading mobile systems business. Microcell Connexions, representing the GSM Alliance L.L.C and TIW, is partnering with Ericsson on the evaluation of 3rd generation wireless technology. The North American GSM Alliance L.L.C. is a group of 17 of North America's leading digital wireless Personal Communication Services (PCS) companies. TIW is a global wireless operator. It develops, acquires, owns and operates wireless telecommunications networks in developing and developed markets throughout the world. TIW provides digital cellular services in Romania, Brazil, India and China. The Company is also the leading specialised mobile radio (SMR) provider in Europe. It offers SMR and ESMR services in the United Kingdom and SMR services in France, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Portugal. In addition, TIW offers paging services in Mexico and the Netherlands. TIW is listed on the Montreal Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ``TIW' and on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol ``TIWI'. For more information about TIW, visit tiw.ca. Microcell Connexions is a wholly owned subsidiary of Microcell Telecommunications Inc. (TSE, ME:MTI:B; Nasdaq:MICTF). Microcell Connexions was awarded a 30 MHz license in December 1995 to build and operate a national PCS network at 1.9GHz in Canada. This network currently covers 53 % of the Canadian population. Microcell has set itself apart by promoting its network on a wholesale basis to new and existing service providers, offering unbranded and unbundled network services. Microcell Connexions' head office is located in Toronto, and its customers include Microcell Solutions in Montreal, CityFone Telecommunications of Vancouver, and Navitar Communications of Toronto. For more information about Microcell, visit microcell.ca. Ericsson Canada Inc., a subsidiary of LM Ericsson, Sweden, serves the Canadian market by providing complete communication solutions including Wireless Systems & Solutions, Mobile Phones, IP and Data Systems & Solutions, and Internet Consulting Services. Ericsson has offices in Montreal, Mississauga, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary, Fort McMurray and Waterloo. For more information about Ericsson Canada, visit ericsson.com Ericsson is the leading provider in the new telecoms world, with communications solutions that combine telecom and datacom technologies with the freedom of mobility for the user. With more than 100,000 employees in 140 countries, Ericsson simplifies communications for its customers -- network operators, service providers, enterprises and consumers -- the world over. Please visit Ericsson's Press Room at: ericsson.se