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Technology Stocks : Qualcomm Incorporated (QCOM) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jeff Vayda who wrote (18235)	11/11/1998 3:07:00 PM
From: Ruffian	Respond to of 152472

More Q News Diff. Spinn> (updated Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2 p.m. EST) \| Cellular \| PCS \| Paging \| SMR/Private Radio \| Data \| Satellite \| \| Wireless Local Loop \| Technology \| International \| Business \| Other News \| Top of the News • The public display of carrier support for the new Qualcomm Inc.-Microsoft Corp. joint venture for facilitating wireless data initially has come primarily from those already using Qualcomm network technology. Qualcomm said the WirelessKnowledge initiative, which will create a network operations center for wirelessly linking corporate IT networks with remote devices such as phones, pagers and computers, would be accessible via all major air interfaces. "We want it to be available as broadly as possible, we want it to be accepted as quickly as possible," Qualcomm Chairman Irwin Jacobs told a news conference yesterday announcing the joint venture. Wireless Week was first to report the venture on news@2 last Wednesday. Initial support for the venture, to be owned 50-50 by the Microsoft and Qualcomm, came from nine carriers, seven of which own or operate networks based on the code division multiple access technology Qualcomm pioneered. With the exception of BellSouth Cellular Corp., none of them operate a North American network using the rival global system for mobile communications platform. Qualcomm did not immediately respond to questions about whether GSM carriers had been invited to trial WirelessKnowledge, which some of the CDMA carriers said would be part of their wireless data offerings as soon as the first half of 1999. Qualcomm and Microsoft also said that as part of a broader strategic alliance, they would pursue long-term development of technology such as integration of Microsoft's Windows CE operating system into a variety of voice and data-enabled wireless devices. Cellular • CellStar Corp. has formed a Global Accessories Division to increase the company's focus on wireless accessories and the support needs of its customers worldwide. • Equiva Services LLC, an affiliate of Shell, and TruePosition Inc. signed an agreement to develop and market location-based services and applications using the TruePosition Wireless Location System. PCS • Omnipoint Corp. issued a release saying it had entered into a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice to bring to a close the DOJ investigation into alleged auction bid rigging. In agreeing to the consent decree, Omnipoint said it did not admit to any wrongdoing nor was it ever found guilty. Mercury PCS II LLC and 21st Century Bidding Corp. also reportedly reached settlements with the DOJ. • Ericsson Inc. and Omnipoint Technologies Inc. in Colorado Springs, Colo., will jointly develop location technologies for GSM-based systems, initially focusing on the 1900 MHz North American market. Omnipoint will market and sell the products on an OEM basis to Ericsson and other GSM infrastructure providers. Paging • BellSouth Mobility Inc. added text and alphanumeric paging to its bundle, with unlimited, local service selling for $9.95 a month. SMR/Private Radio • Nextel Communications Inc. formed four new wireless communications networks to serve companies in the building, transportation, agriculture and business services industries in northern California/northern Nevada. Data • The Wireless Application Protocol Forum announced 11 new member companies and the appointment of three additional board members. Technology • Hughes Network Systems is conducting trial operations of its new AIReach Office system in its Germantown, Md., headquarters facility. The in-building system uses TDMA IS-136 technology. International • Corsair Communications Inc. gained acceptance of its PrePay system for Cable and Wireless SA, Panama's recently activated B-band cellular service provider. Ericsson and Corsair jointly installed the system. • Ericsson signed a contract with Maxitel of Brazil for the turnkey construction of a D-AMPS IS-136 (TDMA) digital wireless network covering the State of Minas Gerais. The two-year contract is valued at $150 million. Business • Omnipoint Corp. reported a third-quarter net loss of $157 million or $2.98 per share, compared to a loss of $180.3 million or $3.43 per share in the same quarter a year ago. • RELM Wireless Corp. reported a third-quarter loss of $596,000 or 12 cents per share, compared to earnings of $68,000 or 1 cent per share in the same quarter a year ago. • SecurFone America Inc. signed a letter of intent with TeleData World Services Inc. in which TeleData will acquire the rights to SecurFone's Network Services and handset solution prepaid wireless products. The value of the transaction was not disclosed. • Alltel Corp. announced it has acquired 100 percent of the partnership that operates its Charleston, W.Va.-area wireless operation. The company acquired the interests of Armstrong Cellular Inc., which previously owned 15 percent of the partnership. Other News • A lawsuit filed yesterday in Los Angeles Superior Court seeks to stop Pacific Bell Wireless from advertising that its wireless service costs "less than 5 cents a minute" or "less than 2 cents a minute." The attorney who filed the suit says few customers ever use the full 500 minutes in a package and therefore end up paying more than advertised for the service. • Interactive voice response systems are the norm when customers call a company's 800 number. However, the authors of a new study say that unless the systems are user-friendly, consumers are likely to hang up the phone and take their business elsewhere. Participants in the Landmark IVR Consumer Satisfaction Study ranged from Comcast Cellular Communications Inc. to The Coca-Cola Co. • The Personal Communications Industry Association filed a petition asking the FCC not to apply certain customer proprietary network information rules to existing or new software systems. A previous stay of rules applied only to existing software systems. To locate companies mentioned in news@2, please check out the Wireless Week Directory of Industry Web Sites. Return to top of page This week's archive Copyright © 1998 Wireless Week. All rights reserved. If referenced or used in any form by another publication, proper attribution to Wireless Week is required. \| Home Page \| Site Map \| Search Archive \| PowerSearch \| \| International \| Wireless Web Sites \| Hot Stories \| Please send comments and suggestions on this Web site to jcollins@chilton.net Wireless Week, 600 S. Cherry St., #400, Denver, CO 80246 Voice: 303-393-7449, Fax: 303-399-2034 Published by Cahners Business Information © Copyright 1998. All rights reserved.