Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.telcom From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: telcom Thu, Mar 26 1992 Date: Thu, 26 Mar 92 05:44:31 EST Message-ID: 03-26 0000 DECISIONLINE: Telecommunications USA TODAY Update March 26, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network MOTOROLA TO OPEN ARDIS: In a move designed to dramatically accelerate the adoption of wireless data communications by the mobile work force, Motorola said Wednesday it will allow third-party vendors to manufacture ARDIS-compatible terminals and:or modem devices. This decision will give manufacturers more flexibility in incorporating wireless data communications in their products, Motorola says. (For more, see special Ardis package below.) IBM TO CHANGE APPROACH TO NETS: IBM laid out plans Wednesday for connecting personal computer networks with each other and with other types of computers. The plan is a move away from past IBM networking strategies, which relied on giant mainframe computers to manage the flow of information among desktop machines. IBM says it will devise better ways for desktop and other computers to "talk" to each other. NORTHERN TELECOM WINS AWARD: Northern Telecom Wednesday said it was presented the 1992 North American Environmental Leadership Award for outstanding environmental achievement by the United Nations Environment Programme. The company developed a `no-clean' technology that eliminates the need to remove flux residue from printed circuit boards, thereby eliminating the need for CFC-113 solvents. SKYPIX TO SHOW FACILITIES: SkyPix, the new 80-channel digital broadcast television system, says it will allow the media to tour its new broadcasting center in Oxford, Conn., Monday. The system employs digital technology that will deliver more than 57,000 hours of programming per month, including 200 movies and special events per day as well as eight superstations, two news and two children's channels. RADIX MAKES DEAL WITH SKYPIX: SkyPix and Radix Logistics Inc. say they have entered into an agreement under which Radix will provide fulfillment services for the SkyPix hardware package in the contiguous USA. The SkyPix hardware package includes a receiver-decoder, remote control and a satellite antenna. Radix will handle the coordination, storage and delivery of SkyPix hardware to SkyPix dealers. TIE NAMES NEW CEO: George N. Benjamin III was named president and chief executive officer of TIE:communications Inc. Wednesday. He replaces Eric V. Carter, who had held those positions since April 1991. Benjamin said his primary strategy will be to refocus TIE as a business communications specialist for small and medium-sized enterprises. PACIFIC WON'T BID FOR CENTEL: Pacific Telesis Group said Wednesday it will not submit a bid for all or part of Centel Corporation, the Chicago-based telecommunications company which set a date of April 15 for submission of proposals from prospective buyers."We will watch the bidding process with interest. As the process evolves, we may reevaluate our position," PTG CEO Sam Ginn said. GALESI TO BUY FONE AMERICA: Fone America Inc. said Wednesday it has received a letter of intent from Galesi Telecom Inc. to purchase a controlling interest in the nationwide operator service company. Although the terms of the letter were not made public, the amount of funding was set at $3 million. Fone America is a three-year-old telecommunications company with operator centers in Portland and Dallas. CAL. MICROWAVE GETS NEW CEO: California Microwave Inc. said Wednesday Philip F. Otto, 50, has been elected CEO. "We will focus actions aimed at steadily improving profitability and achieving accelerated growth in our chosen market," he said. California Microwave supplies satellite earth stations and other communications systems and equipment based on microwave radio technology. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON ARDIS: ARDIS IS TOP MOBILE DATA NET: Motorola's announcement to open over-the-air-protocol establishes ARDIS as the leading standard in mobile data communication networks, the firm says. ARDIS is the largest wireless data network service provider employing packet switched radio technology. More than nine out of 10 mobile data users on shared networks in the world today are using the ARDIS service. ARDIS ALLOWS DATA TRANSFER: ARDIS, a partnership of IBM and Motorola, operates the first nationwide radio data information service enabling in-building and on-street data communications between hand-held terminals and host computers. The combined ARDIS and Bell-Ardis networks serve more than 8,000 cities. GROWTH IS EXPECTED: Both the 4.8 Kbps technology installed in ARDIS' 400-plus metropolitan areas as well as the 19.2 Kbps technology scheduled for installation later this year have been opened. "This market responsive decision reinforces our belief that mobile data applications will grow more than tenfold over the next five years," said Cliff Bean of Arthur D. Little Inc. CONNECTIVELY SEEN AS NEXT TREND: Wireless connectivity is the next big wave in portable computing, said ARDIS President Jack W. Blumenstein. "We have concluded with our partners, IBM and Motorola, that an open network interface will dramatically accelerate market growth by motivating the industry to adopt wireless connectivity," he said. (End of package.) Telecommunications Editor: Ed Kelleher. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. 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