Dear Friends and Industry Colleagues,

This is my weekly newsletter about Wireless Data and Radio Paging. You are receiving this message because you have either communicated with me in the past about a wireless topic, or your address was included in another e-mail that I received. This is not a SPAM. If you have received this message in error, and you are not interested in these topics, please click here, then click on "send" and you will be promptly removed from the mailing list.

WEBLINK WIRELESS BANKRUPTCY

From RCR Wireless News:

Well there is not a lot of news this week, but what there is ought to keep us all talking about it for at least another week. Evidently Arch Wireless made an offer in bankruptcy court to buy out WebLink. The offer was promptly rejected, which is no surprise when you hear the details. The proposed deal would have moved all the WebLink subscribers over to the Arch system and then the rest of WebLink's assets would have been liquidated to pay back the company's creditors. Wow, that was certainly not very flattering to the people still working at WebLink.

WebLink's president was quoted as saying that the Arch proposal was "ill conceived" and "written by the (company's) attorneys." He also said that WebLink "would make a bid for WorldCom Inc.'s SkyTel paging business." Are you surprised? There are just three nation-wide ReFLEX systems in the USA, so it will be very interesting to see what happens.

MACINTOSH
For you Macintosh fans, there is a very good article in MacCentral, (MacWorld's News Service) about how the new Mac OS (10.2 or Jaguar) — due out on August 24th — will include Bluetooth technology support and will work with the new T68i GPRS-enabled phone from Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications. It will be offered on the Cingular network. This is soooooooo cool!

PTC
I heard that the Paging Technical Committee is looking for a new sponsor for their September meeting. You guys are all welcome to have your meeting in my home if you can't find another place. I have a great home theater with a surround-sound system, and after the meeting we can listen to some Rock 'n Roll, or if the market keeps going down, maybe a little Blues music would be more appropriate.

PAGING INDUSTRY FORECASTS
I have it on good authority that the top wireless-industry analysts on Wall Street have been getting their forecasts for the paging industry from a hairdresser in New York City. As unbelievable as it may sound, this hairdresser is an expert on both radio paging and international travel.

A New York woman was at her hairdresser's on Park Avenue getting her hair styled prior to a trip to Rome with her boyfriend. She mentioned the trip to the hairdresser, who responded, "Rome"? Why would anyone want to go there? It's crowded and dirty. You're crazy to go to Rome. So, how are you getting there?"

"We're taking Continental," was the reply. "We got a great rate!"

"Continental?" exclaimed the hairdresser. "That's a terrible airline. Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly, and they're always late. So, where are you staying in Rome?"

"We'll be at this exclusive little place over on Rome's left bank called Teste..." "Don't go any further. I know that place. Everybody thinks its gonna be something special and exclusive, but it's really a dump, the worst hotel in the city! The rooms are small, the service is horrible and they're overpriced. So, whatcha doing when you get there?"

"We're going to go to see the Vatican and we hope to see the Pope."

"That's rich," laughed the hairdresser. "You and a million other people trying to see him. He'll look the size of an ant. Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You're going to need it."

A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo. The hairdresser asked her about her trip to Rome.

"It was wonderful," explained the woman, "not only were we on time in one of Continental's brand new planes, but it was overbooked and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a handsome 28-year-old steward who waited on me hand and foot. And the hotel — it was great! They'd just finished a $5 million remodeling job and now it's a jewel, the finest hotel in the city. They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us their owner's suite at no extra charge!"

"Well," muttered the hairdresser, "that's all well and good, but I know you didn't get to see the Pope."

"Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder and explained that the Pope likes to meet some of the visitors and if I'd be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me. Sure enough, five minutes later, the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand! I knelt down and he spoke a few words to me."

"Oh, really ...What'd he say?"

He said, "Where'd you get the shitty hairdo?"

ADIÓS AMIGOS
Well, that is all I have for this week. Please let me know if you hear any news that I can include in next week's newsletter.