Telia, which had been seen as a dead certainty to walk away with one of them, was not on the winning list. The Federal Trade Commission, which oversees consumer protection online and offline, gathered industry, government, privacy, and consumer-protection professionals for two days at a workshop to examine technologies and their implications for privacy and security on the wireless Internet. The Commission is satisfied with the results obtained by Europe and will seek to ensure an equally successful global conference in 2003. New mobile internet services can signal the nearest cash machine or hospital by identifying a caller s position. Analysts query whether the winners will be publishers, technology companies or mobile operators.
Recent deals point to a similar confusion in boardrooms.
The Australian Broadcasting Authority, which auctions radio spectrum on behalf of the country's government, set a February 12 deadline for companies wishing to bid for a so-called third generation wireless phone licence. Federal governemnt auction opens for the spectrum for wireless communications. The European Commission is under increasing pressure from governments and industry to speed up legislation that lets 3G license holders sub-lease spectrum. The Pakistan government has announced that incoming calls on mobile phones will be free to boost usage and increase the number of subscribers. The news woke up the mobile phone market and sent Pakistanis rushing to stock up on handsets.