1998 and beyond

1998

• 220MHz auctions are here again (to the tune of "Happy days are….").
• William Kennard becomes FCC Chairman. Four other commissioners join him: Harold Furchgott-Roth, Susan Ness, Michael Powell and Gloria Tristani.
• Nextel bids over $88 million in the 800MHz auction, winning 90% of the licenses. (Boy, sure hope they know what they're doing-see "2005.")
• Transcrypt International buys E.F. Johnson. (This is probably the end of Johnson, as we know it. Oh well. But things look good for Transcrypt.)
• PCS is finally a reality. (Funny, it looks just like a cellular telephone.)
• PCS still hasn't replaced paging.
• Cellular telephones are free.

2005

• PCS is everywhere and the cellular industry is defunct. Paging? What's paging?
• "It's digital" doesn't mean "it works."
• Nextel is the only SMR provider left on the planet-but they're being bailed out by the government. (Remember Chrysler?)
• The FCC disbands, and PCIA is in charge of licensing, auctions and frequency coordination. Jay Kitchen signs autographs.
• PCIA, ITA, AMTA, SBT, APCO, ASMR, et al, all get together to form MESS.
• Schwaninger is still writing for MRT?

— Ernest Worthman, circa 1998