The new guy, Dan Hesse takes over AT&T Wireless

Dan Hesse may be somewhat of a stranger to wireless, but a glance at his resume suggests that he's no stranger to new situations.

For someone who has been tapped by AT&T to succeed Steve Hooper as head of the company's wireless business, an affinity for throwing open unfamiliar doors without trepidation is a good trait to have.

"I can't think of anything at AT&T that I'd rather do," Hesse said. "I see this as the era of wireless.

Hesse, who became president and chief executive officer of AT&T Wireless Services on May 12, is a 20-year veteran of AT&T who has held positions in domestic and international sales and service, network engineering and operations, human resources, product management and business development. Most recently, he was vice president and general manager of business development.

The most notable stints of Hesse's AT&T career are also the most experimental. In 1996, he became manager of AT&T's on-line services group and - having had no previous Internet experience - oversaw the company's WorldNet Service. From 1991 to 1995, he was president and CEO of what was then AT&T Network Systems International (now part of Lucent Technologies), heading the equipment business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa with no previous international exposure.

Hesse's wireless experience is limited to selling wireless systems internationally and participating in AT&T's "Project Angel" wireless local access project from the landline side. But he has demonstrated a flexibility that is crucial for the head of a company that, as he puts it, "has a strong and deep slate of competitors to deal with.

AERIAL MAKES IT TWO Aerial Communications has turned up its GSM network in Houston, the second market where the carrier's service is now available. Aerial's service is available to 4 million people, representing 70% of the population of the Houston major trading area.

GLOBALSTAR favors QUALCOMM Qualcomm has been granted a $275 million contract to supply gateways for Globalstar's low-earth-orbit satellite system. The gateways will serve as interconnection points between the Globalstar network and existing terrestrial networks.

AIRNET NETS THIRD KENTUCKY AirNet Communications has received orders from Third Kentucky Cellular to provide GSM network equipment for regions the carrier acquired in the F block PCS auction.