TelecomWeb News Digest articles from December 2006

TelecomWeb News Digest archives from December 2006

Alcatel, Lucent Tie The Knot.
December 1, 2006... Alcatel and Lucent last night completed their "merger of equals," creating the largest telecommunications equipment company in the world with $24.8 billion in revenues, the Number One market share in wireline, Number Three in mobility and...

Nortel Shares Split In Reverse.
December 1, 2006... Nortel this morning carried out its promised 10:1 reverse stock split in the latest move by that company to get back on an even keel and to put its years of financial turmoil behind it. By slashing the number of its outstanding shares and...

Big Apple Bites Cellular Subways.
December 1, 2006... Amid its all-too-common urban debates on fare hikes, service schedules, cutbacks, construction/upgrade plans and rider etiquette, New York City's Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) also is sparring with cellular carriers over deployment of...

Markey Sticks With Key House Telecom/Internet Panel.
December 1, 2006... With a long legislative involvement in the field, Rep. Edward Markey (D- Mass.) has decided to continue with his telecom/Internet oversight assignment in the House as Democratic lawmakers prepare to take control of Capitol Hill in next year's...

Tsunami Area RFs Up For Future Disasters.
December 1, 2006... One positive result of the devastating tsunami that hit the southern resort island of Phuket nearly two years ago is the testing of a state-of-the- art wireless network that can be used to establish communications for emergency workers...

TeliaSonera Goes 3G In Spain, Meets Swedish Goal.
December 1, 2006... TeliaSonera's 76.6-percent majority-owned Spanish mobile operation Xfera launched commercial services today under the brand name "Yoigo," promising the cheapest 3G service in that country. The operator's initial commercial tariffs see it...

Alcatel-Lucent's First Acquisition: Nortel Finalizes Its UMTS Exit Plans.
December 4, 2006... Nortel today said it has now inked a definitive agreement to sell its selling its money-losing UMTS access business to the newly merged Alcatel-Lucent combine, creating what suddenly becomes a major number three player in the market, ready...

11 Bidders Battle For Bahrain Fixed Wireless Licenses.
December 4, 2006... A flock of 11 contenders have submitted bids for a pair of National Fixed Wireless Service (NFWS) licenses being offered by Bahrain. The licenses, which will allow both data and voice services, represent a further opening up of the Bahrain...

Readies AT&T/BellSouth 'McMerger' Maneuver.
December 4, 2006... Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin J. Martin on Friday revealed he is prepared to pull excused GOP commissioner Robert M. McDowell, the regulator's newest member, into the AT&T/BellSouth merger approval vote in order to...

Microsoft Now Live At Five As BT IPTV Launches.
December 4, 2006... BT today launched its IPTV service, BT Vision, in a blaze of publicity that included unveiling of a slew of content deals as well as a pricing strategy replete with surprises, in one of the most eagerly awaited IPTV launches this year. ...

Qualcomm Carts Away Two RF Makers In Shopping Spree.
December 4, 2006... In separate shopping spree transactions, Qualcomm Inc. today agreed to acquire two radio frequency device activities typically associated with wireless consumer markets, including the Bluetooth assets of RF Micro Devices (RFMD) and all of...

ITU Calls For Worldwide Anti-Spam Collaboration.
December 4, 2006... The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) today said more cross- border collaboration should be implemented by key international and regional organizations in in a worldwide fight against spam and related threats that are increasingly...

Report From Hong Kong: Convergence The Top Topic.
December 5, 2006... The hot word reaching TelecomWeb news break from the massive International Telecommunication Union (ITU) show being held in Hong Kong this week is "convergence" of fixed a mobile, at least as far as voice and data go - but the cold shoulder...

India's RCL Issues 100M Line Cellular MegaTender.
December 5, 2006... Reliance Telecom (RCL), India's second largest cellular carrier, has reported put out invitations to bid for what would apparently be the largest cellular tender in the history of the world: A request for proposal (RFP) for 90-100 million...

'Unwired Portland' Muni Mesh Launches.
December 5, 2006... MetroFi and the City of Portland today said they have launched the first phase of a Wi-Fi mesh network offering free wireless Internet access service that will ultimately service an estimated 95 percent of the Oregon city's indoor and...

China To Stand Pat With Current List Of Carriers.
December 5, 2006... China's top government telecom official yesterday said the country plans to stick with its current structure of state-formed and private investor-backed carriers amid reports that, with Beijing blessing, the country's major companies may be...

Research: IP Convergence Dominated 3Q PBX Shipments.
December 5, 2006... The InfoTrack for Enterprise Communications (IEC) 3Q06 Report reveals IP convergence dominated global PBX line shipments for 3Q06, at 73 percent of the growing $14B annual market. Traditional PBX and key/hybrid systems evenly split the...

Swisscom Buys Mobile Portal House.
December 5, 2006... Swisscom's mobile unit has acquired mobile Internet portal and interactive application solution provider Minick Holding, a small 68-man outfit which works with some of the biggest broadcasters and telcos in Europe. Swisscom did not...

Fight Heats Up Over Tie-Breaking AT&T/BellSouth Vote.
December 6, 2006... The flap over whether Federal Communications Commission (FCC) member Robert McDowell can be allowed to vote in favor of the AT&T/BellSouth merger has begun to ratchet up as the Republican commissioner indicated his willingness to participate...

BT Creates Unit To Cash In On 21CN Expertise.
December 6, 2006... BT, wanting to make hay from the lessons it learned building its flashy 21CN next-generation network (NGN), has set up a unit to sell its expertise worldwide. At the same time, BT handed the newborn Alcatel-Lucent its first massive new...

New PT Takeover Rules Published; Bid Imminent.
December 6, 2006... Portugal's competition authority, the Autoridade da Concorrencia (AdC), last night published its second "conditional" approval of Sonae's hostile $13 billion takeover bid for Portugal Telecom (PT), incorporating a string of 27 last-minute...

Report From Hong Kong: EC's Reding Says 'Rely On Markets, Not Regulation'.
December 6, 2006... In a sweeping series of remarks at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom World 2006 show in Hong Kong this week, a key figure told attendees that, ideally, "competitive market factors attributable to service providers,...

Cable & Wireless Exits Bahrain.
December 6, 2006... Cable & Wireless (C&W) is selling off its 20-percent stake in the Bahrain Telecommunications Company (Batelco), saying what it really wanted was to buy a controlling interest in the carrier. It's getting a reported $506.1 million from a...

Verizon Taps Ciena For Optical Mesh Switches.
December 6, 2006... Verizon Business, a division of Verizon Communications, is deploying what it says is its first highly resilient mesh network based on Ciena's CoreDirector Multiservice Optical Switches across its terrestrial and undersea cable network...

U.K. Wireless/Broadband Retail Battle Twists & Shouts.
December 7, 2006... In the latest twist in the turbulent British retail cellular and broadband markets, U.K. cellphone retailer Phones 4U today leaked - and it appears on purpose - word it's negotiating to become a broadband reseller. Its target is rival...

Washington Scrambles As Congress Runs Short Of Time.
December 7, 2006... Everything from 911 legislation to research-and-development tax credits appears to be up in the air or in play as lawmakers, lobbying groups and special interests scurry to get something accomplished before the U.S. Congress adjourns. ...

Google Goes To London In A BSkyB Deal.
December 7, 2006... BSkyB, in a major move in its attempt to crack the U.K. broadband market, has paired with Web giant Google. Sky will become the first global to deployment of Google's full suite of search, advertising, communications and video services,...

Microsoft, Alcatel-Lucent Win Singapore IPTV Trial Honors.
December 7, 2006... Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) today disclosed it has been using Microsoft's IPTV software and Alcatel-Lucent hardware for a technical trial of IPTV. The disclosure is a pretty good indication Microsoft and Alcatel-Lucent...

FCC Chairman Posits Quicker Video Franchising.
December 7, 2006... Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin J. Martin is prepared to take steps that would hasten the pace of video competition, ostensibly allowing telcos easier entry into the business with IPTV service offerings against incumbent...

More Buildings Cut The Cord.
December 7, 2006... A new study says customers' dependence on wireless communications and their adoption of 3G services are the primary drivers of the global growth of in-building wireless systems. According ABI Research, deployments of these systems are...

Qwest CEO's Defense Wins Right To Use Secret Gov't Docs.
December 8, 2006... New papers just filed in U.S. District Court in Denver reveal a federal judge secretly ruled back in October that former Qwest CEO Joe Nacchio, under indictment on 42 counts of insider trading, can use classified government documents in his...

India Stock Deal Makers Abuzz Pending Announcements.
December 8, 2006... India's financial community was buzzing today amid reports of dealmaking in the telecom carrier business there, including reports that a buyout plan with an estimated $8 billion kitty was in the works for Hutchison Essar Ltd., and with Idea...

Verizon Exec: NJ IPTV Franchise Imminent.
December 8, 2006... Verizon Communications expects the New Jersey state government to make a decision soon on its first application for statewide video franchising under recently passed legislation. According to Doreen Toben, Verizon's executive vice...

Canadian WiMAX Pioneer Swims In Red Ink.
December 8, 2006... Canadian wireless broadband house SR Telecom, a 25-year industry veteran that these days is betting the homestead on WiMAX, has taken out $17.4 million in new financing to help keep the doors open after reporting yet another quarter deep in...

Survey Sez: IM-ing Divides The Generations.
December 8, 2006... An AP-AOL survey on how Americans use instant messaging shows it all depends on how old you are. Teens tend to use IM extensively for talk, dating and homework, while their parents prefer traditional email and telephony. According to the...

Nokia Scores A Hat Trick.
December 8, 2006... During this past week, Nokia disclosed a deal with France Telecom covering mobile content while landing a 3G contract from carrier Wind in Italy and a network-modernization pact with Philippine telecom operator Eastern Telecom. The...

Congress Leaves Reform In The Cold; FCC Keeps Merger Hot.
December 11, 2006... The U.S. Congress adjourned its 109th session during Saturday morning's early hours without progress on any sweeping telecom reform or a national video franchising legislation, but the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) kept...

EU Telecom Council Thrashes Out Roaming Decision.
December 11, 2006... The European Commission (EC) says a European Union (EU) telecom council was set to meet earlier today in Brussels to discuss resolutions to several hot issues in the industry, especially a controversial proposal to slash mobile roaming...

New Zealand Parliament Eyes Vote On Telecom Split.
December 11, 2006... New Zealand's Parliament this week may pass legislation codifying the imposition of more open access and interconnection obligations on Telecom New Zealand (TNZ), possibly dividing the nation's dominant carrier into retail, wholesale and...

802.20 Beats 'Mobile WiMAX' In Lebanon.
December 11, 2006... Despite the current political turmoil in Lebanon, that country this week will become the first in the Middle East to see the deployment of so-called "pre-802.20" mobile broadband. For those who may have forgotten, that's the direct...

Ofcom Seeks Comment On RF Spectrum Sale.
December 11, 2006... Ofcom today made a major announcement regarding the upcoming sale of RF spectrum for advanced wireless and broadband services, set to take to place sometime during the next year in the U.K. It released a consultation document seeking comment...

Survey Sez: Despite Risks, Securities Firms Love IM.
December 11, 2006... A new poll confirms that instant messaging (IMing) is an increasingly common communication tool within securities firms, despite the fact risk management remains the top barrier to institutional adoption of IM in many companies and that the...

Long-Hauler Buzz Telecom In A Heap O' Ohio Trouble.
December 12, 2006... Consumer complaints, a regulatory investigation and consumer-advocate outrage are descending on an Indiana-based, discount long-distance telco active in Ohio, and it may have to exit the Buckeye State. Following similar flaps in North...

China Telecom: At Peace With Being A Domestic Service Provider.
December 12, 2006... China's dominant but no longer exclusive service provider China Telecommunications Corporation (China Telecom) says its strategy - presumably in concert with the state - is to remain a domestic stronghold and to avoid foreign entanglements...

Kneuer Finally Gets DoC/NTIA Post Nod From Senate.
December 12, 2006... After almost a year of doing the job in an "acting" capacity, John M. R. Kneuer was confirmed by the U.S. Senate last weekend as the U.S. Department of Commerce's new assistant secretary for communications and information and head of the...

Broadband Takes Off Into The WildBlue Yonder.
December 12, 2006... Late last week, WildBlue Communications launched its own broadband-only satellite, a first for the young company. The carrier is promising expanded 1.5 Mb/s service using Ka-band technology to just about anyplace in the United States, with...

Cablecos Invited To Join The Carrier Ethernet Club.
December 12, 2006... The Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF), until now pretty much the exclusive playground of the world's telcos, has put out the welcome mat for cable-system operators. At the same time, it's been confirmed that the cable industry's private R&D...

Napster Mobile Goes Irish.
December 12, 2006... O2 Ireland is joining forces with Ericsson for the first European launch of Napster Mobile. O2 Ireland also will be the first operator to launch Napster Mobile in i- mode. The launch of Napster Mobile is a major coup for the operator,...

FCC Details Second 2007 'Modest' Spectrum Auction.
December 13, 2006... The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unveiled the particulars of its 2007 auction of some 94 RF licenses in the 220 MHz-222 MHz band range, its second very-modest-dollar-volume bidding contest (TelecomWeb news break, Nov. 21). ...

Despite Partnerships, DirectTV Faces Difficult Times.
December 13, 2006... In a research note sent out earlier today, Bryan Kraft, a media-equity analyst at Credit Suisse, says he believes the next 12 months are likely to be a challenge for U.S. satellite pay-TV operators - in particular, DirecTV. "We believe...

Skype Seeks Payment As Free Calls Disperse Into The Ether.
December 13, 2006... Skype has begun asking for a $30 annual subscription to make unlimited, Internet-based voice calls in the United States and Canada, thus ending the freebie promotion it launched in May during a competitive effort to entice more users. ...

BT: Shopping For Cellular Spectrum?
December 13, 2006... BT probably will be one of the main bidders for the RF spectrum U.K. regulator Ofcom is likely to begin selling next year. Ofcom has said such a sale would be "the U.K.'s largest single release of radio spectrum." The fact Ofcom is...

Europe Bolsters Anti-Competition Watchdog Stance.
December 13, 2006... According to reports, the European Commission (EC) has charged Poland with "incorrectly enforcing rules designed to open its national telecom market to competition." According to European Union rules, member governments must require...

The Grinch That Stole Wi-Fi.
December 13, 2006... Say it ain't so: One Wi-Fi testing-equipment provider claims traditional holiday decorations, including all those glaring Christmas lights, could interfere with enterprise-wide RF signals. According to AirMagnet Inc., which develops and...

FCC Agenda: No AT&T/BellSouth But Video Franchise On Tap.
December 14, 2006... Although the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) isn't necessarily required to make decisions at its open sessions, the industry quickly will note the agency's public meeting agenda for Dec. 20 lacks any mention of the controversial...

More Enterprises Seek Outsourced Wireless Network Security Help.
December 14, 2006... According to a new report issued by InfoTech, two-thirds of enterprise decision-makers now are willing to seek outside assistance when it comes to securing their wireless communications solutions. The new study, "Securing the Wireless...

EC Sets Common Spectrum For Short Range Unlicensed Wireless.
December 14, 2006... Earlier today, the European Commission (EC) said it will implement a series of spectrum set-aside allocations across European Union (EU) member states for a variety of unlicensed, short-range wireless devices, including radio frequency...

More Banks, Retailers Embrace Contactless Payments.
December 14, 2006... With adoption being driven by some of the world's largest bank-card associations, banks, wireless carriers and merchants, spending on contactless- payment hardware and software will reach $870 million by 2011, up from just $260 million this...

Update: Ohio Stings Buzz Telecom, New Zealand Telecom To Split.
December 14, 2006... Yesterday, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio ordered Buzz Telecom to stop marketing in the state, and the agency opened an investigation of the Indiana long-distance service provider (TelecomWeb news break, Dec. 12). And the New...

Microsoft Vets Beceem WiMAX Gear.
December 14, 2006... Santa Clara, Calif.-based Beceem Communications claims to be the first vendor to win certification by Microsoft's Windows Hardware Quality Lab for its Mobile WiMAX chipset and driver products. According to Microsoft, such certification...

FTC Extracts More DirecTV Telemarketing Penalties.
December 15, 2006... The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) disclosed a series of settlements on violations of "do not call" (DNC) rules and regulations that will cost third- party telemarketers working for satellite programming service operator DirecTV more than...

France Telecom's Downs And Ups.
December 15, 2006... France Telecom is ending the year on a roller coaster, fighting European Commission (EC) scrutiny regarding roaming fees and its recent poor financial showing while cutting over a new, high-speed broadband service. Reports out of France...

SonaeCom's Portugal Telecom Bid Nears Final OK.
December 15, 2006... SonaeCom SGPS' estimated $14.8 billion hostile bid for Portugal Telecom (PT) is nearing final government approval, despite the various regulatory objections that have been voiced about the proposed takeover. PT's CEO Henrique Granadeiro...

Franchising Fracas: FCC's Action Could Bring Old Foes Together.
December 15, 2006... Despite years of tension and name-calling between cable operators and local franchise authorities, legislative and regulatory battles over video franchising reportedly are clearing the way for potential alliances. "If the cable companies...

New Deal Melds IP Unity, Glenayre Messaging.
December 15, 2006... IP Unity, a provider of carrier-grade media servers, application servers and real-time multimedia applications, and Glenayre Messaging, a division of Glenayre Technologies Inc. and a long-time leader in providing next-gen messaging...

South Korea Set For First UWB WPAN Service.
December 15, 2006... SK Telecom, which claims to be the largest wireless and broadband operator in South Korea, is teaming with Staccato Communications for delivery of Ultra Wideband (UWB) wireless personal area network (WPAN) mobile-phone services in South Korea...

Morse Code Testing Goes The Way Of All Things.
December 18, 2006... A new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Report and Order on Reconsideration modifies the rules for the Amateur Radio Service by revising the exam requirements for obtaining a General Class or Amateur Extra Class license along with...

UGC And The Big BluOnyx.
December 18, 2006... On the heels of Time magazine naming all of us and user-generated content (UGC) as its "person of the year," Agere Systems is touting a new product category, the BluOnyx mobile content server, that it says "untethers" users from their PCs...

BT Revamps Pension Scheme.
December 18, 2006... BT's pension deficit, which reportedly has surpassed $6.6 billion, now is a front-burner item for the carrier, and it's revealed details on how it plans to fix the problem, in part including a deal with the Trustees of the BT Pension Scheme...

David Versus Goliath In The Islands.
December 18, 2006... News out of the U.K. today says Cable & Wireless has been slapped with a lawsuit in the Caribbean that could impact its role as the dominant broadband carrier in many of its key island markets. Cariaccess, a five-year-old start-up that's...

CenturyTel Plans Madison River LEC Purchase.
December 18, 2006... Telecom holding company CenturyTel, Inc. today disclosed a definitive agreement to acquire all of the outstanding stock of incumbent rural local exchange carrier (LEC) Madison River Communications Corp. for some $830 million in a...

Hutchison's India, Europe Sales Reports Fuel Speculation.
December 18, 2006... Reports and rumors accelerated during the weekend regarding Hong Kong's Hutchison Whampoa Group wanting to divest telecom assets in India and Europe, with the company's apparent silence stimulating and intensifying Asian stock- market...

Will McDowell Fallout Cause An AT&T/BellSouth Waterloo?
December 19, 2006... Reactions to Federal Communications Commissioner Robert M. McDowell disqualifying himself from breaking the tie on the deadlocked AT&T/BellSouth merger vote (TelecomWeb Breaking News, Dec. 18) are just starting to filter in but the surprise...

Carriers Urge Monetary Rollover To Keep USF Going.
December 19, 2006... Because protective legislation in the U.S. Congress failed to pass this year, telecom carrier groups are joining legislators in urging federal agencies to roll over money into the universal service fund (USF) for 2007 to keep the subsidy...

Market-Based Regulation Kicks In At The CRTC.
December 19, 2006... In a first-of-its-kind "policy direction" to the Canadian Radio- television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the Honorable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry, told the regulatory agency to take a more market- based approach to...

Verizon Next-Gen Fiber Consortium Links U.S., China.
December 19, 2006... Verizon Business inked a construction-and-maintenance agreement to build what it says will be the first next-gen undersea fiber-optic cable system directly linking the U.S. mainland and China. The Verizon Communications division is part...

Carriers Advised To Promote Social Communities.
December 19, 2006... A new ABI Research brief says "mobile social communities" currently count nearly 50 million members worldwide, a number expected to reach 174 million in 2011. "The rapid rise of online social communities, gathering places such as...

Nokia Wins New Business in Thailand.
December 19, 2006... Earlier today, Nokia announced two wireless deals in Thailand worth more than $200 million, showing it's still in the game despite continuing controversy regarding the delay of its planned merger with Siemens. The first contract, worth...

FTC's Tougher Telemarketing Proposals Move Into 2007.
December 20, 2006... The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is extending into next year its investigation into proposed rule changes designed to toughen regulations governing pervasive and growing telemarketing call activity, particularly on the rates of call...

Batelco Division Pays Big For Jordan License.
December 20, 2006... Umniah, a subsidiary of Bahrain-based operator Batelco, won Jordan's first 3.5 GHz fixed broadband wireless access (FBWA) license from the kingdom's Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, following a successful $11.8 million bid. ...

Research: ULL Growth Set To Spike By 2011.
December 20, 2006... Openreach, the access arm of U.K. incumbent BT, says the U.K. reached the 1 million unbundled local loop (ULL) landmark Nov. 8. However, that country will not be alone in experiencing an infrastructure-based revolution in broadband access,...

FCC Awards More AWS-1 Licenses.
December 20, 2006... The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted another 357 RF licenses to the winning bidders of the marathon Advanced Wireless Service (AWS- 1) auction that concluded several months ago and that raised a record $13.7 billion for the...

Swisscom Bags Vodafone's Mobile Stake.
December 20, 2006... Swisscom is spending $3.46 billion to finally become the 100-percent owner of Swisscom Mobile, buying back a 25-percent stake owned by Vodafone. Swisscom had entered into negotiations with Vodafone regarding this stake in November....

MVNOs Target Convenience Stores For Success.
December 20, 2006... According to Airlink Mobile, while some mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) are struggling due to a lack of distribution, the prepaid wireless market, which targets the youth market, low-income and credit-challenged Americans, and...