RCR Wireless News articles from August 2005

RCR Wireless News archives from August 2005

Stock Watch: July 21 - July 28.(Wireless Metrics)
August 1, 2005... table: Stock Watch: July 21 - July 28 * 3 graphics: Market Diary * Indices * RCR Index: see print copy.

More companies buy back shares as market improves.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: MIKE DANO As the U.S. economy slowly emerges from its prolonged winter, many companies in the wireless sector are wondering what to do with the extra cash they've suddenly found. For some of the industry's largest players, the...

Novatel new No. 1 in U.S. PC card market.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: MIKE DANO Novatel Wireless Inc. strengthened its position as the No. 1 supplier of PC cards in the United States in the second quarter, finally beating long-time rival Sierra Wireless Inc. Sierra has dominated the PC card market,...

Bush administration officials considered for FCC open seats.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER It appears the White House may be looking inside its own walls to fill the vacancy created when former FCC Chairman Michael Powell left the Federal Communications Commission in March. Michael Meece,...

Nextel argues lower value for Partners affiliate.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: DAN MEYER Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. continue to wage a number of side battles in Sprint's attempt to acquire Nextel. Most of the conflicts are with respective affiliates that are trying to clear up partnership...

Now that EA's playing in wireless, will acquisitions follow?(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: COLIN GIBBS When Electronic Arts Inc. signaled its long-awaited entry into mobile gaming earlier this year, many onlookers expected the 800-pound gorilla to quickly devour a competitor or two. Instead, the company appears to be...

FCC wants to fine InPhonic for not paying into USF, other fees.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER The Federal Communications Commission has proposed fining InPhonic Inc. more than $819,000 for not registering as a telecommunications carrier and thus not making necessary payments for universal service,...

FT buys 80% of Spanish wireless carrier.(Global Wireless)
August 1, 2005... Byline: SANDRA WENDELKEN After weeks of speculation, France Telecom said its Orange SA wireless subsidiary will spend $7.7 billion to buy 80 percent of the third-largest wireless carrier in Spain. The acquisition of 80 percent of Auna...

Vodafone to bring Space Boy friend to cell phones.(Global Wireless)
August 1, 2005... Mobile-entertainment company Player X and Vodafone Group plc announced plans to release a cell-phone companion called Space Boy in August. The character "lives'' inside customers' mobile phones. Space Boy is the first in the "Mobies''...

Cingular opens garden gate with Bango pact.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: COLIN GIBBS Cingular Wireless L.L.C. continued to dismantle its garden walls, announcing its first deal with a WAP-based, off-deck content aggregator. The No. 1 U.S. carrier inked an agreement with Bango.net Ltd., which sells...

ComCare urges FCC to keep E-911 handset deadline.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER The Communications for Coordinated Assistance and Response to Emergencies (ComCare) Alliance is asking the Federal Communications Commission to maintain its deadline for location-capable handsets. ...

Telecom reform bill includes federal pre-emption measure.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER Just as wireless was largely left on the edges of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, it once again remains in the shadows as lawmakers map out new plans for telecom reform. Broadband is the key word today...

Motorola to fine-tune supply biz.
August 1, 2005... Byline: MIKE DANO Motorola Inc. used its annual analyst meeting here to paint a portrait of itself as a sleek, lean, high-tech firm with plans to sit alongside such well-known consumer brands as Apple Computer Inc. and Nike Inc. And to...

Nader group: Industry using kids to get to parents' $$.
August 1, 2005... Byline: COLIN GIBBS Carriers and content providers increasingly are targeting younger users in a scramble to push revenue-generating content and applications into one of the few remaining growth market segments. But marketing to teens,...

Verizon, Sprint ink MMS interop deal.(News)
August 1, 2005... The move toward universal multimedia messaging service interoperability continued with a deal between two of the top U.S. carriers. Verizon Wireless and Sprint PCS are the latest Tier 1 carriers to ink deals allowing subscribers to...

Western Wireless, Alltel merger close expected today.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: DAN MEYER Alltel Corp.'s acquisition of Western Wireless Corp. is expected to be completed this week following a shareholder consideration election held late last week at Western Wireless Corp.'s final annual shareholders meeting....

Businesses adopting wireless data more quickly than first expected.(Wireless Metrics)
August 1, 2005... North American and European businesses are adopting mobile applications more quickly than originally planned or expected, according to a report from Forrester Research. The survey indicated nearly half of the 1,000 network and telecom...

CDG group develops CDMA2000 handset requirements.(News)
August 1, 2005... The CDMA Development Group said its Global Handset Requirements for CDMA team has developed and published common requirements for different classes of CDMA2000 handsets to reduce cost and time to market, as well as to facilitate service...

InfoSonics to distribute handset for Edge.(News)
August 1, 2005... InfoSonics Corp., a wireless handset distributor in the United States and Latin America, said Edge Wireless has approved VK Mobile's VK530 mobile phone on its network for prepaid and postpaid service. InfoSonics is the sole distributor for...

U.S. watches Cingular HSDPA launch; As UMTS handsets become prevalent, some carriers proceed with software upgrade.(Focus)
August 1, 2005... Byline: JONI MORSE When Cingular Wireless L.L.C. launches high-speed data packet access-based service en masse in the United States later this year, the protocol is expected to double the carrier's reach, making a significant mark not only...

Telecom reform deja vu.(Opinion)
August 1, 2005... Hearing comments on Sen. John Ensign's telecom reform bill is like deja vu all over again, to borrow a phrase from John Fogerty. Ensign's bill aims to largely deregulate the telecom and video industries. On first glance it looks good for...

Brady Bunch plans give operators lower ARPU, lower churn.
August 1, 2005... Byline: DAN MEYER Family plans may be family-friendly, but for wireless operators they are quickly becoming a trickier balancing act than where to seat squabbling relatives at a family reunion. Family plans have allowed carriers to add...

Verizon inches closer to Cingular; Posts most Q2 subscriber adds in nation.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: DAN MEYER The second quarter is shaping up as a one-horse affair as Verizon Wireless appears set to take substantial market share away from its competitors and move ever closer to its larger rival Cingular Wireless L.L.C. ...

Qualcomm enters i-mode with Access deal.(News)
August 1, 2005... Qualcomm Inc. said it will partner with Access Co. Ltd. to make the Japanese mobile content delivery firm's i-mode Global Profile offering available on select W-CDMA MSM chipsets from Qualcomm.The two companies will work together to optimize...

The Black Sheep.(Opinion)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Sandra Wendelken Ahhh, China. It's sort of like the black sheep of the global wireless family. It plays by its own rules, it doesn't conform and it certainly doesn't make things easy for any government or wireless company hoping to...

Analysts differ on wisdom of possible Verizon matches.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: DAN MEYER The frenzy of consolidation sweeping the wireless industry may not be over as an industry research firm recommended that some nationwide operators could see both long- and short-term benefits by acquiring keenly focused...

Infrastructure Awards.(Wireless Metrics)
August 1, 2005... Following are infrastructure contracts announced in July: Alcatel Malaysia: With Celcom to expand the operator's GSM network and upgrade it with a mobile next generation network solution. Value: Undisclosed Ericsson China:...

Alaska Communications adds record number of quarterly subscribers.(News)
August 1, 2005... Alaska Communications Systems Group Inc. said it added a company-record 6,782 customers during the second quarter, a 119-percent improvement compared with the 3,092 customers the carrier added during the second quarter of last year. ACS ended...

Late News.
August 1, 2005... U.S. Cellular turns on service in St. Louis U.S. Cellular Corp. launched wireless service in St. Louis, which becomes the carrier's second-largest market behind Chicago. The carrier noted that it has deployed nearly 300 cell sites, hired...

Siemens' profit drops in part due to handset unit sale.(News)
August 1, 2005... Siemens AG posted a drop in its quarterly profit, partially due to the offloading of its mobile-phone business to Taiwanese company BenQ. Siemens' net profit tumbled from $984 million in the year-ago quarter to $470 million in the quarter ended...

BCGI puts $41M in escrow for Freedom case, posts loss.(News)
August 1, 2005... Boston Communications Group Inc. said it placed $41 million into escrow to be used as bond if a $128 million judgment against it is upheld. Cingular Wireless L.L.C. also agreed to post bond for any amount in excess of the $41 million for...

Cingular, Verizon plan system upgrades.(News)
August 1, 2005... Cingular Wireless L.L.C. and Verizon Wireless each announced investments in network upgrades in several states. Cingular specifically said it plans to spend an estimated $6.2 billion this year upgrading its network nationwide. Cingular...

Business Briefs.(Briefs)
August 1, 2005... America Online Inc. is testing a suite of mobile search services that would allow users with Web-enabled phones to search the Internet for information, including local business listings, and to compare prices of goods from online retailers....

Biggest handset makers take more market share.(News)
August 1, 2005... The big appear to keep getting bigger as Nokia Corp. and Motorola Inc. accounted for half of the 188 million phones sold in the second quarter, according to research and consulting firm Strategy Analytics. However, such gains came at the...

SpectraSite, American Tower report losses ahead of merger.(News)
August 1, 2005... Two of the nation's largest tower operators posted second-quarter losses despite increasing revenues as they continued to move toward a pending merger. SpectraSite Inc. reported a net loss of $1.4 million, or 3 cents per share, during the...

Different looks.(Opinion)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Tracy Ford MVNO madness is nearing fever pitch as companies outside the traditional wireless space contemplate whether they too should start selling wireless telephony as a commodity. Can P. Diddy really become a mobile virtual...

America Movil buys into Chilean market.(Global Wireless)
August 8, 2005... America Movil S.A., the Mexico-based wireless service provider, said it acquired 100 percent of Chilean wireless carrier Smartcom for $472 million from Spanish company Endesa Participadas S.A. Smartcom has about 1.7 million subscribers in Chile...

All you do is talk, talk; Speech applications can drive data revenues, proponents say.(Focus)
August 8, 2005... Byline: COLIN GIBBS As profit margins from voice become razor-thin, operators are hoping to push lucrative content and applications to bulk up the bottom line. Ironically, they're looking to voice-driven technologies to help. ...

UTStarcom posts loss, despite handset successes.(News)
August 8, 2005... UTStarcom Inc. posted a loss in the second quarter, and its third-quarter outlook offered no relief, news that helped send its stock down more than 6 percent to around $8 per share. "While we had hoped that the downward revisions to revenue...

Operators make call-quality gains in J.D. Power study; Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA on top in most regions of country.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: DAN MEYER Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA Inc. and Nextel Communications Inc. all gained bragging rights from this year's J.D. Power and Associates Wireless Call Quality Performance Study. Customers rated each carrier highest in...

Mind CTI to buy Sentori for U.S. MVNO push.(Global Wireless)
August 8, 2005... In a move that will expand its U.S. presence, Mind CTI Ltd., a real-time mediation, billing and customer-care solutions provider, reached an agreement to acquire U.S.-based Sentori Inc., which is a customer-care software solutions provider for...

Wireless, online offerings fuel digital music growth.(Wireless Metrics)
August 8, 2005... Wireless and online download services are fueling a dramatic surge in digital music offerings, according to a study from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. The group's annual report indicates 180 legitimate download...

Sprint Nextel combo clears legal hurdle.
August 8, 2005... Byline: DAN MEYER Sprint Corp. received an important endorsement for its pending acquisition of Nextel Communications Inc. as the Federal Communications Commission granted its approval for the deal, which will solidify the new Sprint...

Regionals post better ARPU, but not much subscriber growth.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: DAN MEYER Independent regional operators posted mixed second-quarter results that in most cases included sagging customer growth, but increased revenue per subscriber bolstered by growing wireless data usage. Recently...

The more things change ...(Opinion)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Tina Eichner A few weeks before our wedding nine years ago, my husband and I set out to buy something cool for his groom's gifts. Back in July 1996, we decided that a personal organizer was that really cool, wow gift. I...

CellStar admits wrongdoings in Chinese business.(Global Wireless)
August 8, 2005... Mobile-phone distributor CellStar Corp. owned up to its financial failings in China with an admission that its employees used unauthorized tactics to boost the company's revenues and then hid those actions from the company's auditors. ...

T-Mobile USA, Leap add new phones.(News)
August 8, 2005... T-Mobile USA Inc. announced it will sell the Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. x495 for $50 with a service contract. The phone features an internal antenna, tri-band GSM capabilities and support for downloadable Java games. Separately, Leap...

Clarification.(News)
August 8, 2005... The U.S. launch of Tiger Telematics Inc.'s Gizmondo portable video-game device, as outlined on page 18 of this week's issue, has been delayed until October. The company blamed the delay on lags on a planned sports game and a global positioning...

Motricity acquires M7 with aim to create content-based community.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: COLIN GIBBS While the industry steps up marketing campaigns in an effort to push lucrative nonvoice applications, content providers are quietly working to create "mobile communities'' centered on wireless content and services. ...

3G band plan makes room for rural licenses.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER The Federal Communications Commission Friday changed the band plan for advanced wireless services in the 2 GHz band, making additional licenses available in rural areas. "The minor modifications we make...

RCA asks for more 700 MHz spectrum dedicated to rural carriers.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER The Rural Cellular Association has asked the Federal Communications Commission to change the band plan for the 700 MHz spectrum that is expected to be made available with the transition to digital TV. ...

Kallasvuo to steer Nokia.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: MIKE DANO Nokia Corp.'s longtime Chief Executive Jorma Ollila announced he will step down next year, paving the way for the head of the company's mobile-phone operations to take the wheel. The move represents a significant marker...

MST, Ericsson set for court on PBX distribution.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: JONI MORSE A District Court judge in Collin County, Texas, ruled in favor of Ericsson Inc. at an Aug. 1 hearing for injunctive relief against distributor MarketShare Telecom, according to Ericsson. The case is set to go to trial...

Leap launches Fresno service.(News)
August 8, 2005... Leap Wireless International Inc. launched service in Fresno, Calif., extending its footprint throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Leap also offers service south of Fresno in Visalia, as well as north into Modesto and Merced. "Fresno is a...

Alcatel wins GSM upgrade in Kosovo.(Global Wireless)
August 8, 2005... Alcatel Alsthom announced it will double its existing GSM mobile network in Kosovo, having been chosen by Vala900, a division of Post and Telecommunications of Kosovo. Alcatel said its solution has the potential to increase Vala900...

Alltel wraps up Western Wireless buy.(News)
August 8, 2005... Alltel Corp. closed on its $6.5 billion acquisition of Western Wireless Corp. Alltel reported it would issue 54.3 million shares of common stock and pay $933.4 million in cash to Western Wireless shareholders. Alltel also will assume $2.1...

Brightpoint enters content space with Nordic deal.(Global Wireless)
August 8, 2005... Brightpoint Inc. entered the mobile content space via an agreement with InProdicon AB, which distributes digital content in the Nordic region. The agreement between Brightpoint Sweden AB and InProdicon calls for the companies to launch a...

InterDigital continues patent battle with Nokia.(News)
August 8, 2005... InterDigital Communications Corp. said it will continue its battle with Nokia Corp. over royalty payments for InterDigital's 2- and 2.5-generation technologies. The company said it would oppose Nokia's recent motion to vacate the decision by...

Tower firms post losses amid higher revenues.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: JONI MORSE As tower companies' second-quarter earnings begin to roll in, three firms posted net losses last week, but industry analysts said the companies are on the right track and most rate the stocks as strong buys. In addition,...

Gizmondo set to launch in U.S.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: MIKE DANO Tiger Telematics Inc. is scheduled to release its high-end Gizmondo portable video-game device in the United States Thursday, although information on the launch is hard to come by. The company recently fired its...

Motorola UI follows 'golden path'.
August 8, 2005... Byline: MIKE DANO Motorola Inc. is in the process of rolling out a new user interface the company hopes will take it into the multimedia age. "We're not building a phone; we're building a mobile communications device,'' said Doug...

Brightpoint wins distribution deal with ESPN Mobile.(News)
August 8, 2005... Mobile virtual network operator ESPN Mobile signed an agreement with Brightpoint North America L.P. for Brightpoint to provide integrated logistics services to ESPN Mobile. Services include inventory management, custom packaging, reverse...

RadioShack calls up Cingular.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: DAN MEYER Cingular Wireless L.L.C. staged a minor coup last week as the industry's largest operator signed a 10-year deal to replace smaller, but faster-growing rival Verizon Wireless at RadioShack Corp.'s more than 5,000 retail...

Motorola makes undisclosed investment in Trapeze.(News)
August 8, 2005... Motorola Inc. said its equity investment arm made an undisclosed financial investment in wireless local area network developer Trapeze Networks Inc. Trapeze Networks designs a WLAN mobility solution that allows users to roam securely...

Jamdat pairs up with RadioShack.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: COLIN GIBBS Sprint PCS and Cingular Wireless L.L.C. subscribers now can buy titles from Jamdat Mobile Inc. at more than 5,000 RadioShack Corp. outlets, the electronics retailer said. RadioShack sales associates will use a...

Nextel warns FCC it won't meet E-911 Dec. deadline.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER Nextel Communications Inc. told the Federal Communications Commission last month that it will not meet the Dec. 31 deadline to have 95 percent of its handset base capable of locating 911 callers. "Sprint...

IXI Mobile drops software biz for Ogo.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: MIKE DANO Startup IXI Mobile Inc. announced it will shut down its software business and will instead focus on sales of its Ogo wireless messaging device. The announcement brings an end to the company's grandiose plans to redefine...

Most callers to use wireless for 75% of calls by 2010.(Wireless Metrics)
August 8, 2005... Half of U.S. wireless users expect to conduct three-quarters of their calls over wireless by 2010, up from 10 percent today, according to new research from ForceNine Consulting and SMS.ac. Wireless users who use wireless for at least 75...

General Dynamics buys Itronix.(News)
August 8, 2005... General Dynamics Corp., a defense contractor, has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Itronix Corp., which provides wireless rugged mobile computing solutions. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Itronix's products include handheld...

Carolinas form wireless group.(News)
August 8, 2005... Wireless professionals in North Carolina and South Carolina have formed the Carolinas Wireless Association. The association will kick off its initial membership drive in October. The Carolinas join a number of states that have formed...

Dobson, Cingular ink new roaming deal.(Late News)
August 8, 2005... Dobson Communications Corp. said it has signed a new, multi-year roaming agreement with its primary wireless roaming partner Cingular Wireless L.L.C. Dobson noted the new agreement will replace its existing roaming deal with Cingular and the...

Groups compromise on 802.11 standard.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: JONI MORSE Wi-Fi technology should take another step forward now that a joint proposal is under way for the 802.11n wireless standards proposal. Representatives from TGn Synch, WWiSE and MitMot decided at a July Institute of...

Mobeon interface features avatars.(Global Wireless)
August 8, 2005... Internet Protocol messaging solutions company Mobeon released a third-generation video-messaging interface that includes three-dimensional animated avatars. The avatars, called mobile buddies, replace traditional voice and text-based...

2 years later, Nokia to sell device running RIM software.
August 8, 2005... Byline: MIKE DANO After a delay of almost two full years, Nokia Corp. plans to sell a smart phone running Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry software. The delay highlights a number of key issues that bring into question the efficacy...

IMS gear market to reach $2.6B by 2008.(News)
August 8, 2005... Venture Development Corp., a technology market research consulting firm, estimates worldwide markets for Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystems infrastructure equipment will exceed $2.6 billion by 2008, which would be a growth rate of 67...

Verizon completes Leap spectrum buy.(News)
August 8, 2005... Verizon Wireless said it has completed a previously announced purchase of spectrum licenses and operations assets from Leap Wireless International Inc. for $102.5 million. The deal, which originally was announced in March, included a roaming...

Another tween gadget set to hit the market.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: MIKE DANO Educational toy maker LeapFrog Enterprises Inc. and wireless communications company Enfora are selling a mobile phone designed specifically for children. The $100 device is aimed at children ages 6 and up and allows...

Centennial to restate financials due to accounting error.(News)
August 8, 2005... Regional wireless operator Centennial Communications Corp. said it will restate financial results for the three and nine months ended Feb. 28, 2005. The carrier said the restatement would correct an error in the amount of deferred income taxes...

Stock Watch: July 28-August 4.(Wireless Metrics)
August 8, 2005... table: Stock Watch: July 28-August 4 * 3 graphics: Market Diary * Indices * RCR Index: see print copy.

Fast Fact.(Wireless Metrics)
August 8, 2005... Despite the increased use of new technologies intended to improve customer service, such as automated phone systems and live chat over the Internet, poor customer service is the primary reason that consumers switch service providers, according...

Verizon plans Ark. expansion in November.(News)
August 15, 2005... Verizon Wireless said it plans to expand its nationwide network into Little Rock, Ark., beginning Nov. 1. As part of the expansion, the carrier said it will spend up to $200 million to build 280 cell sites in central Arkansas, with 107 of those...

Marconi confirms takeover talks.(Global Wireless)
August 15, 2005... Amid rumors that it was in takeover talks with China's Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Marconi Corp. plc, a U.K. telecom equipment maker, confirmed that the company is "continuing to pursue all strategic options with the objective of maximizing...

Merger closes, integration begins for Sprint Nextel.
August 15, 2005... Byline: DAN MEYER The most unlikely of technology mergers has begun as Sprint Corp. announced Friday that it closed its $35 billion acquisition of Nextel Communications Inc. The new Sprint Nextel Corp. will begin trading under the "S''...

Digital Fountain reports Nokia license.(News)
August 15, 2005... Digital Fountain Inc. unveiled a deal to license its Forward Error Correcting technology for wireless multimedia broadcasts to Nokia Corp., the software developer said last week. The world's largest handset manufacturer will use Digital...