RCR Wireless News articles from August 2007

RCR Wireless News archives from August 2007

Numerex launches into space with Orbit acquisition.(News)
August 6, 2007... Numerex Corp., a wireless network and machine-to-machine services provider, announced it acquired Orbit One Communications Inc. in a deal worth up to $10.5 million and more than 1.5 million shares. "We are very excited about this...

Sprint Nextel pulls out of SpectrumCo JV.(News)
August 6, 2007... Sprint Nextel Corp. is pulling out of the joint venture with four cable companies to participate in the Advanced Wireless Services spectrum auction last year, but said the move has long been planned and does not reflect a change in carrier's...

VZW pushes into rural America with RCC buy.(Upfront)
August 6, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL Verizon Wireless backed up its strong second-quarter customer numbers with solid financials and a new acquisition that will make the nation's largest CDMA carrier a roaming provider for GSM services. The carrier...

Forces of change or forcing change?(Opinion)
August 6, 2007... Byline: Tracy Ford With the 700 MHz auction rules officially out (and before any legal challenges are launched), now is a good time to reflect on the government's role in spectrum auctions. In the past, when the government has tried to...

Competitors nibble into Motorola's lead during Q2; Razr peaks, Nokia surges, Sanyo's Katana strong seller.(Upfront)
August 6, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON There's good news for a beleaguered American handset giant named Motorola Inc. The company's Razr handset-beefed up on functionality and spun off in customized form in myriad colors for all four of the top-tier...

McDour.(Opinion)
August 6, 2007... Byline: Jeffrey Silva For sure, the reaction to the Federal Communications Commission's 700 MHz decision was mixed. But no one was so visibly and verbally downcast about what the agency had wrought than Commissioner Robert McDowell. For...

Congress pushes $43.5M toward E-911; Clinton, Stevens spearhead legislation efforts.(Upfront)
August 6, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA Congress approved legislation that frees up $43.5 million for upgrades to 911 call centers. The measure, included in the 9/11 Commission Recommendations bill and funded by proceeds from the upcoming 700 MHz spectrum...

Miami No. 1 in mobile coupons.(Metrics)
August 6, 2007... Consumers in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Fla., market use mobile coupons at a higher rate than consumers in other U.S. markets, according to research by mobile coupon company Cellfire. Markets in Northern California and Texas made up the...

Telecom wiretap protection remains elusive; Congress not expected to act on requests before recess.(News)
August 6, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA Congress appears unlikely to act before its August recess on a Bush administration request to shield mobile-phone operators and other telecom carriers from lawsuits stemming from participation with the National...

DEATH OF AN MVNO; Amp'd Mobile goes dark, customers move to other carriers.(News)
August 6, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL Amp'd Mobile Inc. went dark last week, after filing for bankruptcy and being unable to raise sufficient funds to carry it through reorganization. The company joins Mobile ESPN in the annals of failed mobile virtual...

AT&T Mobility rebate case moves forward.(News)
August 6, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA A federal court in California ruled a class-action suit accusing Cingular Wireless L.L.C.-now AT&T Mobility-of false and misleading advertising can go forward. The complaint, brought under state consumer...

Inmarsat challenges TerreStar's filing for launch delay.(News)
August 6, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA Inmarsat Global Ltd. has challenged TerreStar Networks Inc.'s request to delay for nearly a year its mobile satellite launch currently scheduled for November. TerreStar in late May asked the Federal Communications...

700 MHz auction rules set; Open access in, wholesale option out.
August 6, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA The Federal Communications Commission last week approved 700 MHz rules to foster the creation of a nationwide public-safety/commercial broadband network and introduce new devices and applications in a wireless space...

Industry, analysts critique auction details; Rules unlikely to lure new players, but existing carriers will gobble up spectrum.
August 6, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA While the Federal Communications Commission and others celebrated anticipated public-safety and wireless benefits of last week's 700 MHz auction rules decision, skeptics question whether the action will indeed produce...

3 years ago this week.(News)
August 6, 2007... Leap Wireless International Inc. emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection having shed more than $2 billion in debt and returning a handful of spectrum licenses to the FCC.

Hedgehogging.(News)
August 6, 2007... hedge*hog*ging v. Interrupting conversations in an office environment by poking your head over the top of the cube. While there is plenty of coverage on the FCC's 700 MHz auction rules throughout this issue, early betting around the RCR...

...ETC...(Upfront)
August 6, 2007... Cell-cessful surgery Cellphones played a lifesaving role during a surgery in Argentina recently. According to a Reuters report, a blackout in Policlinico, Argentina, interrupted an emergency appendix operation on 29-year-old Leonardo...

VC financing wrap-up.(Metrics)
August 6, 2007... The following list includes venture capital and other investments into wireless companies announced last week. The value of the investment is included when available. * 3P Networks: 3P Networks Inc. and Quote Platform Syndicate Inc. signed...

Steven Shindler.(News)(Company overview)
August 6, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL NII Holdings Inc., formerly Nextel International, has found success in Mexico and South America and recently passed the 4 million subscriber mark across four countries. The international company is based in Reston, Va.,...

Amp'd Mobile content was only 1% of business; Bankrupt MVNO spent $3M on original content.(News)
August 6, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO Despite the widely recognized success of Amp'd Mobile Inc.'s large portfolio of original content, a source at the company has told RCR Wireless News that less than 1% of the company's nearly $400 million total budget was...

FiberTower grabs SN WiMAX deal.(News)
August 6, 2007... FiberTower Corp. announced that it has inked a deal with the No. 3 carrier to provide backhaul services in seven of Sprint Nextel's initial WiMAX launch markets. Terms of the deal were not disclosed due to confidentiality agreements, according...

As challengers struggle, MediaFLO looks to expand; Mobile TV service looks to add content, prepares for AT&T Mobility launch.(Upfront)
August 6, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO MediaFLO USA Inc. is still holding most of its customers' usage data close to the vest-thanks in part to continuing exclusivity with Verizon Wireless until AT&T Mobility launches the service later this year-but the...

Developers tepid on open-access realities.
August 6, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS The FCC's rules for next year's auction of 700 MHz spectrum could change the game substantially for wireless content owners and application developers. Then again, maybe not. Chairman Kevin Martin last week seemed...

Nokia earns 'holiday' while outpacing rivals; Gains share, but still struggling in U.S., networks.(News)
August 6, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON Inching closer to its long-sought goal of 40% of the global market, Nokia Corp. confirmed last week that its business is firing on nearly all cylinders. The Finnish vendor notched impressive, year-on-year,...

Touchscreens: Fall's fashion trend; Post-Labor Day launches likely for U.S.
August 6, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON First, Balda AG and its partner, TPK Holdings, won Apple Inc.'s business for the touchscreen module for the latter's iPhone. Now Balda's shareholders are agitating for the company to spin off its touchscreen...

AT&T Mobility cheapens Krzr, N75.(Upfront)
August 6, 2007... AT&T Mobility discounted its Nokia Corp. N75 and its Motorola Inc. Krzr to $100; both began life this past spring at $200 and dropped to $150 before last week's price drop. Verizon Wireless last week offered its LG Electronics Co. Ltd....

Short-form may be long-tail for mobile video.(Spotlight)
August 6, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS It appears the case has been made for mobile TV. The big question now is, what do on-the-go users want to watch? Once a questionable proposition even for early adopters, wireless video is quickly moving into the...

NetMotion to provide mobile VPN to Cox; Deal highlights new cable focus.(News)
August 6, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS Mobile software developer NetMotion Wireless is touting another customer win this week, unveiling a deal to deploy its mobile virtual private network with cable behemoth Cox Communications. The nation's...

Favorite marketing words: Free to end user; Free SMS may drive mobile ads.(News)
August 6, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS Media companies and mainstream brands are moving delicately to use text messages as a way to snuggle up next to mobile users without incurring their wrath. And they're hoping to pick up the tab. SMS marketing...

Stockwatch: July 26 - August 2.(Metrics)
August 6, 2007... 3 tables: Stockwatch: July 26 - August 2 * Top Gainers * Top Losers * 3 graphs: Market Diary * Indices * 90-day RCR Index: see print copy.

RCRnews.com ? of the week.(News)
August 13, 2007... Dancing on the grave Which carrier stands to gain from the failure of Amp'd Mobile? 41%: Verizon Wireless 22%: someone else 19%: Sprint Nextel 18%: AT&T Mobility Visit RCRNEWS.COM to answer this week's question.

Stockwatch: August 2 - August 9.(Metrics)
August 13, 2007... 3 tables: Stockwatch: August 2 - August 9 * Top Gainers * Top Losers * 3 graphs: Market Diary * Indices * 90-day RCR Index: see print copy.

FCC mandates voice, text, PTT roaming; Market to decide data, broadband.(Upfront)
August 13, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO Wireless carriers must allow wireless customers of competing operators using similar technology to automatically roam on their networks when outside of their home coverage area, the Federal Communications Commission...

Google, others suffer setback as FCC nixes 'white space' devices.(Upfront)
August 13, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA High-tech giants seeking a new avenue for wireless Internet access suffered at least a temporary setback as a result of government tests that found prototype, Wi-Fi-like devices had trouble detecting TV signals and...

Acuity aims to connect big brands with loyal customer base via mobile.(News)
August 13, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO It's hard to find a mobile executive these days who doesn't speak affectionately about mobile advertising and the new gateways it could open, but where the sweet spot lies-specifically what format or level of...

Ntelos taps Alcatel-Lucent for CDMA Rev. A upgrade.(Upfront)
August 13, 2007... Regional telecommunications provider Ntelos Holding Corp.'s reported a deal with Alcatel-Lucent to upgrade the company's wireless network with CDMA2000 1x EV-DO Revision A equipment. The deal is valued at $88.2 million and includes Ntelos'...

Ricochet sells Denver network, shutters San Diego.(Upfront)
August 13, 2007... Newly formed Civitas Wireless Solutions L.L.C. acquired Ricochet Networks Inc.'s wireless network and operations for the greater Denver metropolitan area. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. It was also announced that Ricochet has ceased...

Helio customers keen on unlimited plans, Google Maps and mobile MySpace.(Upfront)(Interview)
August 13, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL Editor's Note: In this monthly feature, RCR Wireless News talks to retail managers across the country to get a first-hand view of what's hot in wireless. Despite the travails of Amp'd Mobile Inc., not all news is...

Regional carriers post solid results.(News)
August 13, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO Though diminishing in count, regional wireless operators continued to report firm financial results highlighting continued opportunities outside the urban corridors. U.S. Cellular U.S. Cellular Corp. reported...

Device management services primed for growth; Market drivers: handset software complexity, new network services.(News)
August 13, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON The inexorable pressure to launch a handset-as scheduled-for maximum impact-has created a growing market for mobile device management (MDM) products, including firmware over the air, or FOTA. As network operators...

Operating in a shadow; Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA find varied success against big 2.(Upfront)
August 13, 2007... Byline: DAN MEYER Sprint Nextel Corp. and T-Mobile USA Inc. have had very divergent luck recently in trying to operate in the shadow of their two larger rivals, AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless. Sprint Nextel, which in customer...

WiMAX: Pushing construction boundaries.(Spotlight)
August 13, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO The nation's first, and so far only, carrier to announce plans for a nationwide mobile WiMAX network now faces the successful completion of tens of thousands of construction projects before it reaches reality. Just...

ZTE gets handset win at Telus.(News)
August 13, 2007... The ZTE D90 handset-a "multimedia powerhouse'' in the vendor's words-will be available from Canadian carrier Telus Mobility, priced at $218 without a contract and $76 with a three-year contract. The D90, a flip phone, supports the...

Qualcomm pledges chip workaround; President passes on veto, ITC chip ban goes into effect.(News)
August 13, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON The president last week declined to veto his trade office's ban on new 3G handsets containing a patent-infringing Qualcomm Inc. chip, sending the vendor back to court to pursue new means to end the ban. Qualcomm...

RAZR'S EDGE; Moto's Razr2 gets triple U.S. launch.
August 13, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON Three of the nation's four top-tier carriers announced Friday that they would launch Motorola Inc.'s new Razr2 handset in the coming weeks, apparently piling on in a "me-too'' frenzy. The triple launch, at least...

Nokia's new chip strategy realigns space; STMicroelectronics gets 3G win, EDGE gives Broadcom boost.
August 13, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON When a behemoth shakes its tail, some rise, some fall. The behemoth benefits. That appears to be the upshot of Nokia Corp.'s announcement last week that it had selected four main chipset suppliers for future...

Vodafone joins WiMAX Forum.(News)
August 13, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO Vodafone Group plc has made a somewhat surprising move by joining the WiMAX Forum as a principal member. "For a company that has historically been perceived as hostile toward the technology, does this mean that their...

Alltel expands video choices to 200 clips; Adds Huawei broadband card to line-up.(Upfront)
August 13, 2007... Alltel Corp. added to its video portfolio with a two-tiered service that offers access to more than 200 on-demand video clips from network television shows. The operator introduced a $4-a-month application that includes content from NBC...

Qualcomm: Nokia agreement awaits litigation outcomes; Chip vendor looks to courts, regulators for guidance on cross-licensing path.(News)
August 13, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON It's been all quiet on the Nokia Corp.-Qualcomm Inc. front for months-only the two parties really know whether minions in suits and toting bulging briefcases are actually meeting on a cross-licensing agreement and...

Clearwire's stock drops on Q2 loss.(Upfront)(Financial report)
August 13, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO Fresh off the heels of a major deal with Sprint-Nextel Corp. to collaborate on the construction and operation a nationwide mobile WiMAX network, Clearwire Corp. reported a $70.2 million loss in the second quarter, due...

Financial ratings changes wrap-up.(Metrics)
August 13, 2007... Carrier * R.W. Baird raised its EPS estimate on Alltel Corp. to $2.84 from $2.80 after the company reported solid second-quarter results. Lehman Brothers raised its estimates on the company to $2.96 from $2.92 for 2007 but lowered its 2008...

TerreStar defends delayed MSS launch; Ten-month postponement sought.(News)
August 13, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS TerreStar Networks Inc. defended its request to the Federal Communications Commission to delay its mobile satellite launch, claiming that the 10-month postponement "is in the public interest.'' The Reston,...

VZW acquires Ramcell.(News)
August 13, 2007... Verizon Wireless purchased the operating assets of Ramcell in Kentucky and Oregon for an undisclosed sum. The nation's No. 2 carrier picked up Ramcell's 51 cell sites as well as spectrum licenses that cover nearly 600,000 potential...

More choices mean more fragmentation in hot OS market.(Upfront)
August 13, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS Motorola Inc. last week upped its bet on Linux, christening a new version of its Java/Linux platform and claiming that the open-source operating system will be used on as much as 60% of its phones "in the next few...

DRM jumble makes move toward clarity; Nokia takes step with Microsoft deal.(News)
August 13, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS The nightmarish world of mobile digital rights management may have taken a small step toward sanity. Microsoft Corp. scored a big win last week, agreeing to license its PlayReady anti-software piracy to Nokia Corp....

Clearwire to pick up ex Amp'd Mobile band.
August 13, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO Clearwire Corp. is gearing up to put pen to paper on a deal that will bring Amp'd Mobile Inc's. 50-plus member content team on board to lead a new content offering under the Clearwire brand. The move likely would...

EA names new mobile chief for second time.(Upfront)
August 13, 2007... Electronic Arts Inc. named its second general manager of EA Mobile in five months, appointing Barry Cottle to direct the business. Cottle, who will oversee EA Mobile's global operations, had most recently served as CEO at Quickoffice Inc.,...

Venture capital financing wrap-up.(Metrics)
August 13, 2007... The following list includes venture capital and other investments into wireless companies announced during the past week. The value of the investment is included when available. * Berggi: Avanzit invested $1 million in mobile messaging...

10 years ago this week.(News)
August 13, 2007... The FCC approved the $25.6 billion merger of Bell Atlantic Corp. and Nynex Corp., creating a new wireless unit, Bell Atlantic Global Wireless Group, which began operations Aug. 18, 1997 as the world's second-largest wireless company.

Hedgehogging.(Briefs)
August 13, 2007... hedge*hog*ging v. Interrupting conversations in an office environment by poking your head over the top of the cube. Verizon Wireless, which recently announced plans to acquire Rural Cellular, said it had acquired the assets of Ramcell in...

Contracts.(News)
August 13, 2007... The following contracts were announced in July: Alcatel-Lucent China: With China Netcom in conjunction with Datang Mobile to deploy half of the TD-SCDMA expansion project the carrier is launching in Qingdao. Value: Undisclosed ...

T-Mobile USA has a Blast.(Upfront)
August 13, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON Device vendors seem to be getting the hang of names, though it's hard to let go of those pesky numeric tags. Enter the Blast from Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., aka the SGH-t729. Everyone loves to have a...

...ETC...(Upfront)
August 13, 2007... On a motorcycle trip far, far away Actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman recently drove the "Long Way Down" from Scotland to the southern tip of Africa on motorcycle with navigation help from the Nokia 6110 Navigator. The device was...

Laying odds.(Opinion)
August 13, 2007... Byline: Dan Meyer I know most of us have had almost enough of the 700 MHz auction, what with the lobbying and saber rattling of those interested in the spectrum and the ultimate rule making handed down by the FCC last month. But,...

Playing in the land of giants.(Opinion)
August 13, 2007... Byline: Tracy Ford The Federal Communications Commission scored one for the little guys last week, essentially saying that nationwide operators have to strike roaming agreements with smaller carriers. The commission did not dictate prices...

Jitterbug scores $36.6M in funds.(News)
August 13, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS GreatCall Inc. finally found some well-heeled backers for its Jitterbug service. The Del Mar, Calif.-based startup said it pocketed $36.6 million in funding from Charles River Ventures, Nauta Partners and...

First Data, mFoundry join on mobile banking.(News)
August 13, 2007... E-commerce giant First Data is teaming with mobile application developer mFoundry to offer mobile banking and payment services to wireless users. The effort will couple mFoundry's technology with First Data's network of more than 5,000...

The MMS disconnect.
August 13, 2007... Tier-one carriers in the fall of 2004 committed that they would be fully MMS-interoperable, enabling U.S. consumers to send photos, video clips and other goodies to users on any other nationwide network. We're still waiting. U.S....

I-play goes all in on mobile video.(Upfront)
August 13, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS I-play will continue to move beyond mobile gaming this week with a series of more than 100 video shorts for poker players. The U.K.-based publisher plans to launch Win at Texas Hold 'Em, a series of two- to...

Working Assets launches left-leaning Democracy Wireless MVNO.(News)
August 13, 2007... Working Assets launched its latest cause-oriented mobile virtual network operator, teaming with the left-leaning People For the American Way to launch Democracy Wireless. The MVNO provides service through Sprint Nextel Corp.'s network and...

Digital Chocolate launches new games for connected series.(News)
August 13, 2007... Publisher Digital Chocolate Inc. unveiled its latest mobile game offerings, introducing a series of titles that stress community themes and connected play. The San Mateo, Calif.-based developer launched the first five games available in...

Melone promoted to CTO at VZW.(News)
August 13, 2007... Verizon Wireless promoted Anthony Melone to senior vice president and CTO. The former VP of the carrier's network operations will now head the team that supports the technology, architecture, planning, design and operation of Verizon Wireless'...

LimeLife wins People mobile business.(News)
August 13, 2007... People magazine has tapped LimeLife Inc. to deliver its content to mobile users. The periodical launched People Mobile, a downloadable application that delivers breaking celebrity news, photo galleries, a puzzle game and a style blog. The...

Sprint Nextel pushes WiMAX into the Xohm.
August 20, 2007... Byline: MIKE DANO Barry West believes so strongly in it that he's got it as the personalized license plate on his sports car: Xohm. It's the commercial brand for Sprint Nextel Corp.'s WiMAX effort and, as West explains, "Xohm is about a...

Content.(Upfront)
August 20, 2007... UpSnap, Mobile Greetings to merge Shares of mobile search and content company UpSnap rose slightly after the company said it plans to merge with Mobile Greetings Inc. Mobile Greetings creates and publishes greeting cards, animated...

Hollywood, wireless struggle for control of mobile content; Carriers slow to innovate, entertainment execs charge.(Upfront)
August 20, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO Friction is growing between wireless executives and their Hollywood counterparts as both begin to experiment with mobile entertainment. One of the few points people from the telecom and television industries can agree on...

Carriers not equal in innovation.(Upfront)
August 20, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO So who exactly are the innovators leading the pack in wireless entertainment? It depends who you ask. Few agreed to be identified as they talked about their experiences with carriers, for fear of upsetting their...

Qualcomm reworks litigation strategy as Nokia goes to ITC.(Upfront)
August 20, 2007... Byline: MIKE DANO Nokia Corp. fired yet another salvo at Qualcomm Inc., filing a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission alleging Qualcomm is infringing on five of its patents. The news serves to widen the gulf between the...

M2Z seeks legal action against FCC.(Upfront)
August 20, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS M2Z Networks Inc. said it will take the Federal Communications Commission to court to force the agency to consider its request for 25 megahertz of vacant spectrum. The Silicon Valley-based outfit applied for the...

Nokia gets Flash-based mini games.(Upfront)
August 20, 2007... Nokia Corp. said it will team with online casual gaming destination Shockwave to offer Flash Lite-enabled "mini games'' on its handsets in Europe and Asia. Shockwave, a property of MTV Networks, offers about three dozen no-frills,...

LBS turning into more than just directions.(News)
August 20, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS If your idea of mobile navigation applications is limited to left- and right-turn commands, maybe you should test drive one of the newer offerings. Early-adopting road warriors have long depended on stand-alone...

New gadgets unveiled at tech event.(News)
August 20, 2007... Byline: MIKE DANO Sprint Nextel Corp. also-apparently inadvertently-gave its "Technology Summit'' attendees a glimpse of several as-yet-unannounced handsets. Although Sprint Nextel representatives refused to allow attendees to take...

CREDIT CRUNCH; Telecom better off this time around.
August 20, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL The financial markets have been jittery in recent weeks, absorbing the fallout from the extension of easy credit to both individuals and corporations. Now, the backlash is likely to find lenders more closely scrutinizing...

Social networking sites vye for viewers.(News)
August 20, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS User-generated content is finding an audience in mobile. But it appears the early successes in the space may have more to do with connecting with others and less to do with the content itself. MySpace and Facebook...