RCR Wireless News articles from July 2006

RCR Wireless News archives from July 2006

From L.A. to NYC to Germany...Celebrity connection.(News)
July 3, 2006... The limited edition So So Def Fusic phone by LG was auctioned last week to benefit the Jermaine Dupri Foundation, an organization that supports kids in local communities around the United States. The event, held at Day After in Hollywood, drew...

World Cup action.(News)
July 3, 2006... Verizon Wireless released its 20 most downloaded match highlights from the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany (after completion of the first round): 1. Mexico vs. Iran June 11 2. Argentina vs. Serbia and Montenegro June 16 3....

3 years ago this month...(Wireless Metrics)
July 3, 2006... Qwest Communications International Inc. was reportedly near a deal with Sprint Corp. that would allow Qwest to offer wireless services using Sprint's nationwide CDMA network. The report noted that Qwest was interested in using Sprint's network...

Fast Fact.(Wireless Metrics)
July 3, 2006... A study in London found that drivers of 4x4 cars (SUVs) are four times more likely to drive while using a cell phone without a hands-free kit. They are also more likely to ignore laws requiring occupants to wear a seatbelt. The study was...

Vendor consolidation trend continues as Telmar buys Somera at $4.60 a share.(News)
July 3, 2006... Somera Communications Inc. and Telmar Network Technology announced they have agreed to merge, saying they have reached a deal to pay Somera shareholders $4.60 per share, which is a 123 percent premium above the stock's June 23 closing price of...

Wireless scores pre-emption, tax moratorium points; Promise of Senate floor fight clouds whether reform measure will pass.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER The Senate Commerce Committee passed its sweeping telecommunications-reform bill, including in it two critical bits for the wireless industry: wireless pre-emption with a small caveat and a moratorium on...

Good adds Lotus Domino support.(News)
July 3, 2006... Good Technology Inc. unveiled the IBM Lotus Domino version of its e-mail service, making good on a year-old vow to support the popular enterprise software. Good Mobile Messaging, which is slated to ship in July, will include continuous...

Verizon Wireless commits to Rev. A from Lucent.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: JONI MORSE Nothings spells "major contract win'' like Lucent Technologies Inc.'s deal to supply Verizon Wireless with CDMA 1x EV-DO Revision A hardware and software as the carrier upgrades its nationwide network. Verizon's...

The direct approach; Content companies sidestep carriers to sell to consumers.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: COLIN GIBBS You can call it off-deck, off-portal or off-network, but the stampede of companies looking to sell content directly to consumers is unquestionably on. Off-deck activity has long dominated the wireless market in...

Big Ed.(Opinion)
July 3, 2006... Byline: Jeffrey Silva You think Ed Whitacre, head honcho of AT&T Inc., was worried powerful members of the Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee didn't like the idea of his spending $67 billion to buy another Baby Bell-this time,...

Tamagotchi purrs its way into cell-phone space.(News)
July 3, 2006... Bandai America Inc. announced plans to release a mobile-phone version of its popular Tamagotchi virtual-pet game. Tamagotchi, first introduced 10 years ago as a handheld game, requires users to care for a virtual pet by feeding it, playing...

T-Mobile tightens grip on sub-dealers selling Cricket.
July 3, 2006... Byline: KELLY HILL T-Mobile USA Inc. again is trying to crack down on independent dealers that sell service from multiple carriers and mobile virtual network operators, allegedly threatening to pull T-Mobile USA products from distributors...

AUCTION ON; Appeals court refuses to halt AWS auction, but leaves open questions about DE rules.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to halt the Aug. 9 start of the advanced wireless services auction, but the Federal Communications Commission likely faces continued litigation over small-business bidding...

Strigl (again) breaks from industry, plays consumer card.
July 3, 2006... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA There he goes again. Verizon Wireless President Denny Strigl once again is breaking with the pack, this time with a strategic decision to become the most consumer-friendly national wireless carrier where...

How Sun profits from Java.(Focus)
July 3, 2006... Sun licenses the testing of Java applications to various companies, and it licenses the Java brand to companies whose products are Java-compatible, according to the company. Sun also licenses implementations, so companies that want to ship a...

Funambol banking on open source to navigate wireless e-mail maze.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: COLIN GIBBS While a handful of mobile e-mail service providers seem most at ease in the courtroom, Fabrizio Capobianco is comfortable on the tightrope. Capobianco is chief executive officer of Funambol Inc., a Redwood City,...

Executives open up at Yankee Group summit.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: DAN MEYER The Yankee Group once again pulled together a quality list of speakers for its Wireless Leadership Summit, including executives from Sprint Nextel Corp., Cingular Wireless L.L.C. and Verizon Wireless, as well as...

Border licensees get filing extension in 800 MHz rebanding process.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER The 800 MHz Transition Administrator is extending the deadline to Aug. 14 for licensees in the border regions to file requests for planning funding. The original deadline was last Saturday. The issue of...

Adelstein laments BRS interference.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA Federal Communications Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein joined the wireless industry in expressing concern about federal guides for relocating broadband licensees from the 2150-2162 MHz band to make room for advanced...

Infrastructure Awards.(Wireless Metrics)
July 3, 2006... Following are equipment contracts announced in June: Alcatel Malaysia With Telekom Malaysia to be the prime supplier to the carrier's subsidiary Celcom Berhard's 3G UMTS network. Value: $88 million Ericsson Israel With...

Wireless engineering firm WPCS to pay $3.2M for SECS.(News)
July 3, 2006... Wireless infrastructure engineering services firm WPCS International Inc. announced it will spend $3.2 million to acquire Southeastern Communication Service Inc. of Sarasota, Fla. SECS has deployed and maintained wireless systems for...

Clipping coupons; Cingular to offer mobile coupon app.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: COLIN GIBBS Cellfire Inc. is the latest player to get into the mobile-couponing game, partnering with retailers including T.G.I. Friday's and Hollywood Video to deliver discount offers to wireless phones. The startup last week...

Understanding Java calls on Lego blocks.(Focus)
July 3, 2006... Imagine Java as a set of three types of Lego blocks, says Eric Chu, director of the Java ME platform in Sun's Client Systems Group. The bottom unit contains two "configurations,'' including CDC (connected device configuration) and CLDC...

Open source Java: The devil's in the details.(Focus)
July 3, 2006... Byline: PHIL CARSON The big issue for some players in the wireless community regarding Java ME revolves around its owner, Sun Microsystems Inc., which announced at its May JavaOne conference that it was mulling how to go open source with...

DHS to supervise emergency alert overhaul.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA President Bush put the Department of Homeland Security in charge of upgrading the nation's Cold War-era emergency alert system, with the Federal Communications Commission having failed in the aftermath of the Sept....

Behind the Intel sale: possibly hampered in wireless by PC successes.
July 3, 2006... Byline: PHIL CARSON Diversification, anyone will tell you, is a smart move. Excelling in one area is no guarantee against a changing market. Common sense dictates that you hedge your bets. But even the most successful companies have...

UTStarcom sells dual-mode CDMA/GSM phone in China.(News)
July 3, 2006... UTStarcom Inc. introduced its T66 dual-mode, dual-standby CDMA/GSM handset and announced China Unicom plans to offer the handset for use with its World Wind dual-mode service. The handset is targeted at mid- to high-end consumers and...

Intrigue continues to follow Xero; MVNO forges ahead with launch plans amid SEC probe.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: KELLY HILL Mobile virtual network operator Xero Mobile has yet to launch, but the company already is facing an investigation of its business by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Los Angeles-based MVNO recently...

Cingular launches 3G in New York City.(News)
July 3, 2006... Cingular Wireless L.L.C. has begun offering service on its high-speed UMTS/HSDPA wireless network in the greater New York City area. According to coverage maps on Cingular's Web site, the service covers much of Manhattan plus parts of...

Talking loud and saying nothing.(Opinion)
July 3, 2006... Byline: Dan Meyer Whether you are aware of it or not (and for most people I am guessing not) July has been deemed wireless etiquette month by none other than Jacqueline Whitmore. That's right, Jacqueline Whitmore. And what you may ask...

Virgin Mobile.(News)
July 3, 2006... In Times Square last month, Virgin Mobile USA CEO Dan Schulman and Kevin Federline (of Britney Spears fame) joined to launch Penny Texting by Virgin Mobile. The new offering allows customers to buy 1,000 text messages a month for $9.99 per...

Nokia clinging to U.S. CDMA position with ODMs.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: PHIL CARSON The dissolution of the Nokia Corp./Sanyo Electronics Co. Ltd. CDMA joint venture may leave a void in the United States for CDMA handsets, estimated by analysts at about 7 million units per year, despite Nokia assurances...

CEO: Nortel doesn't need tie-up to thrive.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: JONI MORSE As the wireless industry hangs on the edge of its seat waiting for Nortel Networks Ltd. to announce plans to acquire or be acquired, the company's president and chief executive officer, Mike Zafirovski, told shareholders...

Dobson closes on new Texas spectrum.(News)
July 3, 2006... Dobson Communications Corp. wrapped up its $25 million purchase of wireless assets and spectrum in Texas, which will expand the rural carrier's footprint in the central area of the state. Dobson subsidiary American Cellular Corp. made the...

Brightpoint nabs distribution deal with Boost Mobile.(News)
July 3, 2006... Brightpoint Inc. added yet another wireless operator to its stable, inking a distribution deal with Boost Mobile L.L.C. The Sprint Nextel Corp.-owned service provider authorized Brightpoint to distribute Boost phones and services to its...

Earthlink unwires Anaheim.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: JONI MORSE Finally, EarthLink Inc. did it. Last Thursday, the company launched its first municipal Wi-Fi network in Anaheim, Calif., offering the city's 328,000 residents, as well as local businesses and visitors "affordable and...

Smart-phone OS market set for change as entrants contest Symbian.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: PHIL CARSON As smart-phone sales go, so go the fortunes of the operating systems that make the hybrid phone/computing devices run for prosumers and enterprise customers. Recent research by Compete Inc., which measures online...

Politicians turn to text messaging to drum up votes.(News)
July 3, 2006... Two high-profile politicians are looking to the third screen to reach potential voters. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., recently teamed with pundit Mary Matalin to launch a text-message campaign touting at a Women For Rick breakfast. Santorum,...

Late News.
July 3, 2006... MobiTV clicks with Windows Mobile MobiTV Inc. said it extended its wireless video service to devices running Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system. The service, which is available through Alltel Corp., Cingular Wireless...

THE NUMBERS GUYS; NeuStar connects phone numbers, networks.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: KELLY HILL Each of about 2 billion phone calls made each day in the United States-wireline, wireless, voice over Internet protocol, regardless of carrier-touch a company that until recently flew mostly below the radar. NeuStar...

Intel new mobile WiMAX chip unveiled at WCA with little fanfare.(News)
July 3, 2006... Byline: JONI MORSE There was no parade. Not even a press release to accompany Intel Corp.'s unveiling of its new Rosedale 2 WiMAX chip for both fixed and mobile broadband access during the Wireless Communications Expo forum event held last...

Samsung leads phone parade with 3.2 MP camera phone.(News)
July 10, 2006... Verizon Wireless and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. announced the first 3.2 megapixel camera phone available to Verizon Wireless' customers, Samsung's a990. The CDMA handset also offers video recording and viewing and music downloads on the...

ADOPTION OF MOBILE DATA & VOICE OVER WI-FI GATHERING STEAM.(Wireless Metrics)
July 10, 2006... A recent report from Forrester Research found that more than half of enterprises have fully deployed basic mobile voice service to their employees, while other wireless technologies continue to struggle.

Fast Fact.(Wireless Metrics)
July 10, 2006... Telephia found that MapQuest Mobile was the top revenue-generating downloadable mobile application during the first quarter. The Weather Channel's mobile downloadable service came in a distant second followed by Verizon Superpages 2.0. ...

Pocket service launches in hot Texas market.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: KELLY HILL As if the Texas wireless market wasn't hot enough-with Leap Wireless International Inc. launching its Cricket Communications service left and right, and T-Mobile USA Inc. responding aggressively-a new, flat-rate wireless...

Wired phones still rank above wireless for most, study finds.(Wireless Metrics)
July 10, 2006... Despite the growing reliance on wireless phones as a primary communications device among an increasing number of households, a good percentage of Americans still believe wireline phones are the most important communications product in their...

VCom pays $1M for Wave Wireless subsidiaries.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: JONI MORSE Canadian wireless vendor VCom Inc. said it struck a $1 million cash deal to purchase several subsidiaries of Wave Wireless Corp., including WaveRider Communications (Canada) Inc., WaveRider Communications (USA) Inc.,...

Zarqawi's little black book, and yours.(Opinion)
July 10, 2006... Byline: Jeffrey Silva Seems late Iraqi insurgent Abu Musab al-Zarqawi may have been as well connected to the nascent Iraqi government as disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff was to the Republican establishment that runs official Washington...

800 MHz TA urges early start to planning.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER The 800 MHz Transition Administrator encouraged public-safety spectrum licensees in middle America to begin thinking about the reconfiguration process and begin preparing their requests for planning funding...

DoCoMo pledges significant investment in Guam network if buyout OK'd.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA The Federal Communications Commission requested additional information on NTT DoCoMo Inc.'s proposed $72 million acquisition of two wireless firms in Guam, a relatively small transaction being challenged by a telecom...

FCC grants 5 GHz Wi-Fi equipment use, July 10 implementation date set.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA The Federal Communications Commission approved final 5 GHz equipment rules, paving the way for vendors to seek government approval of new Wi-Fi gear designed to operate on an additional 255 megahertz and some existing...

European studies find link between cell-phone use, brain activity.(News)
July 10, 2006... A pair of newly published studies link mobile-phone use to biological changes in the brain, but the research does not conclude low-level radio frequency radiation from wireless handsets is necessarily harmful to consumers. Italian...

Study: Cell-phone use as dangerous as drunk driving.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA A new study claims mobile-phone use while driving is as dangerous as drinking while behind the wheel, reinforcing previous research on distracted driving and further complicating industry's message the wireless phones...

Amp'd scores online deal with InPhonic.(News)
July 10, 2006... Online retailer InPhonic Inc. announced a deal to sell phones and services from mobile virtual network operator Amp'd Mobile Inc. InPhonic will sell Amp'd Mobile's wares through its Internet storefront wirefly.com, which also carries...

Telus expands EV-DO into Victoria.(News)
July 10, 2006... Canadian operator Telus Mobility added Victoria, British Columbia, to the list of cities where it offers CDMA2000 1x EV-DO service. Telus claims that its Wireless High Speed service has typical download speeds of 400 to 700 kilobits per...

Cequint looks to jazz up caller ID.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: COLIN GIBBS In the modern age of mobile TV and wireless porn, a simple caller-ID application may not get your pulse racing. Unless you're Rick Hennessey. The chief executive officer of Seattle-based startup Cequint Inc.,...

DotMobi deadline extension harbinger of slow registrations?(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: COLIN GIBBS The company working to establish a mobile-exclusive Internet domain is hoping to lure customers by extending its initial registration period. DotMobi-also known as mTLD, or mobile Top Level Domain Ltd.-said it will...

Consumer lawsuits crop up across nation; Even as FCC gets 22 complaints for every 1M subscribers.
July 10, 2006... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA Two new class-action lawsuits filed against Cingular Wireless L.L.C. and Verizon Wireless, and industry's tax lawsuit loss in Maryland, raise questions about whether wireless carriers would significantly rid...

CTIA stands against net neutrality efforts.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER Wireless trade association CTIA officially came out against net neutrality, posting a policy paper on its Web site against efforts to include network neutrality language as part of Congress' efforts to...

Changes to 700 MHZ auction, special access sneak into telecom reform bill.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER The drama that took place during the Senate Commerce Committee's markup of telecom reform measures paled compared to what happened behind the scenes. In at least two instances, issues of importance to...

Only 81 applicants get green light for AWS auction.(Late News)
July 10, 2006... The Federal Communications Commission late Friday said 81 applications for the advanced wireless services auction were accepted for filing, while 171 applications were deemed incomplete and must be corrected to remain eligible for the scheduled...

Revenue split dividing carriers, content providers.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: COLIN GIBBS U.S. carriers are demanding more of a place at the content trough, content provides say, whittling away at already onerous revenue-share deals. And publishers are feeling the squeeze. Ringtone vendors and others...

Millicom International cuts off merger talks with China Mobile.(News)
July 10, 2006... After weeks of speculation that a deal was in the works for China Mobile to purchase Millicom International Cellular S.A., Millicom declared that it terminated all sales talks. "Since May 2006, the company has been in prolonged discussions...

BenQ Mobile to cut up to 600 workers.(News)
July 10, 2006... BenQ Mobile announced plans to cut up to 10 percent of its German workforce in an attempt to bolster profitability as it moves ahead after merging with Siemens AG's handset division last year. The handset vendor said it plans to provide...

TI, Broadcom file complaint in South Korea against Qualcomm.(News)
July 10, 2006... Texas Instruments Inc. and Broadcom Corp. filed a complaint in South Korea alleging that Qualcomm Inc. is engaged in unfair business practices, according to news reports. Neither company offered information about the complaint on their Web...

Retooled Mobile ESPN serves Samsung's Ace.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: PHIL CARSON After entering the mobile virtual network operator space with naked ambition, a $500 Sanyo Corp. handset (the "MVP'') and a take-the-world-by-storm marketing spend, Walt Disney Co.-owned Mobile ESPN L.L.C. has...

Cingular to cut capex spending, but industry as a whole on rise for '07, Lehman predicts.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: JONI MORSE A recent report from Lehman Brothers Equity Research suggests that Cingular Wireless L.L.C. plans to cut its capital expenditures next year by $1.5 billion, a 20-percent drop from the $7.5 billion the nation's leading...

Clearwire, 802.16e bolstered by Intel $600M investment; INTEL'S MOBILE MOVES.
July 10, 2006... Byline: JONI MORSE The combined $900 million investment in Clearwire Corp. from Intel Capital and Motorola Ventures establishes that 802.16e technology will be a force in mobile wireless broadband service. Under the investment deal...

DHS outlines blueprint to protect critical telecom infrastructure.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER The Department of Homeland Security last week released a plan designed to protect the nation's critical infrastructure, including information technology and telecommunications networks. "The National...

XM offers satellite radio to Canada's Telus.(News)
July 10, 2006... XM Canada is teaming with Canadian operator Telus Mobility to deliver real-time streaming satellite radio to mobile subscribers. Telus users with a Spark 25 data package can access 20 channels of commercial-free music, talk and comedy for...

Marvell's CEO sheds light on plans for Intel purchase; INTEL'S MOBILE MOVES.
July 10, 2006... Byline: PHIL CARSON Now that the dust has settled on news that Marvell Technology Group Ltd. will purchase Intel Corp.'s communications and application processor businesses for $600 million, many observers would love to know how Marvell...

NeoMedia betting $60 million on mobile-marketing 'explosion'.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: ALICE Z. CUNEO Advertising Age In a marketing space where irrational exuberance evokes deja vu, NeoMedia Technologies Inc. seems particularly, well, exuberant. The Fort Myers, Fla., company has been snatching up hot...

History lessons.(Opinion)
July 10, 2006... Byline: Tracy Ford While the standards-setting process for WiMAX technology seems to move forward at a snail's pace, the business machinations around mobile WiMAX are developing faster than a speeding bullet, so to speak. Indeed, Intel...

New RadioShack CEO bumps stock price.(News)
July 10, 2006... Shares of RadioShack Corp. lurched after company named former KMart Holding Corp. and Sears, Roebuck and Co. executive Julian Day as its new chairman and chief executive officer. Day has drawn accolades for reviving Safeway Inc., where he...

MVNOs.(News)
July 10, 2006... Editor's Note: The companies listed below represent the industry's top wireless resellers and mobile virtual network operators based on subscriber numbers when available. The list comprises companies that offer branded wireless handsets and...

13 years ago this month...(Wireless Metrics)
July 10, 2006... Time Warner Telecommunications announced a deal with Qualcomm Inc. to trial a CDMA network with cable television infrastructure in conjunction with the commercial rollout of an interactive cable television service in the Orlando, Fla., area...

DoCoMo begins search for 'Super 3G' suppliers, though no standard set yet.(News)
July 10, 2006... NTT DoCoMo Inc. has put out a request for proposal for the development of "Super 3G'' base stations and handsets-although no official standard for the technology has yet been set by the Third Generation Partnership Project standards group. ...

Nokia garners Wi-Fi network contract for NYC parks.(News)
July 10, 2006... New York City has chosen Nokia Corp. to be the primary provider of the city's free Wi-Fi networks in its parks. The 10 major parks with networks currently being installed include Central Park, Union Square Park, Washington Square Park,...

AT&T bundles landline, Internet with Razr running Cingular service.(News)
July 10, 2006... AT&T Inc. is flexing its bundling muscles with a summer offer for consumers that includes service from Cingular Wireless L.L.C. and a Motorola Inc. Razr handset. AT&T's offer includes Cingular Wireless service, unlimited local and long...

Data roaming attracts international flair.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: KELLY HILL As wireless carriers begin exploring data roaming, several are not simply limiting their sights to domestic roaming but are seeking to provide a more seamless mobile data experience around the world. Cingular...

Palm 'hiccup' highlights EU enviro regulations.(News)
July 10, 2006... Byline: PHIL CARSON The deadline for compliance with the European Union's laws on hazardous substances in consumer goods came and went on July 1 without much fanfare and little news on whether major handset vendors struggled to meet the...

Reports: VK Mobile files for bankruptcy.(News)
July 10, 2006... South Korean handset vendor VK Mobile has gone under, according to news reports. The company, which entered business as a battery maker in 1997, had set its sights on becoming a global brand and had cut deals to supply handsets to mobile...

Etc.(News)
July 17, 2006... Hip hop and R&B ringtones continue to dominate mobile sales. Artists like Mary J. Blige and Ray J make up the majority of Thumbplay's most popular ringtone downloads. Thumbplay, an online retailer of mobile entertainment content, is tracking...

ConVisual puts fat cat on phones.(News)
July 17, 2006... ConVisual has licensed exclusive rights for mobile content of the movie "Garfield 2: A Tail of Two Kitties." The German content provider will provide new Garfield 3D pictures, wallpapers, animation, and Java games from the film. Uclick, a...