RCR Wireless News articles from November 2007

RCR Wireless News archives from November 2007

Stockwatch: October 25-November 1.(Metrics)
November 5, 2007... 3 tables: Stockwatch: October 25-November 1 * Top Gainers * Top Losers * 3 graphs: Market Diary * Indices * 90-day RCR index: see print copy

Navigating the LBS space; Garmin ups TomTom's bid for Tele Atlas.
November 5, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS Like former Yankee Alex Rodriguez, Tele Atlas N.V. plans to cash in on the free-agent market. The Netherlands-based digital mapping company in July accepted a bid of $2.8 billion from TomTom NV, agreeing to...

Trawling for eyes; Mobile ad models relying more on eyes than action.(News)
November 5, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS Online advertising is quickly moving toward cost-per-action models, but in the mobile world it's all about the eyeballs. For now, at least. A recent study by NetElixir and the e-tailing group inc. found than a...

Writers strike could steer wireless into uncharted waters; Mobile distribution part of concerns, but could be answer for consumers.(News)
November 5, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO Just days after the smoke cleared from last week's devastating fires, Los Angeles began bracing for another firestorm-this time from the entertainment industry. The union representing the 12,000 film and TV writers...

3 Years ago this week.(News)
November 5, 2007... Verizon Wireless picked up the remains of NextWave Telecom Inc. for $3 billion, including spectrum licenses covering 73 million potential customers in 23 markets.

Hedgehogging.(Briefs)
November 5, 2007... hedge*hog*ging v. Interrupting conversations in an office environment by poking your head over the top of the cube. Who says quarterly financial calls are no fun? During last week's call by Qwest Communications, financial analysts grilled...

Top 20 from Deloitte's Wireless Fast 50.(Metrics)
November 5, 2007... Deloitte's Wireless Fast 50 winners are selected based on percentage revenue growth over five years To qualify companies must have had operating revenues of at least $50,000 in 2002 and $5 million in 2006, and be a company that owns...

Mort Rosenthal.(Interview)
November 5, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON When Microsoft Corp.'s CEO Steve Ballmer publicly mentions someone's name as a respected veteran who will run a new company in partnership with his juggernaut, people listen. At CTIA I.T. & Entertainment 2007 in late...

VZW expands prepaid, launches Pearl.(Upfront)
November 5, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL Verizon Wireless tweaked its prepaid calling plans to add access to its music, navigation and other data services. The carrier will offer three varieties of its INpulse plans. The INpulse Core plan looks much like a...

Tower results show continued struggles.(Upfront)
November 5, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL Crown Castle International Corp. reported growth in site rental revenues, although its losses widened year-over-year. The company's results included those of Global Signal Inc., which Crown Castle acquired earlier...

FCC: Carriers should port numbers within 48 hours.(News)
November 5, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA The Federal Communications Commission called for an end to delays in porting telephone numbers from one carrier to another, an action responding to complaints from some wireless operators about the lengthy,...

Bringing combatants together; Industry associations provide united front.(Spotlight)
November 5, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA With the wireless sector the most competitive in the telecom industry, it is hard to imagine that company executives can simultaneously beat each other's brains out in the marketplace and work in harmony on issues of...

Between a Rockefeller and a hard place.(Opinion)
November 5, 2007... Byline: Jeffrey Silva Just how do you position yourself before Congress, seeing that the influential Democratic senator who is co-sponsoring a wireless consumer protection bill is the same fellow trying to get you out from under privacy...

AT&T Mobility/Dobson, Alltel deals get gov't blessing; But reservations underscore problems complying with E-911, universal service.(News)
November 5, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA Two wireless deals cleared major hurdles last week, but not before strings were attached by government antitrust and regulatory officials. The Justice Department said AT&T Inc. agreed to sell assets in seven rural...

Courts, Congress scrutinize carrier control.
November 5, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA The mobile-phone industry's business model continues to come under attack, with challenges to carrier control increasingly playing out in the courts, Congress and at the Federal Communications Commission. ...

More jobs cut as Alcatel-Lucent suffers through Q3; Company names new CFO.(News)
November 5, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO Alcatel-Lucent lost more than $373 million during the past quarter the company reported as it announced it would be replacing its CFO. Wall Street appeared relatively pleased with the results, which mostly fell in line...

Contracts.(News)
November 5, 2007... The following infrastructure contracts were announced in October: Alcatel-Lucent Brazil: With Brasil Telecom to deliver a commercial WiMAX network based on 802.16e-2005 technology in Sao Paulo, Curitiba and Porto Alegre. Value:...

Two paths to travel in mobile gaming space; Lesser-known publishers try ad-supported games.(News)
November 5, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS No wonder people can't agree on a cure for the mobile gaming industry. Some insiders don't even think it's sick. There's no question that the space-which just a couple of years ago was envisioned as the pace-setting...

Q3 magic for VZW, tragic for Sprint Nextel; No. 2 carrier posts strong growth, No. 3 falls further behind.(Upfront)
November 5, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL Quarterly results from Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp. came as no surprise: Verizon Wireless did well and Sprint Nextel didn't. Although Verizon Wireless was outpaced in net customer additions by AT&T...

Gobi chip offers high speeds, GPS.(Upfront)
November 5, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON Qualcomm Inc.'s new Gobi chip marks the arrival of a technology long-discussed by the San Diego company, according to one analyst. The chip will offer high-speed access to the Internet via both CDMA2000 1x EV-DO...

'Passionate subset' seeks unlocked phones; Numbers not moving despite iPhone furor, Nokia efforts.
November 5, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON AT&T Mobility will tell you that writers expounding on the issue of unlocked phones far outnumber consumers actually interested in buying them. Preliminary data shows that, while not literally true, that statement...

Brightpoint signs HTC deal.(Upfront)(Conference notes)
November 5, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON Taiwanese smartphone vendor HTC Corp. and Brightpoint, Inc., the distribution powerhouse, signed a global distribution agreement that may help the smartphone maker realize its ambitions of establishing a globally...

BlackBerry users satisfied; J.D. Power confirms business users like their smartphones.(News)
November 5, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON A new survey finds that U.S.-based users of Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry devices are the most satisfied with their handsets among smartphone users. That may not sound like a surprise to anyone who knows that RIM...

...ETC...(Etc.)
November 5, 2007... Ticket to ride Siemens IT Solutions and Services said it will soon offer technology that allows bus and train tickets to be purchased via mobile phones. The company conducted a countrywide pilot of the technology in 12 German cities and...

SinglePoint nabs NBC deal.(Upfront)
November 5, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO NBC Universal consolidated all of its interactive TV and participation media campaigns under one roof: SinglePoint. The mobile marketing company has been ramping up to take over all NBC property campaigns for more than...

Sprint Nextel drags on RadioShack.(News)
November 5, 2007... RadioShack Corp. shares appeared relatively stable, jumping nearly 3% after the company reported a net income of $46.3 million for the third quarter. In the year-ago period the company reported a loss of $16.3 million. The company reported...

Brain lock.(Opinion)
November 5, 2007... Byline: Dan Meyer As always, something has me a little confused. What is it this time? Well, it's the phone locking issue that has everyone from tech geeks to politicians in a tizzy. (Actually, it seems that only tech geeks and...

Metro ditches bid for Leap.(Upfront)
November 5, 2007... MetroPCS Communications Inc. dropped its proposal to merge with Leap Wireless International Inc., following Leap's disinterest in the deal. "MetroPCS has not been able to engage Leap in meaningful negotiations regarding MetroPCS' merger...

MAKING MUSIC; Digital execs think cellphones will draw listeners into 'immersive' experience.(Upfront)
November 5, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO The music industry is redefining itself amid significant changes, particularly with regards to the record labels' role in a world where recording artists are able to connect with fans with little technological or...

Google OS to change game.(Upfront)
November 5, 2007... Byline: ABBEY KLAASSEN, ALICE Z. CUNEO Shifting business models make for strange bedfellows-and nowhere is that so clear as Google's potential linkup with Verizon Wireless, which is said to be negotiating with the search giant to carry...

Fires burn up wireless lines; First responder networks prove their worth, commercial traffic jumps.
November 5, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL As wildfires raged throughout southern California in recent weeks and hundreds of thousands were evacuated from their homes, wireless networks in the area saw dramatic increases in usage as well as some damage from the...

RCRnews.com ? of the week.(Opinion)
November 5, 2007... Press one for... What is the most important part of customer service call centers? 71% short hold times 19% efficient menu system 10% transaction confirmations Visit RCRNEWS.COM to answer this week's...

Handset Price Changes.(Upfront)
November 5, 2007... Handset pricing changes are from carrier Web sites and include changes between Oct. 21 and Oct. 28. Prices include all applicable rebates. All prices are for Denver ZIP code if required. U.S. Cellular prices are for Chicago ZIP code. ...

RCRnews.com ? of the week.(News)
November 12, 2007... Work with me What is the most important function of an enterprise cellphone? 43%: email 43%: voice calling 9%: business-specific apps 6%: internet Visit RCRNEWS.COM to answer this week's question.

Stockwatch: November 1-November 8.(Metrics)
November 12, 2007... 3 tables: Stockwatch: November 1-November 8 * Top Gainers * Top Losers * 3 graphs: Market Diary * Indices * 90-day RCR index: see print copy.

Towerstream slides in Q3.(News)
November 12, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO Towerstream Corp. reported a net loss of $1.75 million for the third quarter. Revenues for the quarter just barely surpassed the overall loss the company suffered. The fixed WiMAX service provider brought in $1.76...

Nokia scores big win for Ovi; Handset makers gaining ground in direct-to-consumer space.(News)
November 12, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS It appears Nokia Corp. has learned a few lessons from its doomed Club Nokia mobile content business. But that doesn't mean the direct-to-consumer waters are getting any easier to navigate. The world's No. 1 handset...

Freedom of choice; Google's plans open door for innovation, confusion.
November 12, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS Like Daryl Hannah in "Blade Runner,'' Google Inc. last week showcased an attention-grabbing Android. But while the Internet giant garnered headlines and wowed fanboys with its latest move in wireless, some developers...

AMT posts strong quarter, raises guidance.(News)(Financial report)
November 12, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO American Tower Corp. brought in $59.6 million in profits during the third quarter thanks to a 10% increase in total revenue from the year-ago period, the company announced. The company also raised its guidance for...

Nortel stock surges on positive Q3 results; Beleaguered vendor names new execs.(News)
November 12, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO Nortel Networks Corp.'s stock jumped 18% last week after the infrastructure vendor reported earnings of $27 million during the third quarter, up from the $63 million it lost in the year-ago period. Nortel brought in...

CinemaElectric adds ads to videos; Mobile-video firm signs deal with YouTube, Google for AdSense program.(News)
November 12, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO CinemaElectric Inc. is quickly finding its groove in the mobile video space. With more than half of its content produced in-house, the company has inked deals with 90 carriers in more than 50 countries to bring its...

Navigation and handsets to drive GPS chipsets.(Metrics)
November 12, 2007... The GPS chipset market during the next few years will be driven by integration into mobile devices like personal navigation devices and cellular phones, according to a new report from high-tech market research firm In-Stat. The most...

Video phone sales to take off by 2010.(Metrics)
November 12, 2007... Mobile video phone sales will nearly double by 2010, from $58 billion in 2006 to $125 billion in 2010, according to market research firm Infonetics Research. Mobile video subscribers will also grow from just a few million in 2006 to 58.6...

COMPLICATED NETWORKS REQUIRE SIMPLIFIED ANTENNAS.(Spotlight)
November 12, 2007... Byline: Phil Carson The increasing number of frequency bands in use around the world and the proliferation of air interface technologies are among the macrotrends affecting antenna makers, according to Francis Sideco, analyst with iSuppli....

What's so great about open access?(Opinion)
November 12, 2007... Byline: Mike Dano So let me start out with a caveat: I only understand open access from the "regular person'' point of view. I'm not an engineer or a Washington insider, I'm just some guy who has a cellphone and is relatively knowledgeable...

FCC set to rule on MSS' terrestrial plans; Decision could bolster sagging sector.(News)
November 12, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA Federal regulators appear poised to take actions that could enable Globalstar Inc. to integrate terrestrial wireless facilities in most of its mobile satellite service frequencies and allow Iridium Satellite L.L.C. to...

Roaming rules continue to rile industry; FCC decision applauded by rural carriers, derided by large players.(Upfront)
November 12, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA The Federal Communications Commission's revised roaming rules may have exacerbated an already divisive industry issue, with warring carriers challenging new guidelines and feuding over the possibility of their...

Pakistan's supreme cellphone jammer.(Opinion)
November 12, 2007... Byline: Jeffrey Silva Embattled Pakistani President-General-Censor-in-Chief Pervez Musharraf has his hands full these days with all those loud, disagreeable lawyers and that headstrong, trouble-making female politician. Kind of reminds you...

USF reform nears showdown; FCC Democrats, carriers, states set to oppose plans.(Upfront)
November 12, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin is said to be pushing universal service fund changes that would reduce government subsidies for mobile phone carriers serving rural areas, likely setting up a...

Auction battles heat up; Short forms due next week, Google remains wildcard.
November 12, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA The filing window for short-form 700 MHz applications opens in just a week, but uncertainty continues to swirl around unsettled legal and regulatory issues as well as the prospective lineup of major bidders for...

...ETC...(Upfront)
November 12, 2007... "Danny Bonaduce: Life Coach," jokes CBS Mobile CBS Mobile has tapped Danny Bonaduce for a new mobile video series that will air on major wireless carriers beginning next week. The first original animated program developed under the CBS...

9 years ago this week.(News)
November 12, 2007... Qualcomm Inc. and Microsoft Corp. formed a joint venture WirelessKnowledge L.L.C. to foster the adoption of mobile data services across any network and any device.

Andrew offloads satellite business to private equity; Deal could generate up to $39 million in cash.(News)
November 12, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO Andrew Corp. agreed to sell its satellite communications business to Resilience Capital Partners in a deal that will allow Andrew to maintain an ownership stake in a new company that Resilience Capital Partners plans to...

Hedgehogging.(News)
November 12, 2007... hedge*hog*ging v. Interrupting conversations in an office environment by poking your head over the top of the cube. The best part of Google's "Android'' announcement last week? Why, the name of course. How awesome is it that a giant...

Mobile ads attract new guidelines; dotMobi group adds its rules to effort.(News)
November 12, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS Yet another set of mobile advertising guidelines will be released this week as the dotMobi Advisory Group (MAG) unveils a 44-page document for companies looking to target wireless users. The group, a nonprofit...

WiMAX marriage on the rocks; Sprint Nextel, Clearwire re-evaluating network plans.
November 12, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL With the launch of WiMAX trial markets just weeks away, Sprint Nextel Corp. says it is re-examining its WiMAX business plans and has abandoned a partnership with Clearwire Corp. intended to promote a faster, cheaper...

Android floats in space; gPhone a no-show, handsets not due til late '08.
November 12, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON Google Inc. drew considerable media attention last week with an idea and 33 influential friends. Missing was its long-rumored gPhone, whose actual fate remains a closely guarded secret. Instead, Google...

Mobile music, data services hot sellers at RadioShack.(Upfront)
November 12, 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. RadioShack Corp. sells wireless devices and service around the...

QuickPlay adds videos to Celltop.(News)
November 12, 2007... Alltel Corp. announced that it will be using QuickPlay Media Inc.'s OpenVideo platform to provide new streaming video channels on the No. 5 carrier's Celltop information-on-demand service. Through the partnership, Alltel will offer new...

Prepaid pines for affection; Carriers increasing incentives.(Upfront)
November 12, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL With substantial growth expected to come from the prepaid wireless market, national carriers are beginning to pay more attention to the one-time red-headed stepchild of the coveted postpaid customer. Analyst Fedor...

Antennas: Where the rubber meets the road; Handset market demands low-cost volumes, sophisticated innovation.(Spotlight)
November 12, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON You've undoubtedly noticed, with pleasure, that the telescoping, whip antenna of yore has long ago disappeared inside the increasingly sleek device you slip into your pocket. Technology is supposed to be invisible. ...

Prepaid boosts T-Mobile USA in Q3; Regional players post mixed results.(Upfront)(Financial report)
November 12, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL T-Mobile USA Inc. added 857,000 net subscribers to its network during the third quarter, numbers boosted by the carrier's prepaid offering. The carrier had added 802,000 net subscribers during the third quarter of last...

Writers' strike impact creeps onto third screen; Late night content hardest hit, mainstream shows expected to follow.(News)
November 12, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO One week into a walkout, and plenty in the entertainment business are already feeling the pinch. Late night TV writers are being warned they'll be laid off next week, a slew of sitcoms-new and old-are quickly going dark...

FCC relaxes requirements for public-safety spectrum.
November 19, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA The Federal Communications Commission relaxed the small-business bidding rule for the 700 MHz national commercial/public-safety block, but the agency cannot seem to shake lingering legal challenges that have the...

Qwest, Pocket expand calling plans; Regional carriers prepare for holiday season.(Upfront)
November 19, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL While they may lack the name recognition of their larger competitors, regional carriers are tweaking their rate plans ahead of the holiday shopping season. Qwest Communications International Inc. introduced a set of...

FCC to enforce 50% hearing-aid mandate beginning next year; iPhone gains controversial exemption.(News)
November 19, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA While mobile-phone carriers and manufacturers face a key hearing-aid compatibility deadline in early 2008, Apple's Inc. wildly popular iPhone will get a pass on a major government disability access mandate that...

700 MHz band to be used for broadband worldwide.(Upfront)
November 19, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA The United States teamed with neighboring countries to get the 700 MHz band identified for wireless broadband services in the Americas and major markets in Asia at the close of the World Radiocommunication Conference...

Brands excited about off-deck opportunities; Challenges for adult-content remain.(News)
November 19, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO Brands that haven't found their way into the carriers' circle of friends are emboldened by the uptake in mobile Internet usage and the overall improvement of the browsing experience. Many are beginning to find a way...

15 years ago this week.(News)
November 19, 2007... AT&T Co. and McCaw Cellular Communications announced plans to form a strategic alliance that included an option for AT&T to acquire one-third of McCaw for $3.8 billion.

Hedgehogging.(News)
November 19, 2007... hedge*hog*ging v. Interrupting conversations in an office environment by poking your head over the top of the cube. With the holiday selling season in full effect-hey at least it's after Halloween-we have had a chance to get our hands on a...

Online liability concerns prompt wireless industry to act; CTIA, carriers throw support behind MySpace in sexual-assault case.(Upfront)
November 19, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA While the increasing convergence of communications and entertainment on wireless Internet platforms is creating new business opportunities for value-chain stakeholders, it also is raising novel policy issues for...

Virgin Mobile USA stock down on economic worries.(Upfront)
November 19, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL Investors sent Virgin Mobile USA Inc.'s stock plunging after it released decent quarterly results because of worries about the impact of an increasing competitive prepaid landscape as well as economic impacts on the...

Taking it to the m-bank; Qualcomm lays out $210M for Firethorn.
November 19, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL The mobile banking space saw several shifts last week, as Qualcomm Inc. announced that it will acquire mobile banking company Firethorn Holdings L.L.C. for $210 million, and AT&T Mobility launched a Firethorn-supported...

FCC grants Globalstar, Iridium L-band spectrum; ATC plans out for comment.(News)
November 19, 2007... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA The Federal Communications Commission agreed to divide mobile satellite service L-band spectrum between CDMA operator Globalstar Inc. and TDMA operator Iridium Satellite L.L.C., while soliciting public comment on a...

Microsoft buys Musiwave for $46M.(News)
November 19, 2007... Openwave Systems Inc. finally found a buyer for Musiwave, selling the mobile music business to Microsoft Corp. Microsoft will spend $46 million in cash for Musiwave and assume roughly $4 million of the Paris-based business's net debt. The...

J.D. Power lauds Sony Ericsson.(News)
November 19, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON J.D. Power and Associates announced Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications' handsets scored highest in overall customer satisfaction among U.S. and Canadian consumers in the consumer research firm's latest survey. ...

Sprint Nextel, Clearwire split divides analysts; Opinions vary on carrier's direction, fallout on suppliers.
November 19, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON Terminating a letter of intent-as Sprint Nextel Corp. and Clearwire Corp. did Nov. 9-doesn't lend itself to gauging possible impacts to Sprint Nextel's ambitious, multibillion-dollar WiMAX plans. Assessing impacts to...

Apple talks to Chinese operators; Euro-launch is modest, but Chinese say no rev-share here.(Upfront)
November 19, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON The iPhone story went global this month with launches in the United Kingdom and Germany and word that Apple Inc. is exploring a partnership in China. France's Orange is set to sell the device beginning Nov. 29. ...

Lessons for mobile Web: KISS; (Keep it simple, stupid).(News)
November 19, 2007... Byline: COLIN GIBBS Publishers are trying to strike a delicate balance in these early days of the mobile Web: How do you offer enough eye candy to a make a site compelling without overloading the limited processing power of most mobile...

Brain whispers 'iPhone,' wallet says 'free clamshell'; Most-researched phones range from dream to reality.(News)
November 19, 2007... Byline: PHIL CARSON Two sources that track American consumers' online research into handsets paint a dual portrait of yearning and practicality this holiday season. While the data differs between the two sources in some respects,...

LTE gains steam; Nokia, LG, Alcatel-Lucent tests set stage for commercial deployments.(News)
November 19, 2007... Byline: MATT KAPKO Over the past week, a wide breadth of telecom companies have completed Long Term Evolution tests. Nokia Corp. announced results last week from the first phase of a trial that the company claimed achieved 100...

Hope prevails despite history.(Opinion)
November 19, 2007... Byline: Tracy Ford Some of the world's biggest companies-Google, Apple, Microsoft-increasingly are becoming more aggressive in the wireless space. And why shouldn't they? CTIA counts 250 million cellphone subscribers in the United States-a...

Investors bullish on MetroPCS' Q3; Company remains positive following Leap rebuff.(News)
November 19, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL MetroPCS Communications Inc. beat Wall Street's earnings expectations in spite of weak customer numbers, and the company's stock gained nearly 10% for the day as investors responded. MetroPCS' financial metrics were...

Push-to-talk services target Chinese businesses; Kodiak snares contract for industrial region.(News)
November 19, 2007... Byline: KELLY HILL China Mobile Ltd. subsidiary Jiangsu Mobile Communications Co. Ltd. picked Texas-based Kodiak Networks to supply push-to-talk technology for deployment in the coastal Jiangsu Province. Kodiak said it has been in...