Editor’s Note: RCR Wireless News goes all in for “Throwback Thursdays,” tapping into our archives to resuscitate the top headlines from the past. Fire up the time machine, put on the sepia-tinted shades, set the date for #TBT and enjoy the memories!
Nokia’s handset glory days
Nokia Corp. captured almost 28 percent of the world wireless handset market, shipping more than 25 million units, according to a recent Dataquest report. More than 90 million wireless handset units were shipped during the first quarter of 2000. According to those numbers, total handset shipments for the year should total a record 430 million units. However, if 2000 follows the typical seasonal pattern, final year shipments are likely to run as high as 460 million units or more, a figure more than the combined shipments of 1998 and 1999, Dataquest noted. Motorola Inc. followed Nokia at a distant second, with 16 percent of the market, shipping 14.4 million units. Ericsson followed, with 11.5 percent of the market, shipping 10.3 million units. Samsung placed fourth, with 6.3 percent of the market and 5.6 million units shipped, and Alcatel placed fifth, with 5.5 percent of the market and 5 million units shipped through the first three months of the year. “Despite its continued vulnerability in the rapidly growing Code Division Multiple Access technology sector, Nokia extended its global market-share lead during the first quarter of 2000 on the back of its continued leadership position in [Global System for Mobile communications] and [Time Division Multiple Access],” said Peter Richardson and Bryan Prohm, authors of the report for Dataquest. “As Nokia shifts to CDMA, opportunities will arise for an upstart vendor to assault Nokia’s current GSM and TDMA leadership position.” … Read more
Nextel expands coverage
OMAHA, Neb.-Nextel Partners Inc. expanded its digital wireless network with the launch of service in Omaha and Lincoln, Neb., as well as in Idaho. The Nebraska coverage area will include the corridor of Interstate 80 into Iowa, from Council Bluffs in western Iowa to the greater Des Moines area in central Iowa, and to the Quad Cities in eastern Iowa. “Nextel service will offer something truly unique to the Nebraska area,” said Brad Olson, general manager of Nextel’s Nebraska launch. “No other carrier can eliminate the need for multiple communications devices with one simple, affordable solution. Nextel is ideal for businesses who need instant access to coworkers, suppliers and business associates, as well as the quality and security of digital service.” Nextel also donated 10 wireless phones and service for a year to the American Red Cross Heartland Chapter’s Disaster Services unit, as well as 10 wireless phones and services to the Omaha Police Department’s investigative units to enhance communication between the fugitive task force, narcotics units and the robbery/homicide unit. … Read more
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Jokes from Sprint.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.-Funny.com’s entertainment services will be available to Sprint PCS Wireless Web customers directly on their Internet-ready wireless phones. Sprint noted the jokes will be delivered in more than 30 different categories under the “Fun Stuff” page on its wireless Web. Customers will be able to save and vote on jokes and can also track read and unread jokes to ensure new jokes are easily accessible while old jokes can be retrieved as desired. “Our customers have asked us to deliver entertainment to the wireless Web, and Sprint PCS has clearly responded by offering nationwide, mobile access to … Read more
Dobson gears up for offering wireless internet
OKLAHOMA CITY-Dobson Communications Corp. reported it has purchased equipment and developed a strategic alliance in anticipation of launching wireless Internet services later this year. A company spokesman said Dobson will use infrastructure software and applications developed by Phone.com Inc.to provide network capabilities for its Wireless Application Protocol products, including a WAP gateway, security, activity tracking and administration tools needed to implement a wireless Internet solution. In addition, Dobson entered an agreement with GiantBear.com to provide content exchange and an information management portal for its customers, including e-mail messaging and address books. GiantBear.com also will provide hosting services for one-way and two-way short message service applications. … Read more
Lucent, PhoneRun eye “phonecasting” audio
BOSTON-PhoneRun Inc. and Lucent Technologies Inc. said they will jointly market to service providers a mobile Internet service called “phonecasting,” a media network of Internet-sourced audio channels for news, entertainment and shopping available to any telephone via voice-enabled technology known as “voicetone.” PhoneRun’s service will run on Lucent’s Mobile Communications System which includes a public switched telephone network gateway, interactive voice response system, VoiceXML browser, Internet gateway, Wireless Application Protocol and short messaging service interfaces, e-mail delivery and notification, and distributed network management system. “The MCS technology will bring voice-enabled Internet services to both fixed and mobile telephone networks,” noted Curtis Holmes, vice president for Intelligent Networks and Messaging Solutions at Lucent. … Read more
Ericsson upgrades TDMA markets for BellSouth Mobility
STOCKHOLM, Sweden-Ericsson Inc. replaced BellSouth Mobility’s existing Time Division Multiple Access infrastructure in Nashville, and Chattanooga, Tenn., and Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Lafayette, La. The five markets are the first of 17 in which Ericsson will provide and install switches, base stations, software, services and handsets to upgrade BellSouth with systems that are ready to migrate to third-generation and mobile Internet services. “Ericsson and BellSouth agreed to an ambitious, aggressive schedule for modernizing BellSouth’s wireless systems and preparing them for third-generation,” noted Angel Ruiz, vice president and general manager of Ericsson Inc. … Read more
PageNet flounders
DALLAS-Paging Network Inc. finally reported year-end and fourth-quarter 1999 financial results and filed its 10-K annual report, following repeated delays blamed on a massive accounting effort under way regarding its pending merger with Arch Communications Group Inc. Fourth-quarter net loss was reported as $64.9 million, or 64 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $37.5 million, or 36 cents per share, reported the previous fourth quarter. Total revenues for the quarter were $209.3 million, compared with $245.6 million the year before. PageNet’s subscriber base, which has declined significantly every quarter for more than a year, showed no sign of improving. The company reported about 8.9 million subscribers for the fourth quarter, a reduction of about 300,000 units. Going further, PageNet said it estimates it lost an additional 570,000 subscribers during the first quarter. Looking to PageNet’s liquidity, which concerns some financial analysts, PageNet said it had a cash balance of $55 million as of May 1. … Read more
Pixo looks beyond WAP
While the Wireless Application Protocol has provided a common standard for microbrowser technology, several firms are looking to offer their own flavor of the wireless Internet experience, and not all are convinced WAP will remain the popular standard it is today. Pixo Inc. is one such firm. Although a member of the WAP Forum, the company believes that future packet-based wireless networks will support Internet Protocol and therefore will negate the necessity for WAP to deliver Internet content to wireless phones. Also, Pixo feels handsets need a more robust user interface so wireless Internet services are easier to use. The company has developed a software platform for mobile phones, which sits atop the operating system layer, that combines a flexible user interface with personal information management functions. It also recently added microbrowser technology, which Pixo believes puts it in a good position to meet the demands of tomorrow’s wireless Internet marketplace. The browser is a dual-mode, Hypertext Markup Language/Wireless Markup Language, Wireless Application Protocol-compliant system optimized for packet-based 2.5 generation networks, such as General Packet Radio Service. … Read more
Check out the RCR Wireless News Archives for more stories from the past.
