Monthly Archives: January, 2003
EU opens investigation into France Telecom aid
BRUSSELS, Belgium-The European Commission launched an investigation into a $9.7 billion loan to France Telecom by the French government last year. The commission said...
Moody’s upgrades Nextel’s outlook on debt
NEW YORK-To reflect "the remarkably stable operating and financial performance" of Nextel Communications Inc., Moody's Investors Service has upgraded its outlook to stable from...
Verizon announces text messaging contest
BEDMINSTER, N.J.-Verizon Wireless unveiled a text-messaging contest allowing customers to enter for a chance to win a trip to Cancun, Mexico; one of 40...
Alltel offers prepaid package in Wal-Mart stores
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-Alltel Corp. launched its Simple Freedom prepaid wireless service in more than 1,500 Wal-Mart stores nationwide.The plan, which includes voice mail, caller...
Ireland’s Meteor to use Alcatel MNP technology
DALLAS-Alcatel Corp. said Irish operator Meteor Mobile Communications will use its equipment to deploy mobile number portability functionality across the country.The technology allows subscribers...
Ericsson demos IPv6 over UMTS network
STOCKHOLM, Sweden-L.M. Ericsson said it has conducted what it described as the first Internet Protocol Version 6 over UMTS network, using a medical emergency...
Primal, Metrocall extend billing agreement
IRVINE, Calif.-Continuing their 10-year relationship, billing company Primal Solutions Inc. said it signed a new $13 million agreement with paging and messaging carrier Metrocall...
Sierra Wireless reports earnings above expectations
VANCOUVER, British Columbia-Wireless modem maker Sierra Wireless reported earnings ahead of company expectations, with revenues clocking in at $22.5 million and profits of $1.3...
Gemplus reports $17.8M operating loss
PARIS-Smart card maker Gemplus said it suffered an operating loss of $17.8 million in its fourth-quarter report, before restructuring costs.The company said its full-year...
Dell’Oro Group expects decline in mobility infrastructure market
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.-Research firm Dell'Oro Group said the mobility infrastructure market encompassing GSM/GPRS/EDGE, TDMA, CDMA and wideband CDMA will decline this year, adding that...
Nokia announces support for OMAPI
HELSINKI, Finland-Nokia Corp. has thrown its support behind the OMAPI standard initiative announced by STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments last December to boost open standards...
Mobilkom Austria ups stake in Croatian operator
VIENNA, Austria-Telekom Austria said its mobile subsidiary, Mobilkom Austria, increased its stake in Croatian operator VIPnet from 71 percent to 80 percent.Mobilkom Austria acquired...
5 GHz accord reached
The Bush administration and industry reached agreement supporting a global allocation of 5 GHz spectrum for unlicensed wireless technologies that would operate at power...
McCain reintroduces telecom diversity bill
WASHINGTON-Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Thursday reintroduced legislation designed to promote diversity in the telecommunications industry by giving tax breaks to...
Marino resigns from SBA
BOCA RATON, Fla.-Tower owner and operator SBA Communications Corp. said its chief financial officer John Marino will resign effective March 31, 2003.Merino will return...
SingTel sees strong growth in Asian mobile subsidiaries
SINGAPORE-Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., which has embarked on a regional expansion of its mobile subsidiary, said it increased its wireless subscribers by 64 percent in...
Top four handset vendors continue to increase market share
FALLS CHURCH, Va.-The world's top four handset makers-Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, and Siemens-managed to increase their total market share from 69 percent in 2001 to...
Verizon tries to stop copyright order
WASHINGTON-Verizon Communications said it will file a motion to stop a court ruling requiring the carrier to reveal the identity of an Internet user...
Nortel head dismisses vendor consolidation speculation
BERLIN-The wireless industry may not witness any mergers among the big vendors, according comments Rueters attributed to Frank Dunn, Nortel Networks Ltd. Chief Executive."I...
Telenor disposes of Russian mobile stake
OSLO, Norway-Norway's Telenor said it sold its 49-percent stake in Russian regional operator StavTeleSot to Russian mobile company VimpelCom for $20.9 million. VimpelCom now...
China’s PHS service to expand
BEIJING-Chinese analysts expect the country's PHS services will increase sharply in the first half of the year because the Ministry of Information Industry (MII)...
MTN Nigeria to begin per-second billing
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa-Mobile network operator MTN Nigeria announced it will begin to bill its prepaid customers based on seconds.Adrian Wood, chief executive officer of...
KDDI to launch BREW handset in February
TOKYO-KDDI, the second-largest Japanese mobile operator, said it would launch a new handset with BREW capabilities in February. BREW is a data application download...
AvantGo reports smaller net loss
HAYWARD, Calif.-Wireless enterprise company AvantGo Inc. reported revenues for its fourth quarter of $5.3 million and a net loss of $737,000. In the same...
Smart-phone viruses could cost operators billions, claims study
OXFORD, United Kingdom-As more smart phones appear on the market and reach the hands of end users, European cell-phone operators could lose more than...