2003

WASHINGTON-A group of judges transferred seven billing lawsuits against Nextel Communications Inc. and Sprint PCS to a federal court in Missouri, a change of venue that could benefit the two national mobile-phone operators. “On the basis of the papers filed …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Trade Commission said two New York firms that claimed their devices blocked harmful radiation from cell phones and other electronic gadgets agreed to pay $85,000 to settle charges brought against them by U.S. officials. Tecnozone International L.L.C. and …

WESTPORT, Conn.-STMicroelectronics said it is sampling the Java-based smart card chip known as ST22FJ1M from NCT Group Inc. ST believes it “opens up a host of new market opportunities in the mobile, pay TV, IT security and identification markets.” “Storing …

OKLAHOMA CITY-Dobson Communications Corp. signed $10 million in contracts with L.M. Ericsson and Nortel Networks Ltd. to upgrade the carrier’s current TDMA-based network in Alaska with GSM/GPRS/EDGE technology and said it expects to spend an additional $3.5 million next year …

NEC Corp. said its mobile Internet platform and i-mode handsets are being used by Wind Telecomunicazioni for its i-mode launch, announced earlier, in Italy. In addition, NEC Italia is providing content, including ring tones, to Wind’s i-mode service. NEC said …

As businesses eye the beauty of wireless services on a massive scale, hardware and software vendors have stepped up their activities. Despite a continued sluggish economy, the frenzy began about a year ago, according to major players. “I have seen …

WASHINGTON-The campaign of leading Democratic presidential contender Howard Dean downplayed comments it said were misinterpreted as favoring wholesale re-regulation of telecommunications and other key industry sectors, but last week’s flap perhaps offered a glimpse into how the former Vermont governor …

Alcatel Corp. said it has joined with Royal Philips Electronics to showcase EDGE technology in an interoperability test. The companies said the tests achieved an uninterrupted download of 30 Megabytes at 220 kilobits per second. Alcatel offered its radio access …

NEW YORK-Nextel Communications Inc. is reportedly set to refinance up to $2.2 billion in existing loans in an attempt to take advantage of what it called “favorable bank loan market conditions,” as well as the carrier’s improving balance sheet, according …

TORONTO-Mobile Diagnostix Inc. said it has secured an undisclosed amount of investment from Bell Wireless Accelerator Fund to develop its Mobile Care Framework. MCF has an engine that detects configuration errors, system parameters and known application conflicts, said the company. …

PALO ALTO, Calif.-Danger Inc. said Cable & Wireless will offer its Hiptop mobile-phone device through its Cayman Islands mobile operation. Cable & Wireless is the first Caribbean operator to launch a GSM/GPRS network, and the carrier will use the Hiptop …

ORANGEBURG N.Y.-Verizon Wireless said it has invested nearly $1 billion during the past three years to enhance its digital wireless network in the New York metropolitan area. The announcement comes several weeks after city officials asked cell-phone users to report …

With the blessing of its parent companies SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp., Cingular Wireless L.L.C. is reportedly set to acquire one of its competitors as early as next year, according to a Business Week report. The report cited unnamed …

WASHINGTON-The wireline industry quickly ran to federal appeals court Friday morning after the Federal Communications Commission late Thursday turned down a request to delay wireless local number portability. “In the past, the FCC repeatedly has expressed its commitment to portability …

With the holiday season around the corner, Motorola Inc. made several device-related announcements this week. The company said the new Motorola V300 camera phone will be available through T-Mobile USA Inc. nationwide next week. The phone, which retails for $100, …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-With the view of diversifying the company’s debt profile, L.M. Ericsson said it has launched a bond exchange offer for its euro medium term notes. The offer, which is limited to an exchange of up to about $600 million …

WASHINGTON-More than one-third-35 percent-of respondents to a survey by the National Regulatory Research Institute would give their mobile-phone carriers D or F grades, said the NRRI in a report released late Thursday. “The number of years since competition began in …

Sprint PCS said it has deployed a Session Initiation Protocol platform, and its Ready Link push-to-talk service uses the protocol. Sprint purchased the platform from SIP company Dynamicsoft. “As we continue to roll out multimedia services, our customers will discover …

MONTREAL-TelePlus Enterprises Inc. said its subsidiary TelePlus Retail Services Inc. will acquire all the assets of TelePlus Services, providing the company with a network of 19 wireless retail outlets. TelePlus currently offers wireless handsets and services from major carriers, international …

TOKYO-NEC Corp. said its mobile Internet platform and i-mode handsets are being used by Wind Telecomunicazioni for its i-mode launch, announced earlier this week, in Italy. In addition, NEC Italia is providing content, including ring tones, to Wind’s i-mode service. …

RESTON, Va.-NII Holdings, which operates iDEN-based networks in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Peru, said it will expand its portfolio of handsets with new models from Motorola Inc. The new handsets, also launched by Nextel Communications Inc. and Southern LINC in …

NEW YORK-A trio of law firms filed class-action lawsuits on behalf of investors against Sprint PCS affiliate Alamosa Holdings Inc. claiming the carrier violated Securities and Exchange Commission rules, including providing materially false and misleading statements regarding its customer growth …

FORT WAYNE, Ind.-U.S. Cellular Corp. launched service in Fort Wayne, Ind., with supporting services, including eight company-owned retail locations, 12 exclusive agent sites and 65 cell towers. The carrier added that it has also partnered with the Fort Wayne Community …

AT&T Wireless Services Inc. unveiled enhancements to its mMode wireless data service, which the carrier said are designed to provide customers with faster and easier access to content with an increased level of simplicity and personalization. RCR Wireless News in …

BRAMPTON, Ontario-Nortel Networks Ltd. said it has retained a law firm, Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering, to review the restatement of its results for 2000 through 2002 and the first half of 2003. In its quarterly results, the vendor said it …