2003

Gaming highlighted a rash of announcements made today at the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association’s Wireless I.T and Entertainment show in Las Vegas, providing a peak at what might be some of the hot-selling offerings for the holiday sales season. …

LAS VEGAS-The Fox TV network is planning a major new wireless effort centered on one of television’s most well-known families-the Simpsons. Homer, Marge and the rest of the cast of the hit animated series will soon make the jump to …

Following on the heels of other operators, Sprint PCS has unveiled guidelines for its customers who may want to take advantage of wireless local number portability, which is scheduled for Nov. 24. Both Cingular Wireless LLC and Nextel Communications Inc. …

LAS VEGAS-Audiovox Communications Corp. is introducing its CDM-9900 series of wireless handsets featuring video capabilities at the CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment show in Las Vegas. “The CDM-9900 and 9950 are the first handsets to offer both video and still …

REDMOND, Wash.-AT&T Wireless and Motorola, Inc. announced nationwide availability of the Motorola MPx200, a Microsoft Windows Mobile-based smart phone for the North American market. The phone is available for $299.99 with any compatible AT&T Wireless service plan. AT&T Wireless said …

WASHINGTON-A watchdog group said since January 2002 consumers have paid $629 million in fees required by federal regulators for wireless services, including a charge for a local number portability option whose implementation was delayed for months because of legal challenges …

NEW YORK-Texas Instruments Inc. said it enjoyed a net income of $447 million, or 25 cents a share, for the third quarter. This contrasts with the same period last year when it had income of $188 million, or 11 cents …

BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom-Sendo has released its multimedia smart phone, the Sendo X, featuring video, audio, camera, connectivity and Internet functionality. The release comes amid the company’s legal battle with Microsoft Corp. after Sendo dumped the Microsoft operating system earlier this …

SANTA CLARA, Calif.-Japanese wireless giant NTT DoCoMo Inc. said it plans to develop software for mobile phone to protect from wireless viruses, including multimedia-style bugs that travel through e-mail. DoCoMo is working with virus protection company Network Associates Inc. to …

AUSTIN, Texas-Dobson Cellular Systems has chosen Axalto, formerly Schlumberger Smart Cards & Terminals, as its primary supplier of subscriber identity module (SIM) smart cards to support the carrier’s conversion to GSM technology. Axalto’s Simera Java SIM cards will allow Dobson …

Following the release of stronger than expected third-quarter results, Nextel Communications Inc. said it plans to redeem the remainder of its 9.95-percent senior serial redeemable discount notes due 2008 and all of its outstanding 4.75-percent convertible senior notes due 2007 …

Nokia Corp. again warned against using batteries from other providers and blamed non-Nokia batteries for recent reports of exploding Nokia phones. Nokia said its investigation into an exploding phone incident in the Netherlands of a Nokia 7210 revealed the phone …

IRVING, Texas-Cingular Wireless’ recently announced multimedia messaging service is based on Nokia Corp.’s MMS center, the companies announced. Nokia has managed to claim the lion’s share of the MMS center market after it and other major infrastructure providers largely missed …

WASHINGTON-A consumer group says the $12 million fine imposed on Cingular Wireless L.L.C. by the California Public Utilities Commission is inadequate, while other mobile-phone carriers in the state worry they could be next. The Utility Consumers’ Action Network said Cingular …

Samsung Electronics Co.’s upbeat third-quarter results added to growing optimism for recovery in the wireless industry. The company’s profit rose 7 percent to $1.57 billion dollars in contrast with $1.46 billion a year ago. Upswings in sales of handsets and …

Twelve of the nation’s top wireless carriers have joined forces to launch a common short codes, a service that will be commercially available next week. The program will allow TV stations, movie studios and virtually any other business to purchase …

HELSINKI, Finland-L.M. Ericsson said it signed a contract with Finnish 2G to extend their frame agreement on infrastructure deliveries. The agreement will enable the operator to build a third-generation network to launch new mobile services. The value of the agreement …

GERMANTOWN, Md.-Communications test solutions provider Acterna emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week as a private company with a new board of directors. “Acterna has continued to serve its customers and deliver new innovations throughout the debt-restructuring process,” said …

WASHINGTON-The Wireless Communications Association announced the development of the Personal Broadband Alliance. PBA will include wireless broadband carriers, software and hardware vendors, and infrastructure providers. With a mission to advance mobile broadband consumer services, PBA will focus on strategic, technical …

LONDON-Emerging wireless technologies are threatening to change the economics and competitive dynamics of the wireless data market, according to a new report form Sound Partners and Analysys Research. According to the report, emerging technologies are set to have an even …

IRVINE, Calif.-Verizon Wireless introduced its North America’s Choice rate plans, extending home airtime rate areas across sections of Canada and Mexico. The plans, which Verizon Wireless said would initially be available for its West Area consumer markets and Midwest territory …

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.-The Infrared Data Association (IrDA) announced the latest edition of its “Worldwide Market of Infrared-Enabled Products” report is now available. According to IrDA, nearly half of the 500 million IrDA products shipped are cell phones, and the rate …

NEW YORK-Lessons learned during the past three years have brought a sense of reality to the telecommunications industry, according to the newly released “Deloitte Telco Index,” which examines the worldwide telecom industry from Jan. 2000 to July 2003. The report …

LUBBOCK, Texas-Sprint PCS affiliate Alamosa Holdings Inc. reported that following modifications to its proposed exchange offers, the carrier received supporting commitments from holders of approximately 68 percent of its existing notes, prompting an extension of the offer until Oct. 29. …

GENEVA-WAP browser company Access announced more than 100 million devices have shipped with its NetFront WAP browser. The company counts AT&T Wireless, China Mobile, China Unicom, Handspring, Hutchison 3G Group, IBM, KDDI, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, PalmSource, Samsung, Sharp, Sony and …