2003

SANTA CLARA, Calif.-Electronic payment company VeriFone Inc. released a new CDMA point-of-sale payment product, which the company said the State of Wisconsin will use to operate wireless payment terminals for Fondy Farmers’ Market. “Open air and other traditional markets are …

SINGAPORE-A jury ordered contract manufacturer Flextronics to pay more than $934 million to Beckman Coulter, which makes medical equipment. Flextronics said it would appeal the motion. Flextronics is the manufacturing muscle behind several mobile-phone companies, including Sony Ericsson.

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission Wednesday rejected Northrop Grumman Corp.’s request for broadband spectrum to support emergency and homeland security wireless applications. Northrop Grumman filed a petition April 21 seeking expedited treatment by the FCC on its request for an additional …

Following in the financial restructuring footsteps of fellow Sprint PCS affiliates, AirGate PCS Inc. said it intends to pursue a registered exchange offer for all of its outstanding $300 million aggregate principal amount 13.5-percent senior subordinated discount notes due 2009 …

MILWAUKEE-AT&T Wireless Services Inc. launched its GSM/GPRS service in Madison, Green Bay and Appleton, Wis., as part of its planned overlay of its legacy TDMA network. The carrier added that the GSM/GPRS service has been available in its Milwaukee market …

PALO ALTO, Calif.-Agilent Technologies Inc. said it has sold its wireless network planning design tools known as Wizard to Setram International, a software company. The product is a second-, 2.5- and third-generation solution that fosters network growth and manages migration …

WASHINGTON-When Stephen Largent was chosen as the new president of the Cellular & Telecommunications Association, his only connection to the wireless industry appeared to be as a former member of the House telecom subcommittee, but John Stanton, chairman, director and …

Nokia Corp. continued to push the boundaries of the mobile-phone industry with three new wearable devices designed to bolster the camera-phone market, as well as a new W-CDMA phone with a unique design. Nokia said its new 7600 will work …

SEATTLE-Fans of the TV show “Fear Factor” will be able to download music, images and sounds-including screams from the show’s contestants-to their mobile phones, thanks to a deal among NBC Enterprises, Endemol USA and wireless content company Versaly Entertainment. Versaly …

WASHINGTON-Wireless carriers currently finance about 30 percent of the universal-service fund, but only get about 2 percent of the money available, John Stanton, chairman, director and chief executive officer of Western Wireless Corp. told the House telecommunications subcommittee Wednesday. “That …

WASHINGTON-A group of states said the House-passed Internet tax moratorium will cost cities and states up to $9 billion a year annually by 2006. A study issued by the Multistate Tax Commission said the loss in revenue is greater than …

LONDON-The European Commission has commissioned a study on trading radio spectrum within the EC. The study begins this fall and will be completed in May 2004. The EC appointed Analysys Consulting Ltd., DotEcon Ltd. and Hogan & Hartson to undertake …

OTTAWA-U.S. Cellular Corp. said it will use Spotwave Wireless Inc.’s SpotCell adaptive repeater to provide in-building coverage. The repeater will allow U.S. Cellular to provide wireless coverage in entire buildings or targeted areas of up to 100,000 square feet. “SpotCell …

BEIJING-Lucent Technologies Inc. and Nokia Corp. both signed contracts with divisions of China Unicom. Lucent said it has signed a CDMA contract worth more than $230 million to expand the networks of China Unicom. “China Unicom also will be able …

WASHINGTON-Universal service is a hot topic in Washington this week with two House panels hearing testimony, a think-tank seminar and an ad campaign launched Tuesday by TracFone Wireless. “The Federal Communications Commission’s proposed change would impact every landline and cell …

LOWELL, Mass.-M/A-COM Inc. has been awarded an $11 million contract by the U.S. Army to deploy and link critical communications to 10 Army installations, including more than 5,000 Army base personnel, in and around the National Capital Region (NCR). Under …

LONDON-Alan Dick & Co. has acquired telecommunications infrastructure service company EXi Ltd. making Alan Dick & Co. a single-source supplier for the telecommunications industry. “Acquiring the resources and expertise that have driven EXi rapidly forward since its creation in 1995 …

WASHINGTON-L. Paul Bremer, head of the U.S.-led occupational authority in Iraq, today told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that mobile-phone licenses in the war-torn country are about to being issued. Bremer’s remarks came in response to questioning by Sen. John …

Patent battles continue to rage across the wireless enterprise industry, as Visto Corp. joins the fray with separate lawsuits against rival wireless e-mail companies Infowave Software and Seven Networks Inc. The nation’s courts have already engaged several such lawsuits from …

NEW YORK-Standard & Poor’s assigned its B+ rating to Nextel Communications Inc.’s offering of $1 billion worth of 7.375-percent senior serial redeemable notes due 2015, and affirmed its BB- corporate credit rating on the carrier. S&P noted the offering was …

LONDON-European carrier Vodafone announced a deal with video game company Eidos for the exclusive rights to the Tomb Raider game across 22 countries, a deal that further shows the growing market for exclusive wireless content and downloadable wireless games. Under …

MURRAY HILL, N.J.-Denying any wrongdoing, Lucent Technologies Inc. said it has received preliminary court approval to settle pending class action shareowner litigation against the company. “The Honorable Judge Joel A. Pisano of the U.S. District Court in Newark, N.J., entered …

Citing false and unsubstantiated advertising claims, Nextel Communications Inc. filed a lawsuit in a New York federal court against Verizon Wireless seeking unspecified damages and an injunction prohibiting Verizon Wireless’ current advertising campaign touting its recently launched Push to Talk …

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.-TelASIC Communications said it has rolled out what it calls the world’s first cost-effective wideband radio chipset known as baseFlex to support all major standards, including GSM, GPRS, EDGE, IS-95, CDMA, W-CDMA, CDMA2000 and North American TDMA. “The …

WASHINGTON-The House telecommunications subcommittee Tuesday passed the E911 Implementation Act of 2003 changing the rural provisions and making it possible for public-safety answering points to go forward with Phase II wireless enhanced 911 implementation even if a state has used …