2003

WASHINGTON-A voluntary code of conduct the mobile-phone industry will unveil here next Tuesday calls on wireless carriers to make more information available to consumers on everything from advertising to coverage maps to monthly bills. The industry also will agree to …

Out of the ashes of failed Wi-Fi startup Mobility Networks rises a new effort, Azaire Networks Inc., a company with much of the same technology and staffing but with a slightly different-and wider-business focus. “We’re not just focused on wireless …

While the wireless industry is expected to lose billions of dollars supporting the upcoming wireless local number portability mandate, corporate America could see a multi-million dollar windfall if carriers are forced to reduce rate plans in an attempt to garner …

PISCATAWAY, N.J.-The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers has established a standard, 802.15.14, to allow the 802.15 technology to extend wireless communications to low-power, low-speed and low-cost devices. “This is an enabling standard,” said Pat Kinney, chair of IEEE 802.15 …

BERLIN-German wireless provider T-Mobile International AG reported its Frankfurt area network suffered a severe disruption today following the failure of a routing computer. A company spokesman said the problem, which included Frankfurt’s airport, forced customers to dial several times before …

MOSCOW-Nortel Networks Ltd. said it has won a contract to provide the wireless network of BaykalWestcom with GSM and GPRS equipment and services across portions of Siberia. “The network upgrades will position BaykalWestcom to introduce text messaging, Internet access, e-mail …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-L.M. Ericsson said it will lay off 1,700 workers in its Stockholm and Gothenburg offices as part of its previously announced plan to cut 7,000 positions. The jobs affected are mainly white-collar positions. The company, which hopes to become …

NEW YORK-Spending on cellular infrastructure will trump WiMAX either of the 802.16 or 802.20 variety, according to a report by Allied Business Intelligence. “Though WiMAX will play a significant role in the industry, the markets for traditional cellular networks will …

WASHINGTON-A federal district judge has sent back to the Federal Communications Commission a class-action suit against several carriers and handset manufacturers regarding whether their phones comply with the FCC’s 911 strongest-signal rules. “Plaintiffs argue that this language clearly and unequivocally …

WASHINGTON-California regulators could issue a proposed decision as early as next week on their year-long investigation of Cingular Wireless L.L.C., according to a source close to the probe. The California Public Utilities Commission launched a probe into the business practices …

WASHINGTON-Identity theft is increasing and is much more of a problem than the government expected, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC estimated that during the last year 9.9 million people and during the last five years 27.3 million …

HELSINKI, Finland-Celcom, a mobile operator in Malaysia, has launched the Tecnomen Multimedia Messaging Service Centers. The center enables Celcom to take full advantage of MMS terminals and take a leading role in the market, Tecnomen said. Celcom is the second-largest …

PALO ALTO, Calif.-Danger Inc. said it will include Sun Microsystems Inc.’s Java 2 Micro Edition application download technology in its Hiptop wireless device platform, which forms the basis for T-Mobile USA Inc.’s Sidekick wireless phone. Now, through Danger’s licensing agreement …

MILPITAS, Calif.-Palm Inc. asserted that it will continue to use Novarra Inc.’s Web browser in its future wireless personal digital assistants. Novarra’s Web Pro 1.0 browser is included in Palm’s Tungsten T, Tungsten T2 and Tungsten W handhelds. “We’ve had …

WASHINGTON-The Competitive Telecommunications Association (CompTel) and the Association for Communications Enterprises (ASCENT) announced they will merge, pending a vote of approval by their respective memberships in the coming weeks. The combined organization will continue under the CompTel/ASCENT Alliance label. “The …

Following months of raised forecasts and hopeful outlooks, research firm IDC presented perhaps the most optimistic wireless industry outlook to date, predicting that sales of mobile phones will break the 500-million mark next year. The firm said advanced phones, including …

ATLANTA-Regional iDEN provider Southern LINC reported it had met the Federal Communications Commission’s Sept. 1 deadline to set up E911 Phase II implementation for Tier III wireless carriers. The carrier said the implementation was accomplished ahead of schedule, and it …

LAGOS, Nigeria-Motorola Inc. said it has launched its first GSM circuit core solution as part of its $50 million end-to-end system the company is deploying for M-Tel, an operator in Nigeria. “By working with M-Tel to strengthen its network and …

HOUSTON-Crown Castle International Corp. said it intends to amend certain provisions of its restricted group operating company’s $1.2 billion credit facility and make certain changes to its capital structure. The plan is subject to the consent of its senior credit …

Following its solid earnings and its retrieval of the No. 5 handset maker slot, Sony Ericsson released a range of new phones and devices, including a unique toy racecar that mobile-phone users can control through Bluetooth technology. Sony Ericsson’s range …

TOKYO-Hutchison CAT Wireless Multimedia, a mobile operator in Thailand, and Japan’s KDDI entered an agreement to construct a global positioning system service in Thailand based on the gpsOne system KDDI offers in Japan in cooperation with NEC Corp. The contract …

Southwest Airlines joined several other major air carriers in relaxing its mobile-phone usage rules. The carrier said customers with cell phones onboard may begin using them while taxiing to the airport gate, after the flight attendant gives permission to do …

WASHINGTON-Other states and localities planning to implement a ban on the use of handheld mobile phones while driving may want to look at a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety about the impact of such a ban in …

MOSCOW-Lucent Technologies Inc. said it has won a contract to supply Russian GSM 900/1800 MHz operator MegaFon with its multi-service packet network to enable the carrier to combine voice and data traffic. Under the agreement, Lucent will supply MegaFon with …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-In its continued defiance of its numerous skeptics, a Hutchison Whampoa subsidiary took on another European third-generation license. The Norwegian government awarded a third-generation license to Hi3G Access Norway AS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hutchison’s Swedish 3G subsidiary …