2003

MANKATO, Minn.-Rural wireless operator Midwest Wireless launched a range of entertainment applications and communications services on its recently deployed CDMA2000 1x network using Qualcomm Inc.’s BREW platform. The applications will include games like Fury of the Hulk, Jamdat Bowling, Tom …

WASHINGTON-FCC Chairman Michael Powell invited all state officials responsible for deploying wireless enhanced 911 to the Federal Communications Commission in late October for the second part of the E911 Initiative, which was launched in the spring. “The FCC cannot make …

SAN DIEGO-Samsung Electronics said it will work with chip maker Staccato Communications to develop ultra-wideband products, a short-range technology with a data-transfer rate of up to 480 megabits per second. The standards for this broadband technology have yet to be …

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.-Motorola made a handful of public-safety related wireless announcements in conjunction with this week’s Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) conference in Indianapolis. The supplier released a full suite of Project 25 integrated mobile, portable, voice and data …

BOCA RATON, Fla.-Tower owner SBA Communications Corp. has reported its second-quarter 2003 financial results. The company said its total revenues for the quarter were $50.4 million, down from $63.6 million in last year’s second quarter. Site leasing revenue accounted for …

PARIS-Alcatel said it signed an $80 million contract with Ghana Telecom for a wireless and wired network expansion. Alcatel will expand Ghana Telecom’s GSM network capacity to 630,000 subscribers. It will also install 250,000 switching lines and optimize its transmission …

SANTA ANA, Calif.-Powerwave Technologies Inc. has received $3.5 million in orders from Samsung Electronics for 2100 MHz W-CDMA RF power amplifiers to support the deployment of a W-CDMA network in South Korea. Powerwave expects to begin deliveries this quarter.

BEIJING-Schlumberger Smart Cards & Terminals said it will supply Zhejiang Unicom with Simgo, its Java-based over-the-air service management solution. Zhejiang Unicom will be the first China Unicom subsidiary to commercialize its OTA services on 64K subscriber identity module cards. The …

NEW YORK-Lucent Technologies Inc., which has barely recovered from lawsuits related to vendor financing and alleged fraud, now confronts an unlikely lawsuit from an unlikely place-bribery in Saudi Arabia. A Saudi firm, National Group for Communications and Computers Ltd., has …

The head of Motorola Inc.’s China business, Tim Chen, quit the company to join software giant Microsoft Corp., a move that could impede the progress of one of Motorola’s most important business areas. Motorola’s Ruey Bin Kao will serve as …

Nextel Communications Inc. launched a marketing and sales initiative targeting the U.S. Hispanic community that will include the carrier’s first Spanish language advertising campaign in broadcast television, radio, billboard and print media. The campaign will begin in Chicago, San Diego …

REDMOND, Wash.-Microsoft Corp.’s entry into the smart-phone market continues to gain steam, with European carrier Orange and Asian manufacturer MiTAC International Corp. offering glimpses at potential upcoming products using the software giant’s mobile-phone platform. An Orange France Web site appeared …

LONDON-Just a day after affirming its rating on L.M. Ericsson, ratings agency Standards & Poor’s has upgraded its outlook for Alcatel Corp. to stable, which is a B+. The rating, which some analysts see as the end of the vendor’s …

WASHINGTON-In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Skyworks Solutions Inc. said it will periodically sell up to $250 million in common and preferred stock and debt securities. The company plans to use the proceeds for purposes such as …

WASHINGTON-WorldCom Inc. said Monday that its suspension from doing business with the government could cost the company as much as $137 million by 2005. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, WorldCom-now doing business as MCI-gave two different …

Sprint PCS affiliate UbiquiTel Inc. reported $66 million in total revenues during the recently completed second quarter, a 23-percent increase compared with the $53.6 million the carrier reported last year. The carrier added that roaming revenues dropped 9 percent year-over-year. …

HONG KONG-China Mobile reported a 13-percent increase in profit in its first-half results, but noted declining average revenue per user and warned on increased competition. For the six months to end-June, China Mobile posted a net profit of $2.1 billion …

SPOKANE, Wash.-Itronix, which specializes in ruggedized mobile computing systems, announced it has been awarded new project contracts worth $14 million. The company is involved in the Dismounted Intelligence Situation Mapboard (DISM) program and the Direct Liquid Ethanol Delivery System, both …

ALLENTOWN, Pa.-Agere Systems released an advanced messaging interface (AMI) for high-speed communications and applications processing in next-generation mobile phones. “With the continued growth in mobile-phone use and the convergence of wireless handset and PC applications, the industry is beginning the …

CARY, N.C.-SpectraSite Inc. released solid second-quarter 2003 results, reflecting improved revenues and decreased losses. The company said total revenues were $80.9 million, up from $73.2 million recorded in the second quarter of 2002. Site leasing revenues were up 15.8 percent …

WASHINGTON-The FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau said Aug. 8 that the 15 licenses owned by Airadigm Communications Inc., a bankrupt PCS C- and F-block licensee in Iowa and Wisconsin, did not cancel when Airadigm filed for bankruptcy and did not make …

The camera-phone craze appears to have officially hit the United States, with Sprint PCS and Verizon Wireless both boasting of millions of picture messages passing over their networks every month. Indeed, Sprint’s camera-phone service played a major role in a …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission said Aug. 11 that California could change its allocation of numbers in the 310 and 909 area codes, but not statewide. The California Public Utilities Commission “has not demonstrated that special circumstances warrant a deviation from …

SAN DIEGO-A delayed initial public offering and the resulting moves toward integration with the company’s parent in Japan compelled top executives at mobile-phone maker Kyocera Wireless Corp. to resign, the company said. Howard Speaks resigned as Kyocera’s chief executive officer …

GENEVA-The International Telecommunication Union partnered with TeleManagement Forum to allow TM Forum standards to be published by ITU as ITU-T Recommendations. ITU-T is ITU’s standards-setting body. The partnership aims to leverage both organizations’ resources to enhance international standards in operational …