2003

MOUNTAIN LAKES, N.J.-Even without wireless local number portability, churn continues to increase, according to a recent study by Solomon-Wolff Associates. Annual churn is 17.7 percent, reflecting an increase of 62 percent during the past five years. According to churn ratios …

The magic is in the finger. Fingerprint technology takes advantage of personal signatures the way current devices use passwords. This saves mobile users the pressure of memory as the finger grants access to mobile devices and all their features the …

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom-Mobile e-mail will drive the growth of mobile data services for Western European businesses during the next five years, according to advisory firm Analysys. Analysys predicts 40 percent of people in Western Europe with business mobile phones will …

TOKYO-Handset maker NEC Corp. further expanded its outsourcing agreement with electronics manufacturing company Solectron Corp., under which Solectron will provide manufacturing and after-sales services for NEC’s advanced Internet-enabled handsets. Solectron will manufacture NEC’s third-generation handsets for markets outside Japan and …

No WinTel animosity is intended. MIPI is just another warm and fuzzy alliance. Never the friendliest of allies, Intel Corp. and Texas Instruments Inc. were quick to rebut the wide speculation that the formation of the Mobile Industry Processor Interface …

Motorola Inc. savored a victory in its fraud lawsuit against Turkish carrier Telsim as a U.S. federal judge ordered the Uzan family to pay the vendor $4.26 billion, plus post-judgement interest. Both Motorola and Nokia Corp. filed fraud and racketeering …

Cingular Wireless L.L.C.’s rumored $1.4 billion purchase of 34 PCS licenses from NextWave Telecom Inc. was semi-announced last week as NextWave’s public-relations agency distributed a press release claiming the two companies had agreed on a deal that if approved by …

Instilling further proof of their strong partnership Verizon Wireless and minority interest parent company Vodafone Group plc reported plans to develop a dual-branded “Verizon Vodafone” laptop data card service designed for business customers who travel between the United States and …

REDMOND, Wash.-AT&T Wireless Services Inc. said it has completed a previously announced swap of wireless licenses and properties with U.S. Cellular Corp. covering 15 states and more than 18 million potential customers. The deal, which was announced in early March, …

PLAINVIEW, N.Y.-Aeroflex Inc. has acquired testing solutions company Racal Wireless Solutions Group for cash of $38 million and a deferred payment of up to $16.5 million. The deferred payment of up to $16.5 million in either cash or Aeroflex common …

EDISON, N.J.-Kirusa Inc. said its suite of multimodal solutions designed to run on speech recognition software from Nuance, is now available. The solutions will allow wireless carriers to offer applications like directory assistance, messaging and field force automaton with integrated …

Despite a press release from NextWave Telecom Inc.’s public relations company that a deal had been reached, Cingular Wireless L.L.C. said it is still in negotiations to purchase wireless licenses covering 83 million potential customers in 34 markets from the …

WASHINGTON-The judge overseeing the bankruptcy of WorldCom Inc., parent of SkyTel paging, delayed by two weeks the telecom giant’s confirmation hearing. Bankruptcy Judge Arthur Gonzalez’s decision followed a decision by the General Services Administration to debar WorldCom, doing business as …

TROY, N.Y.-Agilent Technologies Inc. will use MapInfo Corp.’s MapXtreme and StreetPro in its location-intelligent operations support system. MapInfo’s location technology will be integrated into Agilent’s NETeXPERT GIS solution. “By working with MapInfo, we can provide network operators with an interactive, …

ATLANTA-Intec Telecom Systems has deployed its Interconnect billing solution with Russian wireless telecommunications provider VimpelCom. The solution now supports VimpelCom’s 17 interconnect billing partners in Moscow, and plans are under way to roll out the solution across all of VimpelCom’s …

LONDON-In its continued plan to take full control of its mobile subsidiaries, Vodafone Group plc said it increased its holding in Vodafone Malta Ltd. to 100 percent by purchasing Maltacom plc’s 20-percent stake for $33.8 million cash consideration. Vodafone Malta …

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. may not be the only company looking to sell a mobile phone using Microsoft Corp.’s software in the United States; it appears Taiwanese manufacturer Chi Mei Communication Systems Inc. is also planning to release a Microsoft …

The mobile-phone industry took a collective deep sigh of relief, as new research found phone shipments are growing at an impressive rate and sales of new smart phones have leapt during the past year. Research firm IDC said worldwide mobile-phone …

HOUSTON-Crown Castle International Corp. was the latest public tower company to release its second-quarter 2003 financial results. The company reported revenue of $224.2 million, down slightly from $225.5 million for the second quarter 2002. Site rental and broadcast transmission revenue …

SUNNYVALE, Calif.-Texas Instruments Inc. said it has acquired Radia Communications, which specializes in radio frequency designs for 802.11-based products. The value of the deal was not disclosed. Both companies had jointly developed reference designs to combine 802.11b and 802.11g, as …

SAN JOSE, Calif.-Synchronization company Pumatech Inc. continued its buying spree with the acquisition of wireless enterprise company Spontaneous Technology (SponTec) of Salt Lake City. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Just one day after the announcement, Pumatech released its …

BONN, Germany-The European operator alliance formed earlier this year to counter Vodafone Group plc’s strong European presence announced its first products and services. The alliance, which includes Orange SA, Telefonica Moviles, Telecom Italia Mobile and T-Mobile, said the first offerings …

NEW YORK-Motorola Inc. savored a victory in its fraud lawsuit against Turkish carrier Telsim as a U.S. federal judge ordered the Uzan family to pay the vendor $4.26 billion, plus post-judgement interest. Both Motorola and Nokia Corp. filed fraud and …

InterDigital Communications Corp. said it has acquired all the assets of Tantivy Communications Inc., which develops data-enabling products. The assets cover patents, patent applications, know-how, state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and other technologies related to cdma2000, smart antennas, wireless local area networks …

Sprint PCS launched Samsung Telecommunications America’s SPH-A600 camera-enabled handset featuring a rotating screen that allows the color display to swivel 180 degrees and face outward to serve as an external display. The $350 handset’s camera functions include a 4X zoom, …