2003

SANTA ANA, Calif.-Powerwave Technologies Inc. has priced its previously announced private placement of $130 million in convertible subordinated notes due July 2008 at a conversion price of $10.49 per share, with a 1.25-percent annual interest rate. In addition, initial purchasers …

ALLENTOWN, Pa.-Agere Systems Inc. said it has unveiled a new chipset that integrates its wireless local area network solution and its Voice over Internet Protocol solution onto one platform. The company also said it has signed an agreement to incorporate …

Mobile-phone maker Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications showed significantly improved financials, but said it will not be able to make a profit for the full year as it once promised. The company said it won’t be able to reach its promised …

The smart-phone operating system race continues unabated, with Palm Inc.’s PalmSource subsidiary announcing another device win for the Chinese market. Hong Kong electronics manufacturer Group Sense Ltd. said it will build a smart phone using the Palm OS for the …

SAN RAMON, Calif.-Two former executives of E911 company U.S. Wireless were charged with defrauding investors, according to press reports. Oliver Hilsenrath and David Klarman of U.S. Wireless allegedly funneled $3.6 million into consulting companies. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Northern …

CUPERTINO, Calif.-Colombia Movil SA, an emerging wireless service provider in Latin America, has chosen Portal Software Inc.’s Infranet customer relationship management and billing solution for is GSM/GPRS network. Colombia Movil expects to grow to 1 million subscribers during the next …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission has decided to put off deciding until late 2004 whether wireless carriers must offer equal access to all long-distance service providers to be eligible for universal-service subsidies. “The Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service was unable …

WASHINGTON-NextWave Telecom Inc. on Monday passed the final regulatory hurdle when the Federal Communications Commission said it was not in violation of foreign-ownership rules. “We’re glad that it’s now put to rest,” said Michael Wack, NextWave senior vice president and …

CAMARILLO, Calif.-California Amplifier Inc. unveiled Ecco, a signal repeater that augments in-building PCS coverage. “There is a growing need today for an affordable solution to address the problem of inadequate in-building wireless coverage,” said Fred Sturm, chief executive officer. “It …

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia-Lucent Technologies said it completed an expansion of the 450 MHz cdma2000 1x network in Russia for Delta Telecom, the first Russian operator to launch a 1x network. The expansion was completed in late June. The expansion made …

TOKYO-Japanese operator J-Phone Co. said it will change the name of its J-Sky mobile Internet service to Vodafone Live in line with its adoption of the Vodafone brand Oct. 1. Vodafone Live is Vodafone Group plc’s mobile Internet service, which …

The U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that U.K.-based Virgin Group Ltd.’s trademark covers its wireless phone service, and the company can seek an order to stop U.S.-based Virgin Wireless from selling phones at mall kiosks and stores. The …

SEOUL, South Korea-The world’s No. 3 mobile-phone maker Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. will ban the use of camera phones in its semiconductor, flat-panel and electronics factories, according to local reports. Samsung officials were not immediately available for comment. The ban, …

BEDMINSTER, N.J.-Verizon Wireless entered the camera phone race with a new picture-messaging service and advanced phone from LG Mobile Phones. The move was expected, as RCR Wireless News reported on the forthcoming phone earlier this month. Verizon introduced the new …

With a competitive environment similar to a high-profile sporting event, an increasing number of wireless carriers have recently thrown their marketing and sponsorship efforts behind sporting events and venues. “Sporting events are a marketer’s dream,” said Tracy Rummel, founder of …

LONDON-More than 42 million consumers in Western Europe will use mobile portals by 2007, bringing the market’s value to more than $1 billion, according to research from IDC. “The growth of mobile portals represents an important development area, influencing many …

BELLEVUE, Wash.-Western Wireless Corp. said it intends to sell $600 million worth of senior unsecured notes with maturities in 2010 and 2013 to qualified institutional buyers in an unregistered offering. The carrier said it will use net proceeds from the …

A group of Korea’s major mobile-phone makers, including heavyweights Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and LG Electronics, are protesting a possible government plan that would regulate the use of camera phones in Korea, according to the Korea Herald. Company officials were …

LONDON-EDS said it signed an agreement with Orange plc for a set of managed mobility products for enterprise customers. The two companies will jointly deliver the EDS Extended Connected Office service, which brings secure data to mobile devices at a …

While the industry looks to foster the growth of third-party software, many of the industry’s advanced phone makers will not replace a ruined device if that same third-party software caused the problem. “It hasn’t been an issue yet,” said Michael …

TOKYO-Two Japanese operators announced additions to their multimedia messaging handset portfolios. KDDI said it released the A1304T manufactured by Toshiba Corp. and the A1401K from Kyocera Corp. for its 1x service. Both handsets support MovieMail, which enables users to capture …

WASHINGTON-A Supreme Court ruling has thrown into question whether brain cancer and health-related consumer lawsuits currently pending in federal court should be sent back to state court, a venue mobile-phone carriers and equipment manufacturers have managed to largely avoid to …

Joint ventures and alliances continue to tie ideas and initiatives together across various tiers of the wireless industry from infrastructure to Wi-Fi to semiconductors. Asian companies play crucial roles in the cooperation. Royal Philips Electronics NV announced a joint venture …

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.-Worldwide sales revenues from wireless local area network chipsets will reach $1.7 billion by 2007, according to new research from technology analyst firm CIR Inc., a huge leap from the $938 million WLAN chipsets will garner in 2003. CIR …

SYDNEY, Australia-The worldwide opportunity for mobile data and wireless games is huge, according to two new studies, but wireless carriers will need to accurately price and market the applications to take advantage of the market. According to The Research Room, …