Rural wireless provider Bluegrass Cellular said it will deploy a commercial push-to-talk service using Kodiak Network’s circuit-switch based Real-time Exchange system across its 34-county coverage area late next month. Beyond basic PTT functionality, Kodiak said its RTX system includes user-defined presence capabilities, conferencing, and real-time updates of personal and group contacts directly from the handset. Bluegrass is the fifth operator to select the Kodiak platform following announcements from U.S.-based operators Alltel Corp. and Cellcom and international carriers Orange S.A. in Europe and Guam-based IT&E.
Jamdat Mobile Inc. closed a spectacular initial public offering that saw the mobile-game developer net $65.3 million. Jamdat said it sold 4.39 million shares at $16 each, while stockholders sold another 1.99 million shares during the IPO. The company had filed for an offering of 5.31 million shares in the estimated price range of $13 to $15.The stock then soared 41 percent Wednesday, the first day of trading on the Nasdaq. It continued to climb last week, closing at $27 Friday. Mid-day Tuesday, it had settled at $25.56. Lead underwriters Lehman Bros. Inc. and Merrill Lynch & Co. were among those that exercised their overallotment options. Jamdat said it will use the proceeds as working capital, but may also look to acquire other companies and technologies.
InterWave Communications said it has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York complaining about Alvarion’s failure to acquire InterWave. InterWave also seeks more than $75 million in compensation and punitive damages. Alvarion had stated it would not proceed with the acquisition because of what it described as adverse effects of carrying out the amalgamation.
AT&T Wireless Services Inc. launched Nokia Corp.’s N-Gage QD device at hundreds of select retail outlets as well as through the carrier’s Web site. The device comes bundled with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game and retails for $169 with a two-year service contract. The device is a follow-up to the lightly received original N-Gage device.
