Editor’s note: At the end of each year, the RCR Wireless News editorial staff looks back on the news events that made headlines and decides which were the most significant, industry-impacting stories during the past 12 months. While our list does not include the ins and outs of some of the ongoing stories we covered this year, the stories here were selected as a representative collection of trends and events that marked the wireless industry for the year. Here are our picks for 2004 in chronological order. Some headlines have been changed to fit this space.
Largent revamps CTIA
CTIA’s Steve Largent used the biggest news in the nation’s capital last week-Joe Gibbs returning to coach the Redskins-to justify his actions as he fired five people and named three new staffers.
Feb. 23
Cingular banks on AWS with $41B buy
In addition to propelling the combined entity past Verizon Wireless as the nation’s largest wireless carrier, Cingular Wireless L.L.C.’s successful $41 billion acquisition of smaller rival AT&T Wireless is expected to have enormous impact on many of its competitors as well as companies with ties to AWS or Cingular.
March 8
Nation’s first DO operator, Monet, shuts doors
CDMA 1xEV-DO operator Monet Mobile Networks Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Thursday, and its network is scheduled to be shut down April 2.
March 22
Right back atcha, Ring-back tones next cool app.
The question is not whether U.S. carriers will launch ring-back tones-it’s a question of when.
April 12
FCC stalls 800 MHz vote
The Federal Communications Commission postponed its planned April 15 vote to try to solve public-safety interference in the 800 MHz band, even as various players stepped up efforts to influence the commission on the rebanding effort.
April 26
NextWave, FCC reach $1.6B settlement
Buried in the legalese of the settlement document between the Federal Communications Commission and bankrupt NextWave Telecom Inc. was an agreement that NextWave would pay the FCC $10 million to cover the commission’s outside legal and investment counsel.
May 31
Wireless decries CPUC bill of rights
Harsh political and industry criticism of the California Public Utilities Commission’s bill of rights for telecom consumers likely signals the controversy will carry over into 2005, when pro-business Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger replaces two existing Democratic commissioners with his own appointments.
June 21
Lucent gets first responder network in Iraq
Lucent Technologies Inc., despite lacking established public-safety wireless expertise, will control which companies receive at least $90 million in contracts associated with an advanced first-responder communications network for the security-shaky nation of Iraq.
June 28
Sprint to rollout DO nationwide
Sprint PCS slightly altered its high-speed wireless data path last week, announcing plans to install CDMA2000 1xEV-DO technology on its network during the next two years instead of waiting for potentially higher-speed EV-DV services which are not expected to be ready until at least the end of 2006.
July 5
Verizon picks up Qwest assets
In a move expected to bolster its spectrum position and coverage in the western United States, Verizon Wireless reported last week that it had agreed to acquire Qwest Communications International Inc.’s wireless assets including spectrum and network infrastructure for $418 million.
July 5
Cell phones (mostly) get clean bill of health
The mobile-phone industry, having decisively triumphed in health litigation, believes more than ever science is solidly in its corner as a result of a growing number of new studies that have been unable to replicate genetic damage and other biological effects from radiation observed in past research.
July 12
Nextel silent on $5B offer at 800 MHz
Nextel Communications Inc. remains silent as to whether it plans to accept a government offer to pay $5 billion in cash and spectrum to gain access to spectrum in the coveted 1.9 GHz frequency band.
July 26
UMTS comes to U.S.
The end of the year came early for AT&T Wireless Services Inc. as the carrier made good on it often-repeated plans to offer high-speed wireless data services before the calendar turned over as it launched what it termed commercial UMTS services in four markets with plans to add two more markets by the end of the year.
Aug. 2
Converged devices give Wi-Fi credibility
The launch of converged mobile devices, capable of communicating over both Wi-Fi and cellular technologies, suggests Wi-Fi, long hailed by start-up companies and tech-savvy consumers, may be gaining credibility among the big names in wireless.
Oct. 4
Jamdat IPO hailed as a harbinger
It was a remarkable coming-out party for Jamdat Mobile Inc. The mobile game developer raised $88.8 million in its initial public offering.
Oct. 18
RFID use expands, so do privacy worries
While federal and state officials have focused on the policy implications of radio frequency identification systems in the business world, the technology is storing forward and headed for the masses in ways feared by privacy advocates.
Nov. 1
A new No. 1
Fanfare surrounded last week’s government approval of Cingular Wireless L.L.C’s $41 billion acquisition of AT&T Wireless Services as a new No. 1 carrier with 47.6 million subscribers was created.
Nov. 8
Verizon buys NextWave for $3B
Following weeks of speculation, Verizon Wireless inked an agreement late last week to acquire bankrupt NextWave Telecom Inc. and its remaining spectrum licenses for $3 billion.
Nov. 8
Qualcomm plugs into mobile TV
Mobile TV took a big step forward last week as Qualcomm Inc. announced plans to deploy an $800 million nationwide network delivering multimedia messaging service broadcasts to mobile handsets.
Dec. 20
From Six to Four
Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. tied the knot last week in what the two telecom providers call a $35 billion “merger of equals.”
