January 2005

The Federal Communications Commission’s attempt to auction 242 spectrum licenses in the 1.9 GHz spectrum band as part of Auction 58 got off to a modest start last week with …

Kristin Rinne, Cingular Wireless L.L.C.’s chief technology officer, has been elected the 2005 chairwoman of the 3G America’s board of governors. Rinne succeeds former AT&T Wireless Services Inc. CTO Rod …

Todd Bradley, chief executive of Treo maker PalmOne Inc., announced plans to resign at the end of the quarter. The news alarmed investors, who sent the company’s stock down by …

With a handful of operators yet to post fourth-quarter and full-year 2004 results, the wireless industry is well on its way to reporting one of the highest customer growth quarters-and …

Similar to mechanics in the automotive world, test-and-measurement companies are the quiet heroes of wireless technologies. They take little credit when the networks hum and huff, yet they witness each …

Not the name of a new horror film, but an addition to the tech vernacular and a horror of its own kind, the term “evil twin” popped onto the scene …

The backdrop to headline-grabbing stories on megamergers, telecom reform, corporate earnings (and scandals) and shareholder suits is a far-reaching debate about the ways and means digital content is handled from …

NEW YORK-Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. are offering a number of top executives bonuses if they stay with the carriers following their $35 billion acquisition, set to close later …

WASHINGTON-The wireless industry plans to meet this week to begin work on a wireless content ratings system similar to other entertainment industries. “We are going to do something. Hopefully by …

The overwhelming popularity of ringtones and ring backs has given birth to an unprecedented cottage industry: mobile music labels that deal directly with artists to create content for wireless phones. …

LONDON-IMS Research said worldwide cell-phone subscribers could reach 650 million by year’s end, up from 500 million at the end of 2003. As the market matures, an increasing number of …

WASHINGTON-The California Public Utilities Commission’s decision to suspend the telecom consumer bill of rights could prompt a showdown between GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Democratic-controlled state legislature, a battle …

Siemens AG will cut about 74 jobs in its North American mobile-phone business, moves that come as the company ponders what to do with its loss-making global handset operations. Siemens …

WASHINGTON-Cingular Wireless L.L.C. disputed organized labor’s claim that the No. 1 mobile-phone operator promised not to fire any union employees as a result of the carrier’s $41 billion acquisition of …

Wall Street stomped Sierra Wireless Inc.-sending the company’s stock down an astounding 38 percent to $8.97 per share-after the company said it expects to post a massive drop in first-quarter …

McDonald’s restaurants in the Pacific Northwest will give away ringtones, wallpaper and coupons to wireless handsets during a Web-based promotional campaign, the fast-food chain said. McDonald’s will use the Web …

DENVER-RCR Wireless News is pleased to announce Cindy Plough has joined Crain Communications as circulation manager for the publication, and Dennis Carey has been hired as its promotions manager. Both …

DALLAS-The number of households that use Wi-Fi technology for home networking has now surpassed the number that use Ethernet, according to a new Parks Associates survey. According to the “Global …

The mobile-gaming industry further consolidated as publisher In-Fusio acquired Thumbworks, a Tustin, Calif.-based provider of entertainment content. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. In-Fusio, a France-based specialist in the …

The venture capital arm of Siemens said it will join Cardinal Venture Capital and Garage Technology Ventures in investing $3 million in wireless technology company PhoneBites. PhoneBites is developing a …

Internet search engine Ask Jeeves said it will bring its service to wireless devices later this year, joining an already crowded playing field of mobile-search providers. But whether wireless subscribers …

SHREVEPORT, La.-Fixed-line prepaid phone service company Budget Phone Inc. will offer service from Boost Mobile, a prepaid mobile service owned by Nextel Communications Inc., under an agreement announced Tuesday. Budget …

SEOUL, South Korea-Nortel Networks Ltd. said it has entered into a joint venture with LG Electronics Co. Ltd. to provide telecom equipment and networking solutions to markets in Korea and …

Although Cingular Wireless L.L.C. is racing to launch a UMTS/HSDPA network in 15 to 20 markets by the end of this year, the carrier probably will face slim pickings when …

Entertainment publisher Jamdat Mobile Inc. said it will sell content through RadioShack Corp. outlets in what may be the first major agreement between a brick-and-mortar retail chain and a mobile …