March 2006

LAS VEGAS-Wireless issues played second fiddle to convergence and net neutrality at last week’s United States Telecom Association’s first TelecomNext conference in Las Vegas, though a handful of executives touched on expanding wireless services during keynote addresses. Despite lacking the …

MONTEREY, Calif.-AirPlay Networks Inc. announced plans to launch a series of mobile games based on live TV broadcasts. The San Francisco startup said it will allow subscribers to predict plays during sporting events, compete against contestants in game shows, and …

BELLEVUE, Wash.-T-Mobile USA Inc. has upped the ante in a pricing duel with Cingular Wireless L.L.C. by adding a $40 service plan with 1,500 anytime minutes. The Get More 1500 plan was available during the holiday season and has been …

LAS VEGAS-BellSouth Corp. unveiled a pre-WiMAX wireless broadband back-up system for businesses’ Internet connections. The carrier said the system allows customers to activate a Wi-Fi hot spot at a business location, with a WiMAX backhaul, in the event the wireline …

Motricity Corp. is building on its relationship with Alltel Corp., inking a deal to deliver content and wireless Internet service to the operator’s subscribers regardless of device. The agreement, which will be announced this week, expands on Motricity’s pact to …

Editor’s Note: The companies listed below represent the four first-tier wireless operators that control enough spectrum for a nationwide footprint. They are ranked by their number of subscribers at the end of 2005. Subscriber additions and financial results are from …

Regional telecommunications operator Ntelos Holdings Corp. reported strong growth in the fourth quarter and full-year 2005, generating wireless operating revenues of $73 million during the final three months of 2005 and $280 million for the year. Ntelos Inc., the company’s …

WASHINGTON-Telematics providers have come out against FCC Chairman Kevin Martin’s numbers-based approach to financing the universal-service fund . Those providers noted that because telematics is not connected to the public-switched telephone network Martin’s plan would significantly add to the cost …

EarthLink Inc. has already invested about $121.5 million into its soon-to-launch mobile virtual network operator, Helio, according to the company’s recently filed annual report. In addition, EarthLink stated that it has already provided Helio with 27,000 customers. EarthLink stated that …

BRISTOL, United Kingdom-Icera Inc., a wireless soft modem company based in the United Kingdom, announced it secured $40 million in a Series C round of venture funding. Amadeus Capital Partners led the round, with existing investors Accel Partners, Atlas Venture …

SAN JOSE, Calif.-PayPal quietly launched a service allowing users to make purchases or send money to other users from a mobile phone. The world’s largest supplier of online payment services is testing the offering, which allows users to send a …

WASHINGTON-Online wireless retailer InPhonic Inc. unveiled a business unit targeting small business users. The company launched Wirefly.biz, an Internet storefront hawking products and rate plans designed for home office workers and small businesses. The site carries offerings from Cingular Wireless …

Money continued to pour into the mobile marketing space last week as VeriSign Inc. inked an agreement to shell out $250 million in cash for wireless messaging and content services provider m-Qube Inc. M-Qube powers mobile storefronts and marketing campaigns …

CHICAGO-Cingular Wireless L.L.C. is using PCTel Inc.’s Roaming Client software as part of the carrier’s BroadbandConnect service, according to PCTel. Cingular launched its BroadbandConnect UMTS/HSDPA network late last year in 16 markets. PCTel said it is providing a custom version …

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa-MTN Group, which provides cellular service in 14 African countries, said it expects to launch service in Iran by the third quarter. MTN last year bought a 49 percent stake in Irancell for $350 million. Irancell is licensed …

WASHINGTON-The Justice Department last week filed a slew of documents with a New York federal court in support of a request to join the auction fraud lawsuit against Wall Street telecom titan Mario Gabelli, a belated move in the five-year-old …

Verizon Wireless’ full-page advertisement in The Denver Post’s March 22 edition, prominently displayed on page 5 of the newspaper’s front section, trumpets: “IT’S THE NETWORK” and “#1 in Customer Loyalty in Denver,” both well-worn marketing phrases for the nation’s second-largest …

WASHINGTON-Despite concern about the potential for collusion at the upcoming advanced wireless services auction and the need to head off any problems by limiting bidder information, federal officials admit they have pursued only a handful of cases where suspected abuse …

WASHINGTON-The ground shifted under the telecommunications regulatory landscape March 19 when the Federal Communications Commission did nothing-or at least nothing official. By not acting, the FCC granted a forbearance request from Verizon Communications Inc. that its high-capacity broadband network not …

Qualcomm Inc. and Chinese firm China TechFaith Wireless Communication Technology Ltd. announced they would form a new venture, TechFaith Software China Ltd. (TechSoft), to develop software applications for wireless devices. The deal is worth up to $35 million in cash …

TORONTO-Nortel Networks Ltd. said its insurers have agreed to put $228.5 million toward Nortel’s settlements of a pair of class-action lawsuits that stemmed from an accounting scandal. In February, Nortel agreed to pay more than $2.4 billion in cash and …

AURORA, Ill.-The city of Aurora, Ill., a suburb about 40 miles west of Chicago, awarded two contracts this month as it prepares to launch a citywide Wi-Fi network that is scheduled to offer free public Internet access as well as …

READING, U.K.-Britons use mobile phones to keep up with the news, while the Chinese want to know the weather report. According to a recent poll, 70 percent of Britons download news bulletins and updates, while 76 percent of Chinese view …

More reality-check news on embattled U.S. tech competitiveness and the eager evolution of offshoring as something a bit more than a passing industry trend. The competitiveness issue-currently getting big play at the White House and on Capitol Hill-actually is just …

RESTON, Va.-Sprint Nextel Corp. announced it is teaming with the Associated Press to allow reporters to file 60-second video clips from the 215 cities and 466 airports where the carrier offers high-speed wireless access. The service uses SNAPfeed, a “store …