2006

BASKING RIDGE, N.J.-Verizon Wireless touted the “sideloading” functionality of its mobile music service, unveiling an application designed to make it easier for Vcast Music subscribers to manage their libraries on PCs and mobile phones. The offering is a shot back …

Prepaid is a fast-growing segment of the wireless market. The industry’s third-largest carrier Sprint Nextel Corp.’s growth in the past few quarters has been fueled by sales of its prepaid Boost Mobile L.L.C. product. During the fourth quarter of 2005, …

Revenue assurance company Subex Azure Ltd. has added to its product portfolio with features designed to help operators better judge their risk of losing revenue on a customer, and an integrated platform that is designed to give chief financial officers …

HAMPSHIRE, England-Sports-related mobile offerings will explode from a $1 billion market this year to $3.8 billion by 2011, according to new projections from Juniper Research. The market research group said wireless sports content and services will see an annual growth …

PARIS-Cingular Wireless L.L.C. said it will use Alcatel Inc.’s multiservice transport solution in its HSDPA network. Cingular launched its HSDPA network in December. Alcatel said its technology will help Cingular migrate large-scale multiservice ATM networks to IP/MPLS without compromising availability, …

Comverse Technology Inc. said it eliminated the interim chief executive position and promoted its chief administrative officer to the post of chief operating officer, while also naming five new independent directors.The Manhattan-based maker of voicemail software is trying to move …

DENVER-Qwest Communications International Inc. revamped its wireless calling plans, striving to make a competitive family-plan offering while including converged service options. The operator, which offers wireless service as a stand-alone product or part of a service bundle, now has national …

WASHINGTON-The United States and Russia signed a landmark trade deal, likely paving the way for the large Eastern European nation’s entry into the World Trade Organization next year and improved export-investment opportunities for U.S. wireless and tech companies. “This is …

ATLANTA-Cingular Wireless L.L.C. won a lawsuit against a data broker, a victory that netted the carrier a cool $1.1 million. In a separate action, Cingular filed three additional lawsuits to protect against telemarketing calls and spam text messages. Cingular was …

PALO ALTO, Calif.-Mobile entertainment technology developer mSpot rolled out an upgraded platform for wireless multimedia content. The latest version of the company’s wireless music and video platform includes a community feature that allows users to recommend content to friends. The …

Editor’s Note: Welcome our Monday feature, Analyst Angle. We’ve collected a group of the industry’s leading analysts to give their outlook on the hot topics in the wireless industry. In the coming weeks look for columns from Strategy Analytics’ Chris …

LOS ANGELES-Mobile virtual network operator Helio L.L.C. opened its first branded retail store in Santa Monica, Calif., touting the new location in the Third Street Promenade as a unique wireless shopping experience. “Helio stores are designed to be unlike anything …

ATLANTA-Cingular Wireless L.L.C. is hoping to spur mobile content sales with the launch of prepaid, redeemable cards. The operator is targeting holiday shoppers with “Tone Cards” that can be purchased over Cingular phones, through retail locations or through the carrier’s …

AMSTERDAM-Sony Corp. and NXP Semiconductors announced a joint venture to develop a secure chip that uses near-field communications for financial transactions. The goal is to produce a chip that can process different protocols and operating systems for contactless payment. The …

SUNNYVALE, Calif.-In response to customer complaints about glitches in text messaging service from Treo 700wx devices running on Sprint Nextel Corp.’s network, Palm Inc. has issued a software upgrade that is available for over-the-air or desktop downloading. Sprint Nextel customers …

LONDON-Wireless technology developer Mobestar Holdings plc will acquire Mobile Life Consulting Ltd. in an effort to expand its video dating services. The company said it will spend $664,000 to snap up Mobile Life, a fellow U.K.-based company that develops wireless …

Juniper Networks Inc. announced it is partnering with NEC Corp. to merge the worlds of mobile and Internet networking via joint Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystems-based Fixed-Mobile Convergence products. Juniper and NEC said their IMS/FMC solutions pave the way for both …

SAN DIEGO-Leap Wireless International Inc. has adjusted its price plans in the increasingly competitive San Antonio market-and the new price points just happen to meet or beat the prices of a recently launched local carrier offering similar unlimited regional and …

HOUSTON-A group of European entrepreneurs is hoping to tap the mobile e-mail market with an e-mail and instant messaging service for mobile phones. The company, dubbed Berggi, promises to “transform regular cell phones into smart devices” that are optimized to …

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.-Verizon Communications Inc. is selling off a paging and wireless telemetry unit that it acquired when it purchased the former MCI Inc. earlier this year.Bell Industries Inc. agreed to purchase Verizon Communications’ subsidiary SkyTel Corp., which provides paging, …

NEW YORK-The troubles continue to mount for wireless technology provider Comverse Technology Inc., as the company announced it identified errors in the “recognition of revenue related to certain contracts, errors in the recording of certain deferred tax accounts and the …

ESPOO, Finland-The European Commission gave its blessing to the proposed merger of Nokia Corp.’s Networks Business Group and the carrier-related operations of Siemens AG.The Commission had been assessing whether the merged entity, to be called Nokia Siemens Networks, would restrict …

VANCOUVER, British Columbia-Canadian network operator Telus Mobility is adding a subscription-based offering to its full-track mobile music service.The carrier launched an all-you-can-eat service allowing users to browse songs and receive unlimited downloads for $20 a month. The offering compliments Telus’ …

EMERYVILLE, Calif.-Orb Networks Inc. is hoping to cash in on the YouTube.com craze.The place-shifting technology provider expanded its service to allow users to stream Internet videos and manage their content libraries from a Web-enabled mobile phone with a media player. …

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif.-Disney Mobile has added a slim, silver clamshell phone from Pantech Corp. as its third handset choice for subscribers. The Bluetooth-enabled DM-P205 has a VGA camera, color interior and exterior screens and web browsing capability. It sells for …