2006

LOS ANGELES–Telescope Inc. and mBlox said they have formed a partnership to offer interactive “participation TV” services to broadcasters and production companies. Telescope provides mobile and interactive TV solutions and operates a large phone voting system. mBlox is a mobile …

LOS ANGELES–Palm Inc. said it launched its Palm Developer Network, which provides resources to hardware and software developers building products based on Palm OS and Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Mobile Pocket PC. The program, which replaces Palm’s existing developer program PluggedIn, …

LOS ANGELES–Mobile messaging applications provider Air2Web said wireless marketing solutions provider Announce Mobile has chosen Air2Web’s Content Gateway to power two of its mobile marketing initiatives. One initiative is HomeCell, a service that gives real-estate agents and individual sellers the …

New York City handed Northrop Grumman a five-year, $500 million contract to build and maintain a wireless broadband public-safety network designed to add high-speed data and video capabilities to the city’s first responders and transportation personnel. The network will be …

BASKING RIDGE, N.J.–Technology distributor Ingram Micro Inc. announced it will begin reselling services from Verizon Wireless, including the carrier’s VZOffice voice and data products and services. “We are very pleased that Ingram Micro will offer Verizon Wireless’ products and services, …

LOS ANGELES–MindMatics said it has been chosen by Boost Mobile to enable Boost’s VIP loyalty program. MindMatics said its solution will allow Boost to capture information about its customers and then provide tailored services and products, special promotions and updates …

LOS ANGELES–Skepticism about the potential of mobile television is rampant within the wireless industry, according to a recent survey of executives conducted by Mercer Management Consulting. However, a panel of executives during a breakout session at last week’s CTIA Wireless …

VeriSign Inc. finally jettisoned the bulk of its direct-to-consumer mobile content business, selling a 51-percent stake in its Jamba subsidiary to News Corp. for $188 million. The companies announced plans to form a mobile entertainment joint venture, with Fox Mobile …

RealNetworks Inc. is buying itself a bigger space on the wireless entertainment playground with a $350 million acquisition of South Korean-based developer WiderThan Co. Ltd. The Seattle-based digital media company said it will spend $17.05 per share to acquire WiderThan, …

LOS ANGELES–Starwave Mobile announced new licensing deals and a move to sell content directly to consumers. Starwave Mobile gained licensing rights from Beyonce Inc. and Sony BMG to develop and publish a mobile game around the singer. Expected to launch …

WASHINGTON–The Federal Communications Commission hopes to adopt rules next month to start it down a path that will allow unlicensed devices to operate in vacant TV spectrum following the completion of the transition to digital TV in 2009. The full …

LONDON—PayPal Inc. expanded its “Text 2 Buy” program with an offering that allows users in the United Kingdom to purchase magazine subscriptions and consumer electronics over their phones. Dutch software developer Mowave Inc. is powering the service, which offers a …

LONDON—By 2012, W-CDMA technology will rake in the highest capital-expenditure investment by mobile operators—more than $150 billion—according to a new report from ABI Research. Mobile operators’ attitudes towards capex have changed over the past two or three years,” said mobile …

WASHINGTON–The Federal Communications Commission and major mobile-phone carriers asked the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider last month’s decision vacating agency truth-in-billing regulations that pre-empt states from regulating line items on subscribers’ monthly bills. “The panel opinion improperly …

LOS ANGELES–Mobile content and applications company Handango said it has experienced a significant increase in the number of repeat buyers of smart-phone applications through its In Hand on-device access service. The company said repeat users trended toward applications that include …

LOS ANGELES–In the heart of the world’s entertainment capital, Paul Reddick told content providers it was time to show him the money. The vice president of business development and product innovation at Sprint Nextel Corp. took to the stage at …

SEATTLE–The United Kingdom is on the cutting edge of mobile music, with 3 percent of British wireless consumers using their mobile phones as a music player, according to new figures from M:Metrics. The measurement firm found that British subscribers are …

LOS ANGELES–Wireless carriers toasted their high-speed mobile broadband networks with a number of 3G-related announcements during last week’s CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment event. Verizon Wireless declared that it chose Motorola Inc. to upgrade its CDMA2000 1x EV-DO Revision 0 …

WASHINGTON–The Senate last week approved legislation allowing mobile-phone carriers to participate in a modernized emergency alert system, vastly improving chances for final passage of the measure in the waning weeks of the 109th Congress. The legislation is championed by Sen. …

LOS ANGELES–Bango hopes to leverage its position in the off-deck content market space by connecting mobile marketers and publishers. The U.K.-based firm unveiled Ad-LaunchPad, a platform designed to help content providers join forces with advertising companies. Publishers can use the …

Here’s what got the edit staff fired up this week: Did you see RCR Reporter Colin Gibbs’ story about Sprint Nextel selling ad space on its mobile Web service? Like it promised, Sprint Nextel is transforming itself from a wireless …

LOS ANGELES–Nokia Corp. knows how to get the buzz going. On the first day of CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment event last week the handset manufacturer launched a new productivity and multimedia device?the E62 smart phone?at Cingular Wireless L.L.C., at …

During the long flight from Los Angeles back to Denver, I realized that the CTIA Wireless I.T. and Entertainment show turned out completely different than I had expected. When I first arrived in Los Angeles last Tuesday, I had fully …

LOS ANGELES–The CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment show’s final keynote of the week featured “old guy socks,” “rollover minute” double-entendres and a visit by Paris Hilton, as three industry panelists debated how mobile social networking will change the world and …

LOS ANGELES–Aeris, which provides machine-to-machine services, said it expanded its strategic agreement with U.S. Cellular Corp. The expanded agreement calls for Aeris to use U.S. Cellular’s network to expand its footprint and to add 1x, text messaging and MicroBurst services …