2006

WASHINGTON—California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today plans to sign into law legislation banning motorists from operating cell phones. The legislation does allow drivers to use hands-free devices to conduct conversations while behind the wheel. California joins New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, the …

The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms. Click here for wireless ratings from past weeks from RCR Wireless News. Carrier Morgan Stanley lowered its rating on Telus …

The following list details this week’s infrastructure awards for the cellular, Wi-Fi and WiMAX industries. The contracts are broken down by transmission technology, country and vendor. The value of the contract is included when available. Click here for additional infrastructure …

ATLANTA—Pantech Wireless Inc., the U.S.-based subsidiary of Korean mobile-phone manufacturer Pantech Group, launched a new camera phone that is being offered via Cingular Wireless L.L.C. The Pantech C120 is a slim, bar-style phone that includes a VGA camera, color display …

COPPELL, Texas—Shares of CellStar Corp. jumped after the company inked a deal to provide logistics services to mobile virtual network operator Total Call Mobile Inc. CellStar said it will handle “product procurement and fulfillment services including custom kitting, reverse logistics …

LOS ANGELES—Application distribution company Handango said it snared a whopping $60 million in a recently closed funding round. Institutional Venture Partners, Advanced Technology Ventures, Neo Carta, Pharos Capital Group, SSM Partners and Centerpoint filled the coffers for Handango, an aggregator …

HELSINKI, Finland—New warnings from a Nokia Corp. parts supplier could foreshadow trouble with the handset vendor’s third and fourth quarter sales. Elcoteq, which makes components for Nokia phones, warned that its third-quarter net sales will be below those of last …

MURRAY HILL, N.J.—There were no surprises as Lucent Technologies Inc. laid out the official tally of its shareholder votes for and against the company’s proposed merger with France’s Alcatel Inc. In a Wednesday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, …

RESTON, Va.—Seven of the wireless industry’s leading carriers have joined forces to “develop a common vision” for the future of mobile networks technology. Members of the Next Generation Mobile Networks initiative include China Mobile, KPN, NTT DoCoMo Inc., Orange, Sprint …

LOS ANGELES-Cingular Wireless L.L.C. is adding a Razr-esque smart phone to its device lineup, targeting business and consumer users who want access to e-mail and entertainment content, but are willing to forego a full Qwerty keyboard. RCR @ CTIA Click …

LOS ANGELES—I-play is hoping to expand beyond mobile game-making, inking a deal with Universal Studios to market video clips to North American wireless users. RCR @ CTIA Click here for complete coverage of the CTIA Wireless I.T. show. Click here …

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 the agency’s truth-in-billing regulations. The regulations pre-empted states from regulating line items on subscribers’ monthly bills. “The …

LOS ANGELES-A quick tour of this week’s show indicates there’s no shortage of hype regarding the future of wireless data. But there’s also plenty of uncertainty. News Corp. President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Chernin did his best to add …

LOS ANGELES-Sprint Nextel Corp. unveiled a pair of CDMA2000 1x EV-DO Revision A laptop cards this week—including one that consumers can get for free after rebate—and has more device and network announcements in the works, according to company officials. RCR …

IRVINE, Calif.—Boost Mobile expanded its prepaid service plans to cover price tiers at the $30, $50 and $70 levels. Current Analysis’ Weston Henderek, in a note about the move, said the new plans likely will help the carrier stay more …

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—Mobile virtual network operator Amp’d Mobile announced it will begin selling advertising spots within its video content offerings. The carrier said it partnered with advertising vendor Rhythm NewMedia for the service. Procter & Gamble will be the first to …

LOS ANGELES—Mobile Entertainment company WAAT Media and mobile games developer Charismatix formed a parent company, Twistbox Entertainment Inc., which the companies said will represent the operating unit and brand for all their general entertainment activities. Within 90 days, Charismatix will …

WASHINGTON—The Senate unanimously approved an amendment to integrate mobile phones and other wireless devices into the emergency alert system, but passage of the port security bill to which it is attached suddenly has become uncertain because of election-year differences between …

LOS ANGELES—Verizon Wireless and Alltel Wireless each announced that new search tools are available to their subscribers for free. Verizon Wireless said its Get It Now Search application, developed by Medio Systems Inc., lets subscribers search by voice or by …

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

BOSTON—Third-generation W-CDMA and CDMA2000 1x EV-DO networks are on pace to reach 167 million users by the end of this year, and could pass 1 billion subscribers by 2010, according to a new report from research firm Strategy Analytics Inc. …

And welcome to a special CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment 2006 edition of our column, Worst of the Week. There’s a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry—especially at trade shows—so this column is a chance for …

SEATTLE—Melodeo Inc. announced that its Mobilcast podcast and radio-listening service is now available to Cingular Wireless L.L.C. customers for $5 a month. In addition, the companies said they’re launching a seamless Web-to-mobile podcasting service with Mobilcast features such as automatic …

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.—Sprint Nextel Corp. launched a made-for-mobile sports and entertainment video programming network called Sprint Power View. The offering includes original programming focused on sports and entertainment updates. The programming includes studio-based reporting as well as on-location stories produced …