2006

Hello!And welcome to our Thursday column, Worst of the Week. There’s a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCR to rant and rave about whatever rubs us …

FORT MYERS, Fla.-Like an over-indulgent holiday shopper, NeoMedia Technologies Inc. is headed to the returns counter.The company jettisoned its Mobot subsidiary, selling the Lexington, Mass.-based mobile marketing company back to its founders. NeoMedia will retain an 18 percent stake in …

SEATTLE-In October, new phone buyers most often selected the LG VX8300-a straightforward silver clamshell handset at Verizon Wireless for $50 with Vcast music-download abilities, picture messaging and Bluetooth connectivity-over Motorola Razr models at Verizon Wireless and Cingular Wireless L.L.C., according …

RESTON, Va.-Sprint Nextel Corp. introduced a new iteration of its Web site, including a new, content-focused “Digital Lounge” and some additional perks for customers who shop and upgrade through the carrier’s Web site. The carrier’s Digital Lounge allows customers to …

BURLINGTON, Mass.-Nuance Communications Inc. said it will acquire fellow speech-recognition software developer MobileVoiceControl.Terms of the deal were not disclosed.Nuance, formerly known as ScanSoft, is a 14-year veteran on the speech-recognition playground and has deals with Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA Inc. …

TOKYO-Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc. said it will recall 1.3 million cell phone battery packs produced by Sanyo Electric Co. after learning that a few of the batteries have generated enough heat to cause ruptures.The service provider said the problematic …

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.-Clearwire Corp. looks set to build its first municipal WiMAX network in Grand Rapids, Mich., after the city council unanimously approved the company’s bid to unwire the city’s 45 square miles with WiMAX coverage.The deal marks Clearwire’s first …

WASHINGTON-Prepaid wireless king TracFone Wireless Inc. filed a lawsuit in Florida to repeal a new Library of Congress rule exempting mobile-phone locking software from U.S. copyright law. The suit, filed Tuesday in federal court in Miami, names as defendants Librarian …

WASHINGTON-Key congressional Democrats have taken issue with Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin over his request to have his general counsel rule whether Commissioner Robert McDowell can be ethically cleared and forced to address the gridlocked, $79 billion AT&T Inc.-BellSouth …

WASHINGTON-A newly released Danish-American epidemiology study concludes cell phones do not pose a health risk to consumers. The finding is bound to further fuel controversy in a scientific community divided over the issue, and also comes at a time when …

SEATTLE-It’s the holiday season and, naturally, there’s a bug going around. Only the bug in the wireless world, at least in the United States, is one that compels carriers to dangle free phones like so many Christmas ornaments in front …

NEW YORK-Leap Wireless International Inc. is poised to make a large push into East Coast and Gulf Coast markets with the spectrum it acquired in the most recent federal spectrum auction, and also may consider an affiliate program to build …

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.-Wireless technology developer InterDigital Communications Corp. announced that it expects to post between $62 and $63 million in fourth-quarter revenue, much lower than Wall Street’s forecast of more than $100 million in sales. The company blamed its …

CHICAGO-U.S. Cellular Corp.’s chief financial officer will become the CFO of the carrier’s parent company, Telephone and Data Systems Inc. Kenneth Meyers will replace TDS’ current CFO, Sandra Helton, who is resigning effective Dec. 31. Meyers will continue to serve …

MONTREAL-Oz Communications Inc. is hoping to cash in on the online social networking craze with an offering that allows users to wirelessly access sites such as MySpace, Facebook and YouTube.The Canadian developer of mobile messaging software said its new offering …

SAN MATEO, Calif.-Leap Wireless International Inc. has tapped Ireland-based mobile software developer Valista Ltd. to power its off-deck wireless content business.Leap, which sells services under the Cricket brand, said it will use Valista’s payment service to provide transaction management and …

BELLEVUE, Wash.-T-Mobile USA Inc. has added two low-priced family plans to its offerings, including one that offers the cheapest price yet for the carrier’s new myFaves calling option. The carrier’s new myFaves family plan includes 1,000 anytime minutes and unlimited …

SUNNYVALE, Calif.-Yahoo Inc. is searching for an executive to head its “audience group”-including its mobile efforts-following a dramatic restructuring announced late yesterday.The Internet giant said it will reorganize into three operating units: the audience group, which will focus on increasing …

Hello!You may have noticed some changes today to the RCRNews.com Website. We have upgraded the site to serve you better.Specifically, we’ve introduced more news categories to help you find what you’re looking for more easily. Look to your left and …

HONG KONG-The CDMA Development Group has added a new acronym to the already-crowded wireless lexicon. The CDG has christened the technology formerly known as CDMA 2000 1x EV-DO Revision C with a much more memorable brand name: Ultra Mobile Broadband, …

LOS ANGELES-An original animated cartoon featured on Amp’d Mobile will reportedly be picked up and distributed by Comedy Central. “Lil Bush: Resident of the United States” features kid-versions of President George W. Bush and his leading political cronies, and skewers …

TAMPA, Fla.-Edge Wireless, a Cingular Wireless affiliate, has renewed its contract with BSG Clearing Solutions for GSM wireless financial clearing services, according to BSG. The agreement calls for BSG to manage financial clearing and settlement of the company’s domestic and …

YONKERS, N.Y.-Crappy New Year to all. Or, at least, to some. Consumer Reports has taken a look at mobile carriers and handsets in the United States in its January 2007 issue and, apart from a few companies that may do …

NEW YORK-XE Mobile, a mobile virtual network operator which aims to serve the under-25 market, has introduced its pay-as-you-go wireless service. According to the XE Mobile Web site, the service offers eight handsets from Motorola Inc. and Nokia Corp., ranging …

STEVENS POINT, Wis.-The Noel Group is taking its personal services offerings to wireless users. The 21-year-old firm launched MobileCierge, a $6-a-month, off-deck application that allows users to make restaurant reservations, book flights, make car rentals and access medical and emergency …