2007

Qualcomm Inc. can exhale now, and so can a number of its key customers. Holiday sales of imported 3G phones that had been banned by a federal agency can proceed. A ban on the importation of new 3G handsets containing …

Alcatel-Lucent shares tumbled almost 9% after the company announced a revised financial outlook for the remainder of 2007, marking its third warning to investors since the beginning of the year. The company now expects its full-year 2007 revenue growth to …

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 Wireless News to rant and rave about …

Sprint Nextel Corp. launched a new mobile shopping service that allows users to compare and purchase real-world items using their cellphones. The Mobile Shopper WAP site can be accessed by the carrier’s data subscribers at no additional charge, according to …

Gracenote expanded on its offerings with the acquisition of interactive voice response technology from Musicphone Inc.The Emeryville, Calif.-based firm said the platform allows music fans to dial a short code and play a snippet of music into the handset to …

Vantrix Corp., a provider of technology that delivers content to cellphones, announced it raised $12 million in venture money.The Manhattan-based company will use the money to expand globally and improve its technology as well as for research and development. Media …

House telecom subcommittee Chairman Edward Markey (D-Mass.) repeated his call for the Federal Communications Commission to investigate widespread allegations of telecom privacy law violations by intelligence agencies that received cooperation from telecom carriers in anti-terrorist surveillance efforts. “More than a …

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin again suggested the agency may decide to address in a broader context the mobile phone industry practice of assessing hefty early termination fees levied on subscribers who break service contracts. The FCC has yet …

Sprint Nextel Corp. rejected a Federal Communications Commission finding that the No. 3 mobile phone carrier failed to meet a key deadline for clearing certain spectrum as part of an 800 MHz rebanding process. The process is intended to remedy …

T-Mobile USA Inc. has introduced an entry-level BlackBerry plan for $10 per month that includes unlimited e-mail access. The limited-time offer, which requires a Research In Motion Ltd. BlackBerry Pearl and a T-Mobile USA voice plan, does not include texting …

In a digital netherworld in which Internet-based blog sites begin to look like the most legitimate aspect of the terrain, word has spread that two iPhone unlocking procedures are making the rounds. The first-iPhoneSimFree-is “proprietary” and costs a curious $99 …

Motorola Inc. is hoping to build consumer relationships with a new site showcasing applications from its developer community and other third-party vendors. The handset manufacturer debuted its Comprehensive Solutions Catalog, a consumer-facing site with screen shots and descriptions of a …

The Federal Communications Commission took dramatic steps to improve the location accuracy of wireless 911 service, but the mobile-phone industry and some telecom regulators complained the agency was taking action before the completion of FCC studies on emergency calling.The agency …

Nokia Corp.’s 6555, a clamshell model with dedicated keys to access content, launched at AT&T Mobility for $50 after a $50 rebate, with two-year contract. The device supports the carrier’s W-CDMA network.The 6555 appears to be the third 6000-series flip …

The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms.Carrier –Morgan Stanley raised its EPS estimates on AT&T Inc. on a strong outlook for wireless data revenues. New estimates for …

The following list includes venture capital and other investments into wireless companies announced during the past week. The value of the investment is included when available.–BiTMICRO: Woodside Investments L.P. led a $9.3 million Series F funding round into BiTMICRO Networks. …

AT&T Inc. unveiled a new advertising campaign today with the tagline “Your Seamless World,” which the carrier said emphasizes mobility. “The new initiatives are designed to highlight how AT&T helps connect people to their worlds wherever they live and work,” …

The Federal Communications Commission approved the use of small antennas by 11 GHz fixed licensees, a ruling that could indirectly help 3G and wireless broadband operators via lower and more competitive wireless backhaul offerings.The FCC’s action was in response to …

Motorola Inc. has shifted its 3G chip business away from Qualcomm Inc. in favor of Texas Instruments Inc. and Freescale Inc., according to analyst Mark McKechnie. “We believe Motorola’s decision was purely business,” McKechnie wrote in a note to investors …

NTP Inc. jumped back into the litigation ring, filing patent-infringement suits against three of the four largest U.S. carriers.The Virginia-based patent-holding company targeted AT&T Mobility, Sprint Nextel Corp. and Verizon Communications Inc., reportedly claiming the operators are violating eight of …

Editor’s Note: Welcome to On the Margins, a feature for RCR Wireless News’ new weekly e-mail service, Mobile Content and Culture. Every week, the RCR Wireless News staff considers events in the wider business world and how they could affect …

In-Stat last week touted a new study with the observation that “Competition in mobile video could threaten mobile operators.”Duh.But the fact that In-Stat’s conclusion is self-evident doesn’t minimize the risk mobile network operators increasingly face in the broader digital entertainment …

Editor’s Note: Welcome to Yay or Nay, a feature for RCR Wireless New’ new weekly e-mail service, Mobile Content and Culture. Every week we’ll review a new wireless application or service from the user’s point of view, with the goal …

Editor’s Note: Welcome to Reality Check, a feature for RCR Wireless News’ new weekly e-mail service, Mobile Content and Culture. We’ve gathered a group of visionaries and veterans in the mobile content industry to give their insights into the marketplace. …

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has put its estimated $600 million-plus global advertising account into review, according to executives familiar with the situation.WPP Group’s MindShare currently handles Samsung’s U.S. media account, which is valued at about $152 million, according to TNS …