Editor’s Note: The RCR Wireless News Time Machine is a way to take advantage of our extensive history in covering the wireless space to fire up the DeLorean and take a trip back in time to re-visit some of the more interesting headlines from this week in history. Enjoy the ride!
Motorola, Apple partner to bring iTunes wireless
Apple Computer Inc. last week announced it will further its foray into the wireless world by allowing its downloadable iTunes to play on Motorola Inc. mobile handsets. Through the partnership, users will be able to transfer songs from the iTunes jukebox on their desktop computers, including songs from the iTunes Music Store, to Motorola’s mobile handsets using USB or Bluetooth connections. … Read More
FCC approves Leap license changes
Leap Wireless International Inc. reported that the Federal Communications Commission issued an order approving the change of control of its wireless licenses, which will clear the way for the carrier to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection later this month with its debt load reduced from more than $2.4 billion to $390 million. … Read More
Bsquare exits device manufacturing business
Wireless company Bsquare Corp. announced it has stopped manufacturing its Power Handheld hardware device and restructured its Power Handheld business unit to focus solely on selling the enabling software that ran on the device to smart device makers. … Read More
Cingular reaches Cincinnati Bell agreement, clears another merger hurdle
Following an announcement last month with Triton PCS Holdings Inc., Cingular Wireless L.L.C. cleared another hurdle to its pending $41 billion acquisition of AT&T Wireless Services Inc. by announcing an agreement with AWS affiliate Cincinnati Bell Inc. that alters their former non-compete clause and will allow Cingular to continue to offer wireless services where Cincinnati Bell currently provides service. … Read More
Wayport raises $20M for acquisitions, further deployments
Wayport inc. announced it has raised $20 million through a private placement that it plans to use for strategic acquisitions and to accelerate deployments at hotels, airports, McDonald’s restaurants, UPS stores and other venues. Wayport offers wireless high-speed Internet service in more than 3,000 locations, and the company said more than 6 million paid customer connections have occurred at Wayport hot spots to date. … Read More
CFA says AWS/Cingular merger will dilute intermodal competition
The Consumer Federation of America is quietly circulating a white paper arguing against the $41 billion merger of AT&T Wireless Services Inc. and Cingular Wireless L.L.C. saying that because Cingular is owned by two Baby Bells, it will dilute intermodal competition. … Read More
As VoIP evolves, MOP lurks in the shadows
For all the play Voice over Internet Protocol snags in the wireless arena, a new and broader technology is lurking to gulp it up. Media over packet technology, as it is called, will also threaten to make multimedia messaging services obsolete. But its arrival may take another decade, according to experts. … Read More
Converged devices give Wi-Fi credibility
The launch of converged mobile devices, capable of communicating over both Wi-Fi and cellular technologies, suggests Wi-Fi, long hailed by start-up companies and tech-savvy consumers, may be gaining credibility among the big names in wireless. … Read More
Motorola releases device bonanza
Amid second-quarter financial result releases and a much-anticipated analyst meeting, Motorola Inc. launched a slew of mobile devices last week, the majority of which feature integrated Bluetooth technology. … Read More
Dobson builds bridge between wireline and wireless with MERGE
Dobson Communications Corp.’s Dobson Cellular Systems jumped into the converged market last week with the launch of its MERGE product, which the company said would help bridge the gap between traditional wireline and wireless services by allowing customers to access their wireless calling plan features from a wireline device. … Read More
