Below are RCR Wireless News’ 10 biggest stories of the year. These are the stories that rocked the industry in 2007, and set the groundwork for the future of wireless.
1. iCANDY
iPhone looks tempting, but users have to wait until June to see if it satisfies
The device is unfinished, untested by public use and the launch is six months away. People like what they see, or think they see, though a few analysts and journalists got their hot little hands on the device itself.
Posted: Jan. 13
2. Score two for MediaFLO
DVB-H backers say it’s too soon to count them out
The ripples are still making their way across the lake in the wake of Cingular Wireless L.L.C.’s surprise announcement that it will offer mobile broadcast TV through Qualcomm Inc.’s MediaFLO USA Inc. network. The nation’s largest wireless carrier somewhat stole the thunder from its European counterparts at last week’s 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, when it revealed plans to collaborate with its longtime rival Qualcomm for the nascent mobile TV market.
Posted: Feb. 17
3. Skype pushes for wireless net neutrality
Disruptive Voice over Internet Protocol phone company Skype asked the Federal Communications Commission to rule that consumers have the right to use Internet communications software and that they can attach whatever devices they want to mobile phone networks.
Posted: February 21, 2007
4. Google spectrum plans rattle wireless cage
FIRST IT WAS Cyren Call Communications Corp. Then, more recently, Frontline Wireless L.L.C. And now, even more recently, Google Inc.
Posted: June 9
5. UNITED WIMAX
Sprint Nextel, Clearwire hammer out plans to cooperate on buildout, brand, bundles
SPRINT NEXTEL CORP. AND CLEARWIRE CORP. announced they will work together to speed up and expand the deployment of a nationwide mobile WiMAX network, and collaborate on products and services, branding, marketing and distribution for the effort.
Posted: July 21
6. MVNO HEALTH CHECK
Amp’d Mobile to auction assets, Helio spending $40M a month
AS AMP’D MOBILE INC. WINDS DOWN its mobile virtual network operator service, questions loom about the health of the MVNO space.
Posted: July 28
7. 700 MHz auction rules set
Open access in, wholesale option out
THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION LAST WEEK approved 700 MHz rules to foster the creation of a nationwide public-safety/commercial broadband network and introduce new devices and applications in a wireless space tightly controlled by four national operators.
Posted: August 4
8. Consumer protection bill on deck
Legislation orders FCC to study effect of locked devices
TWO KEY SENATE MEMBERS last week unveiled a sweeping wireless consumer protection bill, setting the stage for a fierce battle between lawmakers and the mobile-phone industry that’s likely to play out well into the 2008 election season.
Posted: September 7
9. TECHNOLOGY TRIALS
CEOs tout LTE, but no decision yet, says Verizon Wireless
VERIZON WIRELESS AND VODAFONE GROUP PLC will move toward a common network technology path for their respective networks and specifically mentioned the use of LTE technology without a formal commitment to that choice, according to remarks by company executives last week.
Posted: September 23
10. OPENING UP
VZW cracks open network door
It was no coincidence that Verizon Wireless chose to make two major announcements last week-each one laid out a separate step toward a 4G future driven by connectivity for consumer-electronics devices.
Posted: December 1
