As the wireless industry is ramping up efforts to convince customers to use their mobile phones for Internet access via Wireless Application Protocol technology, some are taking the concurrent step of preparing for voice access to the Net as well.The issue was the subject...
BERN, Switzerland-Swisscom said it is considering spinning off its mobile division to fund Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses and networks.The operator said it has about 2.5 million mobile customers. Swisscom will retain a share majority if it floats Swisscom Mobile."The high costs of a...
LONDON-A new study by Strategy Analytics reports that players in Western Europe's cellular handset market will survive only if they develop product lines offering a well-segmented approach to the customer and ditch previous efforts of product segmentation along simple business and consumer lines.The report,...
As carriers develop relationships with wireless portals and content providers, they may find a new and beneficial trend emerging: that is Internet companies battling for the premier spots on wireless phone screens.The favorable spot for those Internet companies is what is known as "above the...
BOULDER, Colo.-SignalSoft Corp. filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of its common stock.The company said Salomon Smith Barney will act as the lead managing underwriter of the offer with Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette, and Lehman...
With concerns rising over the need for enhanced security in future wireless e-commerce, several firms in both the wireless and security industries launched efforts last week aimed at designing secure wireless networks.The largest initiative was that between leading phone manufacturers L.M. Ericsson, Motorola Inc....
CHESTERFIELD, Mo.-Referring to the failure of Iridium L.L.C.'s satellite phone service and the continued growth of OmniTracs' Internet-based satellite tracking service, a report by Datacom Research Co. and Farrar & Associates concludes that the Internet, rather than telephone applications, is the future for satellite...
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil-Jim Murrell, chairman of the North American GSM Association, could not use his Global System for Mobile communications phone last week in Brazil during Telecom Americas 2000. But depending on a decision by the Brazilian telecommunications regulatory agency later this month,...
Concerns over the effectiveness of Research In Motion Ltd.'s distribution partners came to a head last week, as expectations of flat revenues in the face of increased spending forced the company's stock down 44 percent, despite positive earnings and new product and partnership announcements.The...
Wireless resellers are a hardy breed. Their success or failure teeters on the shoulders of carriers that tightly control the supply of the product they need to survive. Whether warranted or not, carriers harbor fears that resellers will steal customers and sap resources, and...
SEATTLE-Point.com, building upon its position as an online retailer of wireless phones, accessories and service plans, unveiled a business-to-business e-commerce solution for companies looking to sell telecommunications products and services online.The Powered by Point program allows companies to leverage Point.com's content, comparison-shopping engine and...
ALBANY, N.Y.-Independent Wireless One Corp. signed a supply contract with Lucent Technologies Inc. enabling the wireless carrier to expand the coverage and capacity of its personal communications services network in select Northeastern markets.Lucent will provide the switching hardware and software as well as radio...
FRAMINGHAM, Mass.-According to first-quarter survey results from IDC's Mobile User and Buyer ePanel program, 23 percent of mobile device users said they will buy a personal digital assistant during the next year, compared with 11 percent who said they plan to buy a notebook...
Integrating satellite communication technology with the Internet became somewhat of a theme among mobile satellite services carriers last week, following a Datacomm Research Co. report suggesting satellite voice services aren't all they're cracked up to be.Globalstar L.P., traditionally a satellite voice carrier, publicly tested...
MENLO PARK, Calif.-Voice-interface software provider Nuance Communications Inc. postponed its initial public offering by a day, but still managed to beat the market, closing up $16.94 at $33.94 per share on a day when the Nasdaq fell almost 100 points.The original plan was for...
This week, official Washington will play host to an army of anti-global protesters flown in special from Seattle. Actually, the festivities began last week: human chains, banners, chanting, mobile-phone congestion, etc.It's not that protesters-as a matter of courtesy-waited until after the cherry blossom season here...
NEW YORK-Verizon Wireless, a joint venture between Bell Atlantic Corp. and Vodafone AirTouch plc, signed a letter of intent to purchase $500 million in wireless and optical equipment from Nortel Networks.According to Verizon, the two-year agreement will enable the company to increase capacity and...
LONDON-British Telecommunications announced a major restructuring that creates four businesses in high-growth areas, including wireless. BT Wireless is the newly formed international mobile business emphasizing mobile data and next-generation services.The company also created Ignite, a data-centric broadband Internet Protocol business focused on corporate and...
SAN DIEGO-Leap Wireless International Inc. reported it reached two separate definitive agreements to acquire personal communications services operating licenses in Omaha, Neb., from CM PCS L.L.C., and in Lincoln, Neb., from Centerpoint PCS.Leap noted it intends to acquire the licenses, covering about 1.3 million...
Analysts covering Motorola Inc.'s stock were surprised and irritated last week after the company unexpectedly indicated wireless handset profits would face pressure the rest of the year.Though the company exceeded Wall Street's earnings estimate by a penny, Motorola's stock fell 17.5 percent after the...
MANKATO, Minn.-Midwest Wireless will begin offering two-way messaging to its digital service subscribers after successful trials with Lava2140, a communications software developer.The service will allow customers to not only receive e-mail messages on their wireless phones, but also send e-mail messages. The company said...
WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission has reduced the minimum bid amounts for the June 14 auction of 104 guard-band licenses in the 700 MHz band.The maximum opening bid will now be $623,000 for the two megahertz license and $1,245,000 for the four megahertz license. Both...
WASHINGTON-MCI WorldCom Inc. filed with federal authorities to sell up to $15 billion in debt securities, according to Reuters.The company, which is in the process of buying competitor Sprint Corp., said it would sell debt securities at different times within the $15 billion ceiling,...
WASHINGTON-While the mobile-phone industry knew from the start it faced an uphill battle to convince the U.S. government to embrace a multiband spectrum harmonization approach for third-generation technology at next month's conference in Turkey, carriers and vendors perhaps did not count on opposition from...
