REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—Shares of Electronic Arts Inc. surged after the publisher posted strong first-quarter sales of its Microsoft Corp. Xbox and mobile phone offerings.The videogame giant reported mobile revenues of $33 million in its first quarter of 2007, the first full quarter to include...
SAN JOSE, Calif.—Nomad Digital Ltd. and train operator Caltrain said they completed proof of concept trials of a WiMAX technology that can deliver continuous high-speed Internet access to train passengers. The trial was conducted along 16 miles of track between the Millbrae and Palo...
SHENZHEN, China—Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer ZTE Corp. launched a dual-mode TD-SCDMA/GSM handset. The U350 model features dual standby capability, which allows users to put a call in one mode on hold to take a separate call in the other mode. The company also makes...
ATLANTA—EarthLink Inc. snagged a contract to build, own and operate a 23-square mile citywide Wi-Fi municipal network for commercial and government use in Pasadena, Calif. EarthLink said it is working with city officials to develop a digital inclusion program for certain qualifying residents to...
WASHINGTON—A federal appeals court ruled Monday the Federal Communications Commission overreached when it said states could not prohibit wireless carriers from putting certain line items on their bills. Only Congress can overturn the court’s decision. Wireless trade association CTIA bemoaned the ruling."Creating a mish-mash...
ATLANTA—T-Mobile USA Inc. has tweaked its pricing options with a promotional "back to school" plan for families that includes 1,000 anytime minutes for $50 per month. The plan does not include free weeknight or weekend calling, but does include unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling. The plan...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska—Alaska Communications Group Inc. is offering its digital subscriber line customers a free wireless PC card when they sign up for a mobile data plan that costs $30 a month. The wireless data plan offers CDMA2000 1x EV-DO coverage in populated areas of...
By Willow DuttgeNEW YORK—Regional wireless operator SunCom Wireless Holdings Inc. has put its advertising account up for review, executives familiar with the company said.SunCom provides service to more than 1 million subscribers in southeastern states and the Caribbean.Margeotes Fertitta Powell, majority-owned by MDC Partners...
DENVER—Qwest Communications International Inc. has quietly launched Sprint Nextel Corp.’s full-track music download service for Qwest wireless customers. The mobile virtual network operator is carrying the Sprint Music Store, which allows users to download songs to a mobile phone or PC for $2.50...
TOKYO—Japanese wireless carrier SoftBank announced it will study the feasibility of using Qualcomm Inc.’s MediaFlo technology to offer mobile TV services. Qualcomm said SoftBank joins a growing list of carriers looking into its MediaFlo offering, a list that includes KDDI Corp. in Japan, BSkyB...
WASHINGTON—The videogame industry’s annual extravaganza of booth babes, deafening sound effects and eye-popping displays is lowering its profile. The Electronic Entertainment Expo, which drew more than 60,000 industry professionals to Los Angeles this year, will be dramatically scaled back beginning next year. The Entertainment...
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Cellular and Wi-Fi convergence technology developer, DiVitas Networks, announced it raked in $15 million during a second round of funding, bringing the company’s total funding to $23 million. Menlo Ventures led the round, joined by existing investor Clearstone Venture Partners. In addition,...
SAN FRANCISCO—Mobile in-game advertising company Greystripe will partner with German publisher HandyGames to offer 28 free wireless games to consumers worldwide. The titles will employ Greystripe’s AdWrap for Publishers, an automated, online service that allows advertisers to target consumers who choose to receive marketing...
SAN DIEGO—Leap Wireless International Inc. expanded its presence in Texas, launching its Cricket-branded service in Austin, Temple and Killeen. The company is teaming with Alaska Native Broadband L.L.C. to offer service to 1.5 million new potential customers in the three-city region in central Texas....
MURRAY HILL, N.J.—Lucent Technologies Inc. announced it is in the running to supply part of a multi-billion dollar contract for the Integrated Wireless Network program, which is sponsored by the U.S. Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Treasury. Lucent is competing as part of...
NEW YORK—Vodafone Group plc plans to keep its 45-percent stake in Verizon Wireless for the foreseeable future, Verizon Communications Inc. chief executive officer Ivan Seidenberg told analysts in a conference call Tuesday. Seidenberg said he met last week with Arun Sarin, Vodafone’s CEO, to...
DENVER—Qwest Communications International Inc. landed in the black in the second quarter of 2006, up from a net loss in the same period last year. Qwest said its positive figures were driven in particular by high-speed Internet access sales, growth in its wireless segment...
ATLANTA—If you’re a Cingular Wireless L.L.C. customer, having an out-of-date wireless phone is going to cost you. The nation’s largest wireless carrier will soon start charging customers an additional $5 each month if they have an analog or TDMA handset.As of the end of...
WARREN, N.J.—Virgin Mobile USA L.L.C. is expanding it customers’ ability to earn free airtime by launching a prepaid Visa debit card that will be linked to Virgin Mobile USA phones. The "Stash" prepaid debit card will be issued by Inter National Bank and is...
CHICAGO—U.S. Cellular Corp. and its parent company, Telephone and Data Systems Corp., reported their much-delayed fourth-quarter figures for 2005 and updates to their 2006 guidance. U.S. Cellular saw its customer base expand by 11 percent compared to 2004; its retail customer base grew 10...
ATLANTA—SmartVideo Technologies Inc. is powering a new, ad-supported mobile news service from MSNBC.com. The wireless TV provider said the free service will support ad insertion, dynamic ad serving and pre- and post-roll ads. A beta version of the downloadable application is available at gomobile.msnbc.com;...
CHENNAI, India—India has become so attractive to foreign mobile-phone vendors that by next year it may no longer need to import handsets. The two top handset vendors together will produce more than 3.3 million handsets each month, according to the country’s communications minister. Dayandhi...
BASKING RIDGE, N.J.—Verizon Wireless hopes that, as it claims, "everybody loves chocolate," especially the $150 variety from LG Electronics Co. Ltd. that provides multimedia functions. Verizon Wireless launched the Chocolate today, hyping it as "part MP3 player, part phone, totally sweet." The Chocolate phone,...
NAPERVILLE, Ill.—Tellabs Inc. announced that its board authorized a new share buyback program for up to $300 million of the company’s outstanding common stock. The repurchase plan follows Tellabs’ completion of an earlier $300 million share buyback program announced in February 2005.We are confident...
