Just how much belief should the United States attach to China's latest vow to remain technologically neutral on third-generation mobile phone standards in already-likely forever-the world's largest cell phone market? Or to China's promise to open its equally attractive telecom services sector to foreign...
WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission last week proposed fining rural wireless provider Dobson Communications Corp. $750,000 for not providing enhanced 911 services in a timely manner. Dobson failed to deploy E-911 Phase I to nine public-safety answering points and Phase II to 41 PSAPs, according...
WASHINGTON-The Justice Department asked the Federal Communications Commission for sensitive numbering information-including local number portability data-from Alltel Corp. and Midwest Wireless Holdings L.L.C. in connection with Alltel's proposed $1 billion acquisition of Midwest that is being opposed by U.S. Cellular Corp. While the FCC...
BRUSSELS, Belgium-Proposed European Union broadcasting rules would restrict the growth of emerging media formats including mobile phones, according to a group of media and technology companies. Yahoo Inc., Vodafone Group plc and Cisco Systems Ltd. are among a consortium of firms protesting the proposal,...
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-Alltel Corp. said it has sold one of its Arkansas rural service areas to Cingular Wireless L.L.C., as part of Alltel's divestiture requirements related to its purchase of Western Wireless Corp. last year. The Arkansas 11 RSA covers the counties of Hempstead,...
Nokia Corp. announced plans to bolster its research and development operations in China, adding wireless network product development to its center in Chengdu in order to be more responsive to customer needs as they emerge in the market. "The Chinese mobile market is seeing...
WASHINGTON-Two TV broadcasters agreed to move out of the 700 MHz band early under a deal with Qualcomm Inc., making way for the company to move forward with its plans to stream TV content on its MediaFlo service. The Federal Communications Commission said it...
With the acquisition of CDMA affiliate Ubiquitel Inc., Sprint Nextel Corp. is another step closer to wrapping up the acquisition of all of its wireless affiliates. The third-largest U.S. carrier last week agreed to buy Ubiquitel for $1.3 billion, including about $300 million in...
Hysteria about Voice over Internet Protocol is apparently not without cause, as VoIP is claiming a big (and-getting-bigger) piece of the communications market. Earthlink Inc. and Linksys, a Cisco Systems Inc. subsidiary, late last week teamed up to offer retail shoppers at 30 Fry's...
EDINBURGH, VA.—Shenandoah Telecommunications Co.’s first quarter net income was boosted by a one-time tax gain, but excluding the tax gain net income was down $200,000 from last year’s first quarter. However, the company’s wireless unit posted strong growth. The Sprint Nextel Corp. CDMA affiliate’s...
NEW YORK-Slow mobile-phone sales continue to plague RadioShack Corp. as the company reported an 85-percent plunge in first-quarter profits. The consumer electronics retailer said first-quarter income fell to $8.4 million, down dramatically from $55 million during the same period last year. Write-downs connected with...
Big just got bigger. The strategic trade-off between profits and market share stood out in stark relief. And the global market for mobile handsets remains insatiable, creating market opportunities for the nimble and those with heft. Yes, all in the first quarter. Arch rivals...
MetroPCS Communications Inc. launched wireless service last week in Detroit, offering flat rate plans with unlimited local and domestic long distance without a contract. MetroPCS is offering four calling plans, with unlimited local calling for $30 or $35 per month and unlimited local and...
Ntelos Holdings Corp. was incorrectly labeled a Sprint Nextel Corp. CDMA affiliate on page 23 of the March 27 issue of RCR Wireless News. Ntelos has a roaming agreement with Sprint Nextel affiliate Horizon PCS Inc., which was recently acquired by iPCS Inc.
WASHINGTON-Former Motorola Inc. executive Susan Schwab is in line to become the nation's top trade negotiator. President Bush last week said he intends to nominate Schwab, currently deputy U.S. trade representative, to succeed Rob Portman at the trade post. Portman was reassigned to head...
STOCKHOLM, Sweden—L.M. Ericsson said its first-quarter earnings fell just below expectations for the first time in more than two years as the company absorbed integration costs after buying Marconi Corp.’s assets for $2.1 billion last October. Ericsson reported first-quarter net income of $609 million...
NEW YORK—Slow mobile-phone sales continue to plague RadioShack Corp. as the company reported an 85-percent plunge in first-quarter profits. The consumer electronics retailer said first-quarter income fell to $8.4 million, down dramatically from $55 million during the same period last year. Write-downs connected with...
WASHINGTON—Sprint Nextel Corp. and ABC Owned TV Stations Group said late Thursday that they have come to an agreement on templates for frequency relocation agreements and a group relocation agreement that allows Sprint Nextel to begin moving the ABC stations off of the 1.9...
WASHINGTON—A telematics provider warned the Federal Communications Commission Wednesday that FCC Chairman Kevin Martin’s numbers-based approach to finance the universal-service fund would not survive a court challenge and it used language from a previous appeals court decision on USF to bolster its claims. ATX...
WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission should require carriers to identify traffic and pass along identifications as the call moves through the network, but not require carriers to use a technical fix favored by mid-sized wireline carriers that larger wireline and wireless carriers believe is outmoded,...
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—VeriSign Inc.’s direct-to-consumer mobile content business continues to erode. The company reported $77 million in revenues from its Jamba and Jamster businesses during the first quarter, down 32 percent from the fourth quarter of 2005. While the decline in revenue was expected—the...
PLEASANTON, Calif.—FunMail Inc. is teaming with Major League Baseball Advanced Media to deliver images, voice tones and other content from all 30 of its teams. Images are available through Verizon Wireless, Alltel Corp., U.S. Cellular Corp. and other BREW-based carriers in the United States...
The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms. Click here for wireless ratings from past weeks from RCR Wireless News.CarrierStandard & Poor’s Ratings Services placed UbiquiTel Inc. on CreditWatch with positive implications...
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—Alltel Corp. has launched a new service offering that allows customers to select up to 10 phone numbers—wireless, landline, home or office—that they can call for free at any time of day. The My Circle program is available to Alltel subscribers on...
