NEW YORK-The wireless surge continued during the fourth quarter with Verizon Wireless officially claiming an industry-record 2 million net customer additions and T-Mobile USA Inc. reporting a company-record 1.4 million net customer additions. The strong results followed Cingular Wireless L.L.C.'s announcement earlier this week...
BROOMFIELD, Colo.-Level 3 Communications Inc. said it will spend $137 million to acquire Progress Telecom L.L.C., a regional wholesale network services company. Level 3 said it intends to pay $68.5 million in cash and $68.5 million in its own unregistered stock for Progress, which...
HELSINKI, Finland-Nokia Corp. reported gains in its business during the fourth quarter, but a drop in the company's mobile phone profits appeared to scare investors. Nokia's shares dropped by around 28 cents per share to $18.21 per share after the company's earning announcement. Nokia...
WASHINGTON-California Public Utilities Commission member Dian Grueneich said her telecom consumer-protection plan imposes far fewer obligations on carriers than the existing bill of rights while providing stronger enforcement than a far more deregulatory proposal backed by agency head Michael Peevey. "In 2004 in California,...
BELLEVUE, Wash.-Shares of InfoSpace Inc. edged downward despite a solid fourth quarter that helped the company nearly double its annual profits.The Internet and mobile search provider reported a net fourth-quarter income of $37.9 million, or $1.14 per diluted share, up from $18.9 million, or...
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.-Computer audio products company JBL and Motorola Inc. have partnered to develop accessories for Motorola's mobile music devices, the companies announced.Among the planned accessories are Bluetooth stereo headphones and sound systems.JBL specializes in high-fidelity loudspeakers and multimedia systems for homes, automobiles and computers....
LUBBOCK, Tex.-Alamosa Holding Inc. shareholders overwhelmingly approved Sprint Nextel Corp.'s planned buyout of the regional wireless carrier.Under the terms of the agreement, Alamosa's common stock holders would receive $18.75 per share. Alamosa noted that 99 percent of its shareholders, representing 77 percent of Alamosa's...
SAN DIEGO-The Open Base Station Architecture Initiative said its membership has swelled to 130 companies as new members focused on WiMAX technology seek to ensure that the technology is included in the group's standard specifications."A chief benefit of the OBSAI open interface specifications is...
MUNICH, Germany-Siemens AG delivered strong first quarter results, posting new orders worth $32.8 billion, a 31-percent increase from $20.4 billion in new orders a year earlier. Wall Street reacted favorably, boosting Siemens' stock to its biggest gain in more than two years. The stock...
SAN DIEGO-While wireless chip titan Qualcomm Inc. posted strong first quarter results, the company's stock slipped slightly downward due to warnings of slowing sales in its second quarter. Qualcomm posted $620 million in net income, or 36 cents per share, for its fiscal fourth...
WASHINGTON-The practice of pretexting-impersonating a customer to obtain call records-is illegal, the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission told reporters this morning. "In no way is the practice of pretexting legal, and we are working with the Federal Communications Commission to close these avenues,"...
BOULDER, Colo.-The Mobile Marketing Association is hoping to lay the foundation for mobile search revenues with a new document outlining potential business models, industry challenges and consumer needs. Calling mobile search "the next significant value creation opportunity for mobile operators around the world," the...
WASHINGTON-The House Congressional Rural Caucus released its telecommunications priorities earlier this week and they mirror-almost word for word-the priorities of the Coalition to Keep America Connected, a group of rural wireline carriers that opposes wireless carriers receiving the same amount of universal-service support that...
WASHINGTON-A technology expert warned Tuesday that if Congress authorizes the Federal Communications Commission to require a broadcast flag in digital TV transmissions, the FCC could eventually wind up as a gatekeeper for new innovations. A broadcast flag is coding that would prevent the indiscriminate...
DALLAS-Preferred Voice Inc. scored a carrier deal, announcing an agreement to deliver ringback tones for MetroPCS Communications Inc. The developer said it plans to provide its ringback delivery platform for MetroPCS, which offers wireless service in parts of Florida, California and Georgia. Preferred Voice...
LONDON-MobileIGNITE, a trade group aiming to accelerate the adoption of fixed-mobile convergence, picked up new member companies. The group said E28 Limited, BCT Global, Convergin, FG Microtec, HelloSoft, Netrake, NewHeights Software and tekVizion have signed on. MobileIGNITE stands for Mobile Integrated Go-To-Market Network IP...
WASHINGTON-The House Commerce Committee began its investigation into the data brokering of cell-phone records by requesting that the Federal Communications Commission turn over information on how wireless carriers are protecting their customer call records. "In the recent cases involving the online sale of telephone...
LONDON-Vodafone Group plc reported solid numbers for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2005 and the company said its guidance for the full year of 2005 and outlook for 2006 remain unchanged. Vodafone posted 7.1 million organic net customer additions during the final three months...
PORTLAND, Ore.-Directory assistance provider Metro One Telecommunications Inc. said it received notice that its stock is in danger of being de-listed from the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. The company said it plans to appeal the decision. Metro One's stock, which trades on the Nasdaq under...
CERRITO, Calif.-Cingular Wireless L.L.C. reported a deal with Gigante USA Inc. targeting Latino wireless users in Southern California.The carrier said it plans to operate kiosks in all nine Gigante supermarkets in downtown Los Angeles, Anaheim, Chino and other cities. Gigante USA is owned by...
LONDON-Mobile infrastructure software provider Airwide Solutions Inc. snagged $25 million in its fourth round of financing.New investor Advent International led the round, joined by existing investors Artiman Ventures, Axiom Venture Partners, Key Venture Partners and Kodiak Venture Partners."Airwide Solutions has the characteristics we look...
BOSTON-German wireless users are unimpressed with mobile TV, according to a report from Strategy Analytics.Poor network performance, a lack of compelling content and inadequate devices are resulting in disappointing user experiences, the research firm said after examining two services. While users said T-Mobile's Handy...
WASHINGTON-California Public Utilities Commission member Dian Grueneich later today plans to release a telecom consumer bill-of-rights plan countering one crafted by CPUC President Michael Peevey and former commissioner Susan Kennedy. The CPUC said Grueneich, a Democrat appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, will hold a...
WASHINGTON-The Bush administration today announced the availability of new Global Positioning System capabilities, accuracy and reliability upgrades that are expected to benefit cell phone communications and strengthen the U.S.' technological leadership position. The move comes as Europe inches closer to launching its own satellite-based...
