WASHINGTON-CTIA told the Federal Communications Commission that the agency should focus on reforming the intercarrier-compensation system rather than attempting to snuff out so-called "phantom traffic."Phantom traffic is network activity that cannot be billed-either no one claims the traffic or the originator cannot be identified....
TAMPA, Fla.-Syniverse Technologies Inc., which provides technology services to wireless communications companies, has renewed a multi-year contract with Alltel Corp to provide clearing and settlement services.Syniverse will provide Alltel with its Access and Access S&E services, which simplify billing data exchanges between roaming partners....
WASHINGTON-The top U.S. business lobbying group today said it will advocate for better governance of the nation's airwaves and for modern telecom laws. In its 2006 State of American Business, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce vowed to press policy makers to "develop a comprehensive,...
By Doug Halonen Republican Deborah Taylor Tate and Democrat Michael Copps were officially sworn in as commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin.Tate's term runs until June 30, 2007. She was formerly a director of the Tennessee Regulatory...
ARLINGTON, Va.-Factory sales of consumer electronics will reach a new high of $135.4 billion this year in the United States, according to the Consumer Electronics Association, with wireless handset sales accounting for $16 billion of that number. Last year, CEA said U.S. consumers purchased...
LAS VEGAS-Ultra-Wideband chipmaker Staccato Communications announced $18 million in its third round of venture funding. Intel Capital's Digital Home Fund and Vision Capital led the round, while the company's existing investors Allegis Capital, Bay Partners, Charles River Ventures and Interwest Partners also participated.Staccato also...
HOUSTON-Crown Castle International Corp.'s subsidiary, Crown Castle Mobile Media L.L.C., said it plans to use its tower network and its unencumbered spectrum rights to launch live mobile TV to the nation's top 30 markets. The company also said it plans to deliver video and...
WASHINGTON-The National Association of Theatre Owners is considering asking the Federal Communications Commission to allow theaters to install equipment that would jam mobile-phone signals, but the trade group has yet to take such action. Jamming equipment is banned today. "The petition is still under...
ALEXANDRIA, Va.-The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office awarded a patent to Google Inc. for a technology that makes more data exchanges possible at faster speeds on a CDMA-based wireless network. A Google representative could not immediately comment on the patent or say what the...
SAN FRANCISCO-Razz headset vendor Phonebites Inc. announced a new partnership with Strax as well as a licensing agreement for audio clips from the cult hit "Napoleon Dynamite."Phonebites said it partnered with Strax, which will manufacture and distribute the company's Razz Headset. Strax also will...
NEW YORK-Mobile content distribution company Kargo has unveiled plans for a content portal called FeverMobile.com, which is designed to serve as a superstore for consumers to download games, images and various types of ringtones.The site is expected to launch in the first quarter on...
DURHAM, N.C.-Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications L.P. said it will use Motricity Inc. to power its Sony Ericsson Application Shop, a site for third-party application developers to sell applications developed for Sony Ericsson mobile phones.Motricity said it will work closely with Sony Ericsson's developer community...
CONCORD, Mass.-A Massachusetts company has developed a product that allows mobile-phone users to project images from their phone onto a personal computer for presentations and demonstrations. Project-a-Phone Inc.'s product attaches to a mobile device and then links the screen image to a PC so...
ATLANTA-ThinkPad notebook computers will have built-in support for Cingular Wireless L.L.C.'s BroadbandConnect network, according to plans from Cingular and computer manufacturer Lenovo. The preconfigured notebooks are expected to be available starting in the second quarter. Lenovo will integrate Cingular's wireless wide area network technology...
LAS VEGAS-Motorola Inc.'s next music-centric phone will support its new iRadio service but not Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes software, the company announced. The handset manufacturer said its upcoming music subscription service will launch nationwide later this year on the Rokr E2, with other handsets...
WATERLOO, Ontario-Research In Motion Ltd. received more good news last week as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled against two more patents from foe NTP Inc.The office issued "non-final actions" in rejecting the patents, two of five at the heart of a long-standing...
SEOUL, South Korea-Qualcomm Inc. is firming up its plans for mobile TV with news that Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and LG Electronics Co. Ltd. will build phones to support its MediaFlo mobile TV technology. Samsung's upcoming MediaFlo phone features a clamshell design and a...
ATLANTA-SouthernLinc Wireless said it is providing wireless priority service, a key post-9/11 telecom offering available to officials in federal, state and local governments and to critical industry executives. "The ability to communicate quickly and efficiently is critical to certain professions," said Bob Dawson, president...
MOSCOW-Vimpel Communications, which provides cellular service in Russia, Kazakstan and the Ukraine, has acquired a 60-percent stake in Tacom, a wireless carrier in Tajikistan. VimpelCom paid $12 million for the stake. The carrier also entered into an agreement with the remaining Tacom shareholders that...
TOKYO-Japanese wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc. plans to invest an additional $300 million in the top Philippine wireless carrier, Philippine Long Distance Telephone, according to a public statement by President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines. During a nationally televised roundtable with her economic advisers,...
IRVINE, Calif.-AskMeNow, which provides access to Internet-based information from mobile devices, launched an interactive voice response system to improve its mobile lifestyle network.The system allows customers to sign up for the AskMeNow service from their cell phone or mobile device. Users can receive access...
DELRAY BEACH, Fla.-Human RFID chipmaker VeriChip Corp. said it filed for an initial public offering. The company did not release information on the number of shares it will release or the share price. A subsidiary of Applied Digital Solutions Inc., VeriChip has come under...
OSAKA, Japan-Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. said it entered the wireless broadband arena through a partnership with last-mile wireless broadband technology provider Soma Networks Inc. The companies said they will jointly develop and manufacture consumer and infrastructure products for the wireless broadband wireless access market.Sanyo...
KUALA LAMPUR, Malaysia-Maxis Communications Berhad of Malaysia and its Indian Joint Venture Company, JVC, plan to acquire Indian mobile carrier Aircel Ltd. The two companies agreed to spend $1.08 billion to purchase all of Aircel. Maxis will hold a 65-percent stake in Aircel directly,...
