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M/A-Com to build $2B public-safety system for N.Y.

LOWELL, Mass.-M/A-Com, a division of Tyco International Ltd., will build a unified public-safety communications system for the State of New York in a $2 billion 20-year contract. The system, being built with General Dynamics Corp. and Alcatel Corp., will allow for 700/800 MHz integrated...

Wireless games get crazy

For all you middle-aged, BlackBerry-toting, neck-tie-wearing executives who were wandering around the CTIA Wireless I.T. show floor last week, let me interrupt your reminiscings about the wonders of wireless e-mail and tell you one thing: Today's wireless games are really pretty freaking cool. I...

Brightpoint inks deals with Samsung, Microsoft

PLAINFIELD, Ind.-Brightpoint Inc. announced two deals last week. The company's Brightpoint North America L.P. subsidiary entered an agreement with Samsung Telecommunications America L.P. that calls for Brightpoint to distribute a range of Samsung CDMA and GSM devices and accessories to operators and retail customers...

RIM stock dives on lower subscriber adds

Investors dumped shares of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. following the company's surprise subscriber shortfall. Although RIM scored earnings ahead of expectations, lower-than-anticipated subscriber numbers sent the company's stock tumbling more than 11 percent to $68.72 per share. "We are very pleased with...

Trio partners for Treo

SAN FRANCISCO-One of the device market's worst-kept secrets was let out of the bag last week as Palm Inc. announced plans to launch a Microsoft Corp. Windows Mobile operating system version of its popular Treo smart phone. The device, which so far has not...

Motorola wins second GSMA contract for low-end phones

SINGAPORE-Motorola Inc. won a second contract from the GSM Association to supply an additional 6 million ultra-cheap mobile phones to emerging markets like India, Turkey, Pakistan, Thailand and elsewhere. The deal-similar to a February announcement between Motorola and the GSM Association-drops the wholesale price...

Cingular to sell Nokia 9300 using BlackBerry platform

SAN FRANCISCO-Following years of delays, Nokia Corp. finally is set to launch its 9300 device running Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry software in the United States. The device will be available exclusively through Cingular Wireless L.L.C. beginning in November. Cingular, which reportedly serves more...

Motorola shows Screen3, pushing Web info to home screen

SAN FRANCISCO-Motorola Inc. plans to release its new dynamic idle-screen technology, dubbed Screen3, to U.S. wireless users in time for this year's holiday season. Although the company declined to provide specifics, Motorola's Jeff Merkel said Screen3 would be on a handful of Motorola devices...

MobiTV hits 500,000 wireless TV subscribers

SAN FRANCISCO-Mobile television company MobiTV announced it crossed the 500,000-subscriber mark, news that coincides with the launch of its new multimedia software platform. "Things are just going through the roof," boasted Paul Scanlan, chief operating officer of startup Idetic Inc., the company behind the...

180+ developers compete in Navteq contest

SAN FRANCISCO-If the kickoff for Navteq's Global LBS Challenge is any indicator, 2006 may be the year location-based services finally get legs. Software developers, reporters, venture capitalists and other insiders packed the room here Tuesday for the North American launch of Navteq's annual competition....

Disney trying to see what sticks in content space

SAN FRANCISCO-When it comes to wireless content, there isn't much Disney isn't going to try. As the company gears up to launch its much-hyped MVNO next year, the House of Mouse is aggressively expanding its wireless content operations. In addition to developing content based...

Martin’s moment

Kevin Martin assumed the chair of the Federal Communications Commission six and a half months ago in the throes of March Madness, a wonderfully wild and wacky time in sports that folks from his native North Carolina appreciate with religious fervor.We're in a different...

Finance Briefs

Vivotech, which provides contactless payment solutions, said it raised $18.25 million in its series B funding round. The funding was led by Draper Fisher Jurveston and included participation from Nokia Growth Partners, DFJ Gotham and Alloy Ventures. Vivotech's platform allows consumers to make contactless...

CTIA reports 25M new subs

SAN FRANCISCO-The wireless industry reported 25.2 million new subscribers, its largest one-year addition of new subscribers in its more than 20-year commercial history, according to CTIA's semi-annual industry survey released this week at the CTIA Wireless I.T. and Entertainment Show. Steve Largent, president and...

Siemens buys OSS firm Garderos

MUNICH, Germany-In a deal that strengthens its wireless broadband portfolio, Siemens AG signed a takeover agreement with operational support systems startup Garderos Software Innovations GmbH. In the deal, Garderos will continue to be run under its existing name as a fully owned Siemens subsidiary...

Corrections

In the "Nokia pushes into wireless e-mail" story on page 3 of the Sept. 19 issue of RCR Wireless News, the nature of Seven's offerings was incorrectly stated. Seven's technology can be implemented behind a firewall as well as on a hosted basis. The...

FCC again delays enforcement of VoIP 911 notification rules

WASHINGTON-Citing significant progress and resources spent by interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol providers to warn customers that 911 calls may not go through, the Federal Communications Commission said last week it will not enforce the latest of three deadlines regarding notification. "It is evident...

Expert offers advice on how to overhaul alert system

WASHINGTON-A leading expert has offered the White House and Congress recommendations to overhaul the nation's emergency-alert system, based on eight years of research on the subject. The challenge requires a master plan far more involved than adding wireless and other technologies to the mix...

Industry: Siting process with tribes, preservationists not working

WASHINGTON-After doing an about-face and agreeing to clear a backlog of siting applications held up at the Federal Communications Commission, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said he has been unable to shape a compromise. The wireless industry increasingly has been concerned as hundreds of tower-siting...

Legislator wants to use spectrum money for public-safety interoperability

WASHINGTON-If the chairman of the House telecommunications subcommittee has his way, public safety will get money for interoperability from the sale of TV spectrum. Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said he plans to offer an amendment to legislation to mandate a hard date to complete...

Oblio Telecom ships first phones for MVNO

DALLAS, Texas-Mobile virtual network operator Oblio Telecom Inc. announced it shipped its first batch of Bravo-branded prepaid mobile phones. The carrier is selling its wares nationwide through more than 60,000 retail locations. "As one of the nation's largest distributors of international prepaid calling cards,...

Verizon, Alltel possible buyers for Midwest

Midwest Wireless is the latest regional wireless operator to look at potential strategic alternatives for its operations. The privately held carrier serves more than 420,000 customers on its CDMA-based network in parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. Midwest Wireless Chief Operating Officer Scott Bergs...

Cingular selects RealNetworks platform for W-CDMA wireless TV service launch

Cingular Wireless L.L.C. plans to launch additional mobile TV services later this year using a platform from RealNetworks Inc. The supplier said its new Helix OnlineTV solution will enable Cingular to offer its third-generation subscribers personal interactive TV on their mobile devices.RealNetworks' deal with...

Rural wireless carriers request 700 MHz spectrum revision

WASHINGTON-Coming on the heels of a successful lobbying effort to change the 2 GHz band plan, rural wireless carriers are asking the Federal Communications Commission to revise the 700 MHz band plans to allocate more spectrum in smaller chunks.The Rural Telecommunications Group last week...