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WiMAX marriage on the rocks: Sprint Nextel, Clearwire re-evaluating network plans

With the launch of WiMAX trial markets just weeks away, Sprint Nextel Corp. says it is re-examining its WiMAX business plans and has abandoned a partnership with Clearwire Corp. intended to promote a faster, cheaper deployment of the mobile broadband technology. Sprint Nextel said...

Freedom of choice: Google’s plans open door for innovation, confusion

Like Daryl Hannah in "Blade Runner," Google Inc. last week showcased an attention-grabbing Android. But while the Internet giant garnered headlines and wowed fanboys with its latest move in wireless, some developers reacted with a big yawn.Google ended weeks of speculation about its mobile...

Android floats in space: gPhone a no-show, handsets not due til late ’08

Google Inc. drew considerable media attention last week with an idea and 33 influential friends.Missing was its long-rumored gPhone, whose actual fate remains a closely guarded secret. Instead, Google announced a consortium of 34 companies-the Open Handset Alliance (OHA)-and a common goal of producing...

Writers’ strike impact creeps onto third screen: Late night content hardest hit, mainstream shows expected to follow

One week into a walkout, and plenty in the entertainment business are already feeling the pinch. Late night TV writers are being warned they'll be laid off next week, a slew of sitcoms-new and old-are quickly going dark and those who work outside the...

Nokia scores big win for Ovi: Handset makers gaining ground in direct-to-consumer space

It appears Nokia Corp. has learned a few lessons from its doomed Club Nokia mobile content business. But that doesn't mean the direct-to-consumer waters are getting any easier to navigate.The world's No. 1 handset manufacturer last week scored a huge win, inking a deal...

Navigation and handsets to drive GPS chipsets

The GPS chipset market during the next few years will be driven by integration into mobile devices like personal navigation devices and cellular phones, according to a new report from high-tech market research firm In-Stat.The most promising categories includes ultra mobile devices, handheld games,...

Video phone sales to take off by 2010

Mobile video phone sales will nearly double by 2010, from $58 billion in 2006 to $125 billion in 2010, according to market research firm Infonetics Research.Mobile video subscribers will also grow from just a few million in 2006 to 58.6 million in 2010, said...

Prepaid boosts T-Mobile USA in Q3: Regional players post mixed results

T-Mobile USA Inc. added 857,000 net subscribers to its network during the third quarter, numbers boosted by the carrier's prepaid offering. The carrier had added 802,000 net subscribers during the third quarter of last year, but a higher percentage of them were signed to...

USF reform nears showdown: FCC Democrats, carriers, states set to oppose plans

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin is said to be pushing universal service fund changes that would reduce government subsidies for mobile phone carriers serving rural areas, likely setting up a showdown with the agency's Democratic members, cellular operators and key lawmakers from states...

Etc.

"Danny Bonaduce: Life Coach," jokes CBS Mobile CBS Mobile has tapped Danny Bonaduce for a new mobile video series that will air on major wireless carriers beginning next week.The first original animated program developed under the CBS Mobile brand will air new three- to...

Retail Snapshot: Mobile music, data services hot sellers at RadioShack

Editor's Note: In this monthly feature, RCR Wireless News talks to retail managers across the country to get a first-hand view of what's hot in wireless.RadioShack Corp. sells wireless devices and service around the country. The retailer offers postpaid service from AT&T Mobility and...

Prepaid pines for affection: Carriers increasing incentives

With substantial growth expected to come from the prepaid wireless market, national carriers are beginning to pay more attention to the one-time red-headed stepchild of the coveted postpaid customer. Analyst Fedor Smith of Atlantic-ACM said that as wireless has become more ubiquitous, the expectations...

Hedgehogging: hedge*hog*ging v. Interrupting conversations in an office environment by poking your head over the top of the cube

The best part of Google's "Android" announcement last week? Why, the name of course. How awesome is it that a giant company like Google used the term android for its wireless phone plans? Very awesome. Though some of us on the RCR Wireless News...

CinemaElectric adds ads to videos: Mobile-video firm signs deal with YouTube, Google for AdSense program

CinemaElectric Inc. is quickly finding its groove in the mobile video space. With more than half of its content produced in-house, the company has inked deals with 90 carriers in more than 50 countries to bring its programming to the third screen.Last week CinemaElectric...

Pakistan’s supreme cellphone jammer

Embattled Pakistani President-General-Censor-in-Chief Pervez Musharraf has his hands full these days with all those loud, disagreeable lawyers and that headstrong, trouble-making female politician. Kind of reminds you of the domestic pre-2008 presidential election scene. It's uncertain just how long President Bush's key ally on...

What’s so great about open access?

So let me start out with a caveat: I only understand open access from the "regular person" point of view. I'm not an engineer or a Washington insider, I'm just some guy who has a cellphone and is relatively knowledgeable about the industry.That said,...

Roaming rules continue to rile industry: FCC decision applauded by rural carriers, derided by large players

The Federal Communications Commission's revised roaming rules may have exacerbated an already divisive industry issue, with warring carriers challenging new guidelines and feuding over the possibility of their extension to wireless broadband service providers. The FCC's Aug. 7 decision concluded automatic roaming is...

Antennas: Where the rubber meets the road: Handset market demands low-cost volumes, sophisticated innovation

You've undoubtedly noticed, with pleasure, that the telescoping, whip antenna of yore has long ago disappeared inside the increasingly sleek device you slip into your pocket. Technology is supposed to be invisible. Out-of-sight, out-of-mind is fine for the consumer, blissfully unaware of the complexity...

FCC set to rule on MSS’ terrestrial plans: Decision could bolster sagging sector

Federal regulators appear poised to take actions that could enable Globalstar Inc. to integrate terrestrial wireless facilities in most of its mobile satellite service frequencies and allow Iridium Satellite L.L.C. to share more of Globalstar's MSS frequencies, possible outcomes that could bolster both companies-as...

October infrastructure awards

The following infrastructure contracts were announced in October:

Tower results show continued struggles

Crown Castle International Corp. reported growth in site rental revenues, although its losses widened year-over-year.The company's results included those of Global Signal Inc., which Crown Castle acquired earlier this year.On a pro forma basis, site rental revenues jumped 7.3% year-over-year. The company's total figures...

Fires burn up wireless lines: First responder networks prove their worth, commercial traffic jumps

AS WILDFIRES RAGED throughout southern California in recent weeks and hundreds of thousands were evacuated from their homes, wireless networks in the area saw dramatic increases in usage as well as some damage from the blazes. The increased usage included first responders who reported...

BlackBerry users satisfied: J.D. Power confirms business users like their smartphones

A new survey finds that U.S.-based users of Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry devices are the most satisfied with their handsets among smartphone users. That may not sound like a surprise to anyone who knows that RIM is by far the largest market share...

Hedgehogging: hedge*hog*ging v. Interrupting conversations in an office environment by poking your head over the top of the cube.

Who says quarterly financial calls are no fun? During last week's call by Qwest Communications, financial analysts grilled newly hired CEO Edward Mueller, which we encapsulated here for you.Analysts: "Where's our dividend? Why do you want to spend another $200 million on fiber? And...