Mobile and Wireless Industry Reports

LG Electronics Inc. shipped 23.7 million handsets in the fourth quarter, up nearly 40% year-on-year, based on its expanded feature phone offerings, the company said.LG’s handset revenue for the year-end quarter grew to about $3 billion, 12% above the year-ago …

Broadcom Corp. scored a number of legal victories in patent litigation with rival Qualcomm Inc. last year but also, like its rival, managed to execute effectively on its business model. The company reported Thursday that fourth-quarter net revenue reached $1 …

The second round of the Federal Communication Commission’s 700 MHz auction brought 1,122 new bids with total potential winning bids jumping nearly 15% to nearly $2.8 billion. Click here for complete 700 MHz auction coverage. The heaviest investment continues on …

Nokia Corp. today displayed the results of a well-oiled, money-making machine with 34% and 44% jumps in revenue and profit, respectively, for the fourth quarter compared to the year-ago quarter. Handset volumes reached 133.5 million units in the fourth quarter, …

On the heels of AT&T Mobility’s record-breaking quarter, Sprint Nextel Corp. is showing a trio of senior executives the front door. Many in the industry expected new CEO Dan Hesse to come in swinging and he has – by all …

YouTube is bringing its entire catalog of video clips to mobile.The Google Inc. subsidiary expanded its mobile Web site, allowing users with 3G phones to access tens of millions of streaming videos on their handsets. The new service also enables …

The long-anticipated 700 MHz auction kicked off today, attracting 1,849 bids totaling more than $2.4 billion during the first round. The Federal Communications Commission, which will hold a second round of bidding today, is keeping the identities of bidders secret …

New wireless subscribers came to AT&T Mobility in record droves during the fourth quarter; the carrier added 2.7 million net new customers to the rolls — an all-time record high among U.S. wireless carriers. The growth was well ahead of …

Hello! And welcome to our Thursday column, Worst of the Week. There’s a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCRWirelessNews.com to rant and rave about whatever rubs …

Google Inc. scored yet another carrier partner, securing a deal to deliver its services to NTT DoCoMo Inc. subscribers.Japan’s No. 1 wireless carrier said it will offer Google services including search, Gmail, YouTube and Picasa to its 46 million i-mode …

A “focus on execution” has allowed Qualcomm Inc. to continue performing well, even while searching for a resolution to its stand-off with Nokia Corp. and defending its business model in patent disputes, the company announced.The San Diego-based chip and intellectual …

Texas Instruments Inc. reported increases in revenue and earnings for the fourth quarter and gave an upbeat view of the current quarter. Analysts and investors are monitoring earnings forecasts for signs of an economic slowdown and Wall Street rewarded TI’s …

On the eve of the 700 MHz auction, the economy suddenly appears to have become a major factor for bidders.Even before the bidding begins, Frontline Wireless L.L.C. — an ambitious startup that had its sights set on the national commercial-public …

The second-most populated country in the world is woefully un-covered when it comes to broadband Internet, but India’s government has mandated that 20 million broadband lines be in service by 2010. Companies are scrambling to meet the deadline.Thus, Soma Networks …

Motorola Inc. remains in the doldrums as its handset division — formerly the engine of the company’s revenue and earnings — posted a huge loss in the fourth quarter of 2007. The company forecast more pain for the ongoing first …

Sprint Nextel Corp. affiliate iPCS Inc. said it added about 7,800 net subscribers during a fourth quarter, a number “below our previous expectation,” according to the carrier.The company saw a monthly churn rate of 2.7% and ended December with 629,900 …

AT&T Inc. is giving its 10 million broadband subscribers free access to its nationwide Wi-Fi network, the company announced. Previously, most subscribers were required to pay an additional $60 per year for access to the company’s 10,000 Wi-Fi hotspots at …

Shares of Glu Mobile Inc. got a lift after the company offered to buy U.K.-based rival Superscape Group plc for $36 million.Superscape has gained traction with a portfolio of both 2-D and 3-D mobile games, and claims 135 employees in …

The Supreme Court rejected a request by two national mobile-phone carriers to review a lower court’s decision overturning a Federal Communications Commission rule preempting state regulation of line-items on subscribers’ monthly bills. The move stands as a blow to the …

Disney and ESPN Media Networks have appointed Tim Connolly to the newly created position of VP of mobile distribution. Connolly has extensive experience in the wireless industry, most recently serving as VP of sales and business development at L.M. Ericsson, …

The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms.Carrier–Raymond James lowered its price target on Sprint to $14 after the company pre-released weak fourth-quarter earnings. Morgan Stanley lowered its …

The following list includes venture capital and other investments into wireless companies announced during the past week. The value of the investment is included when available.—Airbiquity: Acorn Ventures, Kirnaf Ltd., Shell Internet Ventures and Ignition Partners invested $25 million into …

Apple Inc. declared its fiscal first quarter, the greatest in its history in terms of revenue and earnings.That unambiguous claim could not carry the day, however, as the company issued a tepid outlook for the current quarter, which sent its …

Tellabs Inc. reported a profit of $6 million in the fourth quarter, marking a 78% drop from the $29 million it brought in during the year-ago period. Due to the lagging profits, the company said it would cut 225 employees …

Verizon Wireless signed an agreement to purchase SureWest Communications’ wireless assets in Northern California for $69 million, the companies announced.Under terms of the deal, Verizon Wireless will acquire the company’s spectrum licenses and more than 50 communication towers. SureWest served …