Mobile and Wireless Industry Reports

The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms.Carrier–Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services affirmed its ratings on Leap Wireless, including its B- corporate credit rating, and removed the company …

Below are RCR Wireless News’ 10 biggest stories of the year. These are the stories that rocked the industry in 2007, and set the groundwork for the future of wireless. 1. iCANDY iPhone looks tempting, but users have to wait …

Chip maker Broadcom Corp. confirmed it complained last month to the U.S. International Trade Commission, alleging that Qualcomm Inc. is violating the ITC’s ban on importing, testing or marketing chips using Broadcom’s “983” patent.Qualcomm has endeavored to find a “workaround” …

MVNO Helio L.L.C. continues to roll out devices in the face of financial challenges, offering a new Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. slider handset sporting haptic feedback on exterior keys.The Mysto is available for $149 with contract to subscribers of “Helio …

SkyTerra Communications Inc., Mobile Satellite Ventures L.P. and Inmarsat plc said they reached a major pact to resolve complex technical, regulatory and business issues, a move they believe will better enable each to offer L-band hybrid mobile satellite services in …

Redknee Solutions Inc. acquired New Zealand-based Argent Networks Ltd. for an initial payment of $4 million in cash that could eventually increase to an additional $4 million payment if certain revenues are achieved.“I am delighted to be announcing our first …

The Bush administration urged the Supreme Court not to review a lower court decision overturning a Federal Communications Commission rule preempting state regulation of line-items on cellphone bills, but the development could turn out to be only a temporary setback …

AT&T Mobility is spreading the holiday spirit by opening its stores earlier and keeping them open later on the days before and after Christmas. The company said that shoppers should check with local stores, but that most of its 1,800 …

Research In Motion Ltd. posted another strong quarter with an equally strong outlook, sending its stock up more than 11% after results were announced yesterday.RIM’s revenue for the fiscal third quarter, ended Dec. 1, reached $1.67 billion, up 100% from …

Qualcomm Inc. said its revenue in the fiscal first quarter would come in at the high end of previous guidance of $2.3 billion to $2.4 billion.The company said its forecast was based on chipset shipments at the high end of …

Danger Inc., the “software-as-service” company that enables data and Internet services to T-Mobile USA Inc.’s Sidekick devices, will pursue an initial public offering to pay down $7.2 million in debt and raise working capital, the company said. Danger did not …

Chicago has been tagged with a lawsuit alleging the city violated state law by not posting signs on the prohibition against talking on mobile phones while driving.The suit, filed by lawyer Blake Horwitz on behalf of man who successfully challenged …

VantagePoint Venture partners has reportedly pulled its $20 million investment in mobile content firm 3Guppies Inc.-a rare move for a venture-capital firm-thereby apparently forcing 3Guppies to shut down its operations.Calls to 3Guppies were met with a prerecorded message indicating that …

Sprint Nextel Corp. said it agreed pay $52.2 million in back taxes and legal fees to settle tax litigation with scores of Missouri cities, following similar settlements involving other top mobile-phone carriers.A state court judge must approve Sprint Nextel’s settlement …

Brightpoint Inc. announced it extended its distribution agreement as an authorized distributor for Nokia Corp. gadgets in the United States through next year. Brightpoint North America L.P., the subsidiary responsible for the company’s domestic distribution, sells wireless devices to operators, …

Hello!And welcome to a special edition of our Thursday column, Worst of the Week. As 2007 draws to a close and we take stock of all the changes that have happened in the wireless industry, we can’t help but wonder …

Palm Inc.’s fiscal second-quarter results and its outlook for the next quarter, announced yesterday, took its stock down nearly 10%, to the lowest point in four years. The smartphone company reported a net loss of $9.6 million on modest revenue. …

The WiMAX Forum has opened its first, and lead, lab to formally test and evaluate mobile WiMAX products for certification. With the lab now open for submissions, certified mobile WiMAX products are projected to hit the commercial market in the …

ZTE USA, the American face of the Chinese handset and network vendor, will begin supplying co-branded CDMA handsets to MetroPCS Communications Corp., which offers service to 3.7 million subscribers in major metro areas. The deal is ZTE’s second to provide …

The Federal Communications Commission said it received 266 applications for the 700 MHz auction, with small and rural telephone companies dominating a field that also includes leading mobile-phone operators, Google Inc., EchoStar Satellite L.L.C., and some surprises. Click here for …

Want to know how long the line is outside your favorite club on a busy Saturday night? Or the guy-to-girl ratio at a bar before you pay the cover? That’s the promise of BuzzD, a new local-search/networking service from mobile …

The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms.Carrier–Lehman Brothers raised its price target on AT&T to $54 from $50 after the carrier provided upbeat long-term guidance. Credit Suisse …

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. —BelAir: Export Development Canada and Wellington Financial led a $17.5 million round of funding …

LG Electronics Co. Ltd. announced recently that the company’s new Viewty handset has sold more than 310,000 units over its first five weeks in the European market, where it is on sale in 14 countries. The phone with a 5-megapixel …

AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and Sprint Nextel Corp. will have to wait until next year to find out whether Congress can make scores of anti-terrorist wiretap lawsuits go away.Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) pulled from consideration a bill …