Mobile and Wireless Industry Reports

More than a dozen small- and medium-sized cellphone carriers raised concerns with key Senate lawmakers about a federal-state panel’s recommendation on federal subsidies. The suggestions, made last month, were to temporarily cap federal subsidies for rural wireless deployment as part …

Hello!And welcome to a special edition of our Thursday column, Worst of the Week. As 2007 draws to a close, I’m going to see if the year unfolded like we thought it would. Look below to see how accurate our …

Palm Inc., which employs about 1,250 people, yesterday made job cuts of undisclosed magnitude, the company said.“Palm is working to sharpen its focus and better align resources behind core initiatives that will make the greatest impact to our business,” the …

Both Nokia Corp.’s and Qualcomm Inc.’s stocks were down a few percent each on news that the United States International Trade Commission had rebuffed Qualcomm on its complaint that Nokia infringed on three Qualcomm patents regarding GSM technology.The two parties …

Digital Chocolate Inc. is the latest mobile-game maker to distribute its games for free.The publisher said it will make five of its games available through Greystripe, a San Francisco-based distributor of free mobile games. The titles will come wrapped in …

Sprint Nextel Corp. announced a deal with Fox Interactive Media that will give the carrier’s subscribers free access to MySpace Mobile from the carrier’s portal.Beginning early next year, Sprint Nextel will become the first carrier to allow users to link …

Evite launched a free application that allows users to plan last-minute get-togethers from their phones or PCs.Party planners can send invitations simultaneously with QuickVite via text message and e-mail, and recipients’ responses can be viewed via a computer on the …

Sprint Nextel Corp. plans to turn on three WiMAX test markets within the next two weeks, meeting its self-imposed deadline to roll out the technology by the end of this year.Sprint Nextel spokesman John Polivka confirmed that “several hundred” company …

AT&T Mobility could pay up to $76 million in back taxes and legal fees as part of a tax settlement with Missouri cities that won preliminary approval by a state judge in St. Louis. The proposed settlement between AT&T Mobility …

Leap Wireless International Inc. said that it plans to acquire Hargray Communications Group Inc.’s wireless operations for $30 million, expanding Leap’s Cricket service into Savannah, Ga. and Hilton Head, S.C.The deal includes Hargray’s 15 megahertz spectrum license, wireless network and …

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.–E-Band: Reliance Technology Ventures Ltd. led a $10 million Series B funding round into E-Band …

The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms.Handset and infrastructure vendors –RBC Capital Markets lowered its price target on Palm Inc. after the company warned its second-quarter results …

Cartoon Network has inked a partnership with Smashing Ideas to develop and distribute a variety of Cartoon Network-branded mobile games, animated screensavers and wallpapers. Verizon Wireless is the first operator on board to carry the catalog, beginning today.Smashing Ideas will …

Comverse Inc. said it is teaming with Jamba to power an off-deck ringback tone service for T-Mobile Germany.The carrier will employ Comverse’s Fun Broker, an off-deck service that allows content providers to sell ringback tones directly through their portals. The …

Public-interest and consumer groups asked the Federal Communications Commission to forbid mobile-phone operators from discriminatory interference with text messaging.“For many people, texting has replaced calling as a way of keeping in touch,” said Gigi Sohn, president and co-founder of Public …

Mobile Complete launched an application that gives Web surfers the opportunity to try out various handsets before buying them. The interactive, consumer-focused Web program, called “TryPhone,” builds off the company’s DeviceAnywhere suite of products, which gives application developers and others …

The federal government estimates that one of every eight American homes uses only mobile phones for communications.The data comes from the National Health Interview Survey, which was conducted between January and June of this year by the Centers for Disease …

First comes the technology, then come the devices. Just eight months after Mobile-Pedestrian-Handheld Technology was announced to enable local broadcasters to deliver digital signals to portable TV screens, Kenwood USA Corp. has harnessed the technology to design a mobile TV …

For Apple Inc., it’s all about control and making money. Factor that into your reading of the tea leaves on the news that Apple has quietly raised the limit on iPhone purchases from two back to five.The blogosphere has cogitated …

The Federal Communications Commission’s relaxation of the small-business bidding rule for the commercial-public safety D-Block license in the upcoming 700 MHz auction has come under another attack, this time by the same parties that have entangled the agency in auction-related …

Sprint Nextel Corp. and broadcast groups told federal regulators that 2 GHz relocation challenges associated with the 800 MHz rebanding effort can be resolved five months sooner than expected.The Federal Communications Commission last month directed stakeholders-including Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA …

Virgin Mobile USA Inc. said it deployed a product from Telespree Communications that automates the mobile virtual network operator’s handset programming process via over-the-air technology.“With Telespree, we focused on the device programming process, eliminating manual entry and any associated errors, …

Editor’s Note: Welcome to On the Margins, a feature for RCR Wireless News’ weekly e-mail service, Mobile Content and Culture. Every week, the RCR Wireless News staff considers events in the wider business world and how they could affect the …

The worldwide mobile music market will ring up $11 billion in annual revenues by 2011, according to a study released last week by the U.K. firm Understanding & Solutions Ltd. Meanwhile, IDC predicts the global market for wireless devices will …

Editor’s Note: Welcome to Yay or Nay, a feature for RCR Wireless News’ weekly e-mail service, Mobile Content and Culture. Every week we’ll review a new wireless application or service from the user’s point of view, with the goal of …