Verizon Wireless filed a civil suit against Alltel Corp., accusing the No. 5 carrier of false advertising. Verizon Wireless' suit takes issue with an Alltel ad that claimed "only Alltel gives wireless customers the ability to change their calling plans without having to extend...
A new study concludes drivers who talk on cellphones contribute to traffic congestion, a consequence compounding well-documented dangers of operating wireless devices while behind the wheel."At the end of the day, the average person's commute is longer because of that person who is on...
Motorola Inc. unveiled a standalone broadcast mobile television device that it hopes will appeal to TV fans who want to go mobile. The device is the first of its kind from Motorola -- housing a DVB-H chipset that includes no cellular connectivity.The device will...
The crowded mobile search space welcomed a new player as ChaCha brought its online service to wireless.The Indianapolis startup unveiled a short-code based version of its search offering, which uses paid human "guides" instead of computer-generated algorithms to deliver information. Users can send questions...
OpenMoko Inc. has become an independent subsidiary of parent First International Computer Inc. (FIC) in pursuit of a slice of the mobile handset business based on an open-source software platform.OpenMoko, created last year by the Taiwanese computer giant FIC, will continue to be funded...
AT&T Mobility announced it completed its acquisition of Easterbrooke Cellular Corp., a rural wireless carrier with services in West Virginia operating under the Cellular One brand. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.The transaction included licenses, network assets and more than 19,000 subscribers, according...
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 us the wrong way....
New cellphone driver-distraction laws went into effect Jan. 1 in Oregon and Washington state.According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Oregon will now prohibit teenagers from talking on cellphones while driving. A new Washington law goes even further, prohibiting all drivers from text...
On Monday, a federal judge said that Qualcomm Inc. must end the sale in the United States of W-CDMA chips that infringe on three Broadcom Corp. patents.The ruling's details are complicated, however, and Qualcomm said today that it is seeking clarification and "further relief"...
Mobile entertainment publisher Twistbox Entertainment Inc. plans to go public through a reverse merger with Mandalay Media Inc., a Los Angeles-based shell company.Twistbox boasts more than 100 carrier partners including Verizon Wireless, Alltel Corp., Orange and Vodafone Group plc., and specializes in "for prizes"...
Nokia Siemens Networks started off the new year with a $206 million purchase of Apertio Ltd., which provides real-time subscriber data platforms and other applications for mobile, fixed and converged telecom operators.The deal, which is expected to close by the end of the first...
It looks as though most U.S. retailers won't be getting the merry green holiday they'd hoped for.Despite a last-minute sales bump last weekend, the overall holiday retail scene continued its overall plodding underperformance compared with last year, with only a few bright spots. Among...
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 from CreditWatch. The outlook...
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 until June to see if it...
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" solution that would circumvent...
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 powered by SK Telecom,"...
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 North America. ...
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 acquisition," said Lucas Skoczkowski,...
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 for the mobile-phone industry.In...
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 retail stores will be...
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 the year-ago quarter. Net...
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 prior guidance, which forecast...
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 disclose how much money...
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 a ticket for an...
