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3G networks propelling multimedia usage in Europe

LONDON-Next-generation wireless networks are driving multimedia offerings in the United Kingdom and Germany, according to the latest figures from M:Metrics. The Seattle-based mobile measurement firm found that while 3G users remain a small minority, such subscribers are as much as five times more likely...

White House denies Wi-Fi tax; satellite, taxi companies could face spectrum fees

WASHINGTON-The White House today clarified that a new budget proposal to set user fees on un-auctioned spectrum would not lead to taxes on frequencies designated for Wi-Fi. But the White House said satellite, taxi and other industry sectors that do not pay for spectrum...

Handset Briefs

Kyocera Wireless Corp. announced it plans to build dual-mode CDMA/Wi-Fi handsets using chips from Marvell Technology Group Ltd. "The footprint and adoption of (wireless local area networks) is increasing exponentially and we have carrier customers who are viewing this technology as a complement to...

Wireless could transform mining communications

It seems like hardly a week has gone by lately without a miner tragedy or a near-tragedy in the news. As the media shines its light on the mining industry, it's clear that mining communications is ripe for modernization. Today most mines have hard-wired...

Muni Wi-Fi wave continues to build as industry wrestles with standards

New agreements, contract details from Philadelphia and a smidge of a slowdown in product certifications kept Wi-Fi circles buzzing last week. In Philadelphia, reports surfaced early last week that the city had worked out the terms of its contract with Earthlink Inc. for the...

Feds reach agreement on 5 GHz Wi-Fi products

WASHINGTON-The Bush administration has reached an agreement with the Pentagon and vendors on how to test and manufacture new 5 GHz Wi-Fi products that avoid harmful interference to military radar systems, according to sources. The accord paves the way for new 5 GHz Wi-Fi...

Fon raises $21.7 million, plans global shared hotspot network

MADRID, Spain-Google Inc. and Skype Technologies SA are among the backers of Fon, a Spanish Internet software company with plans to create a global network of one million shared Wi-Fi hot spots by 2010. In its first round of funding, the three-month-old company said...

Dexterra flush with $12 million funding round

BOTHELL, Wash.-Dexterra Inc., a mobile business software developer, announced a $12 million round of funding led by its new investor, Mesirow Financial. Existing investors include Motorola Ventures, Intel Capital, Canaan Partners and Sigma Partners. Dexterra said it plans to use the funds to continue...

Weekly wireless ratings wrap-up

The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms.CarriersMerrill Lynch lowered its fiscal 2006 EPS estimate on Alltel Corp. from $3.58 to $3.45 following mixed fourth-quarter results. Robert W. Baird introduced forecasts for...

Alcatel chooses Netrake security gateway for UMA product

PLANO, Texas-Alcatel Corp. picked Netrake's nCite Security Gateway technology to support the launch of its Unlicensed Mobile Access-based wireless LAN solution. Netrake said its gateway gives UMA providers secure access to GSM and GPRS mobile services over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi unlicensed spectrum technologies. "Netrake...

Kyocera to build CDMA/Wi-Fi devices using Marvell chips

SAN DIEGO-Kyocera Wireless Corp. announced it plans to build dual-mode CDMA/Wi-Fi handsets using chips from Marvell Technology Group Ltd. "The footprint and adoption of (wireless local area networks) is increasing exponentially and we have carrier customers who are viewing this technology as a complement...

Muni Wi-Fi vendor Cohda raises $1.8 million

ADELAIDE, Australia-Cohda Wireless Pty. Ltd., a public-safety and municipal wireless technology developer, said it raised $1.8 million in its first round of venture funding. Cohda said it plans to use the funds in its efforts to commercially launch its technology and to expand operations...

SIPquest claims VoIP application first to be optimized for Mobile 5.0

OTTAWA-SIPquest, a developer of Session Initiation Protocol applications, said its Mobile Console application has been optimized for Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system.The company said the product is the first Voice over Internet Protocol application to be optimized for the new operating system...

DoCoMo yields to Microsoft, inks deal for Windows Mobile phones

TAOYUAN, Taiwan-In a surprising turnaround, Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc. announced it will sell phones running Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile operating system. DoCoMo previously had allowed only phones running either the Linux or Symbian OS. In a brief announcement, DoCoMo said it reached an...

NeoReach expands deal with Strix for muni Wi-Fi in Arizona

CALABASAS, Calif.- NeoReach Wireless announced it plans to use equipment from Strix Systems, a wireless mesh-network provider, to build a 72-sqare mile municipal Wi-Fi network in Chandler, Ariz. Strix said the companies plan to build one network offering Wi-Fi access to about 19,000 businesses...

Balloon tower firm elevates trial system in rural N.D.

Floating towers soon may give some rural North Dakotans better wireless voice and data coverage. Next month, Chandler, Ariz.-based Space Data Corp. is set to trial its latex communications balloons with Extend America, a North Dakota fixed broadband provider and Sprint Nextel Corp. iDEN...

Silicon Valley looking at wireless broadband canopy

SAN JOSE, Calif.-A 1,500 square-mile high-speed wireless data network covering Silicon Valley is being planned by the area's civic and business leaders. A coalition called Smart Valley agreed to begin collecting bids for the wireless broadband network.Smart Valley members include the San Mateo County...

Plastina to head Tekelec

MORRISVILLE, N.C.-Tekelec named former Nortel executive Frank Plastina president, chief executive officer and board member.Plastina replaces Fred Lax, who announced his resignation in October, saying for personal reasons he did not intend to move with the company when it relocated corporate headquarters from California...

IEEE ratifies 802.11n standard

HONOLULU-The IEEE 802.11n task group voted 184-0 in favor of a joint proposal for the 802.11n standard for high-speed Wi-Fi. The vote ends months of bickering and maneuvering by competing Wi-Fi technology developers.While the new standard is not 100-percent completed yet, chipmakers are expected...

EarthLink to use Motorola, Tropos for Wi-Fi buildouts

EarthLink Inc. announced a contract with Motorola Inc. and Tropos Networks Inc. as the Internet service provider prepares to launch municipal Wi-Fi networks in five cities. Though terms of the contract were not disclosed, EarthLink said the agreement includes design, installation, system integration and...

WFI announces $40 million in new contracts

SAN DIEGO-Wireless Facilities Inc. said it racked up about $40 million in new government contract wins and extensions in the fourth quarter of 2005. The network design, deployment and management company said the duration of the contracts ranges from one month to five years."We're...

T-Mobile secures roaming deals to expand range: Towers, auction also part of strategy

With little fanfare, T-Mobile USA Inc. has expanded the reach of its network by more than 50 percent, chiefly through 850 MHz roaming agreements that have put the carrier on more competitive footing and mark a shift from its historic 1900 MHz-only platform. Most...

Global Tower picks up 200+ towers

BOCA RATON, Fla.-Global Tower Partners says it's scooping up 209 towers and 24 tower sites under construction as part of an agreement to purchase the wireless assets of TCP Communications, a Massachusetts-based tower company. The deal brings GTP's nationwide collection of owned towers to...

DVB-H alliance formed

LAS VEGAS-What do Intel Corp., Modeo L.L.C., Motorola Inc., Nokia Corp. and Texas Instruments Inc. all have in common? They are all eager to promote Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld, an open standard for broadcast digital TV reception on mobile devices. The companies formed the Mobile...