Mobile News – RCR Wireless News

Wireless users today largely talk on their phones, but in the near future they may begin talking to their phones. Woburn, Mass.-based VoiceSignal Technologies Inc. has developed what the company calls a “speaker-independent” voice-recognition technology that has been skimmed down …

WASHINGTON-Lawmakers this week are expected to tackle legislation critical to successful implementation of the Bush third-generation spectrum plan, a last-ditch effort for this year that comes as industry, military and administration officials show evidence of improved cooperation in balancing economic …

WASHINGTON-Congressional auditors said that a plan by the Federal Communications Commission to solve public-safety interference in the 800 MHz did not violate either the Antideficiency Act or the Miscellaneous Receipts Act. The ruling essentially negates warnings from Verizon Corp. that …

In what is traditionally a quiet period for the wireless industry, T-Mobile USA Inc. reported robust third-quarter results that trailed only Verizon Wireless in customer growth and further separated the two operators as the fastest-growing among their peers. The two …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission’s decision that it has jurisdiction over Voice over Internet Protocol matters will increase pressure on Congress to pass legislation next year to reform the universal-service program, said the top lobbyist for state regulators. “The two things …

WASHINGTON-Voters across the country had a decidedly mixed view about whether their telecom bills should increase to upgrade their local 911 systems. The most-watched vote was the rejection in California of a 3-percent increase for emergency services. “Wireless consumers have …

WASHINGTON-Despite the Republican sweep in last week’s elections, wholesale changes could be in store at the Federal Communications Commission at a time when the drumbeat is growing louder for an overhaul of the 1996 telecom act. Until the likely changes …

OYSTER BAY, N.Y.-Mobile communications vendors may soon find themselves in competition with WiMAX vendors for the same customers, according to a report from ABI Research. According to the report, “HSDPA-Mobile Broadband,” the two camps started out on different paths but …

WASHINGTON-CTIA-The Wireless Association warned that universal-service contributions could increase by 40 percent if the Federal Communications Commission accepts the projections of the Universal Service Administrative Co. USAC is a quasi-governmental organization created by the FCC to administer universal-service subsidies. USAC …

With wireless gaming finally beginning to catch fire, game developers are learning to exploit the most basic element of the mobile phone: its ability to communicate. Developers have learned that a successful console game doesn’t necessarily make for a good …

WASHINGTON-The wireless industry told the Federal Communications Commission that integrating wireless technology into the nation’s outdated Emergency Alert System could be more difficult than expected and warned policy-makers that scrapping the current regime would be unwise. CTIA-The Wireless Association said …

NEW YORK-Mobile content company Crisp Wireless will team with Video Design Software to offer an integrated package of mobile video marketing products. The offerings are designed to enable broadcasters and advertisers to reach mobile users through video broadcasts. Applications include …

OKLAHOMA CITY-Dobson Communications Corp., which previously reported preliminary third-quarter results, posted $272.4 million in total revenues during the third quarter of this year, which was a 27.8-percent improvement compared with the $213.1 million the carrier reported during the third quarter …

Crown Castle International Corp. said it purchased Verizon Wireless’ 37.3-percent interest in their Crown Atlantic Joint Venture for $295 million, including $15 million of net working capital. The venture included 2,019 towers and has $180 million outstanding under its senior …

Looking to explore strategic growth options, content provider SmartServ Online Inc. retained investment banking firm Jefferies & Co. Inc. Jefferies will advise the company’s management on financing and capital resources, as well as significant merger and acquisition possibilities, the company …

NEW YORK-Nokia Corp. plans to roll out 40 handsets next year as part of the company’s series of projections. The Finnish vendor also said it is on track to meet its goal of delivering 35 handsets in 2004. However, the …

TOKYO-Japanese mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc. announced it has agreed to acquire 100 percent of inter-touch (BVI) Ltd. for $70 million. Inter-touch is a Singapore-based holding company of Internet providers that supply high-speed broadband connections and applications for business travelers …

PARIS-Motorola Inc. and Bouygues Telecom, a French mobile operator, announced a contract to deliver Push to talk over Cellular (PoC) services using Motorola V400p handsets. Bouygues Telecom will make its voice messaging services commercially available to enterprise and professional customers …

Following stronger-than-expected third-quarter growth results posted by seven of the nation’s eight largest wireless operators late last month, a trio of smaller players posted mixed results last week. Meanwhile, a rural operator postponed its planned financial release, citing past accounting …

WASHINGTON-Key documents appear to contradict public statements by Cingular Wireless L.L.C. on workforce diversity allegations in three discrimination lawsuits and on a confidential report prepared by an outside consultant for the new No. 1 wireless carrier. A redacted copy of …

Mobile-phone industry lawyers said they intend to ask a D.C. court to dismiss six brain-cancer suits on federal pre-emption grounds. In July, U.S. District Judge Catherine Blake of Baltimore sent back the six lawsuits to the Superior Court of the …

SAN DIEGO-Kyocera Wireless Corp., along with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, is recalling 1 million cell-phone batteries, pointing to concerns that some of the batteries supplied by the manufacturer may be counterfeit. The batteries, manufactured by El Paso, Texas-based …

Just as the hype over W-CDMA is subsiding, the industry is shifting gears to another protocol. Known as High Speed Downlink Packet Access, the technology is the focus of major operators in the search to differentiate themselves in new Internet …

ESPOO, Finland-T-Mobile International said it plans to offer Nokia’s Push to Talk over Cellular network solution in Germany in the fourth quarter. The carrier said it plans to introduce it in other markets later. “Our long and successful cooperation with …

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission said late Friday that it concurred with the Transition Administrator Search Committee and was selecting BearingPoint, Squire-Sanders-Dempsey L.L.P., and Baseline Telecom, Inc.-to be known as the BearingPoint Team-as the Transition Administrator for retuning the 800 MHz …