Mobile News – RCR Wireless News

SAN FRANCISCO-Mforma Group Inc. said it raised $30 million in a third round of institutional financing. The round was led by venture-capital firm Institutional Venture Partners. Existing investors Bessemer Venture Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and General Catalyst Partners also participated. …

Sprint Nextel Corp. closed on its $287.5 million acquisition of network affiliate Gulf Coast Wireless Ltd. Partnership. The closing resolves litigation Gulf Coast filed against Sprint Nextel in connection with Sprint Corp.’s acquisition of Nextel Communications Inc. Sprint Nextel announced …

Motorola Inc. scored its first content agreement for its forthcoming iRadio service, a deal that will make Universal Music Group’s extensive music catalog available to iRadio subscribers. The news comes as Motorola quietly pushed back the release date for its …

Eminem’s publishing companies filed suit last week to stop the sale of ringtones they say are pirated from the hip-hop star’s hit tunes. Michigan-based publishers Eight Mile Style and Martin Affiliated filed documents in U.S. District Court in Detroit against …

Thanks to an off-kilter-reporting schedule, Centennial Communications Corp. got a jump on quarterly reporting season last week, posting improved financial and mixed operations metrics for its first fiscal quarter that ended Aug. 31. The regional carrier did not provide much …

Nortel Networks Ltd. is reorganizing, forming two new product groups and four regional teams to strengthen its enterprise focus, drive product efficiencies and deliver global services. Nortel said the new alignment includes two product groups each led by its own …

TAMPA, Fla.-Regional wireless operator MetroPCS Communications Inc. said it has launched its flat-rate, unlimited calling service in Tampa and Sarasota, Fla. The carrier noted the new markets join its current offering in the Miami area, and subscribers in the Tampa …

The battle between BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. and patent-holding company NTP Inc. took another strange turn as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected the last of NTP’s patents under re-examination. The patents form the basis for the …

SAN FRANCISCO-Mobile entertainment took center stage for CTIA’s Wireless I.T. & Entertainment Day 2 keynote as music, data and gaming executives took their turns extolling the promise of wireless data that so far has seen mixed results. Warner Music Group …

LOWELL, Mass.-M/A-Com, a division of Tyco International Ltd., will build a unified public-safety communications system for the State of New York in a $2 billion 20-year contract. The system, being built with General Dynamics Corp. and Alcatel Corp., will allow …

PLAINFIELD, Ind.-Brightpoint Inc. announced two deals last week. The company’s Brightpoint North America L.P. subsidiary entered an agreement with Samsung Telecommunications America L.P. that calls for Brightpoint to distribute a range of Samsung CDMA and GSM devices and accessories to …

Investors dumped shares of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. following the company’s surprise subscriber shortfall. Although RIM scored earnings ahead of expectations, lower-than-anticipated subscriber numbers sent the company’s stock tumbling more than 11 percent to $68.72 per share. “We …

SAN FRANCISCO-One of the device market’s worst-kept secrets was let out of the bag last week as Palm Inc. announced plans to launch a Microsoft Corp. Windows Mobile operating system version of its popular Treo smart phone. The device, which …

SAN FRANCISCO-Following years of delays, Nokia Corp. finally is set to launch its 9300 device running Research In Motion Ltd.’s BlackBerry software in the United States. The device will be available exclusively through Cingular Wireless L.L.C. beginning in November. Cingular, …

SAN FRANCISCO-Motorola Inc. plans to release its new dynamic idle-screen technology, dubbed Screen3, to U.S. wireless users in time for this year’s holiday season. Although the company declined to provide specifics, Motorola’s Jeff Merkel said Screen3 would be on a …

SAN FRANCISCO-Mobile television company MobiTV announced it crossed the 500,000-subscriber mark, news that coincides with the launch of its new multimedia software platform. “Things are just going through the roof,” boasted Paul Scanlan, chief operating officer of startup Idetic Inc., …

SAN FRANCISCO-If the kickoff for Navteq’s Global LBS Challenge is any indicator, 2006 may be the year location-based services finally get legs. Software developers, reporters, venture capitalists and other insiders packed the room here Tuesday for the North American launch …

SAN FRANCISCO-When it comes to wireless content, there isn’t much Disney isn’t going to try. As the company gears up to launch its much-hyped MVNO next year, the House of Mouse is aggressively expanding its wireless content operations. In addition …

Vivotech, which provides contactless payment solutions, said it raised $18.25 million in its series B funding round. The funding was led by Draper Fisher Jurveston and included participation from Nokia Growth Partners, DFJ Gotham and Alloy Ventures. Vivotech’s platform allows …

SAN FRANCISCO-The wireless industry reported 25.2 million new subscribers, its largest one-year addition of new subscribers in its more than 20-year commercial history, according to CTIA’s semi-annual industry survey released this week at the CTIA Wireless I.T. and Entertainment Show. …

In the “Nokia pushes into wireless e-mail” story on page 3 of the Sept. 19 issue of RCR Wireless News, the nature of Seven’s offerings was incorrectly stated. Seven’s technology can be implemented behind a firewall as well as on …

WASHINGTON-Citing significant progress and resources spent by interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol providers to warn customers that 911 calls may not go through, the Federal Communications Commission said last week it will not enforce the latest of three deadlines regarding …

WASHINGTON-After doing an about-face and agreeing to clear a backlog of siting applications held up at the Federal Communications Commission, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said he has been unable to shape a compromise. The wireless industry increasingly has been concerned …

WASHINGTON-If the chairman of the House telecommunications subcommittee has his way, public safety will get money for interoperability from the sale of TV spectrum. Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said he plans to offer an amendment to legislation to mandate a …

DALLAS, Texas-Mobile virtual network operator Oblio Telecom Inc. announced it shipped its first batch of Bravo-branded prepaid mobile phones. The carrier is selling its wares nationwide through more than 60,000 retail locations. “As one of the nation’s largest distributors of …