Text Messaging

MOUNTAIN VIEW-The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association tapped VeriSign Inc. to power its text messaging service. The industry association, which represents 10 carriers, will use Metcalf Inter-Carrier Messaging, a joint offering from VeriSign and WiderThan Americas, to deliver text messages among …

CAMBRIDGE, U.K.-Mobile messaging revenues from U.S. mobile subscribers more than doubled in 2004 from the previous year and will account for 10 percent of total wireless service revenues by 2008, according to new research from Analysis. Mobile data accounted for …

CAMBRIDGE, U.K.-Mobile messaging revenues from U.S. mobile subscribers more than doubled in 2004 from the previous year and will account for 10 percent of total wireless service revenues by 2008, according to new research from Analysis. Mobile data accounted for …

LOS ANGELES-Fans of NBC’s reality series “The Biggest Loser” can get weight-loss tips from the show with a new text messaging service. The subscription service, which is available for $3 a month, delivers diet tips and exercise information handsets every …

WASHINGTON-NeuStar Inc., together with Equinix Inc., announced a suite of services called SIP-IX for direct network-to-network peering between trading partners for voice, video and content services using Session Initiation Protocol-based technologies including IP multimedia and VoIP. Telehouse and Amsterdam Internet …

Prepaid services are continuing their march up the feature-rich ladder with an increasing number of operators beginning to offer wireless Web browsing services to their noncontract subscribers. Many operators offer basic text messaging or even more advanced access to downloadable …

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. …

Wireless carriers certainly take their fair share of abuse from consumers and lawmakers. Consumer and other complaints range from billing to early termination fees to coverage issues. But carriers should receive notice for the positive too, and the nation’s operators …

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. Steve …

Leap Wireless International Inc.’s service expansion continues, as the carrier announced plans to launch high-speed wireless data capabilities and WAP-based browsing. The carrier also plans to loosen the rein on its Jump prepaid service to better target the youth demographic. …

Wireless carriers continued the arduous task of repairing networks in the Gulf Coast region hit hard by Hurricane Katrina last month, though few operators have released financial details of the repairs. The federal government noted last week that it could …

Verizon Wireless President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Strigl sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin updating the commission on the carrier’s progress in restoring services to areas hit by Hurricane Katrina. Strigl said the carrier has …

Sprint Nextel Corp. kicked off its “Day 1” operations as a new company last Friday just three weeks after Sprint Corp. completed its $35 billion acquisition of Nextel Communications Inc. The introduction of combined operations was backed by the launch …

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.-Nearly as many U.S. teens acquired their cell phones primarily for text messaging as for talking, according to a study from consultant firm IDC Corp. and text-messaging provider SMS.ac. The poll of 8,000 teens found that 36 percent of …

NEW YORK-Flytxt, which provides mobile marketing technology and services, said it is partnering with HarperCollins Children’s Books to launch the Meg Cabot Mobile Club, a cell-phone text messaging program to promote the “Princess Diaries” series, the “Ready or Not” sequel …

The battle for wireless customers between the industry’s No. 1 operator Cingular Wireless L.L.C. and No. 2 Verizon Wireless is set to move into the rapidly expanding hybrid-plan market segment. Hybrid plans generally merge calling-minute buckets associated with lucrative postpaid …

Carriers and content providers increasingly are targeting younger users in a scramble to push revenue-generating content and applications into one of the few remaining growth market segments. But marketing to teens, “tweens” and even grade-schoolers can be a perilous endeavor. …

Eighty-four percent of teenagers own at least one of four devices, including a desktop computer, laptop computer, cell phone or Blackberry. In addition, 45 percent of teens have their own cell phones, said a new report. The findings were part …

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.-Smartphones Technologies Inc. and Collegiate Images announced mobile content licensing agreements with more than 30 U.S. colleges and universities that allow Smartphones to offer exclusively licensed college sports content. According to the agreements, Smartphones will create officially licensed wallpapers, …

MIAMI-Prepaid wireless provider TracFone Wireless Inc. launched its NET10 service offering providing a flat-rate 10-cent-per-minute calling rate for all calls. The service is available with select Nokia Corp. and Motorola Inc. GSM handsets with airtime card expiration dates available in …

Revol Wireless announced it has acquired Ohio-based Northcoast PCS, including its CDMA network and spectrum, and has begun offering a youth-oriented, no-contract unlimited calling and messaging service in Cleveland, Dayton and Toledo. Terms of the sale were not announced. The …

MIAMI-Prepaid wireless provider TracFone Wireless Inc. launched its NET10 service offering providing a flat-rate 10-cent per minute calling rate for all calls. The service is available with select Nokia Corp. and Motorola Inc. GSM handsets with airtime card expiration dates …

OTTAWA-Canada’s wireless carriers introduced intercarrier multimedia message services last week. The initiative enables customers with MMS-capable mobile phones, regardless of the customers’ wireless service provider, to send and receive messages with rich content to and from MMS-capable phones of friends, …

OTTAWA-Canada’s wireless carriers will introduce intercarrier multimedia message services July 1. The initiative will enable customers with MMS-capable mobile phones, regardless of the customers’ wireless service providers, to instantly send and receive messages with rich content to and from MMS-capable …

Bar-code scanning will be a common camera-phone feature in the near future, promises Olivier Attia, chief executive officer of Scanbuy Inc. Attia said that in the next 12 months he expects 50 million to 60 million camera phones to hit …