Text Messaging

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission declared the outage reporting requirements and the changes to the telemarketing rules to be in effect Dec. 30. Under rules adopted in 2004, carriers must report service outages impacting at least 900,000 user minutes. The wireline …

SYDNEY, Australia-Telstra Corp. said it plans to launch a fixed short message service early this year. Telstra has a branded SMS-capable phone on sale in Australia for the service, it said. “Next year’s launch of fixed SMS is set to …

SYDNEY, Australia-Telstra Corp. said it plans to launch a fixed short message service early next year. Telstra has a branded SMS-capable phone on sale in Australia for the service, it said. “Next year’s launch of fixed SMS is set to …

WASHINGTON-Airplanes soon could lose their distinction as being one of the few places where a person cannot be reached by a wireless device due to decisions last week to re-auction 800 MHz band air-to-ground spectrum and a proposal to allow …

WASHINGTON-Cable TV channel Speed said it will offer an interactive promotion campaign using mobile phones that will allow viewers to guess at the value of various classic cars. The channel is offering the service through a deal with wireless technology …

TORONTO-Canadian wireless provider Rogers Wireless Communications Inc. launched its TXT 2 Landline service, which will allow customers to send text messages to landline phones anywhere in Canada and the United States. The messages are then converted to voice and can …

The Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG) announced Wednesday that Cingular Wireless, Sprint PCS and France Telecom have joined its efforts to fight spam and viruses. The nonprofit coalition was founded last December by a group of communications and technology companies …

WASHINGTON-Japan and South Korea lead the world in mobile multimedia usage, according to a report from Telecommunications Management Group Inc. titled “Superstars of the Mobile Internet,” while the United States did not make the list. The report examines which countries …

Canadian wireless provider Rogers Wireless Communications Inc. launched its TXT 2 Landline service, which will allow customers to send text messages to landline phones anywhere in Canada and the United States. The messages are then converted to voice and can …

Recurrent Software Solutions Inc. introduced its VersaBill automated bill formatting system. The product allows companies to streamline their electronic billing in a format that meets their specifications, said the company. Once the electronic format is established, VersaBill creates code to …

Mobile instant messaging is expected to take another step forward this week with an announcement that Nokia Corp. will expand its offerings of IM-friendly handsets. The world’s largest handset manufacturer will build on a two-year relationship with Oz, a Canadian …

SEATTLE-Developer Tegic Communications launched the latest version of its popular predictive text software for mobile devices this week. Tegic unveilled T9 7.2, an embedded program designed to make messaging more efficient for short message service users. The multi-lingual software predicts …

The United States may have stolen the text-messaging world record from the text-loving British thanks to a lightning-fast performance by Ben Cook, a 17-year-old high school student in Salt Lake City. Cook was competing in the “Fastest-Fingers Text Messaging Contest,” …

The United States may have stolen the text-messaging world record from the text-loving British thanks to a lightning-fast performance by Ben Cook, a 17-year-old high school student in Salt Lake City. Cook was competing in the “Fastest-Fingers Text Messaging Content,” …

Leap Wireless International Inc. said it will begin offering its Cricket wireless customers the mobile AOL Instant Messenger service, allowing AOL members and AIM users to receive instant messages, alerts and reminders from their Cricket phones. The service will cost …

Asian vendors score best in customer satisfaction WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.-Overall satisfaction among wireless mobile-phone owners is up 5 percent from last year, according to J.D. Power and Associates’ newly released “2004 U.S. Wireless Mobile Phone Evaluation Study,” representing the first …

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.-Openwave Systems Inc. announced it achieved profitability and increased license revenues in its first-quarter fiscal-year 2005 results, released this week. Openwave reported revenues of $83.6 million, up 9 percent from the previous quarter and up 23 percent from …

You could call Bill Diggins lots of things-music mogul, artists’ advocate, maybe even visionary. Just don’t call him a ringtone salesman. According to the founder of 2-year-old music marketer Diggit Entertainment Group, a truly successful mobile content sales campaign must …

ATLANTA-Wireless permission-based marketing company CLX said it is using Air2Web’s 2Notify solution in its opt-in text messaging application, PollCast. CLX clients can use PollCast to precisely target its audience and quickly analyze the results, said the company. CLX said more …

SAN FRANCISCO-Mobile text messaging provider UpSnap launched a new directory assistance service for wireless users. With the service, users with text-enabled handsets can send text messages with the names and locations of listings by cities, ZIP codes, area codes or …

Google has launched a beta test of a new service that allows mobile users to access its database from their handsets using short message service. Google SMS, which debuted Thursday, delivers localized business and residential listings via Google Local and …

CINCINNATI-Lottery.com has teamed with Games Inc. to launch a text messaging application that distributes nationwide state lottery results to mobile devices, the companies announced Wednesday. The service, which is free to mobile users who agree to accept a tagline advertisement …

SAN RAFAEL, Calif.-Autodesk Inc. this week launched the Autodesk Mobile Resource Manager, a location-based application that allows businesses in various vertical markets to locate, manage and communicate with their mobile workforces and assets. Autodesk is targeting small- to medium-sized businesses …

ROCHESTER, N.Y.—Carriers should look to non-voice services—particularly ring tones—to increase revenues, according to two studies released this week. A survey conducted by Harris Interactive for ForceNine Consulting and Wirthlin Worldwide indicated non-voice services other than text messaging are in the …

The wireless industry is stooping to conquer. Nickelodeon is partnering with content developer Jamdat to produce mobile games based on two of the network’s most popular shows, “Dora the Explorer” and “Blue’s Clues.” The games will be targeted at perhaps …