RCR Wireless News back issues from March 2003:
Sprint offers smart-phone discounts.(Business)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Sprint PCS introduced $100 discounts on the purchase and activation of a trio of its smart-phone offerings, including the Handspring Treo 300, Samsung SPH-i330 and Toshiba 2032. The offer cuts the suggested retail price for the Handspring Treo and Samsung i330 from $500 to $400 ...
Cingular refocuses advertising message.(Business)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Despite what he called, "one of the greatest brand launches ever and excellent results in brand awareness,'' the Cingular Wireless name has "not delivered,'' said Stan Sigman, chief executive officer, at last week's Merrill Lynch & Co. "Communication Conference.'' The top five ...
Joltage ceases operations.(Business)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: ELIZABETH V. MOONEY The fate of Joltage Networks, a wireless Internet access provider that ceased operations Feb. 28, portends an upheaval in this sector over the next several years, said Probe Research, Cedar Knolls, N.J. "Because of the difficult economy, we ...
Nextel Partners to be free cash flow by '04.(Business)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: DAN MEYER Nextel Partners Inc. posted $2.6 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for 2002-its first full year of positive EBITDA-a year ahead of guidance. More importantly, it said it expects to be free cash flow positive by 2004, ...
America: love it or leaflet.(Opinion)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: Jeffrey Silva` There's a bizarre quality about the serious business of homeland security and impending war, especially regarding the role of technology. We're put on high alert about threats of cyber attacks by terrorists who'd delight in taking down telecom, ...
Lucent strikes deal with SEC.(Business)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: SAM OMATSEYE Lucent Technologies Inc. has announced an agreement in principle with Securities and Exchange Commission staff to close an investigation begun two years ago, after Lucent discovered and notified the SEC about $679 million of revenue it had recognized ...
Firms urge appeals court to OK Blake's cancer lawsuit dismissal.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA Motorola Inc. and other wireless firms last week urged a federal appeals court to affirm U.S. District Judge Catherine Blake's dismissal of an $800 million lawsuit by a Baltimore man who claimed cell-phone use caused his brain cancer. "After ...
Travel firm provides wireless itinerary app.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Travel management company Travel Inc. launched its m-Itinerary wireless application, powered by wireless platform provider Air2Web. M-Itinerary allows travelers to wirelessly access and share travel data, including full travel itineraries, reservation changes, security warnings ...
Motorola link with Microsoft possible; Snubs Symbian with Linux support.
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: MIKE DANO The world's No. 2 mobile-phone maker Motorola Inc.-a Symbian stakeholder that recently announced a new operating system strategy based around Linux-also could develop a device using Microsoft Corp.'s operating system for wireless. "I think you'll ...
Agere steps up transistor line.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: SAM OMATSEYE With a view to doing battle with power-amplifier market leader Motorola Inc., Agere Systems Inc. has rolled out 21 transistors targeting the wireless base station space. Other players in the market include Philips, Infineon, STMicroelectronics ...
Wireless spending to rise, but data, spectrum remain challenges.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA Two new reports say wireless industry growth will continue to slow, warning that tough market conditions, uncertainty about data profitability and scarce spectrum will be major challenges for management in coming years. Wireless telecom spending ...
Hungary's Matav expects penetration to peak at 75%.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: ELIZABETH V. MOONEY Although 2002 "was a very difficult year'' because new landline competition squeezed profits, Matav, Hungary's incumbent carrier, rode the country's rising tide of wireless penetration and gained significantly in terms of mobile customers and ...
Western Wireless exec says USF debate to be as lively as UNE-P.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: ELIZABETH V. MOONEY The debate over universal service funds for wireless carriers is not likely to become as large as that over unbundled network elements, but it does promise to be as animated, said Donald Guthrie, vice chairman of Western Wireless Corp. ...
Siemens VC unit opens U.S. headquarters.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Siemens Mobile Acceleration, an early-stage wireless venture investor wholly owned by Siemens Information and Communication Mobile Group, Munich, Germany, has opened U.S. headquarters in San Jose, Calif. Gerald Brady, formerly director of 3i, a venture-capital firm specializing ...
Iospan ceases operations, assets bought.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Iospan Wireless, a provider of fixed wireless broadband antenna technology, has ceased operations and its assets have been acquired by Intel Corp. and PrimeWave ...
Alcatel snags 2 follow-on contracts.(Business)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Alcatel Alsthom announced two new mobile infrastructure contracts, one in Latin America and one in Europe. In Argentina, Telecom Personal, a subsidiary of Telecom Argentina, contracted Alcatel to extend its GSM/GPRS 1900 MHz network. The extension should be completed by mid-2003 ...
New government moves forward with PCS auction in Ecuador.(Global Wireless)
Mar 03, 2003 ... After several months of indecision caused by the change of presidents in Ecuador, Freddy Rodr!guez, the new head of the National Communications Council, said he will comply with the decision established by the previous administration. To that end, he will award by the middle of March the ...
Hutch rolls out CDMA service in Bangkok.(Global Wireless)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Hutchison CAT Wireless MultiMedia, a joint venture of Hutchison and the Thai government's Communications Authority of Thailand, has formally rolled out its CDMA mobile-phone service in Bangkok and the central provinces. However, CAT's network expansion project in areas other ...
Interference intuitions.(Opinion)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: Tracy Ford More than 600 documents were filed at the FCC telling the government how it should solve the problem with interference to public-safety systems in the 800 MHz band caused mostly by Nextel. It seems the commissioners must decide if the consensus plan ...
Powell seeks to use more auction revenues for TDF.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER The Telecommunications Development Fund, which uses the interest from upfront auction payments to help small businesses enter telecom, is underfunded and auction proceeds should be used to prop up the fund, said FCC Chairman Michael Powell. ...
Microsoft, Unicom to develop CDMA 1x business model.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Microsoft Corp. and China Unicom signed a memorandum of understanding to develop the business model and technology for cdma2000 1x services on the carrier's network. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Unicom President Wang Jianzhou reportedly signed the MoU. "The ...
Verizon launches all-in-one billing.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Verizon Communications Inc. launched its Veriations One-Bill service in Florida, allowing customers to consolidate their local, long-distance, wireless, digital subscriber line and optional services on one bill. "We know our customers want the ...
FCC sets deadline for 12.5 kHz migration.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... The Federal Communications Commission set deadlines for private-wireless and public-safety groups to migrate to more spectrally efficient equipment. Private-wireless licensees have a little less than 10 years, Jan. 1, 2013, to migrate to 12.5-kilohertz ...
LEC E911 duties should be clarified.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER The Federal Communications Commission probably needs to clarify the responsibilities local telephone companies have in deploying wireless enhanced 911 services, said Sam Feder, wireless legal adviser to FCC Commissioner Kevin Martin. ...
Judge sends RIM, NTP patent fight to mediation.(Late News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Adding a new twist to a complicated legal drama, a U.S. judge ruled Friday that Research In Motion Ltd. and NTP Inc. must try to come to an agreement over their heated patent battle, and that a magistrate judge will oversee those negotiations. However, U.S. District Court Judge ...
OSHA targets carriers, tower firms to cooperate more on safety.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: JEFFREY SILVA The Bush administration has put mobile-phone operators and tower owners on notice that their cooperation is needed on tower safety, reviving a push begun in the previous White House to reduce the high fatality rate in a construction sector that has fed off ...
Industry to write code of conduct.
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER The wireless industry may turn to a voluntary code of conduct in an effort to stave off increasing complaints by federal and state regulators concerned that customers are not getting a fair deal when they sign up for wireless service. ...
Bankrupt Devon Mobile to sell PCS assets.(Business)
Mar 03, 2003 ... As part of its bankruptcy filing, Devon Mobile Communications L.P. intends to sell all of its rights, title and interest in nine wireless licenses and related personal communications network in Pennsylvania to the highest and best offers it receives by March 7. The assets cover ...
U.S. Carriers - First Tier.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Editor's Note: The companies listed below represent the six first-tier wireless operators that control enough spectrum for a nationwide footprint and are ranked by their number of subscribers at the end of 2002. Subscriber additions and financial results were provided by company records ...
Interoperability key to Cisco WLAN.(Business)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: SAM OMATSEYE Cisco Systems Inc. has enlisted the support of big-name silicon suppliers for its new wireless LAN infrastructure known as Cisco Compatible Extensions program. And it is at no cost. The San Jose, Calif., company, which has staked much of its ...
Sprint PCS hikes prices.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: DAN MEYER After a year of intense pricing competition and the usual competitive increase during the all-important holiday shopping period, wireless carriers have pulled back on the price-cut reins in 2003, with most operators eliminating their holiday promotional options ...
Samsung could cash in on Matrix movie sequel with mysterious handset.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... The mysterious device Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. built for the upcoming "The Matrix: Reloaded'' movie due out in May also could be yours to own. Samsung confirmed its "Matrix'' phone not only will be a movie prop but also commercially available so fans of the movie can buy ...
Microtune takes Bluetooth back to its roots ... in five minutes.(Business)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: DAN MEYER Bluetooth industry critics have blamed the slow adoption of the wireless technology on the industry over-hyping the capabilities of Bluetooth-enabled products instead of getting products to market that fulfill the original cable replacement model Bluetooth was ...
Study: U.K. masts conform to guidelines.(Global Wireless)
Mar 03, 2003 ... A 12-month study of emissions from mobile-phone masts sponsored by the U.K. government has claimed that every mast analyzed conformed to international guidelines. During the past year, 109 sites in a variety of locations across the country have been examined. The highest level ...
Faith renewed in tower industry.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: EMILY MOTSAY Solid fourth-quarter and year-end 2002 financial results reported last week by tower giants American Tower Corp. and Crown Castle International Corp. reflect realistic re-evaluations of business plans and operational strategies, leading company executives ...
Vodafone details Telecel offer.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Vodafone Group plc announced details of its public offer for the outstanding shares of Portuguese operator Vodafone Telecel that it does not already own. The unconditional offer price is $9.17 for each share. The acceptance period begins March 3 and expires March 31. Results of ...
Navini deploys Liberty service in Panama.(News)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Liberty Technologies, which owns data, Internet and spectrum licenses covering the country, has deployed a non-line-of-site wireless broadband network using the ...
Ericsson creates IM interoperability program.(Business)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Wireless giant L.M. Ericsson said it created an interoperability test program for instant messaging and presence services and will ...
Nokia camera phone coming to U.S.(Business)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Wireless users in the United States soon will get to try out Nokia Corp.'s first camera phone for the U.S. market, the 3650. The company said it is shipping the device in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. "Bringing ...
Telefonica Moviles' Latin America income falls 15% in 2002.(Global Wireless)
Mar 03, 2003 ... The Latin American subsidiaries of Telefonica Moviles represented 25 percent of the company's income in 2002, or $2.4 billion, which was 14.7 percent less than the previous year. The area showing the worst result was Argentina, where billing fell 73 percent, from $761 million in 2001 to ...
Australia's Optus to launch trial 3G in July.(Global Wireless)
Mar 03, 2003 ... Australian mobile operator Optus will trial a third-generation network with up to 150 subscribers in July to gauge interest in 3G services. The announcement comes as the company launched video news and short messaging services this week at a cost of 46 U.S. cents per message. ...
Wireless StockWatch.(Business)
Mar 03, 2003 ... table: Wireless StockWatch * 3 graphics: Market ...
Relationship goes south; Sprint PCS affiliate files bankruptcy.
Mar 03, 2003 ... Byline: DAN MEYER Sprint PCS affiliate iPCS Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and blamed Sprint Corp. for a large part of its troubles. iPCS sued Sprint, alleging the telecom carrier breached its agreement that "significantly contributed to the severe ...
Vendors aim for extra revenues from licensing.(Business)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Byline: SAM OMATSEYE During the past two years, wireless companies have gravitated toward licensing as a business model that forces them to focus on their core competencies and ease the burdens that are inevitable in a soft economy. Qualcomm Inc. was one of the first ...
Benefon announces financing details to stave off bankruptcy.(News)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Finnish handset maker Benefon Oy announced details of a financing agreement that saves it from bankruptcy. NRJ International LLC would hold more than two-thirds of Benefon following the proposed transactions. NRJ is U.S.-based private holding company with global assets, ...
Siemens division to offer WhereNet location product.(News)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Siemens Automation and Drives Group announced it will begin selling location technology from WhereNet Corp., under a new deal between the two companies. Siemens will use the technology to expand its suite of radio-frequency identification systems to include wireless, real-time ...
Products.
Mar 10, 2003 ... Allgon Allgon released a new flexible distributed radio head solution that is multi-technology and multi-carrier. With the solution, carriers can implement high radio-quality networks with high data throughput, optimal for densely populated areas. www..com. Spotwave ...
CellStar reports fiscal-year loss.(Business)
Mar 10, 2003 ... CellStar Corp., a major distributor of wireless handsets and accessories, reported a net loss of $29.9 million, or $2.44 per share, and revenues of $2.2 billion for its 2002 fiscal year, which ended Nov. 30. During its fiscal year 2001, the company earned net income of $600 million, or 5 ...
Verizon Wireless acquires interest in Va. rural market.(Business)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Verizon Wireless completed its $37 million purchase of a controlling interest in a wireless network serving the Virginia #10B2 rural service area from Shenandoah Mobile Co. The area has about 198,000 potential customers. Verizon Wireless said the acquisition will allow it to ...
Esmertec offers Java virtual machine to interpret apps.(Business)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Byline: MIKE DANO The next phase of the wireless Java industry seems to be taking hold, just a few short years after the technology first made an appearance in the industry. The rapid evolution of Java and other application downloading technologies serves to illustrate the ...
Mobile-phone sales predicted to increase 10 percent in 2003.(Business)
Mar 10, 2003 ... A new report predicts mobile phones will become as prevalent as televisions and radios and that handset sales will continue to grow during the next five years. FastTrack Wireless Inc. predicts global handset sales this year will reach 446 million units, up 10 percent from the ...
Sprint PCS to sell LG 1200 clamshell phone.(News)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Sprint PCS will begin selling the new LG Mobile Phones 1200 for $130, the companies ...
Nokia, Metrowerks unveil developer kit.(Business)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Nokia Corp. said it has worked together with Metrowerks to unveil an all-in-one developer kit for the series 60 platform. "The new CodeWarrior Developer Kit for series ...
Carriers look for cheaper T1 alternatives.(Business)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Byline: SAM OMATSEYE Like wireless local area networks, which thrive on free spectrum, carriers are seeking ways to provide more services without digging deep into their depleting pocketbooks. Unlicensed microwave offers a new opportunity for wireless operators to ...
Palm lowers 3Q expectations.(News)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Palm Inc., days after announcing it will cut 19 percent of its work force, said it also expects its third-quarter results will be below its previous guidance. The company's stock was down about 10 percent following the news to about $10 per share. Palm said it expects revenues ...
AOL launches Mobile Music Club for mMode.(Business)
Mar 10, 2003 ... America Online Inc. launched its new Music Mobile Club on AT&T Wireless Services Inc.'s mMode wireless data service. The AOL Music Mobile Club allows AT&T subscribers to access news and information on popular and new artists, as well as buy related downloadable ring tones using ...
Content companies push forward with deals, releases.(News)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Byline: MIKE DANO News on the wireless content and application front continues to pour in, with a variety of companies announcing new deals and product releases. Wireless content company Summus Inc. said it scored a deal with board game company TriBond Enterprises to ...
Wireless Retail sells with store-in-a-store concept.(Business)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Byline: MIKE DANO Summing up the business focus and philosophy of his company, Chris Cagle explains: "Our people are well trained and know how to sell.'' Cagle is vice president of marketing and communications for Wireless Retail Inc., one of the nation's top five ...
Hutchison launches U.K. 3G service without handsets.(Global Wireless)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Although Hutchison Whampoa said it launched the first third-generation service in the United Kingdom on Monday, an appropriate date of 3-3-03 as its service is branded "3,'' it did so without having handsets available for sale. The operator instead took orders for handsets at its three ...
KPN considers MobilCom's German 3G assets.(News)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Dutch operator KPN Telecom is in talks regarding the acquisition of the third-generation mobile network of MobilCom, which has terminated its buildout plans. International press reports said both companies declined to provide details, including how much KPN would offer for MobilCom's ...
People.
Mar 10, 2003 ... Nextel Communications Inc. Nextel Communications Inc. promoted Thomas Kelly Jr. from executive vice president and chief marketing officer to executive vice president and chief operating officer. OPASTCO The Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of ...
Spectrum coordination at big show hopes to alleviate big headaches.(News)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Byline: DAN MEYER Along with all the visible preparation that will go into making the upcoming Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association show in New Orleans happen, an equally important invisible task will have to be accomplished before exhibitors can begin showing off ...
UTStarcom spends $100M on CommWorks unit.(Business)
Mar 10, 2003 ... In a cash transaction valued at $100 million, UTStarcom Inc. will purchase some of the assets of the CommWorks division of 3Com Corp., Santa Clara, Calif. The deal, which the companies expect to close within 120 days, calls for UTStarcom to acquire contracts, agreements, ...
Toshiba, Accenture say their biz model makes Wi-Fi make sense.(News)
Mar 10, 2003 ... Byline: ELIZABETH V. MOONEY The Computer Systems Group of Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. has thrown down the gauntlet, challenging companies like T-Mobile USA Inc., Wayport Inc. and the fledgling Cometa Networks to war over Wi-Fi. In preparation for its ...
Mexico's Cofetel approves P-Com radios for Mexican use.(News)
Mar 10, 2003 ... P-Com Inc. said its Encore Plus, a variable bandwidth, digital microwave radio, has been approved for use by telecom operators in Mexico by the ...