Wireless Week back issues from December 2005:
The day the music dies: Sony's goof may signal DRM's swan song and open the floodgates for new wireless music companies such as Sprint's Music Store.(Editorial)
Dec 01, 2005; ... For five long years, the music industry has been seeking the solution to digital rights management (DRM). What has been lacking is an anti-piracy solution that pleases the industry without treating every CD music customer like hacking, back-alley criminals. And Sony BMG's recent DRM ...
Barbed wireless.(UpFront)(Cartoon)
Dec 01, 2005 ... THE EVOLUTION OF THE BANK ROBBERY 1880s 1950s 1970s 1980s I ...
Music strikes chord with mobility: as music downloads take off, the link between the music labels and the operators is provided by a new group of technology companies.(Cover Story)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Some might call it a state of panic. The music industry realized a few years ago that the popularity of digital music is quickly transforming how people buy and listen to songs. Now they're looking to the wireless industry as a kind of savior. "We're going to have to change," ...
Cable's inroads in mobile TV: Sprint Nextel's deal with a consortium of cable operators includes leveraging video content. What does this mean for the existing mobile video ecosystem?
Dec 01, 2005; ... The co-mingling of wireless and cable took a more unified step last month when Sprint Nextel announced it is working with a consortium of cable operators, including Comcast, Time Warner and Cox Communications. Initially the cable operators will bundle Sprint's voice services with their ...
Content ratings: "V" is for voluntary: FCC commissioners applauded CTIA's guidelines for wireless content, but carriers that already have systems in place are not rushing to adopt them.(Federal Communications Commission)(Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association)
Dec 01, 2005; ... WASHINGTON -- CTIA last month unveiled its Wireless Content Guidelines, a voluntary pledge by the industry to provide tools and controls to manage wireless content as more advanced services enter the market. The guidelines define two categories, generally accessible content and restricted ...
Lessons in spectrum sharing: argument over surveillance device illustrates thorniness of shared spectrum.(Service Providers)
Dec 01, 2005; ... WASHINGTON -- The old adage, share and share alike" might e good for the school playground, but it doesn't always translate in the world of unlicensed spectrum. Increasingly, the FCC is facing thorny questions about what should be allowed for use in the shared bands and what ...
Costs related to health suits to soar: U.S. Supreme Court ruling leaves lingering marks on manufacturers and carriers.(Business)
Dec 01, 2005; ... WASHINGTON -- The collective bill for fighting class-action lawsuits related to the alleged health effects from cell phone radiation is growing even larger. That's in part because the U.S. Supreme Court refused to throw out a set of class-action suits against wireless phone ...
Control = choice.(access control of content by telecommunications industry)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Every day, wireless services are becoming a more integral part of people's day-to-day lives. End users of all ages are using wireless devices to do more than carry on voice conversations. Their devices have evolved from cell phones into voice capable mini-computers that allow them to ...
Hearing-aid compatibility put to the test: a technical snarl involving GSM handset testing has prompted waivers to the FCC's hearing aid compatibility requirements as the industry works to solve the problem.(Technology)
Dec 01, 2005; ... The wireless industry has been working for some time to provide handsets that are compatible with hearing aids used by a growing number of Americans, but recently it ran into something of a technology hangup. A problem revolving around how handsets are scored for heating-aid ...
GPS gains traction in U.S., overseas: chipmakers say operators worldwide are incorporating GPS into their handsets, indicating that location-based applications will become more prevalent.(Global Positioning System technology)
Dec 01, 2005; ... GPS technology was once heralded for its location-tracking abilities and its viability as an E911 solution. Many U.S. operators, including Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel and Alltel, already use GPS as a way to meet the FCC-mandated E911 safety requirements. But today GPS chipsets are ...
Keeping an eye on convicts: if federal officials had been using a GPS/CDMA tracking device, they would have known where Martha Stewart was going.(iSECUREtrac develops personal tracking unit used to track parolees)(Global Positioning System)(Code Division Multiplexing Access)
Dec 01, 2005; ... When Martha Stewart got out of prison last March 4, she had to wear an accessory not normally part of a style maven's couture--an ankle bracelet that monitored the time she came and went from her house. Stewart had to wear it because she was under house arrest as part of her conviction for ...
MMA balances privacy & reach: the mobile marketing channel is making strides when it comes to balancing consumer privacy with delivering a personalized marketing message to consumers.(Content & Apps)
Dec 01, 2005; ... For big brands, the mobile phone represents enormous potential unlike any other marketing channel. The mobile phone gives companies the ability to reach consumers in an interactive and personal fashion. But those same characteristics that make the mobile phone a desirable marketing channel ...
OmniTRACS keeps on trucking: Qualcomm is gearing up to upgrade its first product with a colorful interface and new application capabilities.(QUALCOMM Inc. is developing OmniVision, wireless logistic device for transportation industry)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Back in 1988, when CDMA technology was still like a vision of a sugar plum dancing in Qualcomm founder Irwin Jacobs' head, Qualcomm was making money on a more basic wireless service--a satellite-based logistics system for the transportation industry. That business, OmniTRACS, ...
Carriers flirt with SLAs: Sprint threw down the gauntlet over a year ago by launching service level agreements, but so far, few operators have followed.(Enterprise)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Getting traction for big corporate wireless contracts takes a little more finesse than delivering plain-old-vanilla service and regular quality-of-service offerings. For some, it takes tailored service level agreements (SLAs) to get their attention. Big telecom users, such as ...
Go figure.(ALLTEL Corp. purchases Midwest Wireless Communications)(number of consumers who uses cell phones)(number of users who uses global systems for mobile based cell phones)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... 6% India's expected wireless penetration rate in 2009, according to the Yankee Group. 20M EV-DO users worldwide by year's end, according to the CDMA Development Group's forecast. $1B Alltel's purchase price of Midwest Wireless, ...
Panel favors Treo 650.(By the Numbers)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... The PalmOne Treo 650 ranked the highest-rated converged device in the United States, narrowly edging the Samsung i730 into second place and also beating the UTStarcom PPC6600 and BlackBerry 7100. That's according to Strategy Analytics' Advanced Wireless User Panel. The PalmOne ...
SOHO WLAN growth slows.(small office/home office wireless LANs market share)(cell phone roaming charges)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Sales in small office/home office (SOHO) WLAN equipment grew only 2 percent in the third quarter, much slower than the 10-plus percentage increases posted in the third quarters of 2004 and 2003, according to Dell'Oro Group. That's because the SOHO WLAN market is seeing more competition ...
Average cell phone charges by plan calling area.(By the Numbers)
Dec 01, 2005 ... <Pre> Average Cell Phone Charges by Plan Calling Area (Q3 2005) Plan Type Local or NationalNational Regional ...
Survey uncovers unhappy shoppers.(By the Numbers)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Consumers are not too satisfied with their wireless retail shopping experiences, according to an NPD Group report, which found that only 24 percent of recent mobile phone purchasers had an "excellent" or "good" experience at a carrier-owned store. While NPD's survey confirms that a ...
Less landline = more wireless.(By the Numbers)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Between 23 percent and 37 percent of U.S. wireless subscribers will use a wireless phone as their primary phone by 2009, predicts Research and Markets. About 9.4 percent of U.S. wireless subscribers already use a wireless phone as their primary phone, and compared with earlier surveys, ...
Top-selling Bluetooth phones (October 2005).(by the numbers)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... 1. Motorola RAZR V3 Phone 2. palmOne Treo 650 PDA Phone 3. Motorola V330 TMO to Go Prepaid Phone 4. Motorola V551 Phone 5. LG VX8100 EV-DO Phone 6. Audiovox SMT5600 Smartphone 7. Motorola MPx220 ...
Lessons from Japan: unlike the United States, Japan does not auction spectrum. Instead, it issues licenses based on proposals submitted by companies and charges an annual fee based on usage and other criteria designed to push the technology envelope. Is it working?
Dec 01, 2005; ... During a recent trip to Asia, I met with the director of Japan's Radio Policy for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). The purpose of this meeting was to better understand Japan's spectrum management and, specifically, to understand the reasons behind its recent award ...
EE turned Bluetooth SIG director.(PROFILE: Mike Foley: Engineer Brings Creativity To Different Kind of Role)
Dec 01, 2005; ... MIKE FOLEY Engineer Brings Creativity To Different Kind of Role When you're in a foreign land, speaking the native language can make a world of difference. Although Mike Foley isn't exactly a stranger in a strange land, his education and his current job ...
LBA Technology.(On The Move)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Former Harris Corporation executive GLENN ...
Digital Chocolate.(On The Move)
Dec 01, 2005 ... GARY SCHOFIELD took the job of vice president of worldwide sales at Digital Chocolate. He previously was vice president, worldwide ...
Jamdat Mobile.(On The Move)
Dec 01, 2005 ... BOB ANIELLO was appointed vice president of marketing at Jamdat Mobile. Before Jamdat, he spent five years at Mattel, ...
Brightpoint.(On The Move)
Dec 01, 2005 ... KARI-PEKKA WILSKA was named to the board of Brightpoint. He is a ...
LHS.(On The Move)
Dec 01, 2005 ... WOLFGANG KROH will return to LHS as COO in January. He has been at storage solutions ...
Mobi PCS.(appointment of Ed Kurzenski, Barry Rinaldo, Jim McWhirter)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Three telecom industry veterans joined Hawaii-based Mobi PCS. ED KURZENSKI was named vice president and chief technical officer; JIM MCWHIRTER, vice president, sales and marketing; and BARRY RINALDO, vice president and CFO. Kurzenski has held ...
mobZilla.(On The Move)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Former AOL Radio executive RON NENNI joined mobZilla as ...
Scoot over, Western Union.(OFFBEAT / MONEY MATTERS)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005; ... If you need to transfer money fast, there's always Western Union. But if you want to transfer funds even faster and save a little more of that money, Scoot Mobile Money says it can get the job done. Scoot Mobile Money offers a 21st-century alternative to Western Union's ...
Getting the Gift of Gab – and More.
Dec 15, 2005; ... By Sue Marek PDAs, music phones and handsets specifically for children are hitting retail stores just in time for the holiday buying season. Maggie Simpson doesn't know it yet, but there's a fancy new wireless phone sitting under the Christmas tree for her - it's a ...
Open Deck Prospects.(wireless carriers provide mobile internet services)
Dec 15, 2005; ... By Sue Marek Carriers are starting to resuscitate their mobile Web browsing with better user interfaces and easier navigation. It's been more than six years since the industry began tossing around the phrases "wireless Web" and "mobile Internet." When the wireless ...
SIMs, Super Sized.(subscriber identity module)
Dec 15, 2005; ... By Karen Brown Improvements may give SIMs expanded capabilities, but questions remain about execution in the market. Multimedia content literally may be in the cards for GSM subscribers. That's because the subscriber identity module (SIM) card, which has ...
Battle No. 1: Pushing Back States.(regulating wireless carriers at state and federal level)
Dec 15, 2005; ... By Mark Rockwell As the industry matures, it finds itself continuing the biggest battle: fighting off state-by-state regulation in favor of a light federal touch. Can it win? WASHINGTON-Talk about dodging one bullet only to confront another. The wireless industry has ...
Nokia Keeps Up Enterprise Push.
Dec 15, 2005; ... By Brad Smith The Finnish company has taken a number of aggressive steps recently to energize its enterprise offerings. For much of the two years since it was established, Nokia's Enterprise Solutions business unit has focused primarily on devices and VPN or firewall ...
U.K. Exec Takes on Warner Challenge.(Billy Wright)
Dec 15, 2005; ... By Sue Marek Billy Wright, Wireless VP Brings European Content Expertise The sunny skies, warm temperatures and glitz and glamour of Los Angeles are a stark contrast to London. But for former Orange executive Billy Wright, a native of the United Kingdom, uprooting his ...
On The Move.(LimeLife)(Brief Article)
Dec 15, 2005 ... By Staff Eileen Mercilliot joined LimeLife as vice president, channel sales, and Erica Chriss was named vice president of business development. Mercilliot joins LimeLife from Nextel Communications' content division and before that, she was managing director for CTIA subsidiary ...
Wallpapers with a Purpose.(mistletoe from Moderati)(Brief Article)
Dec 15, 2005; ... By Monica Alleven If you don't have the real thing handy, Moderati will let you have the next best thing: mistletoe wallpaper. In fact, the creative minds at the wallpaper/ringtone supplier say the mobile version is even better. Mistletoe is actually a parasitic ...
From Bundles to the Backoffice, Carriers Need to Align Strategies.
Dec 15, 2005; ... By Augusto Morais Carriers face a challenging task: Aligning yesterday's operations with today's leading strategies. These days, telecom executives are finding themselves in the business of bundles. By creating new and innovative mixes of product and service ...
Go Figure.(Brief Article)
Dec 15, 2005 ... By Staff 16 Markets in which Cingular Wireless initially will offer its Broadband Connect service using high-speed downlink packet data access (HSDPA) and UMTS. $1.3M Dobson Cellular Systems' bill for acquiring rights to the Cellular One brand from Alltel. ...
Top 10 Mobile Game Titles.(Brief Article)
Dec 15, 2005 ... By Staff <Pre>Top 10 Mobile Game Titles ------------------------------------------------ Title Publisher 1 World Poker Tour - Texas Hold 'Em MForma 2 Jamdat Mahjong Jamdat 3 Bejeweled ...
Ahead: More Wireless Replacing Landline.(Brief Article)
Dec 15, 2005 ... By Staff It's time for those 2006 predictions, and Gartner has some that go even beyond that. Here are a few findings from the firm's annual research: Cellular handsets will continue to replace traditional phones. By 2010, 30 percent of U.S. homes will use only ...
Customer Service Still Needs Work.(Brief Article)
Dec 15, 2005 ... By Staff Attention customer service representatives: Check that attitude. According to a survey by In-Stat, a sister company to Wireless Week , the attitude of customer service reps matters when it comes to customers' perceptions of their carriers. Hold times, service policies ...
African Americans, Hispanics Lead Way in Mobile Culture.
Dec 15, 2005 ... By Staff If you want to know where mobile technology is going in North America, look no further than the African American and Hispanic markets, says Toronto-based Solutions Research Group. Similar to their impact on music, entertainment and sports, these markets are ...
Leaving the "Island".(wireless carriers should adopt better pricing model)
Dec 15, 2005; ... By Mark Lowenstein As the industry moves to more video and audio, it can do a better job making content simple, flexible, ad-friendly and relevant. This has been a seminal autumn in the history of entertainment and media content, and there will be important long-term ...
Alltel's Burgeoning Footprint.(Alltel Communications Co.'s wireless service )
Dec 15, 2005; ... By Sue Marek The No. 5 operator is growing through acquisitions but still maintaining its core focus - offering wireless service to consumers and businesses in small cities and rural America. Like a kid in a candy shop selecting his favorite treats, Alltel ...
For Qualcomm, the Buzz Is Concurrence.
Dec 15, 2005; ... By Brad Smith CDMA pioneer wants to take the focus off competing air interface technologies and put the emphasis on enabling apps. For an industry founded on science and technology, the wireless industry pays a great deal of attention to words, which often become ...
Taking BREW Apart.(binary run-time environment for wireless)
Dec 15, 2005; ... By Brad Smith Qualcomm's content delivery engine originally was a complete end-to-end system, but by unbundling the various pieces of the platform, it has gained traction with non-BREW carriers. Qualcomm's BREW technology has been recognized since its inception ...
IP in the Wireless Network.(internet protocol)
Dec 15, 2005; ... By Elliott Drucker Using IP for various network functions depends on economics and reliability. Most of the technology focus in wireless networks is on the wireless part: the air interface between mobile terminals and base stations. In the fierce battle for market ...
Going Phishing.
Dec 15, 2005; ... By Karen Brown Enterprise IT managers face increased wireless intrusion threats from a new breed of hacking anglers. For corporate IT managers, keeping their company's wireless systems safe is a growing challenge given the scores of new, malicious hacker hooks ...
MVNOs, ARPU & RIM-lessness.(mobile virtual network operators, average revenue per unit, Research In Motion)
Dec 15, 2005 ... By Rhonda Wickham, Editor-in-Chief 2005 has been the year of MVNOs. Their number is verging on legion with new players repackaging and reselling airtime on wireless networks. Watching the ever-increasing number of new MVNOs emerge, I wonder how many more "interest groups" can ...