Siemens AG announced it won a contract with Germany’s E-Plus to expand its GSM/GPRS network. The two-year contract is worth a “two-digit million euro amount,” Siemens said. Siemens will install GSM base stations and necessary components to offer GPRS services. The expansion will increase E-Plus’ network capacity and complete overall coverage. Siemens’ framework contract with E-Plus has been extended until 2013, Siemens said.
Leap Wireless International Inc. completed the sale of 15 megahertz of wireless spectrum covering Idaho Falls and Twin Falls, Idaho, to Edge Acquisitions L.L.C. for $3.25 million. Leap’s subsidiary Cricket Licensee Inc. had previously entered into a license acquisition agreement with Edge. Leap, which filed for Chapter 11-bankruptcy protection earlier this year, added that its bankruptcy court approved the sale Sept. 9 following the solicitation of competing bids.
T-Mobile USA Inc. reported a deal with Kinko’s that will expand the carrier’s HotSpot Wi-Fi service into nearly 170 Kinko’s locations by the end of October and more than 1,100 Kinko’s locations nationwide by April. T-Mobile USA is the largest Wi-Fi hot-spot provider with more than 2,800 active hot spots. It has plans for approximately 4,000 locations by the end of this year. “Our internal research shows that 88 percent of T-Mobile HotSpot usage is for business purposes, and our partnership with Kinko’s is yet another example that T-Mobile is the clear choice for businesspeople,” said Joe Sims, vice president and general manager of T-Mobile HotSpot.
L.M. Ericsson said it has signed a contract to embed its Bluetooth platform in the products of STMicroelectronics. The platform, which is known as Q-E1, offers such features as fast connection times, enhanced voice quality and advanced frequency hopping for improved coexistence with other wireless technologies.
Philips Electronics said it plans to cut 180 jobs next year owing to a challenging market atmosphere, tight competition and an unfavorable exchange rate between the euro and U.S. dollar.
