July 2005

WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission appears close to approving the proposed $35 billion merger between Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc., though it remains unclear whether the agency will impose any …

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 …

DALLAS-The U.S. International Trade Commission has ended its investigation of Nortel Networks Ltd. for allegedly infringing on Ciena Corp.’s patents. The decision follows a recently issued preliminary injunction by the …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-L.M. Ericsson and Sharp Corp. have extended their cooperation and signed license agreements for the U250, a W-CDMA/GPRS handset platform, and G250, a GPRS platform. “We are very happy …

WASHINGTON-Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell (R) signed into law legislation banning driver use of handheld cell phones, while a similar prohibition is set go into effect tomorrow in Chicago. Connecticut …

U.S. Cellular Corp. joined the push-to-talk fray with the launch of its SpeedTalk service, which operates on the carrier’s CDMA2000 1x data network that is available across its 25-state coverage …

Verizon Wireless is offering a mobile blogging application to its subscribers under an agreement announced Thursday. The carrier launched Rabble, a mobile blogging application from Intercasting Corp. designed to allow …

OCALA, Fla.—Mobile-phone recycling company RMS Communications Group Inc. made two announcements this week. The company’s RecycleForUS.com phone recycling initiative began operations at the beginning of this month. The industry-funded national …

CHICAGO—Pctel Inc. said it has acquired all the shares of Dublin-based Sigma Wireless Technologies Ltd. from Sigma Communications Group Ltd. SWT develops antennas for public-safety applications as well as for …

OSLO, Norway—Opera Software released the latest version of its Opera Web browser for Windows Mobile. Opera 8 supports all major Web standards, including CSS2, DOM 2 and JavaScript, said the …

TOKYO—NEC Corp. said it has developed an i-mode phone for Greek operator Cosmote. The N600i is the company’s first i-mode terminal for an operator outside Japan. The device is a …

NOTTINGHAM, England—Esendex, which provides business text-messaging solutions, said it launched subsidiaries in Spain and Australia. The company said the launches mark the beginning of its overseas’ expansion strategy. The company’s …

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.—Following months of speculation, the Walt Disney Co. finally announced plans to launch a family-oriented wireless service using Sprint Corp.’s nationwide network. The Walt Disney Internet Group, which …

Bluefire supports new Palm OS versions BALTIMORE, Md.—Bluefire Security Technologies, which develops security solutions for mobile handheld devices, announced support for Palm Operating System versions 5.4.5 and 5.2.1. The company …

NEW YORK—Technological advances are leaving wireline providers increasingly vulnerable to competition from wireless operators, according to a report released this week by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. The study indicates that while …

LONDON—Mobile content will explode into a $9 billion industry in the next 12 months, according to a study released Wednesday by LogicaCMG. The survey of 6,000 users in four global …

COSTA MESA, Calif.—The CDMA Development Group said it has signed a cooperation agreement with the TD-SCDMA Forum to develop joint market opportunities for CDMA2000 and TD-SCDMA technologies and work together …

WASHINGTON—Broadcom Corp. filed an antitrust lawsuit against Qualcomm Inc., a move closely following the company’s patent infringement complaint against the San Diego-based firm in what appears to signify a strategic …

OKLAHOMA CITY—Dobson Communications Corp. said it has successfully completed and closed its offer to exchange up to $250 million principal amount of the 8.375 percent first priority senior secured notes …

BEDMINSTER, N.J.—Flarion Technologies Inc. reported a trial deployment of its Flash-OFDM technology by Japan Telecom Co. Ltd. and Tohoku University’s Research Center in Sendai, Japan, that will include seamless roaming …

ESPOO, Finland—Nokia Corp. is teaming with Abertis Telecom and Telefonica Moviles Espana on a live mobile TV service in Spain, the companies said this week. The project, which is backed …

COLOGNE, Germany—Forum Nokia PRO continued to expand this week, welcoming German content provider MEF Mobile Entertainment Factory GmbH to its ranks, the global developer community said Wednesday. Forum Nokia PRO, …

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department today said Alltel Corp. must divest wireless assets in Arkansas, Kansas and Nebraska in order to win government approval of its proposed $6 billion purchase of Western …

WASHINGTON-Telecom and high-tech lobbyists will have little time to savor Senate passage of the Central America Free Trade Agreement, with the upcoming House vote too close to call. The Senate’s …

KIRKLAND, Wash.-Nextel Partners Inc. delivered a Notice Invoking Alternate Dispute Resolution Process to Nextel Communications Inc. under its joint-venture agreement signed between the two companies in early 1999. According to …