August 2005

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-Verizon Wireless said it plans to expand its nationwide network into Little Rock, Ark., beginning Nov. 1. As part of the expansion, the carrier said it will spend …

WASHINGTON-Within hours of telling reporters that he expected to fill “current open positions” during the month of August, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin named Bruce Franca chief of the FCC’s Office …

SK-Earthlink’s plans to launch a mobile virtual network operator service have been pushed back until at least early next year, but despite the delay, the company is not scaling back …

As the wireless industry and others that provide content and value in the supply chain wrestle with digital rights management in the age of the third screen, those same players …

LAUREL, Md.-Verizon Wireless said it will hire more than 300 customer service representatives to help staff a new $22 million Maryland call center about 12 miles from the company’s regional …

Included in discussions about efforts to reform telecom at the federal level is debate about whether cities should be banned from offering Wi-Fi services. But frankly, the issue is too …

Qualcomm Inc. augmented its wireless reach with the $600 million acquisition of OFDM technology startup Flarion Technologies Inc., a move that pushes the company beyond its CDMA roots and gives …

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-Alltel Corp. reported that its newly acquired Western Wireless International Austria Corp. subsidiary has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Austrian business Tele.ring Telekom Service GmbH …

Nortel Networks Ltd. seems to have emerged from under a financial cloud that has haunted it in recent years. The company recorded net earnings of $45 million, or 1 cent …

Motorola Inc. will score $4.4 billion in accumulated earnings in the third and fourth quarters thanks to a federal tax incentive. The company said the incentive will add $200 million …

BOSTON-American Tower Corp. completed its merger with SpectraSite Inc., creating a combined company with more than 21,500 wireless towers, more than 400 broadcast towers and nearly 100 in-building sites. Stockholders …

Jason Ford can walk through any mall in the United States without eliciting a second glance. But in the tiny universe that is wireless gaming, he may as well be …

COPENHAGEN, Denmark-Anritsu Corp. signed an agreement with Axcel, the Danish investment firm that owns NetTest, to acquire NetTest, a global network monitoring systems and field use test products provider. In …

ORLAND PARK, Ill.-Andrew Corp. signed an agreement to provide its location technology to Nokia Corp.’s GSM network base station subsystem customers and to license certain Nokia technologies that will be …

The battle for wireless customers between the industry’s No. 1 operator Cingular Wireless L.L.C. and No. 2 Verizon Wireless is set to move into the rapidly expanding hybrid-plan market segment. …

MIAMI-Hispanic-targeted prepaid service Movida said it will launch a suite of information services next month. The 6-month-old service said it will offer regional news programming, Latin American soccer scores, celebrity …

WASHINGTON-A group of 14 Democratic House members led by Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) asked the Federal Communications Commission to reject a wireless-industry petition that would prohibit state regulation of early-termination …

TORONTO-Shares of software developer 724 Solutions Inc. tumbled Wednesday after the company hinted it could lose a key contract with Sprint PCS. In a press release regarding the company’s second-quarter …

Rumors are circulating that Nokia Corp. is planning a major public offensive against Qualcomm Inc. over royalty rates for W-CDMA mobile phones. Those in the industry believe Nokia is hoping …

WASHINGTON-Continental Airlines Inc. is fighting an order from the Massachusetts Port Authority that Continental discontinue its free Wi-Fi service inside its Presidents Club at Boston’s Logan International Airport, saying the …

America Online Inc. is stepping up its move into the wireless industry with the acquisition of privately held software developer Wildseed Ltd., the Internet giant announced last week. Terms of …

To the Editor, I know it’s been a long time since we’ve conversed, but I read your most recent RCR Opinion piece (“Telecom reform dejà vu” in Aug. 1 issue) …

Following is information on wireless companies that had ratings changes and other news from investment banking and financial services firms this week. Moody’s Investors Service Inc. upgraded the long-term senior …

Sprint Corp. closed on its $35 billion acquisition of Nextel Communications Inc. in a deal that will strengthen its position as the industry’s third-largest wireless operator with nearly 40 million …

NEW YORK-Star Trek fans will soon be able to access themed content through a branded phone modeled on the communicators used in the 1960s TV show. Sona Mobile Inc. will …