January 2006

SAN DIEGO-Qualcomm Inc. announced it has acquired Berkana Wireless Inc., a wireless chip designer, for $56 million in cash. Silicon Valley-based Berkana provides metal oxide semiconductor radio frequency integrated circuits, …

WASHINGTON-Brian Kidney, CTIA’s chief operating officer, is leaving the wireless trade association, CTIA confirmed to RCR Wireless News. “Brian Kidney and CTIA President Steve Largent had different management styles and …

WALL, N.J.-Centennial Communications Corp.’s earnings plummeted in its second quarter, despite an increase in revenue. The carrier reported $8.2 million in income from continuing operations during the quarter, compared with …

SUNNYVALE, Calif.-Trimble Navigation Ltd. acquired Advanced Public Safety Inc. in an all-cash transaction, the companies announced. APS is a privately held company based in Deerfield Beach, Fla., that develops mobile …

LAS VEGAS-Verizon Wireless is offering Palm Inc.’s Treo 700w smart phone running Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Mobile operating system for use on its EV-DO network. Verizon, Palm and Microsoft last year …

TAMPA, Fla.-Syniverse Technologies Inc., which provides technology services to wireless communications companies, has renewed a multi-year contract with Alltel Corp to provide clearing and settlement services. Syniverse will provide Alltel …

WASHINGTON-The top U.S. business lobbying group today said it will advocate for better governance of the nation’s airwaves and for modern telecom laws. In its 2006 State of American Business, …

ARLINGTON, Va.-Factory sales of consumer electronics will reach a new high of $135.4 billion this year in the United States, according to the Consumer Electronics Association, with wireless handset sales …

LAS VEGAS-Ultra-Wideband chipmaker Staccato Communications announced $18 million in its third round of venture funding. Intel Capital’s Digital Home Fund and Vision Capital led the round, while the company’s existing …

HOUSTON-Crown Castle International Corp.’s subsidiary, Crown Castle Mobile Media L.L.C., said it plans to use its tower network and its unencumbered spectrum rights to launch live mobile TV to the …

WASHINGTON-The National Association of Theatre Owners is considering asking the Federal Communications Commission to allow theaters to install equipment that would jam mobile-phone signals, but the trade group has yet …

WASHINGTON-CTIA told the Federal Communications Commission that the agency should focus on reforming the intercarrier-compensation system rather than attempting to snuff out so-called “phantom traffic.” Phantom traffic is network activity …

ATLANTA-ThinkPad notebook computers will have built-in support for Cingular Wireless L.L.C.’s BroadbandConnect network, according to plans from Cingular and computer manufacturer Lenovo. The preconfigured notebooks are expected to be available …

By Doug Halonen Republican Deborah Taylor Tate and Democrat Michael Copps were officially sworn in as commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. Tate’s …

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office awarded a patent to Google Inc. for a technology that makes more data exchanges possible at faster speeds on a CDMA-based wireless network. …

SAN FRANCISCO-Razz headset vendor Phonebites Inc. announced a new partnership with Strax as well as a licensing agreement for audio clips from the cult hit “Napoleon Dynamite.” Phonebites said it …

NEW YORK-Mobile content distribution company Kargo has unveiled plans for a content portal called FeverMobile.com, which is designed to serve as a superstore for consumers to download games, images and …

DURHAM, N.C.-Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications L.P. said it will use Motricity Inc. to power its Sony Ericsson Application Shop, a site for third-party application developers to sell applications developed for …

CONCORD, Mass.-A Massachusetts company has developed a product that allows mobile-phone users to project images from their phone onto a personal computer for presentations and demonstrations. Project-a-Phone Inc.’s product attaches …

LAS VEGAS-Motorola Inc.’s next music-centric phone will support its new iRadio service but not Apple Computer Inc.’s iTunes software, the company announced. The handset manufacturer said its upcoming music subscription …

MELBOURNE, Fla.-Antenna vendor SkyCross announced it scored $14 million in its latest funding round. TL Ventures led the round. SkyCross, which sells antennas for mobile phones, PC data cards and …

TUCSON, Ariz.-Cell Wireless Corp. is set to acquire EzTel L.L.C., a Voice over Internet Protocol wireless broadband and long-distance provider, according to a contingent contract between the companies. Mississippi-based EzTel …

KUALA LAMPUR, Malaysia-Maxis Communications Berhad of Malaysia and its Indian Joint Venture Company, JVC, plan to acquire Indian mobile carrier Aircel Ltd. The two companies agreed to spend $1.08 billion …

OSAKA, Japan-Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. said it entered the wireless broadband arena through a partnership with last-mile wireless broadband technology provider Soma Networks Inc. The companies said they will jointly …

DELRAY BEACH, Fla.-Human RFID chipmaker VeriChip Corp. said it filed for an initial public offering. The company did not release information on the number of shares it will release or …