January 2006

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Motorola Inc. purchased Texas-based Wireless Valley Communications, a privately held company that creates software for designing and managing wireless networks including cellular, RFID, Wi-Fi, WiMAX and mesh. Motorola purchased the …

Personal computer? Check. High-speed Internet? Got it. Cell phone? Definitely. The checklist of high-tech gadgets and services that Americans can’t live without keeps getting longer, a recent Associated Press poll …

Comptel Corp., which provides network management services and software, has announced an agreement to supply its services to Easterbrooke Cellular Corp., a mobile service provider in central West Virginia. Easterbrooke …

DALLAS-Texas Instruments Inc. plans to purchase ZigBee chip designer Chipcon, which creates chips used in short-range, low-power wireless radio frequency devices such as wireless keyboards. TI said it plans to …

NEW YORK-Verizon Communications Inc. said it has completed all the state, federal and international approvals needed to close on its acquisition of MCI. The company recently received its final necessary …

I have fond memories of getting a beautiful red record player for Christmas one year when I was in elementary school. It wasn’t the cool one that only played the …

LANCASTER, U.K.-Monstermob Group plc said it plans to spend $27 million to acquire Mobicon, a Russian wireless content provider. U.K.-based Monstermob, which sells mobile game, images and ringtones, is looking …

SAN FRANCISCO-Content provider Mobileplay launched an advertising-driven service that delivers free games, news, weather and other offerings to personal digital assistants and smart phones. Microsoft Office and Volvo Cars of …

Verizon Wireless is expected to make headlines once again at the International Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas, unveiling a full-track mobile music download service. The carrier, which …

Nokia Corp. will showcase its wares at every CompUSA Inc. location by March, the companies said. Nokia, which already has a presence in about 200 CompUSA stores, said it plans …

If Amp’d Mobile Inc.’s bargain-basement full-track download music service was designed to get attention, it’s working. The recently launched mobile virtual network operator made headlines a few weeks ago when …

LOS ANGELES-Good News Holdings L.L.C. and faith-based research firm The Barna Group Ltd. launched a portal offering wireless content including ringtones, Bible verses and video clips. The companies unveiled FaithMobile, …

SAN DIEGO-Qualcomm Inc. will team with KDDI Corp. to explore broadcasting wireless video programming to subscribers of the Japanese operator. The companies will establish MediaFlo Japan Planning Inc., a joint …

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.-InterDigital Communications Corp. scored another court victory as a New York judge confirmed a ruling that calls for Nokia Corp. to pay InterDigital around $250 million for …

WASHINGTON-Lynch Interactive Corp. again vehemently denied any wrongdoing in its activities with mobile-phone auctions. The company performed bidding and auction administrative services for a variety of bidders in recent years. …

WASHINGTON-The Electronic Frontier Foundation blasted a federal judge’s decision to give the Department of Justice access to cell-phone location information. The ruling appears to be within the scope of the …

Growth of the wireless location-pinpointing industry is evident with a flurry of company announcements. Boston-based Skyhook Wireless said it raised $6.5 million in its first round of Series B financing. …

With U.S. operators in the midst of building out 3G networks, wireless firms from around the world are heeding the words of Neil Diamond: They’re coming to America. But, like …

When Cingular Wireless L.L.C. bought AT&T Wireless Services Inc. in 2004, creating the nation’s largest cellular carrier, Verizon Wireless found itself handing over its title belt as the U.S. heavyweight …