January 2006

Big brands and high-powered advertising agencies are stampeding to wireless in an effort to snuggle up next to consumers. But they’re finding that effective mobile marketing usually means more than …

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-Alltel Corp. launched a new iteration of its prepaid phone service, dubbed “U.” Users of the U prepaid service can pay by the minute, day or month. Pay-per-minute …

You’d think Chuck Schumer, the Democratic New York senator actually from New York, would have been so busy trying to pin down Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito on issues near …

SAN JOSE, Calif.-A 1,500 square-mile high-speed wireless data network covering Silicon Valley is being planned by the area’s civic and business leaders. A coalition called Smart Valley agreed to begin …

NEW YORK-Shuffle Master Inc. made a $3 million private equity investment in Sona Mobile Holdings Corp. via the purchase of 2.3 million shares of common stock, the companies announced. Sona …

WASHINGTON-A technology expert warned last week that if Congress authorizes the Federal Communications Commission to require a broadcast flag in digital TV transmissions, the FCC could wind up as a …

NEW YORK-Though Verizon Communications Inc. executives say that they have received no official notice that Vodafone Group plc is ready to sell its 45-percent stake in Verizon Wireless, they made …

LOS ANGELES-Move aside Barbie, Bratz now have their own mobile phones. MGA Entertainment-the company behind the Bratz “fashion dolls”-announced it will sell a Bratz-branded mobile phone through select Wal-Mart locations …

The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms. Carriers Robert W. Baird raised its 2006 estimates on BellSouth …

NEWARK, N.J.-IDT Corp. said Detroit-based GVC Networks L.L.C. bought its Winstar subsidiaries, which provide telecommunications services to various U.S. government agencies. Though terms of the sale have not been disclosed, …

OKLAHOMA CITY-Dobson Communications Corp. announced that two of its subsidiaries have been designated as eligible telecommunications carriers (ETC) in rural areas of Alaska and Minnesota by the states’ respective regulatory …

WASHINGTON-CTIA told state regulators earlier this week that they should focus on the needs of wireless consumers-and the benefits wireless can bring to rural America-rather than boosting the revenues of …

BANGALORE, India-SiRF Technology Holdings Inc. said it has acquired Impulsesoft, which specializes in Bluetooth stereo solutions and embedded software. Terms of the cash deal were not disclosed. Impulsesoft’s products include …

PARIS-Openwave Systems Inc.’s new subsidiary Musiwave said it is powering a new subscription-based, full-track music download service for French carrier SFR. SFR, an affiliate of Vivendi Universal and Vodafone Group …

WASHINGTON-Wireless and other telecom manufacturers urged the Bush administration to establish a national information and communications technology policy framework that encourages marketplace competition and stimulates investment. The Telecommunications Industry Association …

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.-Sprint Nextel Corp. CDMA affiliate iPCS Inc. said it added 18,900 net wireless customers in the quarter ended Dec. 31, and closed out the year with around 495,300 subscribers. …

REDMOND, Wash.-Microsoft Corp.’s Mobile & Embedded Devices business-which houses the company’s smart phone efforts-posted its first-ever quarterly operating profit, helping the software giant meet Wall Street earnings expectations for the …

WASHINGTON-The House and the Senate will each hold separate hearings next month on the ever-burgeoning consumer-privacy scandal regarding the disclosure and sale of telecommunications records. The Senate Commerce consumer-affairs subcommittee …

WASHINGTON-The practice of pretexting-impersonating a customer to obtain call records-is illegal, the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission told reporters this morning. “In no way is the practice of pretexting …

WASHINGTON-The House Congressional Rural Caucus released its telecommunications priorities earlier this week and they mirror-almost word for word-the priorities of the Coalition to Keep America Connected, a group of rural …

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.-Computer audio products company JBL and Motorola Inc. have partnered to develop accessories for Motorola’s mobile music devices, the companies announced. Among the planned accessories are Bluetooth stereo headphones …

BELLEVUE, Wash.-Shares of InfoSpace Inc. edged downward despite a solid fourth quarter that helped the company nearly double its annual profits. The Internet and mobile search provider reported a net …

SAN DIEGO-The Open Base Station Architecture Initiative said its membership has swelled to 130 companies as new members focused on WiMAX technology seek to ensure that the technology is included …

SAN DIEGO-While wireless chip titan Qualcomm Inc. posted strong first quarter results, the company’s stock slipped slightly downward due to warnings of slowing sales in its second quarter. Qualcomm posted …

MUNICH, Germany-Siemens AG delivered strong first quarter results, posting new orders worth $32.8 billion, a 31-percent increase from $20.4 billion in new orders a year earlier. Wall Street reacted favorably, …