October 2006

PARIS—Two European rivals announced they would join forces to provide a satellite-based operation that would beam data to mobile handsets, laptops and vehicles. The offering is the latest attempt by …

SUNNYVALE, Calif.—What do LG Electronics Co. Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (Panasonic), NEC Corp., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., SiBeam Inc., Sony Corp. and Toshiba Corp. have in common? Obviously …

WARREN, N.J.—Virgin Mobile USA L.L.C. announced two new services that incorporate audio and messaging. “Txt Tones” will allow users to link musical tones to text messages instead of rings. The …

IRVINE, Calif.—AskMeNow said it plans to add ringtones and wallpapers to its mobile answer service. The company said it will offer more than 5,000 ringtones and true tones from hip …

PRAGUE, Czech Republic—Microsoft Corp. said it will open a business support center for mobile technology in the capital of the Czech Republic to serve European network operators and “manufacturers of …

DENVER—Qwest Communications International Inc. reported a profitable third quarter with net income of $194 million, a reversal of the $144 million loss the company reported in the same quarter last …

BROOKLYN—Executives from two noted video game publishers are behind a new gaming company looking to exploit the connectivity of mobile phones. Veterans from Activision Inc. and Gameloft launched Massively Mobile, …

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif.—Bitfone Corp., a player in the firmware-over-the-air space, has signed on network operator Alltel Corp. to use its FusionDM device management service. Alltel joins Sprint Nextel Corp. in …

WASHINGTON—The debate is officially on. And the clock is ticking. Six months after receiving Cyren Call Communications Inc.’s plan for a public-safety wireless broadband network the private sector would build …

SAN FRANCISCO—Mobile content measurement firm Telephia clarified a recent study that raised eyebrows among mobile video experts in the United Kingdom. The company last week released a report that said …

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.—InterDigital Communications Corp. is crying foul over a request by Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. to the International Chamber of Commerce for new arbitration relating to a patent …

TOKYO—Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc. announced that, in partnership with Intel Corp., it has developed specifications for mobile handsets that will allow users to install their own operating system, one …

IRVINE, Calif.—Mobile search content provider go2 reported a “strategic alliance” with Internet publishing and marketing company Geosign Corp. that includes a $13 million investment by Geosign in go2. Beyond the …

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Digital networking company Plaxo Inc. stepped onto the wireless playground, inking a deal to allow Verizon Wireless subscribers to update contact information over the air. The software developer …

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Mobile advertising company Rhythm NewMedia said it raised $18 million in its second round of financing. Carlyle Venture Partners led the round. As part of the financing, Allan …

In past years, Nobel prizes have been awarded for the gaming theory that is at the heart of spectrum auctions and even for sophisticated transistor technology used in cell phones. …

Two wireless service providers last week began offering their customers handsets that can move between cellular and Wi-Fi networks, moves that mark the first serious attempt at commercially available converged …

WASHINGTON-Consumer groups and wireless carriers last week said AT&T Inc.’s proposed conditions to its $79 billion purchase of BellSouth Corp. are inadequate, creating uncertainty over whether the Federal Communications Commission …

This Halloween, mobile content provider Mixxer.com is offering free mobile content to wireless trick-or-treaters. The company is giving away spooky graphics and sounds, including ringtones from “Halloween,” “The Exorcist,” “The …

Two national wireless carriers launched redesigned Web pages last week, as operators increasingly try to drive traffic and sales to the low-cost Internet channel. Cingular Wireless L.L.C. introduced a streamlined …

Sprint Nextel Corp. is revving up its network with the promised first launch of CDMA2000 1x EV-DO Revision A technology, lighting up San Diego with coverage that the carrier promises …

MEXICO CITY-Prepaid wireless provider TracFone Wireless Inc. reported soaring third-quarter revenues of $330 million, a 36-percent increase over its year-ago figure of $243 million. The Miami-based prepaid carrier’s subscriber base …

The fourth quarter-a seasonally hot quarter for handset sales-is well underway. Time for the crystal ball and a word from a couple of gazers. The outlook remains positive for fourth-quarter …

LONDON-Consumers worldwide have been slow to purchase 3G phones and slower to avail themselves of the technological edge that 3G makes possible, market analyst firm TNS said in a new …