The Week in Review

Welcome to our Friday feature, Week in Review. Every Friday, RCR Wireless News runs through the major events of the past week, outlining what happened and speculating on what to look for in the coming weeks, months and years. Check below for news about carriers, handset makers, content companies, infrastructure vendors and more.
Carriers
–AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless agreed to swap wireless assets as part of previously announced acquisitions: Verizon Wireless’ pending acquisition of Rural Cellular Corp. and AT&T Mobility’s recently approved purchase of Dobson Communications Corp. Each carrier gained spectrum in select rural locales, moves that highlight national carriers’ desires to flesh out their footprints.
–Further evidence of such expansion efforts came from AT&T Mobility, which announced it will acquire the remaining stake in regional carrier Edge Wireless L.LC. through an affiliate. Thus, the consolidation of rural carriers continues.
Handsets
–Nokia issued a major shot across the bow of the industry through a deal with Universal Music Group that will give Nokia phone owners unlimited access to UMG tracks. The offering could significantly help boost Nokia’s content ambitions.
Content
–The great diversity in the mobile content market highlights the industry’s relative health, and no better example of this exists than the launch of MizPee, a cellphone service that helps users locate nearby public restrooms. One can only hope that MizPee represents the beginning of the market’s innovation, rather than its pinnacle.
Other
–The 700 MHz auction landscape cleared up a bit as Clearwire and Sprint Nextel said they would not compete in the auction, while Leap, Verizon Wireless, Google, Cox and others said they would. However, a willingness to participate and a winning bid are two very different things.