Time Trippin’: Attempts to limit 700 MHz auction bidding; prepaid set for growth … 9 years ago this week

Editor’s Note: The RCR Wireless News Time Machine is a way to take advantage of our extensive history in covering the wireless space to fire up the DeLorean and take a trip back in time to re-visit some of the more interesting headlines from this week in history. Enjoy the ride!
T-Mobile USA expects continued growth, 3G rollout next year
Despite increasing competition and spectrum concerns T-Mobile USA Inc. said it expects to continue posting around 1 million net customer additions per quarter through the rest of 2005 and with the help of upcoming spectrum auctions begin rolling out next-generation services by the end of next year. The carrier, which has posted around 1 million net quarterly additions since late 2003 and ended the first quarter of this year with 18.3 million subscribers, told reporters that it saw plenty of growth potential in the U.S. market that has yet to achieve penetration levels posted in parts of Europe and Asia. … Read More
800 MHz rebanding to begin June 27
Nearly a year after the Federal Communications Commission adopted rules to solve the public-safety interference problem in the 800 MHz band, the reconfiguration will begin June 27, said the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau late Friday. As of June 27, licensees will begin a three-month voluntary negotiation period with Nextel Communications Inc., followed by a three-month mandatory negotiation period. The voluntary period will end Sept. 26, and the mandatory period will end Dec. 26. … Read More
Prepaid market set for growth with MVNOs as main catalyst
The domestic prepaid market is set for explosive growth during the next five years as the industry continues to refine offerings based on so-called hybrid plans and increasingly popular mobile virtual network operators, according to a study from research and consulting firm Atlantic-ACM. The report, “Prepaid Insights 2005-2009: Sizing up Markets, Opportunities and Players,” claims that prepaid customers will grow at a compound annual growth rate in excess of 20 percent. Atlantic-ACM said that it expects much of that growth to come from hybrid plans that often rely on automatic replenishment using credit cards or checking accounts for monthly service, and will account for more than two-thirds of industry revenues by 2009. … Read More
Wireless embraces loyalty programs
The wireless industry is putting its customers on commission. In an effort to retain customers and drive uptake, content providers and software developers are employing customer-retention programs designed to encourage users to recommend games, music or other content to friends. Recommendations resulting in sales bring points that can be “cashed in” toward purchases of other content. Think of it as viral marketing with incentives, said John Barron, product marketing manager for Irish developer NewBay Software. NewBay is targeting carriers with FoneShare, a Web-based content sharing application that allows members to create clubs of like-minded users. … Read More
Some want to keep part of 700 MHz band away from big carriers
Efforts must be made to ensure the 700 MHz spectrum from the transition to digital TV is not all won by established operators, a consumer advocate told Congress Thursday afternoon. “You have to make sure Verizon Wireless and Cingular Wireless L.L.C. don’t gobble up all of the spectrum,” said Gene Kimmelman, senior director of public policy of Consumers Union. Kimmelman had some support on the House telecommunications subcommittee, including Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), who said Congress “will have lost a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” if it does not set aside some spectrum for new entrants and services. … Read More
PalmOne goes back to roots, PalmSource’s future sketchy
Last week’s unexpected exit of PalmSource Inc.’s chief executive officer was counterbalanced by the company’s new deals with PalmOne Inc., valued around $187 million. However, PalmSource’s future is still unclear at best, and some industry analysts believe its long-term viability is now suspect. PalmSource’s chief executive David Nagel stepped down from his position without explanation May 22. PalmSource said Patrick McVeigh, currently the company’s senior vice president for worldwide licensing, will serve as interim CEO. The company’s board of directors said it has initiated a search for a permanent successor. Interestingly, the company said Nagel will remain at PalmSource in an advisory role through mid-July. … Read More
6 largest carriers to control 90% of wireless market
The wireless industry is quickly following the wireline market with a handful of large operators dominating the market, according to independent credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s. With the latest round of merger and acquisition activity fully under way, S&P claims the industry’s soon-to-be four nationwide operators will serve close to 85 percent of the U.S. industry’s total wireless subscriber base. Cingular Wireless L.L.C. is currently the dominant operator serving more than 50 million of the industry’s 180 million wireless subscribers. Verizon Wireless is a close second with more than 43 million subscribers, followed by the combined operations of Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. serving approximately 40 million customers and T-Mobile USA Inc. with more than 17 million subscribers. … Read More
MMS interoperability moves forward
Struggling to shore up decreasing revenues from voice usage, U.S. carriers agreed last October to a set of messaging guidelines they said would allow them to be MMS-interoperable by the end of 2004. While the target date is long past, it appears they’re now getting close to their goal-and it’s paying off. Increasing interoperability between carriers seems to be driving uptake of some peer-to-peer MMS applications. Content usage measurement firm M:Metrics found that photo messaging among U.S. wireless users increased nearly 5 percent in March, even as other applications suffered post-holiday declines. Almost 13 million users sent a photo from their handsets to another phone or e-mail address, the report found. … Read More
Vodafone launches simplified pricing plan across Europe
Following what it termed extensive customer research and feedback, Vodafone Group plc launched its Vodafone Simply service, which the carrier said provides customers with basic voice and text messaging services along with a simplified pricing scheme. Vodafone said the service would use a pair of handsets developed by Sagem that include a trio of dedicated buttons for accessing the handset’s main screen, contacts and messages; a button on the side to control ringer volume; and a switch to lock the keypad. Vodafone added that the handsets include large screens with legible text and symbols and on-screen instructions in “plain language” to help customers “master the phone quickly and easily.” … Read More
Component suppliers court operators
Phone component suppliers now have a new set of customers: wireless carriers. Recent shifts in the worldwide wireless industry have largely favored network operators. Wireless users-especially those in the United States-know the brands of their carriers, not necessarily the brands of the phones they carry. Thus, carriers represent the single most important distribution point for those wishing to sell phones. Further, recent carrier consolidation-especially in the United States-has left a handful of carriers controlling most of the market. If Sprint Corp.’s merger with Nextel Communications Inc. is approved, the industry’s top three carriers will control around 80 percent of the wireless market. … Read More
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