Sprint came out against AT&T’s planned acquisition of T-Mobile, while Clearwire looked for closer ties to Sprint … 5 years ago this week
Editor’s Note: RCR Wireless News goes all in for “Throwback Thursdays,” tapping into our archives to resuscitate the top headlines from the past. Fire up the time machine, put on the sepia-tinted shades, set the date for #TBT and enjoy the memories!
Sprint Nextel comes out officially against AT&T/T-Mobile USA deal
Sprint Nextel Corp. appears set to take a hard-line stance on AT&T Inc.’s proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA Inc., which would put pressure on the industry’s third largest wireless provider. In a statement released today, Sprint Nextel noted the $39 billion deal would “reverse nearly three decades of actions by the U.S. government and the courts that modernized and opened U.S. communications markets to competition. The wireless industry has sparked unprecedented levels of competition, innovation, job creation and investment for the American economy, all of which could be undone by this transaction.” The statement followed similar remarks by Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse at last week’s CTIA event in Orlando, Fla., where while flanked on stage by Verizon Wireless CEO Dan Mead and AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega, Hesse stated his opposition to the proposed deal. … Read More
Clearwire banking on wholesale growth, closer ties with Sprint Nextel
Clearwire Corp. has been through a number of changes over the past several months, including a change of leadership that could impact the future of the company’s operations. Earlier this month the carrier’s CEO Bill Morrow stepped down and was replaced by industry pioneer John Stanton, who had been a member of Clearwire’s board in connection with his position Trilogy Partners L.L.C. In addition to gaining a new CEO, Clearwire also reshuffled some of its executive positions, with Hope Cochran tapped to replace Erik Prusch as Clearwire’s CFO following Prusch’s move to COO. Cochran had previously served as SVP and treasurer. The executive shake up followed some tense months at Clearwire, which has struggled to gain some financial stability to help bolster continued network growth as well as a tense relationship with its dominant shareholder. … Read More
Google launches +1: A ‘Like’ button for search
Google Inc. has today taken the wraps off yet another enhancement to its increasingly diverse services, the +1 button. At its core the +1 button is the same as a Facebook “Like” button, although it can be deployed anywhere on the Web, most importantly in search results. When fully deployed (it’s rolling out slowly from today), users will be able to press the +1 button next to something they like to recommend it to their friends. At first the recommendations will only apply to people connected to you through your Google account (your GMail contacts, GChat buddies, etc.), but this will eventually expand to include your Twitter contacts too. Although not as overt as Facebook’s Like button – contacts will not see an alert that you have +1’ed something – the endorsement will be used as part of Google’s social signals search metric, meaning the item will rank higher in your contact’s searches. … Read More
Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA snag early ‘4G’ mindshare
Buoyed by a never ending line of advertisements touting the benefits of “4G” consumers are increasingly becoming aware of the term, though perhaps not so sure exactly what it means other than it’s “1” better than 3G. In light of this marketing trend, wireless carriers are beginning to stake out a hierarchy in consumer awareness of their “4G” offerings, with two of the industry’s smaller carriers claiming an early lead in the sector, according to predictive analytical firm Compete Inc. The company noted that Sprint Nextel Corp. and T-Mobile USA Inc. have gained “significant mindshare” in the race to link the term “4G” with their mobile offerings. … Read More
FLO TV goes dark, what’s next for mobile TV?
Qualcomm Inc.’s mobile TV service has gone dark and with it a new round of questions have cropped up about the future of mobile TV as a whole. Will there ever be a year that defines mobile TV? What will it take to finally deliver mass adoption? Americans love their TV, without a doubt, but that has yet to translate to our mobile devices at least in the traditional sense. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of mobile applications that deliver video and TV programming at a good rate, but widespread mobile TV services still face an uphill battle. Still, groups like Mobile Content Venture, the Open Mobile Video Coalition and others are trying to revive broadcaster and TV network interests in the mobile channel. … Read More
Best Buy Connect now ‘4G’ enabled
Best Buy Co. Inc. bolstered its Best Buy Connect-branded mobile broadband offering with the addition of “4G” services through a previously announced agreement with Clearwire Corp. The service, which was originally hatched last summer, builds on top of the Best Buy Connect’s 3G coverage that is provided through an agreement with Sprint Nextel Corp. The new offering is available through the big-box retailer as an option on 23 computing devices – mostly laptop and notebook computers. Pricing for the service is $45 per month for unlimited data transmission with or without a contract. For those selecting to sign a two-year agreement, Best Buy will provide a $150 subsidy on equipment and waive the $35 activation fee. … Read More
Cox moves into Oklahoma; New England next on deck, 50% footprint coverage later this year
Cox Communications followed up on its previous announcement to launch wireless services in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla., markets, marking the cable companies fourth and fifth launches. The company had previously launched service in Hampton Roads, Va.; Omaha, Neb.; and Orange County, Calif. The new launch will include all of the company’s previously announced rate plans and device offerings. The launch will use Cox’s own spectrum assets in the 1.7/2.1 GHz band and network equipment from Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. for coverage in the core area of its markets as well as roaming agreement with Sprint Nextel Corp. Following the Oklahoma City and Tulsa launches, Cox said it would soon move into the New England area, including parts of Rhode Island and Connecticut, as well as to Cleveland, Ohio. Though not geographically in New England, Cox noted that the Cleveland market is tied into its New England operations. … Read More
RCR Wireless News’ Haiti odyssey: Connect, disconnect
Editors Sylvie Barak and Marc Speir are in Haiti this week, filming a documentary about the rebuilding of the impoverished country’s telecom infrastructure over a year after the quake. Barak and Speir are exploring how mobile helped those in the wake of the disaster and how NGOs and non profits on the ground are continuing to work relentlessly to train, maintain and rebuild. The following thoughts are not necessarily telecom based, but give our readers a glimpse into a day in the life of our reporters.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – I seem to have fallen into the Haitian time warp, where everything seems to have gone by so fast at such a slow pace. Because everything takes time here. … Read More
Google woos gaming developers
Google is trying to make itself seem more attractive to mobile game developers, with Ian Ni-Lewis, Developer Advocate for Games at Google pulling out all the stops to woo the gangly geniuses out of their basements. At a recent Silicon Valley International Game Developers Association (SV IGDA) meeting, Ni-Lewis waxed lyrical on the subject of why Google now cares so much about games, reminding the crowd that the company didn’t use to (remember Lively, anyone? No? Exactly). … Read More
Black & Veatch part of Samsung’s network upgrade plan for Sprint Nextel
Black & Veatch said it will collaborate with Samsung Telecommunications America on Sprint Nextel Corp.’s network upgrade program. The program spans multiple states and will implement “Network Vision,” the next evolution of the Sprint Nextel network. Sprint Nextel has awarded contracts to Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson and Samsung to purchase hardware, software and network services to increase its network capabilities. The total estimated incremental cost of the network vision program during the deployment period is between $4 billion and $5 billion. Sprint Nextel estimates the total net financial benefit for a seven-year period to be between $10 billion and $11 billion. … Read More
Check out RCR Wireless News’ Archives for more stories from the past.
