BROWSING: ARM

RATTLING THE CAGE: Handset vendors aim to satisfy carriers, but also explore alternative channels

Shiny gadgets, big and small, drive the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. In that sense, the show levels the playing field for a few halcyon days in early January in the desert. Mobile handset vendors, for instance, present their wares amid fierce competition...

LG puts executive suites on ‘shuffle’; Parent and telecom unit get new CEOs

Trying to please everyone is a good gambit when launching a handset business with global ambitions. Somewhere along the way, however, one has to shift gears.Managing sustainable growth and profitability in the handset market can demand investment in original designs, support for a manageable...

Nortel snags $2B commitment from Verizon Wireless

Christmas came a little early for Nortel Networks Ltd. in the form of a $2 billion contract from Verizon Wireless for CDMA equipment and related services as the carrier beefs up its network capacity and footprint in the face of increasing data and video...

Generating support for cell broadcast

WASHINGTON-The wireless industry is quietly reassessing long-held resistance to a cell-broadcast technology that's getting a serious look by the Department of Homeland Security and increasingly embraced in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Indeed, according to sources, representatives of several national mobile-phone carriers late...

Moto leads funding in handset testing firm

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.-Motorola Inc.'s investment arm led a second round of funding for California-based software developer Mobile Complete. Financial terms were not disclosed, although Mobile Compete reportedly raked in $10 million in the Series B round. Existing investor Innovacom VC also participated in the funding.Mobile...

Oberon buys Blaze

NEW YORK-Casual game developer Oberon Media added to its portfolio, snapping up mobile game-maker Blaze for an undisclosed sum. Blaze claims more than 100 carrier relationships and boasts a library of licensed mobile games including The Da Vinci Code, VH1 Mobile's I Know the...

Sprint Nextel to offer new made-for-mobile content

NEW YORK—FremantleMedia has teamed with Mobliss to power a new, made-for-mobile video offering from Sprint Nextel Corp. The companies launched Atomic Wedgie, an offering of eight categories of short-form content targeted at the coveted 18- to 34-year-old male demographic. The offering includes footage of...

Jamster to sell Disney content in North America

NEW YORK-Jamster International bulked up its content portfolio in North America with a deal to offer ringtones, graphics and mobile games from the Walt Disney Internet Group. Disney and its third-party content licensing arm Starwave Mobile already use VeriSign Inc.'s mobile content business to...

Jamster to sell Disney content in U.S.

NEW YORK—Jamster International bulked up its content portfolio in North America with a deal to offer ringtones, graphics and mobile games from the Walt Disney Internet Group. Disney and its third-party content licensing arm Starwave Mobile already use VeriSign Inc.’s mobile content business to...

Motorola flexes to draw developers

LOS ANGELES--Motorola Inc. is putting the pedal to the metal on getting ideas more rapidly transformed into services with its "Fast Track" program, part of its MotoDev effort to spur innovative services--and, of course, take over the world. "We want to facilitate getting ideas...

Burger King turns to mobile to serve its customers

SAN FRANCISCO-Burger King Corp. is letting its customers get their information their way-and more and more, that way appears to be via a mobile phone. Although McDonald's Corp. and other rival chains have toyed with mobile marketing tests, such as text-messaging sweepstakes and on-pack...

Burger King turns to mobile to serve its customers

By Alice Z. Cuneo SAN FRANCISCO—Burger King is letting its customers get their information their way—and more and more, that way appears to be via a mobile phone.Although McDonald's Corp. and other rival chains have toyed with mobile marketing tests, such as text-messaging sweepstakes...

CEO: Nortel doesn’t need tie-up to thrive

As the wireless industry hangs on the edge of its seat waiting for Nortel Networks Ltd. to announce plans to acquire or be acquired, the company's president and chief executive officer, Mike Zafirovski, told shareholders at the company's annual meeting that he isn't interested...

Open source Java: The devil’s in the details

The big issue for some players in the wireless community regarding Java ME revolves around its owner, Sun Microsystems Inc., which announced at its May JavaOne conference that it was mulling how to go open source with the industry's dominant programming language. This move...

Cingular gets mixed ruling over advertising claims

NEW YORK—Cingular Wireless L.L.C. scored a split decision in its fight with Sprint Nextel Corp. over advertising claims. The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus Inc. said Cingular was able to support its advertising claims of having the "fastest national...

Loss of Cingular brand could cost AT&T

By Alice Z. Cuneo SAN FRANCISCO—It cost $4 billion to turn it into one of the best known names in the country, a future-forward, dynamic brand with a strong connection to young consumers and a share lead in the wireless marketplace. Yet, in 2007,...

Industry ad campaign targets state taxes on wireless

WASHINGTON—The mobile phone industry today launched an ad campaign through its consumer advocacy arm to draw policy-makers’ attention to state imposition of new taxes and regulations. The ad was produced and placed by MyWireless.org, an affiliate of cell phone association CTIA.Click here to view...

Panasonic acquires wireless chip-maker Tropian

SECAUCUS, N.J.—Panasonic Corp. announced it acquired wireless chip-maker Tropian Inc., a Cupertino, Calif.-based company that develops polar modulation techniques for use in wireless transmitter applications. Panasonic is the North American arm of Osaka, Japan-based electronics company Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. Terms of the...

Va. legislature OKs flat tax

WASHINGTON-The Virginia state legislature last week passed a bill creating what is believed to be the first statewide communications flat tax in the nation, but Gov. Tim Kaine (D ) did not immediately indicate whether he would sign the measure. The 5-percent tax would...

Lucent conducting risk assessment of European telecom networks

MURRAY HILL, N.J-Lucent Technologies Inc. said it won a contract to conduct a threat assessment of Europe's wireless, wireline and Internet networks. The contract, which was awarded by the 25-member state European Commission, calls on Lucent to perform a comprehensive analysis of the factors...

Lucent conducting risk assessment of European telecom networks

MURRAY HILL, N.J—Lucent Technologies Inc. said it won a contract to conduct a threat assessment of Europe’s wireless, wireline and Internet networks.The contract, which was awarded by the 25-member state European Commission, calls on Lucent to perform a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing...

5 GHz Wi-Fi pact reached for testing, guidelines

WASHINGTON-The Bush administration confirmed an agreement among military, high-tech and wireless firms on criteria for certifying new 5 GHz Wi-Fi devices capable of avoiding harmful interference to military radar. RCR Wireless News first reported the accord Feb. 6.The 5 GHz Wi-Fi pact, the result...

As expected, 5 GHz Wi-Fi pact becomes official

WASHINGTON-The Bush administration today confirmed an agreement among military, high-tech and wireless firms on criteria for certifying new 5 GHz Wi-Fi devices capable of avoiding harmful interference to military radar. RCR Wireless News first reported the accord Monday.The 5 GHz Wi-Fi pact, the result...

MVNO competition spreading to MVNEs

The hype surrounding mobile virtual network operators has created a new segment of the mobile industry with MVNO enablement, and a myriad of companies are eager to tell would-be operators the best way to plunge into the MVNO space. Last week, DBS Communications launched...