BEIJING-ZTE announced a new CDMA 450 MHz contract win in Russia. The Chinese vendor said the port of Murmansk in northern Russia, the world's largest city north of the Arctic Circle, is to receive a CDMA2000 network from ZTE comprising base stations and switching...
Mobile virtual network operator Virgin Mobile USA L.L.C. is reportedly edging closer to an initial public offering that is expected to take place before the end of the year.A Reuters report, citing sources familiar with the situation, said the MVNO, which is currently controlled...
Mobile messaging company Vidiator Technology Inc. announced its first big step into the mobile content market this week when it unveiled a deal with noted comic-book author Stan Lee. Lee, the creator of noted Marvel comics characters Spider-Man, The Hulk and X-Men, will develop...
A computer hacker broke into T-Mobile USA Inc.'s network in 2003 and stole the names and social security numbers of about 400 T-Mobile subscribers, the carrier said. The hacker also was able to access information stored on subscribers' T-Mobile Sidekick devices, according to reports...
In addition to strengthening its position as the nation's third-largest wireless operator, Sprint Corp.'s planned merger with Nextel Communications Inc. will bring together the industry's two most aggressive targeters of young subscribers. Sprint, through its Virgin Mobile USA L.L.C. mobile virtual network operator partnership...
Although consolidation continues to thin out the carrier crowd, the actual number of companies offering wireless services soon could increase. At least, that's what Matt Johnson is hoping. Johnson is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Visage Mobile, a mobile virtual network enabler....
ALGERIAChinese vendor ZTE Corp. said it will supply CDMA gear for a network covering the three provinces of Tizi Ouzou, Bouira and Bejaia in northern Algeria. The contract value was not disclosed, but ZTE said the new network will include switching systems; base-station systems;...
OKLAHOMA CITY-Dobson Communications Corp. said it lost 25,600 customers subscribers during the fourth of last year compared with a gain of 14,400 net subscribers during the fourth quarter of 2003. The customer losses during the fourth quarter of last year included 33,100 postpaid subscribers,...
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico-Centennial Communications Corp. said it selected Nortel Networks Ltd. to replace and upgrade its existing wireless networks in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands with CDMA2000 1x technology. The upgrade is expected to increase subscriber capacity and expand service coverage to...
WASHINGTON-Sprint Corp. said it has decided to delay its participation in the controversial wireless directory this year due to continued legal challenges to the service. The company, which said it continues to support the voluntary 411 directory of wireless phone numbers despite the delay,...
ORLAND PARK, Ill.-Andrew Corp. said it acquired privately held Xenicom Ltd. for $11.5 million. Xenicom is a U.K.-based provider of software solutions that help telecommunications operators plan, launch, and manage wireless networks. Andrew said it would pay an additional undisclosed amount of cash if...
ATLANTA-BellSouth Corp. said it has completed the sale of its 10 Latin American wireless operations for Telefonica Moviles S.A. following the transfer of its ownership interest in Argentina. BellSouth noted it received $674 million for its Argentina operations, and it plans to recognize an...
Merger-mania trickled down the food chain last week as super-regional operator Alltel Corp. said it had reached an agreement to buy rural operator Western Wireless Corp. for approximately $6 billion in stock, cash and debt assumption. Alltel noted that when completed later this year,...
Whittled down from 49 total applicants, 35 certified bidders placed more than $325 million in deposits with the government for a crack at 242 spectrum licenses up for bid in the 1.9 GHz band beginning on Jan. 26. Those licenses include spectrum in a...
LUBBOCK, Texas-Sprint PCS affiliate Alamosa Holdings Inc. said it added 49,000 net customers in the fourth quarter of 2004, a 44-percent improvement compared with the 34,000 subscribers the carrier added during the fourth quarter of 2003. Alamosa added that it ended 2004 with 915,000...
From the consumer's point of view, 2005 is shaping up to be the year mobile music goes big-time. And nearly everyone in the wireless industry is scrambling to make sure they cash in. Industry observers predict this year may do for mobile music what...
A California lawsuit claims that Verizon Wireless displayed "willful, deceptive and oppressive conduct" in limiting the capabilities of its Bluetooth-capable Motorola Inc. V710 camera phone. Law firm Kirtland & Packard L.L.P. is seeking class-action status for the lawsuit and is pursuing an unspecified amount...
WASHINGTON-New Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) intends to eliminate the communications subcommittee, a move that would strengthen the lawmaker's influence over the planned re-write of the 1996 telecom act and effectively weaken the clout Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) would have had on...
President Bush has withdrawn certain trade benefits accorded Cote d'Ivoire, the western African nation that stormed Western Wireless Corp.'s offices in 2003 and forced the firm to shut down mobile-phone operations. The White House took action in December, removing Cote d'Ivoire from the list...
Mobile messaging company Vidiator Technology Inc. will announce its first big step into the mobile content market this week when it unveils a deal with noted comic book author Stan Lee. Lee, the creator of noted Marvel comics characters Spider-Man, The Hulk and X-Men,...
PALO ALTO, Calif.-More than 3 billion mobile instant messages were sent and received through Danger's Hiptop devices last year, the developer and manufacturer said. Danger's line of Hiptop handsets, which is sold through eight operators in six countries, includes the T-Mobile Sidekick II and...
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif.-Interchange Corp. launched a localized text-messaging search service that allows wireless users to find products, services and businesses from their handsets. The provider of local and national paid-search services unveiled SMS Local, which accesses listings by product, service, business name and location...
WASHINGTON-President Bush has withdrawn certain trade benefits accorded Cote d'Ivoire, the western African nation that stormed Western Wireless Corp.'s offices in 2003 and forced the firm to shut down mobile-phone operations. The White House took action in December, removing Cote d'Ivoire from the list...
WASHINGTON-The Department of Labor said it reached a settlement with Cingular Wireless L.L.C. whereby the No. 1 mobile-phone carrier will pay more than 25,000 customer service representatives $5.1 million in back wages as a result of alleged violations of overtime provisions in federal labor...
