MetroPCS Communications Inc. has proposed a merger with its flat-rate rival Leap Wireless International Inc.Metro said it sent Leap a letter detailing its offer, which involves a "stock-for-stock, tax-free merger that will create a fifth national wireless carrier." Each outstanding share of Leap's stock...
Grounded squirrelsMobile Streams plc said its animated series "Suicidal Squirrels" will be available through Ad Infuse's video podcast advertising insertion service. The series was developed as a direct-to-mobile offering and tells the story of 100 squirrels that have decided they want to die. The...
Nuance Communications Inc. said it will provide speech-recognition technology for an ad-sponsored directory assistance service provided by Jingle Networks Inc.Jingle, which powers the 1-800-FREE-411 offering, said it will integrate Nuance's technology to enable users to search for local business listings by voice. Jingle claims...
Flat-rate wireless carriers serving the sub-prime sector have seen their stocks plunge in recent weeks, reflecting fears about sub-prime customers who could affect the carriers' financial results.Earlier this year Leap's stock had been steadily gaining value, and was trading as high as $99 per...
THE FINANCIAL MARKETS HAVE BEEN JITTERY in recent weeks, absorbing the fallout from the extension of easy credit to both individuals and corporations. Now, the backlash is likely to find lenders more closely scrutinizing business plans, mergers and company strategies to reduce their risks-and...
Though diminishing in count, regional wireless operators continued to report firm financial results highlighting continued opportunities outside the urban corridors.U.S. CellularU.S. Cellular Corp. reported $971.6 million in total revenues for the second quarter, a nearly 15% increase compared with the $846.1 million the carrier...
Leap Wireless International Inc. failed to meet analysts' estimates for customer additions in the last quarter and its stock suffered dramatically because of it, plummeting more than 20% following yesterday's report.The carrier reported almost 127,000 customer additions to its Cricket-branded service, most of which...
MetroPCS Communications Inc. reported a quarter of strong growth following its debut on the public market, as the company's net income jumped and it added 155,000 subscribers. The flat-rate provider's total revenues were up 50% year-over-year to $551 million, and its net income increased...
Retail franchise Yakety Yak Wireless' location in Huntington Beach, Calif., sells devices and service from Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel Corp. (both Sprint and Nextel brands) and soon will offer wares from MetroPCS Communications Inc. It offers services that include contact-list backup and transfer as...
Wireless is still drawing considerable interest-and dollars-from venture-capital companies, but VC investment overall saw a dip in the number of deals in the first quarter as investors concentrated on exit strategies, including initial public offerings. Some of the biggest IPOs related to the wireless...
MetroPCS Communications Inc. named a successor to current chairman and CEO Roger Linquist. The carrier said Linquist is expected to cut back on his schedule due to health reasons, and may make a decision on retirement by the end of the year. The flat-rate...
MetroPCS Communications Inc. extended its contract with TeleCommunications Systems Inc. for the company to provide hosted E911 services to the flat-rate carrier. The contract between the two companies has been extended for three years; additional terms were not disclosed."The contract extension demonstrates MetroPCS' continued...
Starent Networks Corp., which sells multimedia infrastructure products to wireless carriers, raised $126.4 million in an initial public offering, beating the company's forecast. The offering of more than 10.5 million shares sold for $12 per share, which gives the company an initial market capitalization...
The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms.Carrier --Standard & Poor's Ratings Services affirmed its CCC rating on Cricket Communications Inc.'s $1.035 billion of senior unsecured notes due 2014 and affirmed its...
Alltel Corp. made clear its interest in the upcoming 700 MHz spectrum auction in government filings, and requested that the Federal Communications Commission avoid plans to set aside a chunk of the spectrum for a national private/public-safety network and make sure that smaller regional...
With domestic wireless penetration nearing 80%, signs of slowing customer growth may be beginning to show. The nation's four largest carriers brought in fewer customers in the first quarter of this year than in the same quarter of the past three years, posting...
Alltel Corp. made clear its interest in the upcoming 700 MHz spectrum auction in filings with the Federal Communications Commission, and requested that the commission avoid plans to set aside a chunk of the spectrum for a national private/public-safety network and make sure that...
The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms.Carrier --Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered its ratings on Alltel Corp. to BB from A- and kept the company on CreditWatch with negative implications...
Sprint Nextel Corp. has extended its unlimited voice and data trials to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Tampa, Fla., and Philadelphia, branching out from its initial market in San Francisco.The carrier has two unlimited plans available: a $120 per month plan with unlimited voice, text and data...
The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms.Carrier --RW Baird raised its estimates on U.S. Cellular Corp. after the carrier reported strong first quarter results. The firm raised its forecast on the...
Sprint Nextel Corp. has extended its unlimited voice and data trials to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Tampa, Fla. and Philadelphia, branching out from its initial market in San Francisco.The carrier has two unlimited plans available: a $120 per month plan with unlimited voice, text and data...
Flat-rate carrier MetroPCS Communications Inc. came close to doubling its net subscriber figures for the first quarter of 2007 and boosted its service revenues by 60%, according to its quarterly results.The company said it gained more than 454,000 net users in the quarter, up...
Intercasting Corp. announced that it raised $12 million in a second round of funding. The San Diego-based company said it will use the money to expand on carrier-based distribution and partners for its mobile social networking application, Rabble, and its social networking service gateway,...
Virgin Mobile USA Inc., the first mobile virtual network operator to launch in the United States, filed for an initial public offering in a move that signals the maturation of the MVNO segment of the wireless market in the United States in general and...
