The Federal Communications Commission finally has five members after the Senate confirmed Robert McDowell before leaving town for two weeks.McDowell was senior vice president and general counsel at CompTel, a trade association representing carriers attempting to compete in the telecommunications industry increasingly dominated by...
WASHINGTON-Senate Democrats last Thursday released their version of telecommunications reform that was much kinder to the independent wireless industry than the version released in early May and passed by the House Commerce Committee. Independent wireless carriers-those carriers that are not affiliated with incumbent wireline...
WASHINGTON-As one House committee passed a pro-network neutrality bill, another bill with weaker network-neutrality provisions from a different committee awaits House action, setting up a fight over how to govern the information highway. Network neutrality has emerged as the key battleground for telecommunications-reform legislation...
Verizon Wireless announced that 95 percent of its customers are using location-capable handsets. Verizon Wireless is the first carrier using a handset-based approach to E-911 to meet the FCC's 95-percent threshold. However, it did so six months after the Federal Communications Commission's deadline of...
WASHINGTON-Jim Balsillie, chairman of Research in Motion Ltd., last week urged the United States to take a leadership position in reforming its patent system and promoting protection of intellectual property rights on the world stage. "This is the most important competitiveness and innovation issue...
WASHINGTON-The wireless industry applauded the Bush administration's decision today to abandon the U.S. government's long-held support for the federal excise tax on wireless and long-distance services. The tax, incorporated in 1898 to fund the Spanish-American War, adds 3 percent to monthly bills of the...
OTTAWA, Canada-Mobile Voice over Internet Protocol software developer SIPquest said it picked up $7 million during its third round of funding, money that comes as the company works to rename itself FirstHand Technologies. FirstHand sells mobile client and server software through equipment vendors, systems...
ATLANTA-Boost Mobile L.L.C. users can exchange cash electronically for prepaid calling minutes at various locations, due to a recent arrangement with CheckFreePay. Boost is a subsidiary of Sprint Nextel Corp. CheckFreePay is a business unit of CheckFree Corp. and offers consumers the ability to...
LOMABARD, Ill.-Startup tower company Central States Tower Holdings L.L.C. said it picked up $30 million during its first round of equity financing through Sweetwater Capital and Merchants Capital Partners L.P. The company says it plans to use the funds to develop 150 towers in...
WASHINGTON-XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and WCS Wireless L.L.C. said they terminated an agreement that called for XM to buy WCS after the companies failed to secure government approval for the transaction. The companies announced the agreement last July. The deal called for XM...
Sprint Nextel Corp. says it is testing so-called "4G" technologies for use on its expansive 2.5 GHz spectrum holdings and that it plans to choose one that has a "global reach and presence." The carrier said it was currently in talks with "other global...
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla.-Advertising agency PinPoint Interactive Media has launched a suite of mobile marketing solutions, including SMS marketing and mobile Web site development, appropriately dubbed PinPoint Mobile. The company said its new division will offer a single outlet for a range of mobile marketing...
Mobile-phone users in the United States are incrementally more satisfied with the operation of their handsets than in the past, suggesting that vendors in general are improving user interfaces, according to a study released by J.D. Power and Associates. Sanyo Electronics Co. Ltd. received...
Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma wreaked havoc along the Gulf Coast and in Florida last year, and the U.S. is facing another above-average hurricane season. Cellular carriers claim that they are ready for the storm season, which starts June 1 and is expected to...
WASHINGTON-With a $31.3 million offer, AC BidCo L.L.C., an affiliate of AirCell Inc., looks to be the winner of a 3-megahertz license to offer air-to-ground services in the 800 MHz band. Bidding continues between Space Data Spectrum Holdings L.L.C. and JetBlue's LiveTV L.L.C. for...
Gas prices and higher mortgage rates have not affected the demand for Sprint Nextel Corp.'s wireless services, the carrier's chief financial officer told analysts last week. Paul Saleh's remarks were made during a parade of wireless executives at conferences in New York, hosted by...
BEIJING-Rumors are swirling that China Mobile Communications Corp., the world's largest wireless carrier, may be on the brink of acquiring Luxembourg-based Millicom International Cellular SA-or possibly, already has bought the company. Several newspapers reported last week that the two companies were close to a...
The wireless industry is good at churning out enterprise-focused applications and the devices to run them, but has largely failed to offer businesses an easy way to purchase, deploy and manage mobile phones. Two former Sprint Corp. wireless executives are hoping to change that.The...
SINGAPORE-Cellular subscribers in seven Asia-Pacific markets soon will be able to receive an international version of Mobile ESPN sports content. The Bridge Mobile Alliance plans to distribute ESPN Star Sports content and service applications; the move is part of Bridge Mobile's regional service strategy...
Virgin Mobile USA L.L.C. wants its users to have a sugar mama who will help them earn free airtime-and advertisers are stepping up to fill that parental role. The youth-oriented prepaid brand is forging ahead where other service providers thus far have feared to...
The nationwide investigation into executive stock-option grants seems to be widening daily. And some major players in wireless are coming under the microscope. At issue is the practice of retroactively changing dates stock-option grants become effective. Stock options-allowing employees to purchase shares of the...
In the May 22 issue, RCR Wireless news incorrectly reported a filing by NextWave Wireless L.L.C. with the Securities and Exchange Commission. NextWave filed a Form 10, registering its existing shares of stock, which the company said is not the same as preparing for...
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group announced a new drive to develop a medical device profile that could make medical, health and fitness devices interoperable with wireless consumer electronic products-namely cell phones, laptops and PDAs. The Bluetooth SIG said it expects its Medical Devices Working...
WASHINGTON-Public-safety agencies with a request for 800 MHz retuning planning funding that equals less than $55 per subscriber can take advantage of a new fast-track process announced last week by Sprint Nextel Corp., the 800 MHz Transition Administrator and public-safety representatives. The issue of...
