WASHINGTON-The National Association of Theatre Owners is considering asking the Federal Communications Commission to allow theaters to install equipment that would jam mobile-phone signals, but the trade group has yet to take such action. Jamming equipment is banned today. "The petition is still under...
Crown Castle International Corp.'s media subsidiary debuted a new name and marketing campaign amid details about its plans to use its tower network and unencumbered spectrum rights to launch live mobile TV in the nation's top 30 markets, including a launch in New York...
Human RFID chipmaker VeriChip Corp. said it filed for an initial public offering, but the company did not release information on the number of shares it expects to release or the share price or what it plans to do with the money it raises...
ALEXANDRIA, Va.-The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office awarded a patent to Google Inc. for a technology that makes more data exchanges possible at faster speeds on a CDMA-based wireless network. Google did not return requests for comment on the patent, which was awarded to...
WASHINGTON-California Public Utilities Commission member Geoffrey Brown is seeking to delay the scheduled Jan. 26 vote on a scaled-back telecom bill-of-rights plan, while Commissioner Dian Grueneich crafts an alternative consumer protection measure. Brown-whose telecom consumer-protection package was approved in May 2004, before being suspended...
WASHINGTON-CTIA told the Federal Communications Commission that the agency should focus on reforming the intercarrier-compensation system rather than attempting to snuff out so-called "phantom traffic." Phantom traffic is network activity that cannot be billed either because no one claims the traffic or the originator...
LAS VEGAS-Amp'd Mobile unleashed a far-reaching list of entertainment content from major television and cable networks that it plans to offer its subscribers. The content includes:ABC's "Alias," "America's Funniest Home Videos," "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives," including a 3D mobile game for "Alias;"NBC content including...
South Korean electronics vendor Pantech Group said it plans to increase its handset sales in the United States by 20 percent this year. The company also said it will work to sell its products directly to U.S. wireless carriers."Even though we are a relatively...
With the first few mobile virtual network operators out of the starting gate and more marching to the post, 2006 looks to be the year of the launch. After 2005, during which several MVNOs spent gearing up for and touting their upcoming launches, the...
Motorola Inc. is the lucky winner of a handset deal with Google Inc. as the Internet giant turns its considerable focus toward wireless. Motorola said it has designed a handset with a Google button that connects users to Google's wireless Internet services. The company...
SEATTLE-U.S. consumers with Motorola Inc. Razr or Sanyo Corp. SCP-8200 handsets are more likely to consume mobile content than owners of any other wireless phone, according to figures from M:Metrics. The firm's latest study found that half of all Sanyo SCP-8200 owners purchased ringtones...
TOKYO-Four years after NTT DoCoMo Inc. launched its 3G network-the world's first major W-CDMA network launch-the carrier has sailed past the 20-million-subscriber mark. DoCoMo said it reached the milestone on Dec. 29.The carrier said it expects to tally 23.5 million 3G Foma subscribers by...
Growth of the wireless location-pinpointing industry is evident with a flurry of company announcements. Boston-based Skyhook Wireless said it raised $6.5 million in its first round of Series B financing. The metro Wi-Fi location systems provider said Bain Capital Ventures led the round, along...
When Cingular Wireless L.L.C. bought AT&T Wireless Services Inc. in 2004, creating the nation's largest cellular carrier, Verizon Wireless found itself handing over its title belt as the U.S. heavyweight wireless leader. But since then, Verizon Wireless has been posting the best churn figures...
Nokia Corp. will showcase its wares at every CompUSA Inc. location by March, the companies said.Nokia, which already has a presence in about 200 CompUSA stores, said it plans to use the nationwide rollout to demonstrate new, high-tech devices including camera phones and smart...
Motorola Inc. purchased Texas-based Wireless Valley Communications, a privately held company that creates software for designing and managing wireless networks including cellular, RFID, Wi-Fi, WiMAX and mesh. Motorola purchased the software maker for an undisclosed amount and said it plans to retain all 24...
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.-While China continues to export a growing number of cell phones, new research also shows that the country's domestic market is set to explode. According to electronics research firm iSuppli Corp., China exported 45.5 million mobile phones during the third quarter, a...
PHOENIX-LG Electronics Inc. licensed GPS patents from Honeywell International, the companies announced. LG said it expects to use the two GPS-related patents for certain automotive original equipment manufacturer and aftermarket applications."This agreement with LGE is a first step toward expanding our navigation business through...
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.-InterDigital Communications Corp. said it will establish a timetable for discussions and possible future arbitration to resolve its 3-year-old dispute over royalties with Nokia Corp. ITC, an InterDigital subsidiary, said it hopes to enforce a July ruling from the International Chamber...
ISTANBUL, TURKEY-GSM operator Turkcell will team up with Nokia Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. to introduce Visual Radio in Turkey. The service will allow Turkcell subscribers to tune in to local FM radio stations via their cellular phones, and get detailed information on songs, download...
Personal computer? Check. High-speed Internet? Got it. Cell phone? Definitely. The checklist of high-tech gadgets and services that Americans can't live without keeps getting longer, a recent Associated Press poll concluded. The poll of more than 1,000 adults, conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs in...
Comptel Corp., which provides network management services and software, has announced an agreement to supply its services to Easterbrooke Cellular Corp., a mobile service provider in central West Virginia. Easterbrooke operates an 850 MHz wireless network under the Cellular One brand. According to Comptel,...
DALLAS-Texas Instruments Inc. plans to purchase ZigBee chip designer Chipcon, which creates chips used in short-range, low-power wireless radio frequency devices such as wireless keyboards. TI said it plans to pay $200 million for Chipcon, which is based in Oslo, Norway. The deal is...
NEW YORK-Verizon Communications Inc. said it has completed all the state, federal and international approvals needed to close on its acquisition of MCI. The company recently received its final necessary approval from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. Verizon expects the MCI deal to...
