retail

OXFORD, United Kingdom-U.K.-based British Telecommunications has launched three wireless local area network (WLAN) “hot spots” in London to provide personal digital assistant (PDA) and laptop users with high-speed Internet access. …

TOKYO-KG Telecom, a leading mobile carrier in Taiwan, launched i-mode-like service on Thursday. Because it is the first i-mode-like service in Asia outside Japan, the new multimedia service is winning …

WARREN, N.J.-Virgin Mobile USA L.L.C. unveiled its long-awaited plans to launch its mobile virtual network operator service this summer. The company, which is a joint venture between U.K.-based Virgin Group …

HELSINKI, Finland-The shortage of UMTS terminals in Finland’s retail market is seriously hindering the construction of third-generation (3G) mobile networks. 3G license holders are warning that delays can be expected …

INDIANAPOLIS—Brightpoint Inc. subsidiary Brightpoint North America L.P. entered an agreement to provide integrated logistics and distribution services for PrimeCo Personal Communications, including product procurement, handset kitting, inventory management and distribution …

DALLAS—Alltel Corp. selected Nortel Networks to supply infrastructure equipment for the planned cdma2000 1x upgrade of its current wireless network and integrate Alltel’s recent purchase of CenturyTel’s wireless network. The …

NEW YORK—A new alliance with Korea Digital Satellite Broadcasting is part of an overall plan for LG Telecom to compete successfully with South Korea’s two larger wireless operators, said Yong …

DUBLIN, Ireland—The imminent launch of the XDA, an O2-branded mobile device manufactured specifically for that operator, is clear evidence that European operators are demanding more input into handset development. However, …

BOSTON—Netonomy announced a software supply and implementation agreement with Orange UK that will allow Orange to use the MyNetonomy Channel Activator to create a self-service portal for Orange retail staff …

NEW YORK—Enlisting the support of four heavy hitters in professional sports and in retailing, Samsung Electronics America Inc., Ridgefield Park, N.J., launched on May 16 its “Four Seasons of Hope” …

CHICAGO—Thieves broke in to Brightstar Corp.’s Vernon Hills, Ill., warehouse May 5 and stole potentially millions of dollars in mobile equipment. Brightstar distributes wireless products throughout the world. Brightstar confirmed …

NEW YORK—Verizon Wireless reported 186,000 net customer additions for the first quarter of this year compared with 518,000 subscriber additions for the first quarter of last year. The carrier noted …

LONDON—BT Group announced details of its wireless initiative, five months after spinning off its mobile subsidiary MmO2. BT plans to create a U.K. public wireless local area network and launch …

NEW YORK—i3Mobile Inc., a Stamford, Conn., provider of premium wireless content, hired the Draftworldwide advertising agency to promote its new Pronto service offering voice-activated information retrieval over a variety of …

OXFORD, United Kingdom—Having turned his back on the mobile industry following the sale of the U.K.-based cell-phone operator Orange to France T

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Handspring announced it will begin selling its much-lauded mobile phone/personal digital assistant Treo device throughout the nation’s retail stores. Further, the company said Cingular Wireless will also sell …

MADISON, Wis.—Rayovac Corp. announced the development of the Rayovac I-C3 (In-Cell Charge Control), a rechargeable battery with built-in charging control. According to Rayovac, advantages of the I-C3 are: it takes …

ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The Personal Communications Industry Association (PCIA) announced John Sherlock, its chief operating officer, will give the morning keynote address at the Wireless Arena Marketplace Strategies 2002 conference, scheduled for …

SAN FRANCISCO—A majority of Americans would prefer to buy a cellular phone from a local independent retailer in their neighborhood, according to a recent study commissioned by LetsTalk.com. The study, …

OXFORD, United Kingdom—In an effort to reduce their administration overheads, European cell-phone operators are negotiating with some of the major retail banks about using automatic teller machines (ATMs) to enable …

BELLEVUE, Wash.—Infowave Software reported an agreement with Mobile Planet, a multichannel direct reseller, providing Infowave’s Symmetry Pro wireless corporate e-mail software solution to its customers directly from the Mobile Planet …

NEW YORK—NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan’s largest mobile communications operator, began trading its American depositary shares on the New York Stock Exchange and its common shares on the London Stock Exchange …

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa—Mobile operator MTN has cited the high interconnection rates imposed by the state-owned operator Nitel as the main reason for its high retail prices. MTN’s tariff for its …

CHICAGO—Until March 31, U.S. Cellular Corp. said it will be collecting used wireless phones through its Community Action Recycling Effort program with proceeds from the donations benefiting the Families Scholarship …

SANTA CLARA, Calif.—Palm Inc.’s new wireless integrated device, the i705, seems to have hit the shelves in consumer electronic retail stores Friday, but the company isn’t commenting one way or …