Wireless carriers struck out once again in Consumer Reports' annual survey of cellular phones and service. Cingular Wireless L.L.C.'s acquisition of AT&T Wireless Services Inc. came in for particularly harsh criticism, since many former AWS customers reported low satisfaction after the merger. Overall, customer...
Alamosa Holdings Inc. subsidiary Southwest PCS said it sold 10 megahertz of spectrum covering portions of Oklahoma and Texas to Panhandle Telecommunications Systems Inc. According to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Panhandle will use the spectrum to build out a CDMA2000 1x network...
Alltel Corp. said it plans to turn off service for former Public Service Cellular Wireless customers on Dec. 28, as part of transitioning the PSC network from TDMA/GSM to CDMA technology. Alltel is also moving ahead with a similar network shut-off for former AT&T...
LOS ANGELES-CBS is finally wading into wireless, inking a deal to bring TV shows to Verizon Wireless subscribers. Verizon Wireless' Vcast users can access clips from the station's hit "CSI" shows as well as "The Amazing Race," "The King of Queens," "Survivor" and "The...
A handful of public-safety organizations, led by the Association of Public-safety Communications Officials, sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission urging the government agency to deny Sprint Nextel Corp.'s attempts to alter the start date of its 800 MHz rebanding efforts. In a...
LONDON-The board of Virgin Mobile Holdings plc rejected a $1.4 billion takeover offer from U.K. cable operator NTL Inc. "The board has concluded that the potential offer materially undervalues Virgin Mobile," the company said in a statement.NTL announced that it had made the offer...
Wireless distributor and fulfillment services provider Brightpoint Inc. is going directly to consumers with branded retail stores. The company said it plans to sell mobile phones and services from Sprint Nextel Corp., Virgin Mobile USA L.L.C. and Vonage Holdings Inc. through outlets under the...
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.-Sprint Nextel Corp. said it will install Qualcomm Inc.'s uiOne technology in its new phones. The carrier also unveiled its first phone running the technology, Sanyo Corp.'s CDMA2000 1x EV-DO-capable MM-7500, which Sprint Nextel will sell for $380. Based on Qualcomm's BREW...
COLUMBUS, Ohio-National reseller IMO reported plans to offer Verizon Wireless phones and service.IMO-short for "independent mobile"-was founded last year as an alternative to both carrier-branded stores and big-box retailers. The company resells products and services for Sprint Nextel Corp., T-Mobile USA Inc. and several...
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.-Sprint Nextel Corp. launched a new subsidiary that the carrier said will focus on offering voice and data offerings to large businesses and government customers.Sprint Nextel reported that Sprint Enterprise Mobility Inc. will provide consulting services and develop solutions for large customers...
LONDON-The board of Virgin Mobile Holdings plc has rejected a $1.4 billion takeover offer from U.K. cable operator NTL Inc. "The Board has concluded that the potential offer materially undervalues Virgin Mobile," the company said in a statement.Virgin Mobile Holdings currently operates Virgin Mobile...
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.-Sprint Nextel Corp. said it will install Qualcomm Inc.'s uiOne technology in its new phones. The carrier also unveiled its first phone running the technology, Sanyo Corp.'s CDMA2000 1x EV-DO-capable MM-7500, which Sprint Nextel will sell for $380. Based on Qualcomm's BREW...
WASHINGTON-A handful of public-safety organizations, led by the Association of Public-safety Communications Officials, sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission urging the government agency to deny Sprint Nextel Corp.'s attempts to alter the start date of its 800 MHz rebanding efforts. In a...
NEW YORK-Alamosa Holdings Inc. subsidiary Southwest PCS said it sold 10 MHz of spectrum covering portions of Oklahoma and Texas to Panhandle Telecommunications Systems Inc. According to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Panhandle will use the spectrum to build out a CDMA2000 1x...
SAN DIEGO-Amp'd Mobile Inc. is moving closer to the launch of its mobile virtual network operator service, saying it's planning a soft launch of services on Dec. 15. The soft launch plans include allowing consumers that have signed up for service through the company's...
PLAINFIELD, Ind.-Wireless distributor Brightpoint Inc. is going directly to consumers with branded retail stores. The company will sell mobile phones and services from Sprint Nextel Corp., Virgin Mobile USA L.L.P. and Vonage Holdings Corp. through outlets under the brand Fono Wireless. Brightpoint, which opened...
LOS ANGELES-CBS is finally wading into wireless, inking a deal to bring TV shows to Verizon Wireless L.L.C. subscribers. Verizon's Vcast users can access clips from the station's hit "CSI" shows as well as "The Amazing Race," "The King of Queens," "Survivor" and "The...
WASHINGTON-Sprint Nextel Corp. wireless affiliate UbiquiTel Inc. said its lawsuit against Sprint Nextel has been pushed back from its original trial date of Dec. 16 until Jan. 9. The lawsuit has also been consolidated with similar cases filed by fellow affiliates Horizon Personal Communications...
YONKERS, N.Y.-Wireless carriers struck out for a fourth straight year in the annual survey of cellular service and phones conducted by independent evaluator Consumer Reports. Cingular Wireless L.L.C. acquisition of AT&T Wireless Services Inc. came under particularly harsh criticism because of problems reported by...
ATLANTA-Cingular Wireless L.L.C. officially took the high-speed plunge with the launch of its UMTS/HSDPA-based BroadbandConnect network. The carrier said its next-generation network is initially available in 16 markets covering nearly 35 million potential customers. Those customers reside in Dallas, Houston and Austin, Texas; Baltimore;...
NEW YORK-Alamosa Holdings Inc. revealed that three lawsuits have been filed against the company in Texas, alleging that Alamosa employees provided confidential information to Sprint Nextel Corp. ahead of last month's acquisition announcement. The three suits-filed against Alamosa, its directors and certain senior officers-claim...
Consider yourself forewarned: This is a girlie column. But hey, it seems wireless handset designers have forgotten about half of the world's population, so maybe you men out there should take a deep breath and plunge into this column anyway.I think Motorola Inc.'s Magenta...
WASHINGTON-Top wireless carriers asked a federal court to block the state of Kentucky from enforcing a new law set for Jan. 1 that would prohibit operators from passing to subscribers a 1.3-percent gross receipts telecom tax. Cingular Wireless L.L.C., Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel Corp....
Cingular Wireless L.L.C. infused some new blood into the languishing push-to-talk market with the launch of its PTT service. The carrier joins a market dominated by Sprint Nextel Corp.'s iDEN-based PTT service, despite much-ballyhooed launches from rivals. As had been expected, the Cingular service...
