Telefonica

MADRID, Spain-Wireless operator Telefonica SA received conditional approval of its $31 billion takeover of U.K. operator O2 plc from the European Commission. However, Telefonica had to agree that one of …

MADRID, Spain-Wireless operator Telefonica SA received conditional approval of its $31 billion takeover of U.K. operator O2 plc from the European Commission. However, Telefonica had to agree that one of …

CARACAS, Venezuela-Mobile network operator Movistar launched a high-speed CDMA2000 1x EV-DO network that the carrier said covers 26 major Venezuelan cities. Movistar said the network supports broadband services such as …

JAPAN Access Co. Ltd. said it completed its acquisition of PalmSource Inc., which provides the Palm OS operating system for mobile devices. PalmSource now is a wholly owned subsidiary of …

Like European missionaries of centuries past, Bango came to U.S. shores last week preaching the gospel. The Cambridge, U.K.-based company held events in Southern California and New York to tout …

MADRID-Telefonica Moviles signed two global content agreements, with content vendors I-play and THQ, that the carrier said will allow its subsidiaries to improve their mobile gaming offerings. I-play’s titles include …

Consolidation hit the European wireless market as Spanish telecommunications provider Telefonica said it plans to acquire U.K.-based 02 plc, and Swedish operator Telenor announced plans to acquire rival Vodafone Sweden. …

Nokia Corp.’s Preminet offering gained another backer last week as Tira Wireless said it is offering its porting technology to content providers using the delivery platform. Tira has made its …

RUSSIA InfiNet Wireless, which provides broadband wireless access and pre-WiMAX equipment, said Enforta BV selected it to provide equipment for a nationwide broadband network in Russia. The network is expected …

SAO PAULO, Brazil-South American carrier Vivo announced a series of new partnerships with vendors including Convergys Corp., Motorola Inc. and Nortel Networks Corp. Vivo is a joint venture of Portugal …

GUATEMALA CITY-Telefonica Moviles said it launched its third-generation service in Guatemala using CDMA2000 1x EV-DO technology from Nortel Networks Corp. Telefonica signed a contract with Nortel in May to supply …

Sprint Nextel Corp. plans to launch a full-track music download service by the holidays, an executive from the newly merged carrier said last week. The operator looks to be the …

SEATTLE-Mobile music software developer Melodeo Inc. Friday unveiled a service that downloads podcasts directly to mobile phones. The company announced Mobilcast, free software that will allow users to download selections …

After weeks of speculation, France Telecom said its Orange SA wireless subsidiary will spend $7.7 billion to buy 80 percent of the third-largest wireless carrier in Spain. The acquisition of …

PARIS-After weeks of speculation, France Telecom said its Orange SA wireless subsidiary will spend $7.7 billion to buy 80 percent of the third-largest wireless carrier in Spain. The acquisition of …

TAMPA, Fla.-Nearly a dozen major players from the wireless and technology industries unveiled a joint venture that will offer a registry service for the “.mobi” Internet domain. The suffix was …

WASHINGTON-Telefonica Celular del Paraguay S.A., a subsidiary of Millicom International Cellular S.A., will receive $15 million from International Finance Corp. to upgrade and expand its cellular network in Paraguay. IFC …

MADRID, Spain-The leading wireless carrier in Spain, Telefonica Moviles Espana, has enhanced its messaging services using technology from Openwave and 724 Solutions. The Spanish carrier will use Openwave’s IP Integrated …

ESPOO, Finland—Nokia Corp. is teaming with Abertis Telecom and Telefonica Moviles Espana on a live mobile TV service in Spain, the companies said this week. The project, which is backed …

An effort to provide a pan-European mobile payment service was aborted just weeks before it was slated to launch. Simpay, a joint venture established two years ago by Orange plc, …

The following wireless companies received upgrades or downgrades from financial and investment firms this week. Moody’s Investors Service assigned a B3 rating to the proposed senior secured credit facilities of …

ATLANTA-BellSouth Corp. signed an agreement to sell its 34.75-percent equity ownership in Israeli wireless carrier Cellcom to Discount Investment Corp. for $625 million. Discount Investment currently holds a 25-percent interest …

ATLANTA-BellSouth Corp. signed an agreement to sell its 34.75-percent equity ownership in Israeli wireless carrier Cellcom to Discount Investment Corp. for $625 million. Discount Investment currently holds a 25-percent interest …

LONDON-NEC Corp said it has received orders for its Mobile Internet Platform and mobile handsets for Russian wireless carrier Mobile TeleSystems’ i-mode service. The value of the deal was not …

Following is a list of debt and credit upgrades and downgrades for wireless companies by financial and investment firms this week. Merrill Lynch upgraded its rating on Freescale Semiconductor from …