OXFORD, United Kingdom—News International, the vast media organization with outlets in most major countries, is preparing to unveil its proprietary mobile content delivery platform and a new strategy of forming direct relationships with operators, rather than working with intermediaries.The new division, labeled Omnimedia, is...
BEDMINSTER, N.J.—Verizon Wireless Inc. filed an updated registration statement relating to its potential initial public offering of common stock with the Securities and Exchange Commission.The statement notes that upon completion of the IPO, Verizon Wireless Inc. would be a holding company whose sole assets...
FRANKFURT, Germany—Deutsche Telekom's wireless unit T-Mobile added 1.7 million net subscribers during the third quarter, bringing the carrier's worldwide wireless customer base to 45.6 million subscribers.VoiceStream Wireless, T-Mobile's U.S. division, added 370,000 net subscribers, well below T-Mobile's previous estimates of 650,000 customer additions. VoiceStream...
LONDON—Vodafone said adoption of the single Vodafone brand by Portugal's Telecel Vodafone and Spain's Airtel Vodafone is complete, ahead of the original early 2002 schedule. Both companies supported the single brand through advertising campaigns.Vodafone said the subsidiaries can now benefit from brand advertising, media...
TOKYO—J-Phone Group on 1 November consolidated four companies of the group into one company to compete with its two rivals NTT DoCoMo and KDDI.Due to the reorganization, the new J-Phone was born from J-Phone Communications, J-Phone East, J-Phone West and J-Phone Central. Japan Telecom...
NEW YORK-Vivendi Universal has worldwide ambitions, particularly in the area of wireless technology and interactive television, and equally important, it possesses a balance sheet to support its plans, said Jean Marie Messier, chairman and chief executive officer."We believe we are the world's first global...
Carriers choose low-key number portability promotionsMELBOURNE, Australia-With the advent of mobile number portability (MNP) in Australia, the forecasted marketing blitz has largely failed to materialize, despite some initial predictions that mobile-phone companies would spend big to draw customers away from their competitors.Introduced on 25...
LONDON—Vodafone Group said its average revenue per user (ARPU) has begun to stabilize based on its end-September financial figures.The operator said its total inactive customer base in its controlled subsidiaries at the end of the third quarter was 10 percent. This comprises contract activity...
DUBLIN, Ireland—Macalla Software said Eircell Vodafone will use its technology for the Online Store. The service allows customers to purchase Eircell Vodafone's products using a PC or a mobile phone.Macalla built the software infrastructure for the m-payment part of the site. Macalla then upgraded...
LONDON—Vodafone Group plc has said its average revenue per user has begun to stabilize based on its end-September financial figures.The operator said its total inactive customer base in its controlled subsidiaries at the end of the third quarter was 10 percent. This comprises contract...
Editor's Note: Since 1993, RCR Wireless News has chosen one person who most impacted the wireless industry that year. As part of our celebration of 20 years of covering the wireless industry, here is a look at past inductees:1993
OXFORD, United Kingdom—Despite losing a legal appeal over the timing of its third-generation (3G) license payments, British Telecommunications (BT) said it will instigate a fresh court action restating that it and Deutsche Telekom-owned One 2 One were treated unfairly by being forced to pay...
LONDON—Vodafone Group said it will cut about 600 jobs in the United Kingdom by January. The world's largest mobile carrier said it does not plan cuts in its numerous operations outside the United Kingdom.International press reports said the cuts are part of the company's...
LONDON—Vodafone Multimedia, part of Vodafone U.K., selected SeeBeyond and its integration partner Ect to develop infrastructure to allow event-based or two-way text messaging."By leveraging the benefits of the SeeBeyond integration platform, Vodafone Multimedia is providing its customers with personalized information wherever and whenever they...
STOCKHOLM, Sweden—Using PipeBeach's VoiceXML platform, Europolitan Vodafone's customers are now able to download and listen to ring tones simply by using their voice.Europolitan Vodafone launched its voice portal earlier this year, and the company said it has been gaining in popularity ever since. The...
TOKYO—Vodafone Group, world's largest mobile operator, on Friday said it successfully purchased 693,368 shares, which represents 21.7 percent, of Japan Telecom. Due to the purchase, Vodafone's stake in Japan Telecom, the third-largest mobile operator in Japan, will increase to 66.7 percent. Also Vodafone's stake...
STOCKHOLM, Sweden—Using PipeBeach's VoiceXML platform, Europolitan Vodafone's customers are now able to download and listen to ring tones simply by using their voice.Europolitan Vodafone launched its Voice Portal in the spring, and the company said it has been gaining in popularity ever since.
TOKYO—NTT DoCoMo, the leading mobile carrier in Japan, achieved rapid business expansion by gaining a 59.6-percent market share of new customers in September. J-Phone, now owned by the world's largest mobile carrier Vodafone Group, had expanded its share significantly in July and August, while...
HELSINKI, Finland—Nokia began shipping its General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) phones in Europe on 28 September, barely making the third-quarter deadline it had set for itself for commercially offering GPRS handsets. Competing handset vendors Motorola and Ericsson already have several GPRS models on the...
LONDON—Vodafone Group plc added 2.5 million worldwide proportionate subscribers during the third quarter, bringing the wireless giant's proportionate customer base to 95.6 million subscribers.Vodafone said it added 713,000 subscribers in Northern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, including 251,000 in the United Kingdom; 252,000...
HELSINKI, Finland—Nokia began shipping its GPRS phones in Europe on Sept. 28, barely making the third-quarter deadline it had set for itself for commercially offering GPRS handsets. Competing handset vendors Motorola and Ericsson already have several GPRS models on the European market.According to international...
TOKYO—Chris Gent, president of Vodafone Group, said that Vodafone is going to send a new president to Japan Telecom in January. Vodafone is in the process of raising its stake in Japan Telecom from its current 45 percent to 66.7 percent.Due to the reshuffle...
