In Beijing, it is uncivilized for a lady to talk on a mobile phone while walking, according to a report on the Beijing Evening News. It seems cultural rules of society can be seamlessly translated to the mobile industry and should be given adequate...
AustraliaAustralia's third-generation (3G) spectrum auction fell well short of the federal government's budget forecasts of A$2.6 billion (US$1.3 billion). Six bidders paid a total of almost A$1.17 billion (US$577 million) for spectrum in the 2 GHz band. The auction felt an early blow when...
STOCKHOLM, Sweden-Dutch operator Libertel Vodafone selected Ericsson as its sole supplier for a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network through a $45 million contract. The contract includes hardware, software and services.The carrier plans to begin commercially offering 3G services by the end of 2002.
NEW YORK-Not surprisingly, the number and size of mergers and acquisitions for which a dollar value was made public declined markedly in all industries when compared to the same period a year ago, Los Angeles-based Mergerstat reported.Announced transactions involving U.S. companies totaled 2,224, down...
FREMONT, Calif.-Vodafone Global Platform and Internet Services (VGP), a division of Vodafone Group plc, has launched Vizzavi, a wireless Web portal based on software infrastructure provider Clickmarks' software platform.The portal allows Vodafone wireless subscribers to received personalized content and information on their wireless phones....
NEW YORK-Vodafone UK said it successfully conducted a live call over its third-generation network in the Thames Valley."Our announcement of the first 3G voice call marks yet another significant milestone in the development of our multimedia services and forms part of our rollout plans...
TOKYO-Toyota Motor Corp. sold its stakes in three regional wireless companies to Japan Telecom for an undisclosed amount, international press reports said. J-Phone Communications is Japan's second-largest mobile carrier and is owned 54 percent by Japan Telecom.Toyota held 1.97 percent of J-Phone East, 1.98...
LONDON-Vodafone Group plc confirmed the content and technology partners chosen for its Global Platform and Internet Services Group. The partnerships will add design, custom content, advanced search technology, content integration and location-based services to the Vodafone Global Platform, which designs, builds and maintains Vodafone's...
JAPANJapanese electronics giant Sony Corp. has decided to upgrade its cellular phone handset operations into a full division with emphasis on mobile computing products. Sony also wants to delve into broadband access.Matsushita Communications Industrial Co. Ltd. has signed a CDMA patent licensing agreement with...
LONDON-Vodafone Group announced it added more than 4.4 million customers during the quarter ended March 2001, showing growth in its worldwide registered proportionate customer base.This quarter's additions bring Vodafone's total customers gained for the year to 30.1 million, of which 5 million have been...
LONDON-Vodafone U.K. launched Vizzavi Find & Seek location services on its network. The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) service allows users to identify where they are on a map.The service also offers a range of location-based information, such as locations of restaurants, banks, sporting events...
In addition to being headquarters to a slew of businesses that have become known worldwide, including Microsoft Corp. and Starbucks, Seattle last week was ground zero for GSM technology as VoiceStream Wireless Corp. hosted the GSM Association's 45th Plenary Meeting.While the meeting is only...
Two U.S. companies are taking their respective technologies to the Australian market, following third-generation spectrum purchases in the country last month.Qualcomm Inc. paid $79 million for 10 megahertz of paired spectrum in all capital cities through a company called 3G Investments (Australia) Pty. Ltd....
LONDON-Britain's mobile carriers are beginning to do away with handset subsidies, with both Vodafone U.K. and One 2 One announcing plans to sharply increase the cost of their cheapest phones.Both of the carriers' cheapest prepaid handsets are increasing to about $100 from about $56....
SYDNEY, Australia-Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. has won the bidding war for Australian mobile operator Cable & Wireless Optus Ltd. with a cash and share offer for the company of up to $2.30 per share, valuing Optus' equity at nearly $8.6 billion.Optus announced it was for...
UkraineThe Ukrainian State Communications Committee designed the procedure for issuing third-generation licenses. "The committee has already designed the licensing terms," Committee Chairman Oleg Shevchuk said. He did not elaborate and said the procedure was yet to be approved by the Economics Ministry. The number...
LAS VEGAS-Sonera's zed portal service won a major victory last week as wireless carrier Vodafone U.K. adopted the services for use in the United Kingdom. Vodafone Group plc offers its own portal service to carriers in conjunction with Vivendi, called Vizzavi, and the carrier...
Vodafone Group plc has contracted with Cable & Wireless "to facilitate a European General Packet Radio Service data roaming trial," the companies said March 20.Cable & Wireless will provide the Internet Protocol-based network connection among nine Vodafone-affiliated wireless operators in Europe that are taking...
NEW YORK-China Mobile Hong Kong does not need 3G to take advantage of opportunities in a populous country with rising per capita income and low penetration by personal computers and second-generation wireless, said Wang Xiaochu, chairman and chief executive officer of the company.At the...
BUCHAREST, Romania-Throughout the 1990s, NMT analog wireless systems became somewhat obsolete, particularly with the advent of GSM technology. Digital GSM systems, which offer users services such as short message service, caller ID, group calls and data transmissions, are widespread throughout Europe and have outperformed...
SYDNEY, Australia-Cable & Wireless Optus confirmed it has received revised proposals from parties interested in buying the Australia-based carrier. Vodafone Group plc, Singapore Telecommunications and Telecom New Zealand are understood to be interested in buying the carrier, which has mobile, consumer and corporate data...
LONDON-Vodafone Group plc customers on seven of the company's networks in Europe now can use their normal "short code" dialing numbers to access services such as voicemail, directory assistance and customer service when traveling outside their home country."Allowing customers to use their existing short...
LONDON-Vodafone Group plc and China Mobile (Hong Kong) Ltd. announced a strategic alliance agreement that provides for close cooperation in many areas. The two companies first partnered last October.The agreement does not include a further equity interest by Vodafone, which purchased 2 percent of...
