Press Clippings: August 2007
Major Industry items you might have missed
Friday, August 31, 2007
Verizon Business attacks billing complexity
Source: Telephony
Before its acquisition by Verizon, MCI was known to have a complex set of operating systems — the legacy of a series of acquisitions that had never been fully integrated. In particular, the company had added a new billing system virtually every time it bought a new company. When the Verizon-MCI merger was completed in January 2006, one of the first orders of business was to change that dynamic and streamline the number of billing systems — both to save money and to make life easier for Verizon Business customers.
Posted by Penny — 12:17 PM
TorrentSpy Cuts off the USA
Source: TelecomTV
The peer-to-peer site TorrentSpy has sundered all access to it by American users rather than hand its server logs to US authorities. The decision is a victory for BitTorrent users but denies US fans access to one of the largest torrent sites online.
Posted by Penny — 10:14 AM
DT and Ericsson sign microwave deal.
Source: TeleGeography.
Swedish vendor Ericsson and German incumbent DT have inked a six-year contract covering the operation and maintenance of DT’s microwave network in Germany. Around 200 employees will be transferred from DT’s fixed network subsidiary T-Com to Ericsson, which will then take responsibility for DT’s microwave-based links, including planning, deployment, operation and field services. T-Com will then buy back capacity from Ericsson as part of the ongoing ‘managed services’ contract.
Posted by Judith — 5:29 AM
Regulators move to fine wireless carriers over 911 service.
Source: Reuters.
The FCC has announced it proposes fines totaling US$2.825m. against Sprint Nextel Corp, Alltel Corp and United States Cellular Corp for failing to meet the new stricter standards for being able to locate cellular telephone callers in an emergency.
Posted by Judith — 4:13 AM
Cinven/Altice to take over Completel.
Source: TeleGeography.
European media and telecoms investment group Altice has agreed a two-stage deal to buy up to 55% in French alternative fixed line and broadband provider Completel Europe via Altice B2B France, its 51%-owned joint venture vehicle, 49% owned by UK-based private equity fund Cinven. The deal values Completel at EUR723.7m. (US$987.6m.)
Posted by Judith — 3:54 AM
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Tribler takes steps toward new kind of e-commerce
Source: Harvard University Gazette
Computer scientists are using the latest version of peer-to-peer video sharing software to explore a next-generation electronic commerce model that uses bandwidth as a global currency…. David Parkes at Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences worked on the new version of Tribler with Tribler technical director Johan Pouwelse…. Parkes said that today’s peer-to-peer networks already contain the roots of a new system of commerce. The new version of Tribler, he said, takes those features a step further.
Posted by Penny — 10:18 AM
Alltel shareholders give thumbs up to private equity buyout.
Source: TeleGeography.
Shareholders in Alltel yesterday voted overwhelmingly in favour of a proposed US$24.7bn. buyout by Texas-based TPG Capital, and New York-based GS Capital Partners, a subsidiary of Goldman Sachs. More than 91% of shareholders voted for the deal, which was first announced in May this year. Alltel, with twelve million customers in 35 US states, agreed to a proposed US$71.50 per share buyout by the two private equity groups.
Posted by Judith — 5:02 AM
Nokia launches web music service.
Source: BBC.
Nokia has launched a music and games download service, challenging both rival handset makers and mobile phone network providers.
The Nokia Music Store should make it easier for customers to use Nokia handsets as music players, making them stronger rivals to Apple’s iPhone.
It will also make Nokia a rival to the sellers of its phones, the network providers, which also offer downloads.
Posted by Judith — 4:15 AM
Problems with San Francisco’s WiFi plans.
Source: BWCS.
Following yesterday’s report that Chicago is to pull the plug on its urban WiFi scheme, it has emerged that US internet service provider Earthlink has decided to pull out of its deal to help provide free wireless internet access throughout the San Francisco area.
However, despite the draw-back, the City’s mayor, Gavin Newsom, remains committed to the idea.
Posted by Judith — 4:10 AM
Qatar extends mobile bid deadline.
Source: TeleGeography.
Qatar’s Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR) has extended by two weeks the deadline for the shortlisted firms and consortiums to bid for the country’s second mobile network operating licence. Twelve candidates have been shortlisted for the wireless concession: Etisalat, Batelco, Jordan Telecom, MTC, Orascom Telecom, Quic Consortium (led by Omantel and Belgacom), Reliance Telecom, Ace Consortium (led by Bharti Airtel), Vodafone, AT&T, the Argos Consortium (led by Verizon) and Digicel.
Posted by Judith — 3:27 AM
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Chicago blows cold on WiFi.
Source: BWCS.
Only two months after promising to press ahead with plans to construct a city-wide WiFi network, Chicago City officials have pulled the plug on the whole scheme. The news came after elected representatives faced strong criticism following the admission that the bold scheme had fallen behind schedule.
The plan to provide a WiFi grid across the city offering high-speed, low-cost, wireless internet access to all citizens has now failed despite long and hard negotiations with three companies: AT&T, EarthLink and new company NextWLAN.
Posted by Judith — 4:51 AM
EarthLink to trim work force and close offices.
Source: NYT.
Shares of the Internet service provider EarthLink have climbed sharply after it said it would cut 900 jobs — about half its work force — and close four offices in an effort to reduce operating costs.
The company is struggling to attract dial-up customers who are turning to high-speed alternatives and is studying the performance of its municipal wireless Internet networks in four cities before deciding how to move forward with similar networks elsewhere.
Posted by Judith — 4:38 AM
In Europe, a push by phone companies into TV.
Source: NYT.
Several European phone companies plan to announce significant expansions of IPTV this week, led by Deutsche Telekom, which is spending EUR3bn. and has linked about 4 in 10 German households to broadband TV.
The moves will put Europe further ahead of the United States and Asia.
Posted by Judith — 4:15 AM
Telecom NZ sorry for email outages.
Source: TeleGeography.
New Zealand incumbent Telecom New Zealand has apologised for the recent outages that troubled its email service and plans to make a NZ$1m. (US$702k.) donation to charity and offer its customers a week’s free internet access, by way of an apology.
Posted by Judith — 3:21 AM
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
CT Communications shareholders approve merger with Windstream.
Source: TeleGeography.
Shareholders of CT Communications have voted in favour of a proposed US$585m. buyout by rival operator, Little Rock-based Windstream Corp. In May this year, Windstream announced it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire North Carolina-based CT Communications, which has 158,000 access lines and 29,000 broadband customers, for US$31.50 per share.
Posted by Judith — 6:25 AM
Acer to acquire Gateway for US$710m.
Source: BBC.
Taiwan’s leading computer seller Acer is to take over US PC maker Gateway in a US$710m. (GBP352m.) deal.
The takeover will create the world’s third largest producer of personal computers, with shipments of more than 20 million PCs and sales of US$15bn.
Posted by Judith — 4:33 AM
Orange threatens to spoil Nokia’s online music entertainment party.
Source: Independent.
Orange has threatened to spoil Nokia’s high-profile launch of its new music download service this week after warning that it will refuse to offer its flagship music handset to its 16m. customers in the UK unless the Finnish mobile phone manufacturer agrees to work with the operator to ensure that customer experience is paramount.
Posted by Judith — 4:07 AM
Samsung signed for New York WiMax.
Source: BWCS.
US mobile operator Sprint Nextel has awarded the contract to build a WiMax network in New York to Korean vendor Samsung.
The deal followed the signing of similar contracts for Samsung to provide WiMax coverage in Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington DC.
Posted by Judith — 3:55 AM
Monday, August 27, 2007
Yahoo! offers email-to-SMS connectivity .
Source: Converge.
Yahoo! has enhanced its email service with the ability for users to send real-time text messages to mobile recipients. Through this service, users in the U.S., Canada, India and the Philippines can send messages to a mobile phone number directly from their e-mail account. Simultaneously, Yahoo! Mail accounts can receive text messages from mobile phone users.
Posted by Judith — 4:40 AM
XFONE to acquire Texas-Based NTS.
Source: Converge.
Xfone USA agreed to acquire NTS Communications, a provider of integrated voice, data and video services based in Lubbock, Texas, for US$42m.
NTS operates the largest CLEC network in West Texas, providing local, long distance, broadband data, video and private line services to approximately 47,500 residential and business customers.
Posted by Judith — 4:21 AM
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Nokia battery case to cost Matsushita up to US$172m.
Source: Reuters.
Japan’s Matsushita Electric Industrial Co said on Friday that replacement of its batteries in Nokia mobile phones is likely to cost them 10bn. to 20bn. yen (US$86-172m.).
Nokia, the world’s largest mobile phone maker, earlier this month warned consumers that 46 million batteries made by Matsushita and used in its cell phones could overheat and offered to replace them for free.
Posted by Judith — 4:08 AM
Oi and BrT can merge if they stay Brazilian.
Source: TeleGeography.
Brazil’s federal government will support the merger between the country’s first and third largest fixed line operators Oi and Brasil Telecom (BrT) providing the new company remains in Brazilian hands.
President Lula de Silva would need to approve changes in Brazil’s telecoms legislation in order to permit a merger of Oi and BrT as two competing national concession contract holders are not permitted to merge under current legislation.
Posted by Judith — 4:01 AM
Friday, August 24, 2007
Nokia to include Windows Live services.
Source: NYT.
Setting aside its handset rivalry with Nokia, Microsoft has announced it has inked a pact to put mobile versions of its Windows Live services onto handsets made by one of its chief competitors.
Under the deal, Nokia will start offering Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger on its most powerful Series 60 handsets this year.
Posted by Judith — 4:35 AM
Role of telecom firms in wiretaps is confirmed.
Source: NYT.
The Bush administration has confirmed for the first time that American telecommunications companies played a crucial role in the National Security Agency’s domestic eavesdropping program after asserting for more than a year that any role played by them was a “state secret.”
Posted by Judith — 4:02 AM
Mobile calls make up one third of UK total.
Source: BWCS.
Ofcom has given a snapshot of phone and internet usage in Britain with its recent report on the communications markets in the UK. It states that consumers and business users are spending less time on landline connections with mobile usage now accounting for over one third of all phone calls made in the UK.
Ofcom pointed out that mobile phone call minutes totalled 82bn. last year, out of an overall total of 234bn.
Posted by Judith — 4:00 AM
London tube gets smart posters.
Source: Telecoms.com.
Travellers on the London’s public transport network could soon be using their phones to help them get about, as Transport for London (TFL) unveils a trial of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.
The three-month trial will see NFC embedded in a number of smart posters.
When a NFC-enabled mobile phoned is placed against the smart poster, it will pinpoint the exact location of the passenger and then transmit detailed information including where to go to make the next stage of the journey, how to get there, how long the transfer will take and when the next service will arrive.
Posted by Judith — 3:51 AM
Thursday, August 23, 2007
EC moves closer to European-wide mobile satellite regulations.
Source: BWCS.
The EChas adopted a proposal to select systems for mobile satellite services at the European level. Supporters of satellite delivered mobile services say that, if accepted, the new system will enable innovative services, such as mobile TV, broadband data and emergency communications to develop smoothly throughout Europe from 2009 onwards.
Posted by Judith — 5:21 AM
Germany named as EU’s fastest growing broadband market.
Source: TeleGeography.
A recently released report from the European Commission has declared Germany to be the fastest growing broadband market in the EU, with the number of high speed connections in the country rising by 4.34m. in 2006 to 14.9m. Deutsche Telekom responded to the report by saying it was proof that there is no need for tighter regulation of DSL in the country.
Posted by Judith — 5:10 AM
India overhauls U.S. as Nokia’s second biggest market.
Source: Reuters.
Nokia has announced that India has overtaken the US in the second quarter as its second biggest market after China.
Globally Nokia sold 100.8m. phones in April-June and had a market share of 36.9%.
The Finnish mobile phone maker said in a statement it had started exporting handsets made at its plant in Chennai, India, to 58 countries.
Posted by Judith — 4:58 AM
Alltel launches map service.
Source: TeleGeography.
The US cellular operator Alltel has launched a new location-based service under the name ‘Where’. The new offering brings users customised maps and directions for thousands of locations, direct to the handset.
Posted by Judith — 3:59 AM
ISP promises net neutrality.
Source: Telecoms.com.
A newly launched US ISP has run out to meet the net neutrality debate head on, by guaranteeing a neutral line to anybody willing to pay for it.
Copowi.com, which launched this week, looks to be the first independent ISP to offer net neutrality guarantees. It offers high speed web access in 12 states plus a nationwide dialup service.
Posted by Judith — 3:57 AM
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Infineon to acquire LSI’s mobility business for US$450m.
Source: Converge.
LSI will sell its mobility products business to Infineon Technologies for US$450m. in cash, plus a performance-based payment of up to US$50m. payable in the first quarter of 2009. The division, which originally belonged to Agere Systems, designs semiconductors and software for cellular telephone handsets and complete chip-level solutions for satellite digital audio radio applications. It has about 700 employees.
Posted by Judith — 5:08 AM
Apple secures slice of mobile revenue pie.
Source: BWCS.
Apple has apparently succeeded in its goal of signing a raft of European mobile operators to a revenue share agreement for its new iPhones. The contract, which was reportedly signed yesterday with a trio of mobile companies, will see 10% of all mobile call and data revenues generated by the new handsets handed straight to Apple.
The first three operators to agree to Apple’s terms are said to be O2 in the UK, Orange in France and T-Mobile in Germany.
Posted by Judith — 4:52 AM
EC clears T-Mobile’s acquisition of Orange Netherlands.
Source: Digital Media Europe.
The European Commission has cleared the proposed acquisition of the telecommunications company Orange Netherlands by T-Mobile Netherlands.
T-Mobile Netherlands is a Dutch mobile operator ultimately controlled by Deutsche Telekom. Its mobile arm T-Mobile International concentrates on mobile telecommunications markets in Western and Central Europe and the US.
Orange Netherlands consists of Orange Nederland and Orange Nederland Breedband and currently belongs to France Telecom.
Posted by Judith — 4:47 AM
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Motorola completes acquisition of Leapstone — IMS software.
Source: Converge.
Motorola completed its acquisition of privately-held Leapstone Systems.
Leapstone’s flagship Communications Convergence Engine (CCE) product suite is a real-time service delivery platform that enables fixed and mobile network operators to expand and evolve their service offerings through its Service Broker and Content Manager software products.
Posted by Judith — 4:45 AM
BT targets SME market with Basilica buy.
Source: Independent.
BT has strengthened its grip on the small and mid-sized business market after snapping up Basilica Computing, a small IT company that specialises in providing services to customers with 50 to 1,000 employees.
Posted by Judith — 4:39 AM
Cisco and Microsoft discuss collaboration and competition.
Source: Converge.
Cisco and Microsoft have agreed to collaborate in certain areas of network convergence while competing in others. At a press event in New York the two companies outlined 7 specific technology initiatives where Cisco and Microsoft will focus their efforts.
These are IT infrastructure, Security, Management, Unified Communications, Wireless and Mobility, Connected Entertainment, Small and medium-sized businesses.
Posted by Judith — 4:07 AM
Google starts Chinese push with networking stake.
Source: Times Online.
Google has taken a stake in Tianya.cn, the Chinese social networking site, in what is expected to be the first of several deals forged to broaden the company’s controversial presence in the world’s second-largest online market.
Posted by Judith — 3:57 AM
Monday, August 20, 2007
FCC schedules 700 MHz auction for Jan-2008 .
Source: Converge.
The FCC will commence its auction of the 700 MHz band licenses on 16-January-2008. Specifically, the auction will include 1,099 licenses in the 698-806 MHz bands, including 176 licenses over Economic Areas in the A Block, 734 licenses over Cellular Market Areas in the B Block, 176 licenses over EAs in the E Block, 12 licenses over Regional Economic Area Groupings in the C Block, and one nationwide license, to be used as part of the 700 MHz Public/Private Partnership, in the D Block.
Posted by Judith — 5:22 AM
China Telecom posts 1H07 metrics — 33m. broadband users.
Source: Converge.
China Telecom published key performance metrics for the first half of 2007, including the following milestones: 32.80m. broadband users and 223.78m. local access lines.
Posted by Judith — 5:05 AM
Regulator approves Windstream buyout in NC
Source: TeleGeography.
The FCC has approved Windstream’s US$585m. acquisition of North Carolina-based CT Communications. The deal, which was first announced in May, will add 158,000 wireline accounts and 29,000 broadband subscribers to Windstream’s customer base.
Posted by Judith — 4:58 AM
More details of NZ WiMAX auction.
Source: TeleGeography.
New Zealand’s government has revealed more details of its proposed sale of 2.3GHz and 2.5GHz WiMAX wireless broadband spectrum. The sale, which will take place in December this year, will include strict acquisition limits to prevent major operators from reinforcing their dominance. Winning bidders are being warned that they must use their frequencies or risk losing them, in a measure designed to prevent spectrum hoarding.
Posted by Judith — 4:55 AM
Telefonica to launch budget brand in Germany.
Source: TeleGeography.
Telefonica plans to launch a discount mobile phone brand in Germany at the end of the summer. The news appears to confirm a report that stated Telefonica-owned O2 Germany would introduce a new low-cost brand called Fonic at the end of August.
Posted by Judith — 4:32 AM
KPN buys Tele2/Versatel Belgium.
Source: TeleGeography.
Swedish telecoms operator Tele2 has announced that it has sold its subsidiary Tele2/Versatel Belgium to Dutch PTO KPN for approximately SEK890m. (US$129m.) on a cash and debt free basis.
Posted by Judith — 4:11 AM
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Nokia asks for ban on Qualcomm chip imports.
Source: NYT.
Nokia, the mobile phone maker, has announced that it has asked United States trade officials to intervene in an increasingly bitter dispute with Qualcomm, which makes computer chips for phones.
Nokia has asked the International Trade Commission to bar import of phones into the United States that include Qualcomm chips that Nokia asserts violate its patents. Nokia said it was not being properly compensated for the use of its technology by Qualcomm.
Nokia’s move to seek government intervention comes two months after Broadcom, a rival chip maker, won a ruling from the International Trade Commission that Qualcomm had infringed on an important patent.
Posted by Judith — 4:51 AM
Iraq awards three mobile licences.
Source: The Inquirer.
Eastern companies have won 15 year licences to operate mobile phone networks in Iraq. The news puts paid to any American hopes that Cdmaone might be used instead of GSM.
The three winners were Korek Telecom, Kuwait’s MTC and Asiacell.
The winners will have to collectively pay US$3.75bn. and eventually make 45% of their shares available to Iraqis.
Posted by Judith — 4:00 AM
Friday, August 17, 2007
Sprint Nextel unveils US$5bn. WiMAX plan.
Source: TeleGeography.
Sprint Nextel has said it now expects to spend about US$5bn. building an expanded nationwide 4G wireless broadband network based on the WiMAX technology standard. Around half the investment will be made in the period to end-2008, while build out beyond that date will be ‘success-based.’ The company envisages providing coverage to approximately 125m. people by the end of 2010, which would require an additional capital expenditure of US$2.5bn.
Posted by Judith — 5:40 AM
Nortel taps universities for 4G innovations.
Source: Telecoms.com.
Nortel is teaming up with universities worldwide to help it develop 4G mobile broadband technologies.
The vendor has expanded its existing long-standing research partnerships with academic institutions like the University of Waterloo in Canada, The University of Texas at Austin in the US, and National Taiwan University in Taiwan.
Nortel has also formed new partnerships with Mera Networks in Russia and Technische Universitaet Ilmenau in Germany.
Posted by Judith — 5:28 AM
Error in Skype’s software shuts down phone service.
Source: NYT.
The online telephone service Skype was not working for much of the day on Thursday, leaving its 220m. users, some of them small businesses that had given up their landlines, without calling ability.
Executives at Skype said its engineers worked throughout the day to bring the service back online. But they said that while they had pinpointed the source of the problem, they still did not know why it had resulted in a network failure, and they could not ensure that the service would be running smoothly again by Friday.
Posted by Judith — 4:05 AM
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Iraq sets US$300m. bid price in mobile licenses.
Source: Reuters.
Iraq has set US$300m. as the starting price for three 15-year mobile licenses that five consortiums will bid for in Amman from Thursday.
The 15-year licenses replace three short-term contracts awarded soon after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
The bidders include current operators Cairo-based Orascom Telecom Holdings, Kuwait’s Mobile Telecommunications Co. and AsiaCell.
The other two bidders are leading Turkish mobile phone operator Turkcell and Korek Telecom.
Posted by Judith — 4:44 AM
MTNL chases Telkom stake.
Source: TeleGeography.
MTNL of India has joined the race to win a 51% stake in Kenya’s incumbent wireline operator Telkom. There are now at least eight firms which have expressed an interest in the government sale, with the other prospective bidders including France Telecom, BT, Telkom South Africa, Reliance, Tata/VSNL, Bharti Airtel and Alcazaar.
Posted by Judith — 4:11 AM
C&W bags Virgin deal.
Source: TeleGeography.
C&W has landed a three-year, multi-million pound contract with Virgin Group to deliver strategic data communications services. C&W has been providing communications services to Virgin Group for over seven years and currently delivers hosting, security and contact centre services to different parts of the Group. Under the new contract it will provide the company with IP-VPN services to over 130 sites in the UK, managed security, Wi-Fi and application monitoring solutions.
Posted by Judith — 4:04 AM
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
German mobile TV joint venture cleared by Cartel Office.
Source: TeleGeography.
Having studied the proposal for three months, Germany’s Federal Cartel Office has raised no objections to the plans of Vodafone Germany, T-Mobile Deutschland and O2 Germany to set up a mobile television joint venture. The three operators plan to launch the DVB-H service at the beginning of 2008 and hope to operate a nationwide network.
Posted by Judith — 5:15 AM
SyncVoice raises US$11.6m. for unified management software, changes name to Communicado .
Source: Converge.
SyncVoice Communications has raised US$11.6m. in Series B financing for its solutions for managing converged voice/data communications.
The company also announced a new corporate name — Communicado — reflecting its value of extending beyond telephony to improving performance of all types of real-time collaborative communications across converged networks, including voice, video and live conferencing.
Posted by Judith — 4:59 AM
British Rail passengers to get free Wi-Fi.
Source: NYT.
Rail passengers on the London-to-Scotland east coast main line will get free Wi-Fi as part of National Express’ GBP1.4bn. pound (US$2.8bn.) winning bid to run the franchise.
The on-board Wi-Fi uses a combination of a satellite link and mobile 3G/GPRS networks to maintain 100 percent connectivity, even when going through tunnels.
Posted by Judith — 4:29 AM
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
First HSUPA device approved.
Source: TeleGeography.
PC card manufacturer Option says its new GlobeTrotter Express data card is the first HSUPA-enabled device to be given regulatory clearance in the US by the FCC. US cellular operators such as AT&T and T-Mobile USA are busy upgrading their GSM-based networks with HSDPA and HSUPA 3.5G technology, giving peak download data rates of 7.2Mbps and peak upload speeds of around 2Mbps.
Posted by Judith — 5:22 AM
Microsoft completes Aquantive purchase.
Source: NYT.
Microsoft has completed the largest purchase in its history, sealing its US$6bn. takeover of Internet advertising firm Aquantive.
The software maker closed the deal on Friday, according to a filing Aquantive made on Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
In the filing, Seattle-based Aquantive said that its board has resigned, as planned, and that it has notified Nasdaq to delist its stock, with the shares now converted into the right to receive a cash payout of US$66.50 per share from Microsoft. Aquantive is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft.
Posted by Judith — 5:19 AM
Ericsson and Warid Telecom strengthen managed services partnership.
Source: TeleGeography.
Ericsson and Warid Telecommunications have announced a new three-year managed services agreement that will deepen the existing strategic partnership between the two companies and marks Ericsson’s first multi-vendor deal in Pakistan. Under the agreement, Ericsson will provide a range of new services for Warid covering complete network operations, including field operations and network optimisation to ensure quality of the network.
Posted by Judith — 5:10 AM
Microsoft says test shows vacant airwaves usable.
Source: NYT.
Microsoft Corp has told the FCC it was confident that vacant television airwaves can be used for wireless services without interfering with broadcast signals.
The unused U.S. television airwaves will be available for other services by early 2009.
Microsoft disputed the agency’s recent finding that prototype Internet devices caused static on existing broadcasts.
The company said its first prototype had a defective internal component but that a new model worked successfully in a demonstration for FCC technical experts last week.
Posted by Judith — 4:59 AM
Nokia warns about 46m. Matsushita made batteries.
Source: Reuters.
The cellphone maker Nokia has announced that 46m. batteries used in its phones could overheat and the company would replace them for no cost to consumers.
Nokia said the Nokia-branded “BL-5C” batteries were made by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. between December 2005 and November 2006.
Posted by Judith — 4:32 AM
Monday, August 13, 2007
Verizon snaps up smaller provider.
Source: TeleGeography.
Verizon Wireless has acquired the assets of Ramcell in southeast Kentucky and western Oregon. Ramcell’s operating licences cover 574,000 people in the two states. It offers services over TDMA and CDMA networks which Verizon says will be upgraded with CDMA2000 1xEV-DO technology by the middle of next year.
Posted by Judith — 11:05 AM
TelstraClear plans MVNO launch.
Source: TeleGeography.
Telecom New Zealand and TelstraClear have signed a wholesale wireless agreement which will allow TelstraClear to launch as a national MVNO. TelstraClear plans to launch its own branded mobile service later this year. TelstraClear recently ended a similar mobile roaming agreement with New Zealand’s other cellular operator, Vodafone.
Posted by Judith — 10:07 AM
New suspicious payments uncovered at Siemens.
Source: Reuters.
Internal investigators have uncovered more than EUR1bn. (US$1.4bn.) of dubious payments at Siemens’ telecoms and turbines divisions, far more than previously thought.
Almost EUR900m. worth of such payments had been found at the telecoms unit alone.
Siemens, which has been rocked by criminal and internal investigations into suspected organized bribery disguised as payments to business consultants, said last month it was extending its own investigation.
Posted by Judith — 5:06 AM
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Judge sides with Broadcom in Qualcomm patent fight.
Source: NYT.
The Broadcom Corporation was tentatively awarded US$39.3m. in damages and legal fees on Friday in a patent dispute with a rival chip maker, Qualcomm, after a federal judge upheld a jury verdict that Qualcomm had infringed three patents.
Posted by Judith — 4:06 AM
Friday, August 10, 2007
Vodafone joins WiMAX Forum.
Source: Telecoms.com.
The WiMAX Forum, which is committed to promoting and certifying interoperable WiMAX products, has announced that Vodafone has become a principal member of the forum, lending yet more credence to the assertion of the technology as a commercial reality.
US carrier Sprint made a splash when it began rolling out WiMAX last year, but the company also has a cdma2000 1x EV-DO network. Vodafone, as a pureplay GSM operator, will definitely cause a stir with its news.
Posted by Judith — 4:15 AM
Hibernia Atlantic to construct new submarine cable connecting Iceland to North America and Europe.
Source: TeleGeography.
Hibernia Atlantic has announced a plan to construct a new submarine fibre-optic cable system connecting Iceland to its northern Atlantic submarine cable system. Hibernia Atlantic will deploy a branching unit off its existing northern cable, giving Iceland direct connectivity to North America, Ireland, London, Amsterdam and the rest of continental Europe.
Posted by Judith — 4:13 AM
Digital home technology given green light in UK.
Source: BBC.
A wireless technology that could hasten the arrival of the connected digital home has been give the green light by media regulator Ofcom.
Ultra-Wideband (UWB) can be used to connect devices such as PCs, mp3 players and digital cameras.
New legislation will mean UK users will not need a licence to use UWB devices when they hits shelves in the future.
Posted by Judith — 3:40 AM
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Virgin sale stalls.
Source: TeleGeography.
Virgin Media has conceded that its sale will be delayed for an unspecified time after it became the latest victim of the credit squeeze. The auction of the group, for which first-round offers had initially been expected today, is now on hold until a ‘more stable debt market environment’ emerges.
Posted by Judith — 5:03 AM
AT&T and The Cloud sign Wi-Fi roaming deal.
Source: TeleGeography.
AT&T has announced an international roaming agreement with UK-based wireless LAN hotspot provider The Cloud which will open up The Cloud’s 9,000 public access hotspots in Europe to AT&T customers. The deal means that AT&T’s Wi-Fi subscribers now have access to more than 57,000 hotspots in 83 countries.
Posted by Judith — 5:02 AM
Vodafone keeps its slice of Verizon.
Source: Telecoms.com.
Vodafone has reiterated that it is, under no circumstances, about to get rid of its stake in US cellco Verizon Wireless.
Despite months of speculation that the operator would offload some or all of the 45% holding, a statement released said that “Vodafone continues to believe that retaining its full 45% interest is in the best interests of shareholders”.
This was the fifth and final option Vodafone had to exercise rights under its agreement with Verizon Communications, which owns the remaining 55% of Verizon Wireless, to sell up to US$10bn. of the stake back to Verizon’s parent.
Posted by Judith — 4:57 AM
Nokia to outsource chip development.
Source: FT.com.
Nokia, the world’s largest maker of mobile phones, is to stop in-house development of semiconductors for most of its mobile phones and outsource the business to third parties.
The Finland-based company said the move would free an undisclosed sum for research into more complex chips needed for its advanced multimedia, internet-enabled handsets.
Nokia will use four chipset suppliers - Texas Instruments, Broadcom, Infineon Technologies and STMicroelectronics.
Posted by Judith — 4:07 AM
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
T-Mobile recycling UK phones.
Source: Telecoms.com.
UK carrier T-Mobile is launching a handset recycling scheme that aims to monetise the millions of unused mobile phones in the country.
There are reportedly 52.3m. discarded mobile phones in the homes and offices of the UK’s 37m. mobile users which could be cashed in, either for charity or for personal gain.
T-Mobile is offering all UK mobile customers, irrespective of their network, the opportunity to post unwanted handsets to the company. These terminals will either be reconditioned for distribution in emerging markets, or broken down and recycled. The carrier is offering an incentive of up to GBP80, which can be claimed by the individual or donated to a nominated charity.
Posted by Judith — 4:29 AM
AT&T signs up for WiMAX in Alaska.
Source: Telecoms.com.
US-based operator AT&T has given yet more credence to WiMAX as a commercial reality with the announcement of plans to deploy the technology in Alaska.
Posted by Judith — 4:05 AM
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
U.S. supports patent ruling in a setback for Qualcomm.
Source: NYT.
In a decision watched closely by the mobile phone industry, the Bush administration has let stand an earlier ruling that requires Qualcomm to pay licensing fees to its competitor Broadcom.
Qualcomm, which makes chips used in many mobile phones, has argued that the ruling, made in June by the United States International Trade Commission, could lead to a ban on the importation of millions of new phones that use power management technology covered in a patent controlled by Broadcom.
Posted by Judith — 5:03 AM
Microsoft US$1.5bn. MP3 fine dropped.
Source: BBC.
A US district court has overturned a decision ordering Microsoft to pay phone firm Alcatel-Lucent US$1.52bn. for infringing music patents.
The federal judge in San Diego reversed a jury’s decision which had ruled that Microsoft’s Media Player software infringed on two Alcatel patents.
Both patents regarded how audio was converted into MP3 files.
Alcatel said it would appeal against the decision while Microsoft said the reversal was a “victory for consumers”.
Posted by Judith — 4:56 AM
Monday, August 6, 2007
Nokia, Microsoft to boost mobile entertainment.
Source: Reuters.
The two companies have announced that Nokia will start to use Microsoft’s copy protection software to boost the use of wireless entertainment, like music and videos.
Nokia will license Microsoft’s PlayReady DRM technology, and build it into its S60 software, the most widely used software platform in cell-phone industry.
Posted by Judith — 4:45 AM
Canadian incumbents feeling liberated in major cities.
Source: TeleGeography.
Canada’s telecoms regulator has deregulated local residential telephony services in a number of large urban markets. Among others Bell Canada has reported that the watchdog has deregulated Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Hamilton, London (Ontario) and other markets in Ontario and Quebec, allowing the telco to set its own prices and compete more effectively with cablecos and VoIP operators.
Posted by Judith — 4:37 AM
C&W applies for Indian long-distance licences.
Source: TeleGeography.
C&W has applied for national and international long-distance licences from the Indian Department of Telecommunications. C&W is fourth global service provider to have entered the Indian market in recent months, ostensibly by applying for licences allowing it to provide connectivity to enterprise customers and the IT sector. Earlier this year AT&T, BT and Verizon all applied for the same licences, although so far AT&T is the only company to have launched commercial services for its global and Indian customers.
Posted by Judith — 4:25 AM
Sprint leaves SpectrumCo venture.
Source: TeleGeography.
Sprint Nextel has announced that it is pulling out of its joint venture with major cable operators which won licences in the government’s auction of AWS spectrum last year. Sprint says the move will not affect its deal with the cablecos under which the partners jointly market wireless services alongside cable TV, telephony and internet access. The SpectrumCo venture involving Sprint, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications paid US$2.4bn. for 137 licences in the 2006 AWS auction.
Posted by Judith — 3:42 AM
Saturday, August 4, 2007
PT to fight abuse fine.
Source: TeleGeography.
Portugal Telecom (PT) has announced it will contest a EUR38m. (US$51.9m.) fine set by competition authority AdC for abuse of a dominant position in the telecoms markets. In a statement, PT said the fine is ‘unjust, inexplicable and disproportionate,’ noting that it was not informed until 2004 and 2005 of the complaints from its competitors TV Tel and Cabovisao lodged in 2003 that they were denied access to PT’s cable networks.
Posted by Judith — 5:03 AM
Friday, August 3, 2007
BT to acquire the IT infrastructure division of CS Communication and Systemes.
Source: BT.com.
British Telecommunications plc announced today it has submitted a binding offer to CS Communication & Systemes, a French IT systems and network services provider, to acquire its Mission Critical Infrastructures division for up to EUR60m. (US$82.5m.)
Posted by Judith — 8:43 AM
EC names roaming offenders.
Source: TeleGeography.
The EC has named and shamed wireless companies that have failed to implement new EU maximum tariffs on cross-border mobile phone calls. Most of the companies in the 27 EU member states have begun offering the new tariffs, but a few, including Luxembourg’s Voxmobile failed to offer their customers the new roaming tariffs by 30 July 2007. Many others, including big names such as O2 and Virgin Mobile in Britain, O2 in Austria and Tele2 in Sweden, were marked in grey on the EU’s colour-coded list for not having provided any information on their prices.
Posted by Judith — 8:31 AM
IFC invests US$32.5m in African cable project.
Source: TeleGeography.
The World Bank’s International Finance Corp (IFC) has announced it will invest US$32.5m. in a fibre-optic cable project that will provide internet and international communication services for 21 African countries. The project, called the East African Submarine Cable System, is to run 10,000 kilometres from the continent’s southern tip to the African horn.
Posted by Judith — 8:25 AM
Thursday, August 2, 2007
China’s telecom equipment manufacturers invade U.S.
Source: BusinessWeek Online.
Spurred by a downturn at home, ZTE and Huawei are challenging Cisco and Nortel for wireless and broadband equipment contracts in the U.S.
For China’s high-flying manufacturers of telecom equipment, the U.S. market has always been a no-go zone.
That timidity is now starting to fade. Both Huawei and ZTE have been boosting their sales and marketing teams in the U.S. and becoming more aggressive in trying to land deals with American carriers. Huawei last month inked a deal with Cricket Communications, a subsidiary of Nasdaq-listed Leap Wireless International.
Posted by Judith — 4:15 AM
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Prexar Mobile takes on Amp’d customers.
Source: TeleGeography.
Prexar Mobile, a firm managed by local and long-distance operator USA Telephone, is to acquire the assets of bankrupt wireless reseller Amp’d Mobile. The remaining Amp’d customers will be transferred to similar packages at Prexar and will be able to keep their existing phone and number.
Posted by Judith — 5:56 AM
FCC sets airwaves sale rule.
Source: Reuters.
The FCC has voted to shake up the wireless market by approving rules for a big airwaves auction that would require the winner to make them accessible to any cell phone or other device.
The sale would likely begin in December or January and the government expects it to raise at least $10 billion. Two Republican FCC commissioners, who expressed reservations about the idea, stressed it would not apply to existing airwaves held by carriers like AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless.
The agency stopped short of a broader requirement sought by potential bidder Google Inc. that would force the winner to resell access to its network on a wholesale basis.
Posted by Judith — 4:21 AM
WiMAX gets UK boost.
Source: Telecoms.com.
UK WiMAX provider, Urban Wimax, has announced a partnership with Nortel to build and trial a user-ready mobile WiMAX service ahead of the UK’s spectrum auction in early 2008.
The collaboration is intended to prove the technical deliverability of 4G mobile WiMAX in mature 3G markets such as Western Europe.
Posted by Judith — 4:19 AM
O2 delays broadband again.
Source: Telecoms.com.
Teething problems continue to dog O2 UK’s own-branded fixed line broadband service. The operator has been forced to delay the launch of its service once again, this time until October.
O2 joined the UK broadband bandwagon with the acquisition of ADSL provider Be for £50m, last summer.
Posted by Judith — 4:14 AM
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