Press Clippings: June 2008
Major Industry items you might have missed
Monday, June 30, 2008
Clearwire looks to Europe for WiMAX expansion.
Source: TeleGeography.
The US wireless ISP Clearwire is looking for WiMAX partners in Europe to create an international WiMAX network. Earlier this year Clearwire joined with Sprint Nextel and a number of other firms to form a nationwide wireless broadband venture which is expected to launch towards the end of this year.
Posted by Judith — 5:28 AM
France Telecom abandons US$40bn. TeliaSonera bid.
Source: TimesOnline.
France Telecom has abandoned efforts to acquire TeliaSonera after failing to secure the Swedish company’s consent to a US$40bn. offer that would have created Europe’s largest telecommunications group.
Posted by Judith — 4:59 AM
C&W offers GBP329m for Thus.
Source: Light Reading.
Cable & Wireless has struck an agreement to acquire fellow British operator THUS for GBP329m. (US$656m.) in cash, 9% higher than its initial offer.
But while the new offer is good enough to avoid rejection, the THUS board doesn’t regard it as “compelling,” and has decided not to recommended the offer to shareholders.
Posted by Judith — 4:09 AM
Vodafone in music deal with MySpace.
Source: Reuters.
Vodafone, the UK mobile operator, has announced a deal with News Corp’s MySpace under which footage from Vodafone-sponsored music events will be made available to users of the social networking website.
The new service, Vodafone Music Reporter, will be offered in Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, and will also feature user-generated content.
Posted by Judith — 4:03 AM
Saturday, June 28, 2008
NEC buys its way into telecom software, services arena.
Source: TelecomWeb.
In an effort to gain presence in an entirely new marketplace, NEC is purchasing Minn.-based NetCracker Technology Corp. for a reported US$300m.
The acquisition represents both a new market thrust for NEC - adding OSS services for communications providers and very large enterprises to its portfolio - and part of NEC’s stated search for new growth opportunities.
Posted by Judith — 4:52 AM
AT&T moving headquarters to Dallas.
Source: C/NET.
Telecom giant AT&T has announced that it has outgrown its San Antonio corporate headquarters and is moving to Dallas.
Posted by Judith — 4:47 AM
Quarter of EU homes use only mobile phones.
Source: Reuters.
A quarter of EU households surveyed by the bloc’s executive body have turned their backs on fixed lines in favor of mobile phones, with a fifth now making calls over the Internet.
The survey of 27,000 homes in the 27-nation bloc found that 24% were using mobiles only.
The figure in the 10 ex-communist new member states was 39% as governments there found it cheaper to make the leap to mobile rather than upgrading old fixed-line networks.
But Finland — home of handset maker Nokia — came in at 61%.
Posted by Judith — 4:05 AM
Friday, June 27, 2008
EU acts to cut mobile phone costs.
Source: BBC.
The European Commission plans to cut the cost of mobile phone calls by reducing the fees operators charge each other for using their networks.
Europe’s telecoms watchdog published guidelines for laws to harmonise so-called call termination fees across the European Union by 2011.
Posted by Judith — 4:39 AM
Vodafone Germany and Arcor to combine management.
Source: TeleGeography.
Vodafone Germany and fixed line operator Arcor will merge their executive management structures from 1 August 2008. The companies hope the move will produce an integrated communications service provider offering products from a portfolio that includes mobile, fixed, data and internet services.
Posted by Judith — 3:55 AM
Internet overhaul wins approval.
Source: BBC.
A complete overhaul of the way in which people navigate the internet has been given the go-ahead in Paris.
The net’s regulator, Icann, voted unanimously to relax the strict rules on so-called “top-level” domain names, such as .com or .uk.
The decision means that companies could turn brands into web addresses, while individuals could use their names.
Posted by Judith — 3:51 AM
Microsoft to acquire MobiComp for mobile personal data protection.
Source: Converge.
Microsoft has agreed to acquire MobiComp, a Portuguese software company that helped pioneer technologies allowing the backup and restoration of mobile data and mobile posting of social content to Web sites such as Facebook
Posted by Judith — 2:33 AM
Bright Idea to control Spice.
Source: Telecoms.com.
Indian operator Idea Cellular has announced plans to acquire a sizeable stake in rival operator Spice Communications for around US$509m. and merge the two companies.
Under the deal, Idea will snap up 40.8% of Spice and will also make an offer for an additional 20%. Altogether, the deal could cost US$800m.
In a back to back transaction, Idea will also sell a stake in the merged entity to Telekom Malaysia for around US$1.8bn.
Posted by Judith — 2:03 AM
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Virgin and SK in US mobile link-up.
Source: FT.com.
Virgin Mobile USA is to acquire the US mobile phone operation controlled by SK Telecom of South Korea, after each side decided to combine their struggling businesses to build scale in the fast-maturing market.
Posted by Judith — 4:57 AM
Asian cities launch free WiFi services
Source: BWCS.
Bangkok is to introduce a network of 15,000 free WiFi hotspots from today. The Thai capital will instantly become one of the world’s most WiFi-saturated cities, thanks largely to a government-backed initiative.
Meanwhile in China, the City authorities in Beijing have begun a trial operation of a free wireless Internet network.
Posted by Judith — 4:04 AM
BT to acquire German IT services specialists Stemmer GmbH and SND GmbH
Source: BTplc.
BT has announced that it has agreed to acquire Stemmer and SND, both German companies constituting the enterprise IT services segment of net AG. The acquisitions will strengthen BT’s skills and capabilities in the German market, in line with BT’s strategy to offer networked IT services to its corporate customers in Germany and globally.
Posted by Judith — 4:00 AM
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
BSkyB and BT enter wholesale voice agreement.
Source: TeleGeography.
BT has announced an agreement to provide pay-TV broadcaster BSkyB with a wholesale voice service to support call services to its 1.1m. Sky Talk customers.
Posted by Judith — 5:27 AM
MTN buys Verizon South Africa.
Source: TeleGeography.
South Africa-based mobile operator MTN has agreed to buy 100% of corporate internet service provider Verizon South Africa, which is currently owned by US-based Verizon Communications (70%) and local group Jay & Jayendra (30%).
Posted by Judith — 5:26 AM
Tata takes bigger stake in South Africa’s Neotel
Source: Light Reading.
Indian global services company Tata Communications Ltd. is taking a majority stake in Neotel (Pty), South Africa’s second national operator created to provide competition to incumbent Telkom SA.
Tata Communications is acquiring a 30% stake from electricity provider Eskom and transport and logistics company Transnet, both government-owned firms. The deal will bring the total ownership of Tata Communications and Tata Africa Holdings in Neotel to 56%.
Posted by Judith — 3:32 AM
Ad-funded mobile firm to enter 3 European markets.
Source: Reuters.
The world’s first advertising-funded mobile telecoms operator, Blyk, will enter the highly competitive German, Spanish and Belgian markets next year.
Finnish-British Blyk is a mobile phone service that offers a number of free calls and text messages to 16 to 24 year olds in return for users accepting advertisements.
Posted by Judith — 2:03 AM
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Nokia to buy UK’s Symbian, open software for use.
Source: Reuters.
Nokia is buying out other shareholders of handset software firm Symbian Ltd and will make the software royalty-free to respond to new rivals such as Google.
Symbian’s software is used in two-thirds of smartphones and 6% of all cellphones, but new platforms such as Google’s Android and Apple’s iPhone could challenge its dominance.
Posted by Judith — 4:41 AM
AOL has a crack at mobile.
Source: Telecoms.com
ISP AOL UK has announced a partnership with mobile content delivery firm WIN, which will see the ISP offer its wares wirelessly.
Under the terms of the agreement, WIN will provide AOL UK with a fully managed mobile content store on both its mobile and web-based portals, supplying entertainment, information and paid for content to AOL users.
Posted by Judith — 3:52 AM
Italians strike NGN ducts deal.
Source: Light Reading.
Italian network operators Telecom Italia and FastWeb have brokered a landmark agreement to share some of the passive infrastructure assets of their next-generation network rollouts.
The two carriers say they will cooperate on the reciprocal use of existing fibre ducts and on the planning of new fibre route construction to eliminate “duplication.” They are encouraging other companies to join them.
Posted by Judith — 3:36 AM
BT Americas, SAP America partner for U.S. efforts.
Source: TelecomWeb.
BT Americas and SAP America will jointly market and promote BT’s telecom services and solutions and SAP’s business software applications to current and prospective customers. This looks to be a long-term relationship aimed at addressing the U.S. market.
Posted by Judith — 2:32 AM
Google Android handset may not meet 4Q08 deadline.
Source: TeleGeography.
Google’s Android-based mobile handset may not make it onto the shelves until the fourth quarter of this year, and some firms are struggling even to meet that deadline. In November 2007 Google and its 30 partners announced that the Android system would be loaded on new phones and appearing in shops by the second half of this year. However, the Wall Street Journal claims that some mobile operators, such as Sprint Nextel, have turned their back on the Android phone due to a number of issues with the handsets.
Posted by Judith — 2:23 AM
Monday, June 23, 2008
Free Internet is part of new FCC airwaves auction.
Source: Reuters.
The FCC has stated that it wants to auction a section of wireless airwaves to buyers willing to provide free broadband Internet service without pornography.
Successful bidders for the spectrum would also be required to provide coverage to at least half of the United States within four years, and to at least 95% of the U.S. population by the end of the 10-year licence.
Posted by Judith — 4:52 AM
Nokia buys social networking site Plazes.
Source: Reuters.
Nokia has announced that it has agreed to buy social networking start-up Plazes as part of its major push into offering Internet services.
Plazes provides location-aware services that people can use to plan, record, and share their social activities.
Posted by Judith — 4:08 AM
Telenor acquires Datametrix.
Source: TeleGeography.
Telenor has entered into an agreement with the Ignis group to buy Datametrix, an advanced IP-based communication solution provider to the corporate sector, for NOK226m. (US$43.9m.). In 2007 the company had 136 employees and a turnover of approximately NOK400m. (US$77.7m.)
Posted by Judith — 3:19 AM
Saturday, June 21, 2008
FCC sides with cable in Verizon dispute.
Source: Reuters.
The FCC has voted to bar Verizon from marketing to customers to talk them out of a decision to switch their phone service to cable.
A majority of the FCC’s five commissioners voted to uphold a complaint by U.S. cable operators that Verizon improperly used customer data in its marketing efforts to dissuade customers from switching.
Posted by Judith — 5:00 AM
Canadian Court allows phone buyout to proceed.
Source: NYT.
The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled unanimously in favor of Bell Canada and its purchasers, saying that the deal can proceed. While the ruling ends a challenge from bondholders, the $52bn. buyout still faces uncertainty over its financing and, more broadly, questions about the value of the company.
Posted by Judith — 4:09 AM
Microsoft loses patent case.
Source: The Globe and Mail.
A U.S. District Court judge has ruled that Microsoft Corp. will have to pay Alcatel-Lucent more than US$500m. for infringing on two patents.
One patent covers how software users fill out forms. The other is related to the use of a stylus on a tablet computer.
Posted by Judith — 2:06 AM
Friday, June 20, 2008
Verizon extends VoIP reach.
Source: TeleGeography.
Verizon Business has announced an expansion of its VoIP services to four more European countries. Over the next two months, Spain, Italy, Ireland and Sweden will join the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg, bringing the total number of European countries covered to ten.
Posted by Judith — 5:16 AM
Freenet invites bids for broadband business.
Source: TeleGeography.
Freenet has put its German broadband business up for sale with the management board inviting potential bidders to declare their interest. Freenet claimed 1.28m. high speed internet subscribers at the end of 2007, giving it a 6.53% share of the market. The decision by Freenet marks the latest development in the ongoing consolidation of the German fixed line and broadband markets.
Posted by Judith — 4:18 AM
FCC grants Sprint Nextel rebanding waiver.
Source: RCR.
The FCC has agreed not to hold Sprint Nextel Corp. and public-safety agencies to the June 26 deadline regarding portions of spectrum involved in an 800 MHz rebanding effort designed to remedy public-safety interference caused by the mobile phone carrier’s push-to-talk operations.
Posted by Judith — 3:56 AM
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Vodafone hangs up on Tiscali deal.
Source: BWCS.
It is reported that UK mobile company Vodafone will not bid for Italian fixed line ISP Tiscali . The wireless company had been seen as the most likely to take over all of Tiscali’s assets, as it has interests in both the UK and Italian markets.
The four remaining companies said to be interested in making a bid are BSkyB, Carphone Warehouse, Swisscom which owns FastWeb, and Italian operator Wind.
Posted by Judith — 6:05 AM
Chinese bank backs mobile operator in Poland.
Source: FT.com.
China Development Bank has agreed to lend EUR640m. (US$993m.) to a fledgling Polish mobile phone operator in a deal believed to mark the bank’s first foray into the fast-growing markets of eastern Europe.
The financial backing forms part of an €1.1bn capital injection for Play, a Polish 3G mobile operator, in a tie-up involving Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications equipment maker.
Posted by Judith — 2:18 AM
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Verizon challenges AT&T for residential services.
Source: InformationWeek.
For the first time, Verizon is challenging AT&T directly for residential phone, television, and Internet services.
Verizon will expand its fiber-optic network into AT&T’s territory in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas. putting it in direct competition with AT&T’s U-verse.
AT&T and Verizon have long been battling for business customers and wireless customers, but until now the companies have resisted competing for residential services.
Posted by Judith — 4:26 AM
Tata Communications to acquire 50% of China Enterprise Communications.
Source: TeleGeography.
Tata Communications has signed an equity joint venture agreement with the shareholders of China Enterprise Communications (CEC) for the acquisition of a 50% equity interest in CEC. The joint venture, which will become effective after the necessary approvals from the relevant government and regulatory bodies in China are obtained, will be the first of its kind in the Chinese telecoms sector.
Posted by Judith — 3:47 AM
Europe’s first mobile WiMAX launched in Amsterdam.
Source: TeleGeography.
Worldmax, backed by Intel and Greefield Capital, has launched a commercial mobile WiMAX network in Amsterdam, a first for Europe, and one which offers users the opportunity to surf the web at high speeds while on the move.
Posted by Judith — 3:19 AM
Philadelphia revives citywide Wi-Fi project.
Source: NYT.
Philadelphia has revived an effort to provide free citywide wireless Internet access in a project to be run by a new group of investors.
The city aims to provide free-of-charge outdoor Web access throughout its 135 square miles, which would be the largest area covered by public Wi-fi of any U.S. city.
The network, which is about 80% complete, will now be taken over by Network Acquisition Company LLC, a new company of local investors that will assess the infrastructure and plans to complete the wireless coverage.
Posted by Judith — 2:23 AM
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Nortel in new Microsoft and IBM deals.
Source: TelecomWeb.
Nortel has separately unveiled new unified communications (UC) deals with two fellow industry companies - Microsoft and IBM.
The Microsoft deal consists of the release of a fully hosted carrier solution that delivers UC to small and midsize businesses.
The deal with IBM is a carrier-enabled unified communications solution - which it says is the first carrier-enabled solution in Nortel’s portfolio.
Posted by Judith — 2:40 AM
Alcatel signs US$1bn. deal with China Mobile.
Source: Reuters.
French telecoms equipment maker Alcatel-Lucent has announced that it has signed a US$1bn. agreement with China Mobile to provide mobile communication equipment and services.
Posted by Judith — 2:28 AM
European wireless subscribers may have to pay to receive calls.
Source: TeleGeography.
The EC has said it will not stop mobile firms from charging customers for calls received on their mobile phones in their own country, but warned that users could oppose the move.
Europeans pay to make mobile calls but are generally only charged for receiving them when they are abroad. Users elsewhere, in the United States and some parts of Asia, notably China, pay for both even in their home country.
At the moment in the EU, telecoms companies bill each other a ‘mobile termination charge’ for calls made between any two networks which is then passed on to customers.
Posted by Judith — 2:18 AM
Monday, June 16, 2008
Toronto Wi-Fi mesh operator netted by Cogeco.
Source: TeleGeography.
Canada’s fourth largest cableco by subscribers Cogeco Cable has agreed to buy Toronto Hydro Telecom, a subsidiary of utilities company Toronto Hydro, for CA$200m. (US$194.3m.).
Triple-play provider Cogeco, which operates over a cable TV network passing a million homes in Ontario and around half a million in Quebec, said the acquisition would complement its existing business telecoms activities in Ontario and allow for future growth in the corporate field.
Posted by Judith — 4:04 AM
TRAI gives green light to corporate changes.
Source: TeleGeography.
Indian telecoms regulator TRAI has given approval to Bharti and Vodafone’s recent outsourcing deals, Reliance Communication’s dual-company structure and Tata Teleservices’ contract with Virgin Mobile.
Posted by Judith — 3:24 AM
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Embarq gives Nokia Siemens its NOCs.
Source: TelecomWeb.
Embarq is turning over operation of its network operations centers to Nokia Siemens Networks, in a deal said to be the first significant managed network operations agreement of its kind for NSN in North America. Financial terms of the NOC deal were not disclosed.
Posted by Judith — 4:16 AM
Friday, June 13, 2008
Yahoo! partners with Google.
Source: CNN.
Yahoo!’s efforts to revive takeover talks with Microsoft Corp. have reached a dead end, prompting the Internet pioneer to hire online search leader Google Inc. to handle some of its advertising sales.
The news caused Yahoo! shares to plunge 10% as investors abandoned hope that Microsoft would renew a nearly five-month quest to buy the company.
Posted by Judith — 4:47 AM
FCC calls for mobile contract termination fee limit.
Source: TeleGeography.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has pressed for federal regulation of early termination fees for mobile phone users. While many states have enacted rules governing the fees consumers must pay when they cancel their mobile phone contracts, other states have taken no action.
Posted by Judith — 3:43 AM
Moto to cut jobs from R&D unit.
Source: RCR.
Motorola Inc. is cutting more than 20% of the jobs in its research division and reassigning some of those that remain as the company continues to reorganize this unit.
Posted by Judith — 3:35 AM
ComReg publishes new ULL proposals in bid to drive broadband.
Source: TeleGeography.
Ireland’s independent telecoms regulator, ComReg, has outlined new proposals designed to expand the definition of wholesale unbundled access to take on board fibre-based networks and not just the DSL platforms currently covered.
Posted by Judith — 2:45 AM
O2 has its bubble burst by 3.
Source: Telecoms.com.
Mobile operator O2 UK has lost a four year battle against rival 3 over the usage of bubbles in its advertising.
The European Court of Justice ruled that “O2 cannot rely on its trade mark rights” to prevent the use of bubble imagery in a comparative advertisement for Hutchison-Whampoa’s UK 3G operator.
Posted by Judith — 2:24 AM
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Starbucks and AT&T reach deal with T-Mobile.
Source: Reuters.
Starbucks, AT&T and T-Mobile have reached a deal to resolve T-Mobile’s claim that the coffee chain secretly colluded with AT&T to offer free Wi-Fi Internet access in its cafes despite an exclusive agreement with T-Mobile. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Posted by Judith — 5:26 AM
Nortel ditches WiMAX work in favour of LTE.
Source: TelecomWeb.
Nortel is ending all development work on WiMAX hardware and ploughing all of its resources into LTE. It is also signing a deal with Israeli wireless broadband house Alvarion for any WiMAX that Nortel might need.
With every major wireless carrier in North America, with the exception of Sprint-Nextel, now committed to LTE - to say nothing of all of China’s wireless companies, NTT DoCoMo, and the vast majority of other carriers worldwide - North America’s largest hardware vendor is clearly following the money.
Posted by Judith — 3:37 AM
Firefox and Opera launch new browsers to challenge Microsoft.
Source: TimesOnline.
Internet Explorer, the world’s most widely used internet browser, will come under further pressure in the coming weeks following the release of updates to two free alternatives - Firefox and Opera.
The two browsers, which between them are installed on about one computer in five, will this month both release new versions which sport a range of features aimed at making the web faster, easier and more secure to use.
Posted by Judith — 2:29 AM
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Procter & Gamble signs US$650m. outsourcing deal with BT.
Source: InformationWeek.
The agreement gives BT control over a wide swath of networking capabilities, including LAN and WAN network infrastructure and management at more than 1,100 locations in more than 80 countries.
Though the deal with P&G is global, it’s part of a concerted effort by the British company to increase its standing in the US. Within the past few months, BT has signed more than US$1bn. in outsourcing deals in the US alone, counting the deal with P&G, and reported a 20% increase in North American revenues last quarter.
Posted by Judith — 5:22 AM
Data roaming costs within Europe drop 25%.
Source: Telecoms.com.
Mobile data services are on a stellar growth curve in Europe, with the region adopting 3G faster than anywhere else in the world, and research now claims the cost of data roaming is coming down too.
According to statistics, the EU’s mobile data market, excluding text messaging, grew by 40% in 2007 as operators invested more than Eur20bn. in their mobile networks and services.
The proportion of people in the EU using 3G is 22.5%. By comparison, the penetration of 3G into the US and Canadian consumer base is estimated at 18.4%, while in Asia-Pacific it stands at 3.7%.
Posted by Judith — 5:10 AM
Nokia Siemens offloads fibre optics unit.
Source: Telecoms.com.
Nokia Siemens Networks has announced that it has reached an agreement to sell off its Open Transport Network (OTN) unit, which specialises in fibre optic communications.
Belgian investment company GIMV, will take over majority control of the OTN division and spin it off as a separate company during the second quarter.
Posted by Judith — 3:41 AM
Cisco to acquire DiviTech for Video Management Software.
Source: Converge.
Cisco has agreed to acquired Denmark-based DiviTech A/S, a provider of DSM solutions for media broadcasters, cable operators and IPTV service providers.
DiviTech’s DSM technology includes a software application that will allow service provider customers to centrally provision and easily deliver localized content, such as local and regional news and on-demand video and services, within a specific geography.
Posted by Judith — 3:23 AM
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Mobile WiMAX players dive into patent pool.
Source: Telecoms.com.
Six of the leading companies in the mobile WiMAX world have announced the formation of a patent pool.
Dubbed the Open Patent Alliance (OPA), the founding members are Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Intel, Samsung, Clearwire and Sprint.
The group said the purpose of the OPA is to help drive uptake of mobile WiMAX by encouraging greater product differentiation and interoperability, as well as a lower and more predictable cost structures.
Posted by Judith — 5:08 AM
FCC delays spectrum auction decision.
Source: Telecoms.com.
The FCC has decided to delay a decision on the fate of a swathe of spectrum in the 2155MHz to 2180MHz band.
The move should appease industry association the CTIA, which has urged the Commission to take more time over its decision.
One of the options under consideration by the FCC, is to auction the spectrum off with a requirement that some portion of the bandwidth is set aside to provide free wireless internet access to the US.
It is suggested that the winner of the auction would be required to build out a network to provide free access to 50% of the US population within four years and 95% in ten years.
Posted by Judith — 4:15 AM
EU snubs Microsoft on Office systems.
Source: NYT.
Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes of the European Union has delivered an unusually blunt snub to Microsoft by recommending that businesses and governments use software based on open standards.
Ms. Kroes has fought bitterly with Microsoft over the past four years, accusing the U.S. software giant of defying her orders and fining the company nearly US$2.68bn. for violating European competition rules. But the speech was her strongest recommendation yet to jettison Microsoft products, which are based on proprietary standards, and to use rival operating systems to run computers.
Posted by Judith — 4:09 AM
Vodafone NZ introduces cut-price local call package.
Source: TeleGeography.
Vodafone is continuing its assault on rival Telecom New Zealand’s dominant position in the fixed line market, slashing the cost of home phone costs by up to 40% with the introduction of a new local calling plan. The new tariff is part of Vodafone’s push into the wireline sector, with the operator announcing the launch of its fixed broadband network in Auckland last week, with deployments in other major cities to follow.
Posted by Judith — 4:09 AM
Tata Communications expands connectivity to Africa.
Source: TeleGeography.
Tata Communications (formerly VSNL) has announced the further expansion of its network reach into Africa through an arrangement with Neotel, South Africa’s converged communications network operator. A new multi-service point of presence has been established in Johannesburg by Tata Communications in association with the South African telco. Neotel has been delivering high speed internet, VPN, network management and hosting services to customers in South Africa since 2006.
Posted by Judith — 3:53 AM
Apple announces cheaper 3G iPhone.
Source: BBC.
Apple has unveiled a second generation of its iPhone, with support for faster 3G wireless networks.
The company is hoping to boost its share of the smartphone market, which is dominated by Nokia and Blackberry.
Posted by Judith — 2:53 AM
HP, Acer resolve all patent disputes.
Source: FT.com.
Hewlett Packard and Acer have resolved a wide-ranging patent dispute in a move to limit costs for both companies’ businesses in the US.
The dispute broke early last year when HP sued Acer and asked for certain products of its rival to be banned from sale in the US. The move followed a period of strong growth in Acer’s US business, which made the Taiwanese company a serious competitor for HP for the first time
Posted by Judith — 2:29 AM
Belden to acquire Trapeze Networks.
Source: Converge.
Belden has agreed to acquire Trapeze Networks, a supplier of WLAN equipment and management software, for US$133m. in cash. Wireless extends the reach of Belden’s physical-layer cable and connectivity products and enables the company to address the growing mobility needs of customers.
Posted by Judith — 2:17 AM
Monday, June 9, 2008
T-Mobile to sue over free coffee house WiFi.
Source: BWCS.
T-Mobile USA has announced it is to sue the Starbucks coffee house chain for breach of contract by allowing AT&T to provide customers with free Wi-Fi access in its cafes.
The mobile operator alleges in the suit that Starbucks developed its free-offer plan with AT&T in secret. This was despite the coffee house’s existing and exclusive contract with T-Mobile USA. The company is said to be seeking unspecified damages over claims that Starbucks broke an agreement over how the WiFi service should be transferred from T-Mobile to AT&T.
Posted by Judith — 4:18 AM
New wireless licences for UK.
Source: BWCS.
Ofcom has been outlining how it plans to deal with the new radio spectrum that will be released as British homes switch to digital television services. According to the regulator, its aim will be to enable innovative services that will deliver significant benefits to UK citizens and consumers.
Posted by Judith — 4:14 AM
Apple relents on iPhones subsidy.
Source: FT.com.
The new version of the Apple iPhone is set to be sold at significantly lower prices than the existing one, in a tacit acknowledgement by the US technology company that its previous sales strategy was not sustainable.
Apple has bowed to pressure from mobile phone operators and agreed they can subsidise the latest iPhone.
The subsidy arrangements should increase Apple’s chances of hitting its target of selling 10m iPhones during 2008.
Posted by Judith — 4:00 AM
JetBlue LiveTV to buy Verizon’s Airfone network.
Source: Reuters.
JetBlue Airways Corp’s LiveTV unit has agreed to buy Verizon’s Airfone network as aims to develop in-flight email and Internet services.
JetBlue and other airlines, such as Continental, use LiveTV’s satellite-based television programming service to provide in flight entertainment.
LiveTV said that it will get 100 air-to-ground U.S. communications towers and Airfone’s corporate and government aviation clients on January 1.
JetBlue began testing free in-flight email and instant-messaging services on one of its A320 planes last December, it said.
Posted by Judith — 3:23 AM
ComReg completes award of 26GHz spectrum.
Source: TeleGeography.
Ireland’s telecoms regulator ComReg has completed the award process for national block licence spectrum in the 26GHz band. In all, a total of 13 national channels have been licensed to five different bidding groups looking to support national point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications. BT Ireland, Digiweb, Irish Broadband,Telefonica O2 Ireland and Vodafone Ireland were the winning bidding groups.
Posted by Judith — 3:05 AM
Saturday, June 7, 2008
FTC launches antitrust probe of Intel.
Source: Reuters.
The world’s leading semiconductor maker Intel Corp faces a formal investigation by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission after fighting similar antitrust probes in Europe and Asia.
The FTC had been unwilling to go beyond an informal investigation of Intel under its former chairman, Deborah Platt Majoras. However, an FTC spokeswoman has confirmed that the case has been upgraded to a formal probe but declined to detail the agency’s concerns about Intel.
Posted by Judith — 4:09 AM
Friday, June 6, 2008
Verizon Wireless to acquire Alltel for US$28.1bn.
Source: Converge.
Verizon Wireless has agreed to acquire Alltel Corporation for US$5.9bn. Based on Alltel’s projected net debt at closing of US$22.2bn., the aggregate value of the transaction is $28.1bn. Both carrier operate CDMA networks and plan future LTE migration. Together, the companies serve over 80 million wireless subscribers.
Posted by Judith — 6:04 AM
Weather sells stake to three private equity firms.
Source: TeleGeography.
Telecoms holding company Weather Investments, which has mobile phone networks across the Middle East, Africa and south Asia through its controlling stake in Orascom Telecom, as well as operations in Italy and Greece, has sold a 10% stake to three private equity firms for EUR1.1bn. (US$1.7bn.). Under the terms of the deal Apax Partners will take a 5% shareholding, with the US firms Madison Dearborn Partners and TA Associates holding the remaining 5% jointly.
Posted by Judith — 6:01 AM
Phorm controversy continues after BT report leaked.
Source: Reuters.
Controversial advert targeting system Phorm drew more fire this week after an internal report on BT’s covert trials of the platform was leaked.
However, a backlash from industry experts and consumers has forced the service providers rolling out Phorm to make the system opt out rather than mandatory. So far the company has stuck trial agreements with UK service providers Virgin Media and Talk Talk as well as BT.
Posted by Judith — 4:21 AM
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Verizon in talks to buy Alltel mobile network.
Source: FT.com.
Verizon Communications, the second-largest US telecommunications group, is reported to be in talks to acquire Alltel, the fifth-largest US mobile network operator, in a deal valued at about US$27bn in cash and paper.
If completed, the deal would catapult Verizon Wireless, the joint venture between Verizon Communications and UK’s Vodafone, back into the number one slot
Posted by Judith — 5:45 AM
FCC asked to block Qwest price hikes.
Source: TeleGeography.
Qwest’s attempt to raise the price it charges competitors to access its network has prompted 20 chief executives from small phone and internet companies to ask the FCC to reject Qwest’s petition for greater pricing flexibility.
The group is meeting with FCC commissioners and 25 congressional offices this week, asking for a rejection of Qwest’s petition for greater pricing flexibility in Denver, Phoenix, Minneapolis and Seattle claiming this is a move to push them out of the market and reduce competition.
Posted by Judith — 5:12 AM
France Telecom makes US$42bn. bid.
Source: NYT.
FT has offered US$42bn. in cash and stock for TeliaSonera, the Swedish-Finnish phone company with holdings across the former Soviet Union and Turkey, in the latest bid by a European wireless operator for a bigger foothold in emerging markets.
The offer represented a 26% premium on TeliaSonera’s share price on April 15, the day before France Telecom first said it might make a bid.
While TeliaSonera rejected France Telecom’s overture, the fate of the company is likely to rest on the ultimate wishes of the Swedish and Finnish governments, which together own 51% of TeliaSonera.
Posted by Judith — 5:03 AM
South Korea to fine Intel US$25.4m. for trade violations
Source: NYT,
South Korea’s antitrust regulator has stated that it will order the Intel Corporation to pay US$25.4m. for violating fair trade rules.
The Korea Fair Trade Commission said in a statement that it was issuing the order because the semiconductor giant offered rebates to South Korean computer companies and undercut a competitor, Advanced Micro Devices.
Posted by Judith — 5:02 AM
Voluntary code for internet speed.
Source: BBC.
The way broadband speeds are advertised in the UK is to be regulated under a voluntary code published by Ofcom.
It wants companies to publish accurate estimates of the maximum connection speeds people can expect before they buy broadband packages.
Some 32 internet providers, covering more than 90% of UK broadband customers, have agreed to the code.
Posted by Judith — 4:41 AM
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Bell Canada faces throttling suit.
Source: TeleGeography.
Bell Canada is facing a class-action lawsuit for allegedly throttling internet traffic. A group of claimants has made two charges; firstly that the telco made misleading claims in its advertising to suggest that download speeds would be constant and this would not be the case if throttling is occurring. The group also claims that Bell Canada has violated privacy rules to inspect internet traffic.
Posted by Judith — 4:28 AM
Softbank says to sell Apple’s iPhone in Japan.
Source: Reuters.
Softbank, Japan’s third-biggest mobile phone operator, has agreed with Apple to sell iPhones in Japan by the end of this year.
A Softbank spokesman said he did not have further details on the deal such as whether the company would be the exclusive provider of the phones in Japan.
Posted by Judith — 3:52 AM
Verizon Business expands ultra-long-haul (ULH) network to Asia-Pacific.
Source: Converge.
Verizon Business will deploy 155 kilometers of ULH network capability in Japan between Tokyo and Maruyama. The latest ULH expansion, part of Verizon Business’ planned 2008 investment, is its first in the Asia Pacific region and complements its ULH deployments in the United States and Europe.
Posted by Judith — 3:46 AM
Spectrum auction: total bids pass CA$2bn.
Source: TeleGeography.
Total bids in Canada’s wireless spectrum auction have now passed the CA$2bn. (US$2.01bn.) mark after 16 rounds of bidding, already well above the CA$1bn.-CA$1.5bn. the government had been expecting to raise from the sale. The auction, which is now into its second week, is offering new entrants 40% of the licences, with the remainder open to all bidders.
Posted by Judith — 3:12 AM
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Microsoft in search engine deal.
Source: BBC.
Microsoft’s live search will be the default search engine on all PCs made by Hewlett Packard for the US and Canadian markets from January 2009.
Under pressure after calling off its bid to buy search engine Yahoo, Microsoft hopes the deal will attract more people to live search.
Posted by Judith — 4:07 AM
Verizon aso shunning PBT.
Source: Light Reading.
First it was BT, now Verizon has reportedly said that it’s not interested in using PBT in its long haul intercity networks.
IT appears that Verizon will stick with VPLS, the technology it has recently adopted as the standard in its long-haul network.
Posted by Judith — 3:52 AM
Intel to re-enter mobile phone market.
Source: FT.com.
Intel is poised to re-enter the mobile phone market as operators earn a greater portion of their revenues from data and internet access.
the company believes Intel’s expertise in PC processors, in which it has an 80% market share, can help it make inroads into mobile phones as smarter models become more like computers
Posted by Judith — 3:05 AM
BT plans 80% CO2 reduction by 2020 .
Source: Converge.
BT has announced a goal to cut its carbon emissions intensity by 80% across the globe by 2020 , setting one of the most aggressive corporate carbon reduction targets worldwide.
The company also published a new model for measuring and tracking carbon emissions - backed by the Carbon Disclosure Project. This represents an important step in measuring carbon emissions in a consistent way across the globe.
Posted by Judith — 2:29 AM
Nokia in Italian pact to bolster services.
Source: FT.com.
Nokia is set to further strengthen its mobile internet business by forming a revenue-sharing agreement with Buongiorno, the world’s largest mobile content provider.
The agreement marks Nokia’s latest salvo in its battle to establish a leading position among large technology and telecom providers by providing a range of services.
Posted by Judith — 2:09 AM
Monday, June 2, 2008
Chinese telecoms in massive restructuring.
Source: The Globe and Mail.
China has unveiled two mega-deals as the government overhauls the world’s largest telecoms industry, with mobile operator Unicom taking over a fixed-line peer and unloading an underperforming network.
Unicom, smaller rival of China Mobile, said it will issue new shares and swap 1.5 shares for every share in Netcom, the smaller of China’s two fixed-line carriers.
Unicom also stated that it would pay a total of more than US$55bn.for Netcom.
The company also agreed to sell a wireless network to fixed-line leader China Telecom and its parent for US$15.2bn.
Posted by Judith — 6:10 AM
DoCoMo pays US$94.8m for internet company.
Source: TeleGeography.
Japan’s NTT DoCoMo is reported to be investing around JPY10bn. (US$94.8m.) to acquire a 30% stake in NTT Resonant to increase the range of fixed line internet services that can be sold to its cellular users.The cellco intends to offer a range of services such as allowing its users to access high resolution videos or download games from PCs.
Posted by Judith — 6:02 AM
Wireless carriers draw fire for service charges.
Source: Reuters.
Legal pressure is mounting against U.S. wireless operators over their role in facilitating either false or misleading charges for mobile content — primarily ringtones.
The resulting fallout threatens to stunt an area of potential growth for declining ringtone sales: so-called “off-deck” service providers.
The most recent development targets T-Mobile. The operator is being sued in California for adding charges relating to subscription mobile content services Ringazza and Flycell to the bills of customers who claim they never authorized the charges.
Posted by Judith — 5:48 AM
Nortel: There’s more to PBT than BT.
Source: Light Reading.
As the data transport and carrier Ethernet fraternities consider the impact of BT’s decision to favor Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) over PBT in its 21CN next generation network, Nortel is licking its wounds.
Nortel has been the main driving force — along with BT — behind PBT, a new, still pre-standards version of Ethernet that, its supporters say, replicates many of the carrier-friendly attributes associated with SDH/Sonet, in terms of service management and scale.
Posted by Judith — 5:26 AM
Sprint, NetLogic Microsystems join Road to 100G Alliance.
Source: Converge.
Sprint Nextel and NetLogic Microsystems, a provider of knowledge-based processors, have joined The Road to 100G Alliance as contributing members. The Road to 100G Alliance is a global community of leading hardware, software and equipment vendors, along with service providers, dedicated to accelerating the adoption and ongoing development of a new era of next generation networking platforms.
Posted by Judith — 4:21 AM
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