| News for wireless telecommunications professionals |  |
- Developers, analysts applaud iPhone updates
Developers for Apple's iPhone cheered Tuesday after the company announced iPhone 3.0, a software upgrade that contains more than 100 new features that one application writer said would pave the way for a "whole set of new revolutionary applications and games." In a long-awaited presentation, Apple also gave developers the ability to set pricing on "premium apps" that are sold on the App Store and said it would offer the upgrade free this summer to iPhone users. The Washington Post
(3/18), USA TODAY
(3/17), The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)
(3/17)       
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- T-Mobile bullish on Android, eyes platform savings
T-Mobile USA sees lowering its backhaul costs and streamlining applications as critical to growth in a nearly saturated wireless market, Chief Technology Officer Cole Brodman said, adding that he was encouraged by the number of new Android-based products coming down the pike this year. In the U.K., T-Mobile U.K. reported good news, saying it had reversed last year's 3% subscriber drop and was optimistic that it would profit from a new $56 monthly calling plan with unlimited data. EE Times
(3/17), Reuters
(3/18)
- Virgin Mobile USA see touch screens as intro to "smarter" phones
With an eye on its core market among young, budget- conscious consumers, Virgin Mobile USA will begin producing "smarter" touch-screen handsets, CEO Dan Schulman said Tuesday, without providing further details. The MVNO, which resells Sprint Nextel service, expects smartphone penetration to rise from about 20% today to 50% within three to five years, Schulman added. Network World/IDG News Service
(3/17)
- AT&T introduces midtier Motorola music phone
AT&T has rolled out a Motorola cell phone designed for music-loving subscribers who might need to save money: The new EM330 is free with a signed two-year contract and a $50 rebate, the companies said Tuesday. The tri-band GSM/EDGE folder phone sports an FM radio tuner that can identify the songs being aired, which in turn can be purchased from the AT&T Music Store. CNET
(3/17), MobileBurn
(3/17)
- Telefonica denies report of Vodafone alliance
A Telefonica executive said Tuesday that "there is nothing new to say" about a potential worldwide network-sharing arrangement with Vodafone after a Spanish newspaper reported that the carriers were in talks on such a deal. Last week, the U.K's Guardian newspaper said the telecoms were at the "advanced stage" of discussions to combine their networks in that country, and the new report Tuesday said the scope of those talks had expanded. Reuters
(3/17)
| Technology | | |
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- Why cell phones might provide best security
The key to preventing identity theft might lie with mobile phones, according to a columnist who says the device's advantages include its portability, critical importance to users and broad retail reach. While conceding the downsides of such a plan, the columnist noted that some banks have begun tests of sending access codes by text messages and suggested that the phones could be used to generate passwords online. NYTimes.com
(3/17)
- NSN, Ericsson win Euro carrier outsourcing deals
Orange has chosen Nokia Siemens Networks to operate its 2G/3G mobile network in the U.K. as well as the carrier's fixed-line and wireless services in Spain under a five-year deal, NSN said. Also, Vodafone said that Ericsson signed a seven-year agreement to maintain and operate the carrier's 2G and 3G radio access networks in the U.K. Cellular-News.com (U.K.)
(3/18), Reuters
(3/18)
| Trends & Research | | |
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- Report: Spending on wireless backbone will dip 6%
Spending on wireless infrastructure will decline 6% this year, according to ABI Research, which cited
two nonrecession-related, contributing factors: the approaching maturity of 2G and 3G network development and a two-year gap in meaningful 4G spending. ABI also noted that increased competition among telecom-equipment makers has put pressure on prices. Wireless Week
(3/17)
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| The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
Sony Online Finds ROI in Customer Service Investment
For Sony Online Entertainment, customer service goes well beyond the usual. Read this report and learn how Sony created a service environment that increases customer loyalty, employee retention and more than pays for itself.
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Interested in learning more about advertising in CTIA SmartBrief? Contact Mark Lasser at 202-737-5500 x317 or mark.lasser@smartbrief.com.
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| Public Policy | | |
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- Groups ask court to ban mobile tracking without cause
The U.S. government should not be able to get its hands on data obtained from mobile-phone location tracking without showing probable cause, three civil liberties groups said in a brief filed with a U.S. appeals court. They are opposing a Department of Justice's request to obtain historical tracking information after a series of court rulings against the government's seeking to view real-time tracking data without getting a warrant. Network World/IDG News Service
(3/17)
| CTIA News | | |
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Cell Phone Jamming
Cell phone jamming is not only illegal, but is also a blunt, potentially ineffective instrument when not used by the federal government in rare instances. Learn more about this issue, how wireless-jamming technology is being illegally tested in some correctional institutions and what legal solutions can be used to stop inmates from obtaining and using cell phones behind bars. Click here to watch WOW now!
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