Editor’s Word: RCR Wi-fi Information goes all in for “Throwback Thursdays,” tapping into our archives to resuscitate the highest headlines from the previous. Hearth up the time machine, placed on these sepia-tinted shades, set the date for #TBT and benefit from the recollections!

Hypothesis on Cingular’s future

NEW YORK-Cingular Wi-fi L.L.C.’s guardian firms SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp. are reportedly an preliminary public providing for his or her wi-fi division someday subsequent yr to assist fund enlargement plans that would embody a merger with business rival AT&T Wi-fi Providers Inc., based on a report within the Wall Road Journal. “At Cingular, there’s robust momentum constructing for each an acquisition or an IPO,” an unnamed supply advised the Wall Road Journal. “That is extra than simply working situations.” Quite a few business sources have made related predictions of a potential Cingular/AT&T Wi-fi merger noting each carriers have been cleansing up their stability sheets and consolidating their operations for such a transfer. Cingular was rumored to be buying T-Cellular USA Inc. final yr, however was reportedly rebuffed by T-Cellular USA guardian firm Deutsche Telekom AG. … Learn extra

AOL, NTT DoCoMo dissolve JV

TOKYO-Struggling Web firm America On-line Inc. and Japanese wi-fi knowledge big NTT DoCoMo Inc. introduced they dissolved their broadly touted three way partnership, as soon as heralded as method to promote “fixed-mobile convergence.” Phrases of the deal weren’t disclosed, and neither firm was instantly accessible for remark. Nevertheless, Reuters reported that DoCoMo offered its 43-percent stake within the three way partnership again to AOL for a paltry $4 million-far lower than the $100 million it paid in 2000 to kind the three way partnership. Mitsui & Co. Ltd., Nihon Keizai Shimbun Inc. and Nikkei Enterprise Publications Inc. introduced additionally they offered their stakes within the three way partnership again to AOL. The Japanese media and buying and selling firms mixed owned about 15 % of the three way partnership. The transfer comes at a tough time for each firms. As soon as the darling of the Web bubble, AOL has been affected by the onslaught of high-speed DSL and cable Web suppliers. Certainly, AOL Time Warner not too long ago voted to drop AOL from the corporate’s identify, just some years after the merger between the ISP and the media big. DoCoMo, then again, has been pressured to put in writing off greater than $12 billion in abroad investments. … Learn extra

Airspan buys Nortel’s fixed-wireless enterprise

BOCA RATON, Fla.-Airspan Networks Inc. introduced final week the completion of its acquisition of Nortel Networks’ mounted wi-fi entry enterprise. The acquisition worth of $12.9 million was offset in opposition to Nortel buyer prepayments totaling $14.9 million, which have been acquired by Airspan as a part of the transaction. Airspan expects revenues from the acquisition alone to exceed $25 million in 2004 and to generate $3 million to $5 million in money from the brand new enterprise. … Learn extra

Verizon, Vodafone to supply transatlantic texting

BEDMINSTER, N.J.-Verizon Wi-fi and minority curiosity guardian firm Vodafone Group plc stated they plan to launch transatlantic textual content messaging capabilities between Verizon Wi-fi’ CDMA community and ten Vodafone GSM networks starting early subsequent yr. The inter-carrier and transatlantic service, which will likely be processed and transformed by U.S. vendor InphoMatch, will permit prospects from Verizon Wi-fi’ CDMA community in america to ship and obtain textual content messages to Vodafone GSM prospects in Germany, Greece, Eire, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Vodafone stated it plans to increase the service to a wider footprint subsequent yr. Each carriers famous testing of the service has proven the conversion course of and message supply happens inside seconds. Pricing for the service was not launched. … Learn extra

Content material, ringtones and wallpaper, oh my!

NEW YORK-Music and TV followers will quickly have new retailers for his or her tastes by a sequence of recent bulletins within the wi-fi house. First, Crisp Wi-fi introduced a brand new music software for AT&T Wi-fi Providers Inc. prospects with Nokia Corp. 3300 music telephones. The appliance options content material from the “AT&T Wi-fi Presents Exhausting Rock Stay” live performance sequence and permits customers to preview and buy ring tones, view unique images from the present, be taught extra about Exhausting Rock Stay artists and play trivia video games. “The specialised options of the Nokia 3300 handset allowed us to discover uncharted areas for Java purposes, resembling ring-tone preview and buy,” stated Tim Meyer, Crisp Wi-fi’ chief government officer. “The Exhausting Rock Stay software is a superb show of how we are able to use the multimedia elements of our mLogic platform to drive cell commerce.” Individually, wi-fi leisure firm ClearSky Cellular Media Inc. introduced a brand new partnership with media big Clear Channel Communications to distribute ring tones and wallpaper by Clear Channel radio stations and their Websites. The service will first launch in central Florida. “Over a million-and-a-half central Floridians take heed to Clear Channel radio stations each week,” stated Linda Byrd, regional vp for Clear Channel Radio in central/north Florida. “Connecting our listeners with their favourite ring tones and display savers is the logical subsequent step for Clear Channel. By way of radio, we now have an unprecedented method to educate shoppers and drive purchases. Clear Channel intends to grow to be the market chief in providing ring tones from all genres and codecs.” … Learn extra

T-Cellular Deutschland begins providing cell TV

BONN, Germany-T-Cellular Deutschland turned the primary German operator to supply tv on cell phones by an settlement with n-tv information channel signed earlier this yr. The information channel applications will be transmitted to cell handsets by way of T-Cellular’s GPRS community as reside streams. Prospects should have streaming-enabled gadgets with Actual Participant put in. Customers will likely be charged just for the price of GPRS knowledge transmission. T-Cellular Deutschland additionally introduced an settlement with Kodak that may permit multimedia messaging service images and digital footage to be developed on photographic paper or printed on numerous objects, resembling espresso cups and mouse pads. … Learn extra

NTT DoCoMo’s superior 3G telephones: Flash, Java and a 2-megapixel digicam!

Japanese wi-fi knowledge big NTT DoCoMo Inc. launched its new 900i sequence of third-generation FOMA cell phones, gadgets that function maybe probably the most superior companies the wi-fi business has ever seen. Most significantly, DoCoMo stated the gadgets generally provide thrice the battery life and weigh 20-percent lower than the provider’s first spherical of 3G telephones. The provider launched its 3G W-CDMA service in 2001. DoCoMo has seen comparatively sluggish curiosity in its 3G companies, though now it counts greater than 1.7 million FOMA subscribers and promised it is going to cowl 99 % of Japan’s inhabitants by March. DoCoMo’s latest line-up of 3G telephones contains a vary of superior companies and know-how. The gadgets all embody Macromedia’s Flash animation know-how, in addition to Solar Microsystems Inc.’s Java software obtain service. All of the gadgets additionally function built-in digital cameras and slots for reminiscence sticks. Particularly, one system provides an built-in digital digicam with 2-megapixel decision and data video at 24 frames per second. The telephone may play TV reveals recorded onto a reminiscence stick. One other telephone contains a fingerprint scanner and yet one more can view Microsoft Corp.’s Phrase, Excel and PowerPoint applications. … Learn extra

Take a look at the RCR Wi-fi Information Archives for extra tales from the previous.