PNG Searching for Acquisitions in 2010
Phone+ News, USA
Following its January restructuring to focus on commercial business, PowerNet Global (PNG), a privately-held service provider based in Cincinnati, announced Thursday that it plans to acquire complementary businesses in 2010 with a goal of sustained annual growth of 25 percent.
New AT&T, CWA Contract a Cushy Deal in Weak Economy
Phone+ News, USA
When AT&T Inc. (T) and its Communications Workers of America (CWA) wireline union members in the Southeast agreed to a new contract last week, they did so after making some changes to a tentative deal that was voted down on Jan. 29. And those adjustments still come off as cushy when you compare the terms to many workers’ benefits.
FCC Plans On Using USF For Subsiding Free Broadband
RedOrbit
The FCC says it wants to transform the Universal Service Fund over the next ten years to pay for high-speed Internet access instead of the voice services it currently finances. Creating a new program — the Connect America fund — within the Universal Service Fund to subsidize broadband is their main goal.
KeyOn: No Broadband Stimulus Money in First Round
TMCnet
KeyOn announced that it was notified by the Rural Utilities Service that its applications under the Broadband Initiatives Program of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 were not awarded. Despite the fact that all 11 of KeyOn’s applications had advanced to the due diligence phase in Round One, the RUS did not advance any of the company’s applications to an award.
Stimulus Fund Tax Status May Delay Broadband Builds
Phone+ News, USA
Broadband stimulus funds have started trickling into the industry. But if the government doesn’t clarify whether the grants are considered taxable income, onlookers fear recipients won’t use the money any time soon – defeating the purpose of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
CWA Union Settles With AT&T In The Southeast
Phone+ News, USA
ATT Inc.’s (T) wireline union workers in the southeastern United States have consented to a new three-year agreement with the service provider. The news came late Friday. The contract was voted in after Communications Workers of America (CWA) members in February turned down a tentative deal. AT&T said the settlement reached …
Helio Users Must Switch to Sprint in May Or Lose Service
Phone+ News, USA
Virgin Mobile USA is cutting off its postpaid Helio users on May 25, according to multiple reports. Virgin Mobile, now owned by Sprint Nextel Corp., will give Helio customers $50 toward the purchase of a Sprint postpaid handset with a new two-year agreement, MobileCrunch reported. Otherwise, those subscribers will lose their service since Sprint is focusing on a prepaid-only strategy for its MVNO subsidiaries.
Class-Action Lawsuit Filed Against Verizon Wireless
TMCnet News
The lawsuit claims that Verizon charged its non-smartphone customers for data service that these customers never used. Verizon’s allegedly improper data-service charges oftentimes appeared $1.99 at a time, and this lawsuit strives to reimburse people and businesses should it turn out that these charges were improper.
Mexican Satellite Operator Satmex Acquired by Echostar For $374 Million
TMCnet News
Established in the mid 1980s as part of a government operation before becoming a commercial organization, Satmex owns and operates three satellites and two satellite uplink facilities, and has approximately 200 employees, which are all included as part of the transaction.
How To Use Skype On MagicJack
TMCnet
Users of the MagicJack can now enjoy the added benefits of Skype including video calling, conference calling and free Skype to Skype user calls worldwide using the downloadable “Skyjack” software plugin. “Skyjack” allows magicJack and Skype calls to be placed concurrently from the same regular or cordless phone. MagicJack users who have friends or customers that use Skype can receive their calls for free from anywhere in the world.
Government O.K.’s Trial Use of Cell Phone Jammers
TMCnet News
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) authorized the first federally sanctioned test of cell phone signal jamming technology inside the Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland, MD using CellAntenna technology.
Cell Phone Service Getting Worse
ABC News
A new study by JD Power and Associates finds wireless call quality has gotten worse in the past six months, with more dropped calls, static, and text messages that arrive hours late. So what’s to blame? The explosion of smartphones, which stress networks with higher data usage for texting, emailing and web surfing.
Qwest Earnings Drop 39 Percent
TransWorldNews
Qwest Communications International Inc. reported Tuesday that the company’s fourth-quarter earnings dropped 39 percent, according to Associated Press.
Qwest May Relocate Headquarters
Phone+ News, USA
Qwest Communications International Inc. will not renew the lease on its Denver, Colorado headquarters in a move that should help the struggling carrier save about $12 million per year.
New LTE Broadband Tech Sets Record at 600Mb/s
TMCnet News
Huawei today demonstrated data download speeds of up to 600Mb/s using its latest LTE-Advanced system at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2010. The record speeds, which are 20 times faster than existing commercial 3G networks, is expected to revolutionize user experience by meeting bandwidth requirements of data heavy applications.
