Cellular News Stories 

Rural Carriers Prefer GSM 2 to 1 over CDMA
RCR Wireless News, 16 January 2004

Cingular, AT&T Wireless in Merger Talks
15 January 2004, Reuters
This time it looks real!

Verizon Wireless Announces Roll Out of National 3G Network
9 January 2004 Wireless Developer Network

Numbers game could shake cell industry
"AT&T Wireless Services Inc., the nation's third-largest carrier, may lose 43 percent of its customers."
6 November 2003, Seattle Post-Intelligence

Verizon Issues LNP Challenge
"The lobbying and legal resources being used by our competitors to derail or delay number portability should come to an immediate end, and that energy should be re-directed to ensuring they are ready to let their customers change service providers with their wireless numbers. This is especially true since those same service providers are already passing their costs on to their customers on regular monthly bills."
Wireless Week, 10 September 2003
Ouch! Verizon takes the moral high ground on LNP. Even though they are now supporting LNP because all indications are that they will be the biggest beneficiary, it's still good to see them castigate the other carriers for the outrageous fees being charged (Verizon is not charging an LNP fee).

Verizon Wireless may bid on Licenses that Nextwave sold to Cingular
Bankruptcy rules allow bidding on assets; very bad news for Cingular since they could end up losing the licenses or have to pay more for them.
Detroit News, 10 September 2003

Cingular fined $12.4 Million over cancellation fees
Despite network congestion, Cingular refused to waive termination fees or allow grace periods.
Sacramento Bee, 10 September 2003
Cingular should just apologize and pay the fine; they look foolish denying what everyone knows happened. This is a relatively small fine, compared to what UCAN was seeking ($100 million).

Wireless firms join in 'consumer code'
Carriers hope to fend off legislation; legislators and advocates say curbs lack teeth and are simply a public relations gambit
Boston Globe, 10 September 2003

Lauer says Sprint PCS’ Ready Link service will equal Verizon PTT offering
Latency will still be much worse than Nextel
RCR Wireless News, 9 September 2003
Somehow saying that you'll be equal to something that sucks, doesn't sound like good marketing!

Cingular's Keeping the Check
Cingular fails to disclose that subscribers can opt-out of not getting their cancelled checks returned.
San Francisco Chronicle, 5 September 2003

Nextel, Verizon Wireless enter PTT ad battle
Nextel stresses latency, Verizon touts coverage
RCR Wireless News, 5 September 2003

Key Republican Fails to Block LNP
Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) tried to add an amendment to another unrelated bill, as carriers desperately try to stop LNP, by using politicians that they've purchased.
Wireless Week, 5 September 2003

Court Certifies Class Action Against AT&T Wireless 
Suit alleges that delayed billing practices resulted in excess billing to Digital One Rate customers
Wireless Week, 4 September 2003 

Nextel, Sprint PCS face slew of billing lawsuits
11 Class Action Lawsuits over misrepresentation and failure to comply with federal mandates
RCR Wireless News, 3 September 2003

Wireless Number Portability Ruling Will Mean Millions in Savings to Corporations ... Maybe
Savings depend on the ability of corporations to negotiate better deals with carriers
PR Newswire, 3 September 2003

Cell phone companies turn number portability into windfall
Fees charged to subscribers far exceed cost of implementation
Associated Press, 2 September 2003

Nextel and Verizon Wireless Rank Highest in Customer Care Performance
Wireless Customer Switching Intent is Nearly Four Times Higher Among Users Who Rate their Services Provider Below Average in Customer Care
J.D. Power and Associates, 28 August 2003
This is a very misleading study. "Switching intent" does not always track the actual churn rate. T-Mobile churn is higher than Sprint PCS, yet it ranks far higher in customer care than Sprint. Furthermore, customer service ranks last as a major reason customers give for leaving a carrier. A more accurate summary of this study would be, 'of the subscribers that leave a carrier, the small percentage that leave because of customer service are four times as likely to leave a carrier that ranks below average in customer care. However most subscribers that leave a carrier do so for reasons unrelated to customer service.' Clearly Sprint believes that the small amount of churn caused by their poor customer service is less costly than providing quality customer service. Customer service cost is not the same among carriers. The carriers with the weaker networks need to spend more on customer service because the volume and duration of the calls will be greater.

Verizon Warns FCC To 'Not Be Fooled' by Competitors
Blasts new efforts by competitors to delay local number portability as "anti-consumer" and "anti-competitive."
Wireless Week 14 August 2003
Analysts have said Verizon Wireless stands to be one of the carriers that will most benefit from LNP.

Verizon Wireless expected to launch PTT service on Thursday August 14
Initial handset will be Motorola V60p, priced from $150-330 depending on contract length
RCR Wireless News, 13 August 2003

Carriers Watch California Recall Efforts
Carriers hoping for "business friendly" candidate to stop CPUC efforts to implement consumer protections
Wireless Week, 11 August 2003

Cingular is Coming to Calaveras County
Plans 11 towers along highway 49
Union Democrat, 8 August 2003
This is very good news for Cingular subscribers who travel to places along highway 49, such as Angels Camp, but apparently does not include highway 4 (Arnold and Bear Valley), or highway 120 and 140 into the western entrances of Yosemite. Golden State Cellular, which provides AMPS and CDMA coverage in this area, is the only provider with service that reaches Bear Valley and Yosemite (roaming agreement with Verizon).

Strategy Analytics: Q2-Sprint PCS Customer Churn Improves, Driving EBITDA Margin Gain; Verizon Continues US Wireless Market Dominance
Verizon Wireless continues to set the US wireless market agenda
Business Wire, 5 August 2003

Verizon, Vodafone to offer dual-branded data service
Seamless access between GPRS and 1xRTT networks
RCR Wireless News 1 August 2003

PR Firm Takes Heat for NextWave/Cingular Blunder
Revoked press release reveals that Cingular needs more spectrum for GSM Overlay, not to enter new markets
Wireless Week, 1 August 2003

Cingular gets deal for NextWave wireless licenses
Deal give Cingular 10 Mhz of PCS spectrum in 34 markets: Atlanta; Los Angeles; Chicago; San Francisco; Dallas; Houston; Washington, D.C.; Boston; San Diego; Baltimore; Portland, Ore; Sacramento, Calif.; Las Vegas; Salt Lake City; Allentown, Pa.; Harrisburg, Pa.; Springfield, Mo.; Sarasota, Fla.; Manchester, N.H.; Portland, Maine; Lakeland, Fla.; York, Pa.; Lancaster, Pa.; Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Reading, Pa.; Hagerstown, Md.; Temple, Texas; Gainesville, Fla.; Tyler, Texas; Joplin, Mo.; Salisbury, Md.; and Kankakee, Ill. and 20 Mhz of PCS spectrum in Tampa, Fla. and El Paso, Texas
Atlanta Business Chronicle, 1 August 2003

NextWave License Deal Would Be Big Boost For Cingular
Cingular is currently at the Bottom Rung of Spectrum
Wireless Week, 31 July 2003

Wireless hot spots maybe not-so-hot
Commercial windfall in doubt as Wi-Fi areas grow
Boulder Daily Camera, 30 July 2003

J.D. Power Reports: Verizon Wireless Ranks Highest in Network Quality Performance
National rankings: 1-Verizon, 2-Nextel, 3-Cingular, 4-AT&T, 5-Sprint, 6-T-Mobile, 7-Alltel
J.D. Power Press Release, 29 July 2003
Obviously this survey was done in urban areas since Nextel did so well!

PUC introduces final draft of telecommunications "bill of rights"
Contra Costa Times, 24 July 2003
Final draft available at: http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/static/Industry/Telco/gotor0002004.doc

Verizon, Nextel Trade Barbs
Espionage, Trademarks, and Copyrights
Wireless Week, 24 July 2003

ANALYSIS: What does AT&T Wireless get from Tokyo connection?
AT&T willingly accepted a major string hanging from NTT's $10 billion; by 2004 AT&T must build a W-CDMA infrastructure
America's Network, 23 July 2003

You Can Take It with You
"Regulators, Congress and the states refuse to let competition work its magic -- instead the industry faces meddling, mandates and more taxes and fees," says CTIA President and CEO Tom Wheeler. 
Wireless News Factor, 22 July 2003
Maybe Tom Wheeler should threaten to hold his breath until he turns blue!

Portable cell phone numbers expensive
Expect at least a $50 fee and watch out for higher cancellation fees on new contracts
Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2003

US mobile phone ARPU up to US$48.40 in 2002
DigiTimes.com, 17 July 2003

Andrew Seybold: Return of the Wireless Guru 
Respected industry analyst Andrew Seybold answers questions on a variety of subjects, including LNP, 3G data, GSM versus CDMA, Churn, Mergers, WiFi, and more.
Wireless Week, 15 July 2003

Wi-Fi wild card
Wi-Fi threatens the business model of 3G data, but provides desperately needed spectrum relief
America's Network, 15 July 2003
2.5G EDGE requires 5 Mhz of cleared spectrum, but AT&T and Cingular are running low on spectrum in some markets

Strains between telecom giants threaten venture 
Vodafone executives frustrated by company's lack of control in Verizon
Wall Street Journal, 15 July 2003

Sprint ad campaign attacks AT&T Wireless
Sprint claims to offer a wider coverage area, clearer calls and faster data transfers
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 15 July 2003
Sprints Claims are true since clearly they are comparing AT&T 1900 Mhz GSM to their own 1900 Mhz CDMA. Left unsaid by Sprint is that Verizon has wider coverage, equally fast data transfer, and better indoor coverage.

A different deal: Cell phone providers use prepaid plans to lure new customers
>30 percent of consumers are being rejected by carriers for credit reasons
San Mateo Times, 13 July 2003

Doing the Walkie-Talkie
Are "push-to-talk" calls the next big thing in wireless?
The Economist, 10 July 2003
PTT doesn't work well with GSM or CDMA networks

Sprint PCS is dialed in to promise, threat of number portability
6% of all Wireless Subscribers Expected to Change Carriers, 27% will switch for a better deal.
The Business Journal of Kansas City, 7 July 2003

Same number rule causes cellular-phone bills to rise
Carriers adding $13.20 to $21 per year to bills (except for Verizon and T-Mobile) 
Lorain Morning Journal, 4 July 2003

Cingular Bets Everything on Edge
No commitment to deploy high speed data (W-CDMA)
America's Network, 3 July 2003

Their Number's Up
One-third of cell phone customers say they would jump ship immediately with LNP.
L.A. Times, 2 July 2003 (registration may be required)
Not sure where that one-third number came from

Microsoft's Second Assault on Smartphones
Products to be introduced by Sprint PCS or Verizon Wireless
Wireless Newsfactor, 1 July 2003

Verizon network arrives speedily
Last area in the U.S. is switched on
Denver Post, 30 June 2003

Verizon Wireless sues Nextel over "push to talk"
Nextel obtained Verizon prototypes and gained unauthorized access to Verizon's network, Verizon alleges
Reuters, 29 June 2003

Is the “Wi-Fi” wireless internet boom about to turn into a bust?
Users may be deterred by high prices
The Economist, 26 June 2003
AT&T and Cingular are counting on Wi-Fi to mitigate the effect of their spectrum shortage caused by their ill-advised decision to go to UMTS instead of CDMA2000. 

Sprint PCS Changes Terms of Service
Removes restriction of not using phone as a modem with the $10-$15/month Unlimited Vision plan.
O'Grady's Power Page, 26 June 2003

Verizon Wireless Giving Up Number-Portability Fight
They finally realize that they have the most to gain!
Dow Jones, 24 June 2003

Cingular Takes Wireless Battle to New Low Price
Unlimited Calling for as Low as $50 per month
Reuters, 19 June 2003

Mobile phone firms attack; Customer rights proposal opposed
Mobile phone companies launch lobbying blitz to kill the proposal in California. Phony-grassroots campaign sponsored by industry groups; not an outcry from constituents.
San Francisco Chronicle 19 June 2003

Cingular in talks to end probe; State maintains it deceived customers
UCAN proposed fining Cingular $100 million or more
San Francisco Chronicle 18 June 2003

Dobson takes over AT&T's cell coverage in Alaska, AT&T takes over Dobson's coverage in Santa Cruz
SWAP: Only the name will change for now, companies assert.
Anchorage Daily News, 18 June 2003

Cingular Wireless Reinforces Commitment to California
Promises to increase coverage and capacity
Cingular Press Release, 3 June 2003

SB 128 would give California cell users 30 days to cancel
Subscribers dissatisfied with service quality would have 30 days to cancel without penalty
San Jose Mercury News, 13 May 2003

Let's Make a Cell-Phone Deal
Sprint is the most aggressive in retention deals, Verizon the least
Wired News, 2 May 2003

Wireless: wonder or woe? 
A little of both. Overall sales are up but average revenue per user is down as price wars persist.
CNN/Money, 23 April 2003

AT&T Wireless and Edge Wireless Sign GSM/GPRS Roaming Agreement
This is especially good news for AT&T GSM subscribers. Note that Cingular and T-Mobile cannot roam on Edge Wireless, even for a fee.
Morningstar.com, 15 April 2003
Edge Wireless serves Oregon, Northern California, Idaho and Wyoming.

Overseas LNP: From Benign to Catastrophic
Germany, Australia and the United Kingdom saw relatively subtle impacts on their wireless markets, but local number portability delivered a whammy to Hong Kong operators.
Wireless Week, 1 April 2003

"It's like those French have a different word for everything!" 
Darrell Issa (R-Calif) becomes the laughingstock of tech circles worldwide with his statements regarding GSM.
SiliconValley.com, 28 March 2003
Darrell Issa is bankrolling the effort to recall California Governor Gray Davis. He hopes to become governor in a special election (see Sacramento Bee Story)

Samsung developing CDMA+GSM Handset
Courtesy of Qualcomm's MSM6300 Mobile Station Modem chipset, Samsung is now working to develop the world's first multi-mode, multi-band GSM/GPRS/CDMA/1xRTT handset
Infosync World, 27 March 2003
Hopefully they won't forget AMPS!

US market passes 50% penetration with CDMA continuing to dominate
GSM will account for 33% of all US users in 2007, with CDMA continuing to dominate with a forecasted market share of 44% in 2007.
EMC, 13 March 2003

Number Portability will hurt Cingular and AT&T, Help Verizon and T-Mobile
AT&T and Cingular could lose customers in the transition.
Wired News, 4 March 2003

Troubled Times for a Telco Titan
NTT Docomo's W-CDMA 3G service plagued by technical problems and lack of subcribers while rival KDDI's CDMA2000 3G service works well and has signed up far more users.
Wired News, 20 February 2003
This article is relevant because it parallels what is happening in the U.S. with W-CDMA (which AT&T is trying to roll out, versus CDMA2000 which is being rolled out by Verizon and Sprint PCS). 

Will your cell phone reach 911?
You can't be sure. Consumer Reports research produced some disturbing results
Consumer Reports, February 2003
Note that there are some errors in this report, specifically regarding which carriers have analog back-up. Unfortunately there is no way to correct errors in Consumer Reports. 

Steve Wozniak Moving out of Los Gatos Hills Mansion
"There's no GSM coverage. I need it, so I'm moving."
Wired News, 12 February 2003
Wow, talk about dedication to a specific wireless technology! 

Urgency slows for wireless 3G 
Edge is the end of the line for Cingular (no spectrum for W-CDMA), other carriers see no demand
Seattle Times, 13 January 2003

Wireless phone service amounts to 'cell hell,' consumer advocates say
Verizon Wireless ranked best by Consumer Report's subscribers in all six cities surveyed (New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco), about 22,000 respondents.
AP, 7 January 2003


The following are older news stories, but they are still relevant

‘Wi-Fi’ gives cell carriers static 
Wireless firms’ expensive bet looks increasingly risky 
29 November 2002, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Wi-Fi hotspots kill about 80% of the good near-term applications that the cellular providers were expecting to make money off of,”

WiFi activists on free Web crusade
"A huge amount of marketing and cash speculation rides on the success of 3G and relies on increasing customer spending and a fresh round of overcharging for questionable quality and unknown demand for service."
CNN.COM 29 November 2002

Dead Zones, Bogus Fees and Dropped Calls
How Cingular Wireless celebrates its Year of the Customer
OC Weekly, 22-28 November 2002

Sprint PCS roaming into Wi-Fi
Business Week Online, 5 November 2002
Sprint PCS follows AT&T Wireless's & T-Mobile's lead in establishing "802.11 hot-spots" 

Will W-CDMA Take Longer to Reach the US?
ComputerWire via COMTEX 5 November 2001
This article addresses the whole issue of insufficient spectrum for W-CDMA

CINGULAR BACKS AWAY FROM W-CDMA
Telephony Online, 5 November 2001
A brutally honest assessment of W-CDMA and why Cingular has no plans to deploy it (it is "a long term vision"). No spectrum, no market, and incredibly high costs!

 


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