Posts Tagged ‘Verizon wireless’

Verizon backs mobile Linux

Monday, May 19th, 2008

It looks likes Verizon Wireless has thrown in its lot with mobile Linux – but it’s the LiMo Foundation platform, rather than Google’s Android platform, that looks like it’s got the weight of Verizon’s backing.

The US operator announced last week that it’s going to be taking up the final seat on the LiMo Foundation’s board and will join the likes of Motorola, Vodafone and NEC as members of the Foundation in promoting an open Linux distribution for mobile phones.

However, according to The Register, Verizon hasn’t said it’s will shun Android entirely (a Verizon exec told the site “We do believe that we will also offer devices with the Android OS”), more that they just prefer the collaborative nature of the Foundation to an OS developed and run by a single company.

While Verizon Wireless would be daft to block any particular OS from its shelves, you can’t help but feel it won’t exactly be giving pride of place to Android now it’s dubbed LiMo as its preferred OS. It’s not the first time the question of openness has cropped up between the two either, but previously it was Google banging the openness gong: Google filed a submission with the FCC asking the regulator to make sure that Verizon Wireless stuck to the open access pledges it made after it won a slice of the 700Mhz spectrum in the US auction earlier this year.

Verizon Wireless, AT&T get going on LTE

Monday, April 7th, 2008

More news off the back of the 700 MHz spectrum auction – licence buyers were forbidden from talking about their plans for their purchases until last week – with Verizon and AT&T have announced they’re going to use spectrum to launch LTE (long term evolution networks).

“In the future, AT&T’s 700 MHz spectrum holdings will provide the foundation for deployment of next-generation wireless broadband platforms such as HSPA+ and LTE. While standards for emerging technologies such as LTE are still being developed, these technologies could enable peak broadband speeds of 100 Mbps or more,” said AT&T, while Verizon Wireless is heavier on the facts, saying: “Verizon Wireless plans to launch its LTE network in the 700 MHz spectrum in the 2010 timeframe”.

It’s so good to hear some real numbers being put on LTE rollout dates, but the word timeframe makes me a little nervous – sounds like Verizon Wireless is giving itself a little wriggle room for delays, while AT&T is giving itself all the time in the world.

Verizon Wireless starts paying out for Vodafone

Friday, March 28th, 2008

After the sale rumours that followed Vodafone last year over its stake in Verizon Wireless, it looks like the decision to hold onto 45 percent of the US operator has paid off. According to the Financial Times, Vodafone has revealed it expects to start receiving dividends from its share in Verizon Wireless again from next year.

The paper reports Verizon Wireless last issued dividends back in 2005, it handed over £923 million, with the company deciding subsequently to pay down debt rather than issue dividends and quotes an analyst as suggesting that Verizon should indeed start paying out next year but at a lower level than previously.

So does this make it more or less likely that Vodafone will sell? After all, if it holds on longer, it’ll get to see some pay back for its investment. But, the resumption of dividends also means that its stake could fetch a higher price if Vodafone decided to put it up for sale. And then there’s the question of the 700Mhz spectrum auction, which Verizon Wireless emerged victorious from. While it got itself a juicy section of spectrum, it also shelled out a lot for the privilege. There’s got to be some heads being scratched at Vodafone right now.

Mobile video firm Viva Vision picks up $2 million

Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

Mobile entertainment applications and content provider Viva Vision has received a $2 million capital injection from Medical Capital Corporation, which the company says it will use “to scale its business, support its growing user base, and further grow distribution”.

Last year Viva Vision introduced a mobile slideshows business line, with content both produced by in-house production studios, and by media companies. The company also sells video on demand content and video-to-mobile applications. It already counts the likes of Verizon Wireless among its users and has added eight new carriers to its list of customers over the last year. The company has also seen impressive growth in user numbers – hopefully this funding injection will help it continue in the same vein.


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