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CTIA Wireless 2008: Yahoo! oneSearch 2.0 Promises Quantum Leap in Mobile Search
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| Show Update |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Apr 03, 2008]
Fusing ‘federated search’ with voice recognition, and opening
the shop to third-party content providers and publishers, will
take mobile search to a whole new level. Yahoo!’s oneSearch 2.0
is highly threatening as a direct-to-consumer play.
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AT&T Discloses Its 3G Expansion Plans
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| Competitive Update |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Feb 07, 2008]
AT&T formalizes its 3G expansion plans
for 2008 to provide for a
near symmetrical uplink and downlink
throughput experience with
HSPA technology. As rivals are nearing
completion of their 3G
networks, it is important for AT&T to show
progress.
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AT&T Realigns Its Messaging and Data Offerings
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| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Jan 23, 2008]
AT&T overhauled its messaging and data
bundles, bringing an
aura of much needed simplicity to its
offerings. Despite
launching a few low end plans, the
carrier’s offerings continue
to remain pricey compared to similar
options from rivals.
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Verizon Wireless Continues Wireless Consolidation Activity with SureWest
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| Competitive Update |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Jan 23, 2008]
M&A activity continues in 2008, as
Verizon Wireless moves to
pick up wireless assets from northern
California-based
SureWest. However, moving SureWest’s
wireless customers, who
are used to unlimited calling, may not be
a slam dunk.
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The Slow but Steady Rise of Mobile Advertising
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| Advisory Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Jan 18, 2008]
Mobile advertising received a boost in late 2007 with the launch
of mobile advertising networks and Internet corporations joining
the fray. The industry should, however, standardize the
blueprint to enable this prototype to reach its zenith.
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Alltel Kicks Off 2008 with My Circle Unlimited Calling Expansion
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| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Jan 15, 2008]
Alltel steps up innovation and turns the
competitive screws
with its signature My Circle unlimited
calling feature. Now
with this feature as part of Alltel’s entire
postpaid
portfolio, can and will the national
carriers react?
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Taking a Look Back at Our 2007 Wireless Services Predictions
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| Advisory Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Jan 10, 2008]
In December 2006, we made our
predictions for 2007. Now that
we’ve entered 2008, we can take a look
back to see if we hit
the mark, make ourselves accountable,
and give ourselves a
grade in the process.
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CES 2008: Sprint Adds to the XOHM Ecosystem and Hints at Service Models
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| Show Update |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Jan 10, 2008]
Sprint divulges more partner information at CES with hints of
devices and conceptual pricing model approaches. On the
surface, it is moving along but ultimately the major decision
has yet to come from Sprint’s new CEO.
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CES 2008: Yahoo! Joins the Open Platform Bandwagon, Launches Yahoo! Go 3.0
|
| Show Update |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Jan 09, 2008]
Yahoo! Go 3.0 represents a major
metamorphosis of the previous, out-
dated client software. Yahoo! Go 3.0
could launch the company back into the
increasingly competitive mobile arena, if it
fulfills its early beta promises.
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Looking Ahead: What to Expect in the Mobile Social Networking Domain
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| Advisory Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Dec 31, 2007]
The extended success of mobile social
networking has silenced
naysayers, establishing the service on
firm ground. The future
of this fledgling trend looks optimistic due
to the backing of
mobile media brands and advancements
in related technology.
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The Good and the Ugly from 2007
|
| Advisory Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Dec 21, 2007]
Grab a cup of eggnog and take a ride
down memory lane for 2007
with the good and the ugly. Carriers
touted “openness”, offered
extremely locked devices and faced the
challenge of non-
wireless companies entering the market.
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Sprint is the First to Offer Free Mobile MySpace Web
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Dec 17, 2007]
Sprint is extending its association with MySpace by becoming
the first to offer MySpace Mobile Web free to its Vision/Power
Vision customers. The WAP site officially marks the onset of
advertising in the mobile social networking realm.
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Helio Launches YouTube 2.0
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Dec 14, 2007]
With the launch of its enhanced YouTube service, Helio has
earned the trailblazer status in the wireless segment. However,
the announcement is marred by the fact that the application is
available on only one device, reducing its uptake potential.
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Leap Adds to M&A Environment with Hargray
|
| Competitive Update |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Dec 14, 2007]
Leap gets a jump on further east coast coverage with the
acquisition of Hargray Communications’ wireless assets. With
coverage in South Carolina and Georgia, Leap stands to have a
network in place as it readies its AWS market buildout.
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Monetizing Mobile Social Networks
|
| Advisory Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Dec 13, 2007]
Wireless carriers and marketers are
waking up to the lucrative
potential of mobile social networking
sites. The viral nature
of these sites, along with the mobility
factor of cell phones,
creates the right mix for peer-to-peer
marketing and sales.
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AT&T to Absorb Edge Wireless (Another Small Regional Player)
|
| Competitive Update |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Dec 06, 2007]
Continuing the industry trend of
consolidation, AT&T is moving to absorb
another smaller regional player. AT&T
hopes to grow the 172,000-subscriber
base covering smaller markets in
California, Oregon, Wyoming, and Idaho.
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Social Networking and the U.S. Mobile Space
|
| Advisory Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Dec 04, 2007]
Mobile social networking is being touted
as the next big thing, promising instant
gratification to members on the move.
Will this data-centric service be able to
recapture its triumph on the Internet or is
it just an over-hyped application?
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Verizon Wireless Makes the Correct Bet of LTE for Its 4G Future
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| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Dec 03, 2007]
Verizon Wireless joins parent Vodafone in adopting LTE as its
4G technology. While it’s not surprising, it was the correct
choice as the benefits of long term technical convergence would
reap future interoperability, roaming and revenue.
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Verizon Wireless’ Open Network Option Positions It Well for the Future
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Nov 29, 2007]
Verizon Wireless is opening up its
network to “any device, any app” in H2
2008. It is too early to tell whether this
will change what mobile devices are
available or how they are sold, but even
as a public relations move, it is rather
brilliant.
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T-Mobile’s Holiday Push: A Black Friday Travel Play and the Standard Plan Promo
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Nov 16, 2007]
T-Mobile raised the stakes for the Q4
holiday season with a Black Friday travel
promo and its 1,500-minute plans. While
traditional promotions have surrounded
lower-priced handsets and cheaper
accessories, T-Mobile has changed the
playing field.
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Recent BIS Launches Create a Stir in the BlackBerry Market
|
| Advisory Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Nov 15, 2007]
With the launch of low end BlackBerry
Internet Service plans,
the industry focus is shifting from
enterprise segment to the
SMB markets. Bundling data services with
BlackBerry plans will
help spread the appeal of BIS plans to
the new segments.
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Sprint Exits Clearwire Partnership and Rethinks Overall WiMAX Plans
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Nov 12, 2007]
Although the WiMAX partnering plans are off, Sprint and
Clearwire need each other. While many are salivating for a full
WiMAX stop, Sprint continues on, but it is also revisiting
WiMAX plans and business cases, which may undermine XOHM’s
momentum.
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Google’s Android Presents Carrier Opportunities and Problems
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Nov 07, 2007]
Google’s Android announcement was not
the Gphone that had been
hyped for over a year, but rather an open
mobile platform.
Some of the carriers onboard include
Sprint and T-Mobile. What
does it mean that they are part of this
undertaking?
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Verizon Wireless Changes Data Charging Structure and Plan Portfolio Name
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Nov 06, 2007]
Verizon Wireless’ new data structure should help its data usage
accounting as well as drive heavier data users to the pricier
VPak plans. The portfolio renaming of Nationwide is more
descriptive than the America’s Choice moniker that it replaces.
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Verizon Wireless’ New INpulse Plans Signal a Shift in Prepaid Stance
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Nov 02, 2007]
Verizon Wireless now brings its focus to
the prepaid space, something largely
ignored while the carrier has been
building its postpaid dominance. The
new INpulse plans increase its
competitiveness as the crowded prepaid
space heats up further.
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AT&T’s New Senior Voice Plan is Just a “Me Too” Offering
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Oct 29, 2007]
AT&T does a ‘me too’ to Verizon Wireless’
senior plan offering
with all the same features, but a family
version is lacking,
and a complementary handset to seal the
deal. An underlying
question is when real original AT&T
innovation will appear.
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CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment 2007: AT&T Makes Second OTA Move – This Time with Napster
|
| Show Update |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Oct 25, 2007]
AT&T finally expands it music credentials with over-the-air
download capability with partner Napster’s deep five million
track catalog, but it only caught up with competitors Sprint
and Verizon Wireless.
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CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment 2007: Boost Mobile Expands Unlimited Offering to Other Leap and MetroPCS Markets
|
| Show Update |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Oct 23, 2007]
Rolling out of its marketing trials in Texas
and California, Boost Mobile is expanding
Unlimited by Boost to ten more states to
go on the offensive against upstart
regional unlimited carriers Leap and
MetroPCS, signaling heavy competition
ahead.
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AT&T Skips to HSUPA
|
| Competitive Update |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Oct 19, 2007]
AT&T announces HSUPA capability as it attempts to keep pace
with CDMA competitors Verizon Wireless and Sprint. It has its
work cut out as rivals are farther ahead with EV-DO Rev A
coverage.
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AT&T Acquires Some 700 MHz Spectrum Ahead of Rivals
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Oct 11, 2007]
Aloha Partners is finally unloading its
valuable 700 MHz assets to a willing
AT&T. Grabbing a piece of the much-
coveted 700 MHz band outside of the
upcoming auction gives AT&T a leg up in
future service deployments over any
auction winners.
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Verizon Adjusts Wireline-Wireless Bundles Again to Increase Competitiveness
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Oct 03, 2007]
Verizon's second bundle adjustment adds unlimited mobile-home
calling and a modicum of discount. It increases its
competitiveness, positions itself against cable providers and
keeps stickiness for those Verizon wireline-wireless customers.
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Disney Stomps on Mickey’s Phone, Kills Disney Mobile
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Sep 28, 2007]
Disney has dumped its Disney Mobile
MVNO one day shy of the
anniversary of Mobile ESPN’s demise.
While the consumers hardly
embraced the service, the fault lies
entirely with Disney that
clearly learnt nothing from the Mobile
ESPN debacle.
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Sprint is First to Market with AIRAVE Femtocell, Addressing Coverage and Unlimited Calling
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Sep 19, 2007]
Sprint addresses coverage issues with the launch of AIRAVE, the
first femtocell to hit the industry. As an unlimited calling
service add-on in limited markets, it’s similar to T-Mobile’s
HotSpot @Home, but without the need of a specific handset.
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Leap Launches Unlimited Laptop EV-DO Data Plan Trials in Three Markets
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Sep 18, 2007]
Leap has announced the launch of its new mobile broadband
service in Nashville, Albuquerque and Santa Fe. The service
should allow the carrier to leverage its EV-DO network
investments by expanding its customer base into the local
business space.
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T-Mobile Grabs SunCom, Contributing to Mobile M&A Activity
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Sep 18, 2007]
T-Mobile gets into the merger and
acquisition frenzy with
SunCom. SunCom’s large city markets
provide T-Mobile with an
avenue for further subscriber growth and
revenue upside.
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T-Mobile Makes Plan Adjustments to Spur Data Growth
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Sep 17, 2007]
In adjusting its data plans, T-Mobile
hopes to draw in those riding the fence,
giving them a compelling and less
expensive reason to adopt data
services. At $9.99, the new BlackBerry
plan is the lowest price in town, but it
only offers e-mail.
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Verizon Wireless Looks toward Seniors Market with New America’s Choice 65 Plus Options
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Sep 06, 2007]
Verizon Wireless has launched its new America’s Choice 65 Plus
plans to target the seniors market. Although the plan pricing
is nothing special compared with many other carriers, the easy
to use “Coupe” handset will differentiate the offering.
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MetroPCS Offers to Buy Leap Wireless: A Bigger Future Footprint May Upend the Industry
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Sep 05, 2007]
A combined MetroPCS and Leap Wireless
deal was always a no-
brainer. With minimal overlap in
operating territories as well
as AWS spectrum, the deal (when
consummated) will bring forth a
game-changing national competitor.
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AT&T Launches Smart Limits Parental Control Service that Is Compatible with All Phones
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Sep 05, 2007]
AT&T has launched its parental control
feature as a way to
differentiate its plans in the marketplace.
The service should
help accomplish that goal given that no
national carrier
currently has a parental control service
that works on all
handsets.
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Virgin Mobile USA Partners with Intercasting to Launch Access to Social Networking Sites
|
| Competitive Intelligence Report |
Wireless Services - U.S.
- [Aug 27, 2007]
Virgin Mobile USA has launched access to
eight new social
networking sites through its partnership
with Intercasting. The
new deal expands on its recent launch of
Facebook and should
help the MVNO increase data usage
among its youth oriented base.
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