AT&T picks Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson for network
NEW YORK (AP) — AT&T says it has picked Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson to supply the equipment for its next wireless network, which will provide faster data speeds starting next year. The vendors will supply cell-tower equipment for a technology called LTE, or Long Term Evolution. It will provide speeds that are at least ten times faster than today's wireless broadband.
Sprint Nextel slows subscriber loss in 4th quarter
NEW YORK (AP) — Sprint Nextel Corp.'s subscriber losses slowed in the fourth quarter, an encouraging sign for a wireless carrier that has lost millions of customers over the past few years. Sprint lost a net 148,000 subscribers in the last three months of 2009, far fewer than the 545,000 who fled in the third quarter, the carrier said Wednesday.
Ericsson in network deal with AT&T
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Swedish wireless equipment maker LM Ericsson AB on Wednesday said it has signed a deal to supply telecoms group AT&T Inc. with equipment and services to build a fourth-generation mobile broadband network in the United States. Under the multiyear agreement, of which the value was not disclosed, Stockholm-headquartered Ericsson said it will be the key supplier of materials related to the rollout of the 4G technology Long Term Evolution, or LTE, network. It will also deliver services including design and deployment.
Google's e-mail gets social in Facebook face-off
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google Inc. opened a new social hub in its e-mail service on Tuesday, leaving little doubt that the Internet search leader is girding for a face-off with Facebook. The new Gmail channel, called Google Buzz, includes many of the features that have turned Facebook into the Web's top spot for fraternizing with friends and family.
RealNetworks, MTV to spin off Rhapsody
NEW YORK (AP) — RealNetworks Inc. and MTV Networks said Tuesday that they plan to spin off Rhapsody America LLC, their digital music service joint venture, into an independent company. RealNetworks currently holds a 51 percent stake in Rhapsody, with MTV parent Viacom International Inc. holding the rest. After the spinoff, neither will have operating control over the venture, and both will own an equal minority stake in Rhapsody.
AOL integrates Facebook chat with AIM
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — As part of an ongoing effort to improve its user experience, Internet company AOL Inc. is letting users of its AIM instant-messaging service chat with friends on Facebook. AOL said Wednesday that a new version of AIM connects with the instant-messaging function on Facebook's Web site, letting AIM users communicate with friends who are logged on to the social network and available to chat.
PayPal's India transaction block could last months
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Online payments service PayPal says its suspension of certain transactions in India could last months. In a post on PayPal's blog Tuesday, spokesman Anuj Nayar wrote that the company will keep blocking personal payments to and from India as it works out questions that Indian regulators have posed. The payments were initially suspended Jan. 28, after regulators questioned whether PayPal payments should be regulated like wire transfers of cash.
Opera Software announces iPhone browser
OSLO (AP) — Opera Software ASA announced Wednesday that it will unveil an iPhone version of its Opera Mini mobile phone browser at an international tech conference next week despite not having approached iPhone maker Apple about the move. The Norwegian firm has not set a release date for its iPhone browser and has not yet sought approval to distribute the browser from Apple's iPhone applications store, Opera spokeswoman Katrin Jaakson said.
Micron to buy Numonyx in $1.3 billion stock deal
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Micron Technology says it plans to buy fellow memory chip maker Numonyx in an all-stock transaction the companies value at $1.27 billion. Micron plans to issue 140 million shares to Numonyx shareholders, Francisco Partners and chip makers Intel Corp. and STMicroelectronics NV. Numonyx was created by the three companies in 2008.
Warner CEO sees e-book `fracas' as helping music
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The head of Warner Music Group expressed hope on Tuesday that the recent "fracas" over the price of e-books would help give content creators such as his company more pricing power over device makers. CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. made the comments as the No. 3 recording company reported a net loss for its fiscal first quarter, as a slight uptick in digital revenue failed to make up for falling CD sales.
