Mobile operators have been slammed for delaying the auctions of 4G spectrum holdings by internet minister Ed Vaizey.
Speaking at an Intellect conference on Wednesday, Vaizey said that the blame should lie solely with the likes of Vodafone, O2 and Everything Everywhere, rather than the government or regulators.
"If you want to look at the delay of 4G, don't blame Ofcom or the government, blame mobile networks," he said
"Every single one is threatening to sue Ofcom if they get the 4G roll-out wrong."
O2 threatened legal action against Ofcom after it claimed its plans to use spectrum floors to guarantee certain coverage levels for operators were illegal.
Vodafone and O2 have also complained about Everything Everywhere's request to run 4G services on its network in its existing 1800MHz band.
Ofcom caused much consternation across the industry when it delayed the auctions for spectrum holdings in the 800MHz and 2.6GHz bands until the end of 2012.
This means live networks are not expected in the UK until 2014. This delay could cost the UK economy as much as £732m in lost revenues.
Nevertheless, most operators are already trialing 4G services in both remote locations and urban areas.
Last week, Everything Everywhere explained to V3 that its tests in Bristol and Cumbria are being used to understand the benefits the high-speed mobile networks could bring to businesses and what types of services consumers could expect to receive.
Burger King shares returning to public trade - The Guardian
Vodafone announces new 3G data plans, starting Rs.25 - NDTV
Vodafone's 3G plans start from Rs. 25 for 25MB data usage and go up to Rs. 1,599 for 12GB of data usage. For any usage beyond the stipulated data usage on each plan, the customers will be charged at the rate of 2p/10kb.
The UK based telecom service provider also claims that its 'Pay As You Go' (PAYG) rate for prepaid customers is now the most competitive in the market. Now prepaid users will have to pay 2p/10kb, which is an 80 percent reduction from the existing rate. Additionally, Vodafone will now allow its customers to use data from their bundle package while on-net roaming across any location in India without any additional charge.
Commenting on these plans, Sanjoy Mukerji, Chief Commercial Officer said, "Users who shy away from trying 3G services due to prohibitive costs can now experience services without the fear of a bill shock. We expect our PAYG offer to be well received by the customers as it will act as a strong value proposition for data users."
Tariff details
Google Nexus 7 tablet won't have 3G or camera, rumours say - Crave
More details have trickled out about the hotly tipped Google tablet, the Nexus 7. The 7-inch Android tablet will be the first to show off Jelly Bean, and now sources say it won't have a main camera or 3G. Can the Google Nexus 7 face up to the iPad or the new Microsoft Surface and Microsoft Surface Pro?
In order to keep the cost down to the rumoured $200 (£125), it seems Google and tablet manufacturer Asus plan to only offer Wi-Fi for connecting to the web, with no 3G option.
Industry watcher DigiTimes reports that component suppliers for the Nexus 7 also say there's no main camera -- just a lower-resolution front-facing camera for video calls.
Perhaps it's this camera that captured two photos posted to Google's online photo-sharing service Picasa, which claim to have been captured by a device called Nexus 7. The 1,280x960-pixel snaps are of the ceiling in 'Google Building 44', according to the attached geotagging metadata. One has since been deleted.
It's a tough market the Nexus 7 enters: making Android tablets is a hard row to hoe. None of them have come close to toppling the iPad as the most popular slate. Things are so tough, LG is giving up on tablets entirely to focus on phones.
And things got even tougher today with the announcement of the Microsoft Surface and Microsoft Surface Pro, flagship Windows 8 tablets that introduce the world to the next generation of the software that runs most of the world's homes and offices -- and by the end of this year will power tablets too.
The Nexus 7 will not only have to contend with the apparently invincible marketing of the iPad, but also with the widespread brand recognition of Windows. In fact, this is turning into a three-way head-to-head battle of the brands between Apple, Microsoft and Google, with the latter two putting their own names on the hardware for the first time. Who will win?
It's a safe bet that the Nexus 7 will take a bow at Google I/O, the annual Android developer event on 27 June in San Francisco. Keep it CNET for all the news and speculation in the run-up to the Nexus 7's public debut, as well as videos, previews and first impressions when it does become official.
Are you looking forward to the Google Nexus 7? Has the Microsoft Surface raised the bar for Android tablets? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
The Pirate Bay says BT block already breached - BBC News
BT has joined other UK internet service providers (ISPs) in blocking access to The Pirate Bay, a ban the group says users have already circumvented.
TalkTalk, Sky, Virgin, O2 and Everything Everywhere have already cut off access to the site, which hosts links to pirated music and video.
A High Court ruling in April ordered ISPs to prevent users accessing the site.
BT customers attempting access receive the message: "Error - site blocked".
Boosted trafficBT has also cut off access to other addresses, known as proxy sites, made available by The Pirate Bay.
But a representative of the UK Pirate Party - a political group that opposes the bans - told BBC News more proxy sites had been made available "within minutes".
“Start Quote
End Quote The Pirate PartyOur internet policy is not being run by our elected representatives, it is being dictated by the music industry”
About 10% of traffic to its proxy sites now seemed to be coming from BT customers, 30% from VirginMedia customers, 15% via Sky, 6% via TalkTalk and 3% via O2, he said.
BT declined to comment on reports the block had been circumvented.
The Pirate Party spokesman said public interest in the service following the ban had also boosted traffic to the party's website.
Democratic process"This increased traffic isn't just about The Pirate Bay; it seems that the proxy has sparked an interest in the Pirate Party itself, and we are seeing a significant uptick in membership and people navigating the rest of the site," he said.
"The volume of emails and phone calls into the party has also increased markedly."
The spokesman added: "Blocks on Pirate Bay have effectively short-circuited the democratic process.
"Our internet policy is not being run by our elected representatives, it is being dictated by the music industry."
Burger King shares rise on first day back to NYSE - AP - msnbc.com
NEW YORK — The New York Stock Exchange is once again the home of the Whopper.
Burger King Worldwide Inc. began trading as a public company Wednesday under the ticker symbol "BKW." Its shares closed up 3.5 percent at $15.01.
The world's No. 2 hamburger chain had last traded as a public company between 2006 and 2010 before it was purchased and taken private by investment firm 3G Capital.
Burger King's return to the Big Board wasn't through an initial public offering, however. 3G Capital announced an unusual deal in April to sell a minority stake to Justice Holdings Ltd., a London-based entity that was specifically set up to invest in another company. 3G Capital received $1.4 billion in exchange and retains a 71 percent stake in the company.
That stake was worth about $3.6 billion based on Burger King's opening share price, meaning that, on paper, 3G Capital has more than earned back the $3.26 billion it paid for Burger King in 2010.
Under the complex deal, Justice suspended trading on the London Stock Exchange once the transaction was complete and emerged as Burger King Worldwide on the New York Stock Exchange.
Only 16 percent of shares were available for sale to investors. The founders of Justice Holdings will hold onto their 13 percent of shares for at least one year as part of the deal. 3G Capital will hold onto its stake for at least six months.
Among Justice's founders are William Ackman, an activist investor and founder of Pershing Square Capital Management; Martin Franklin, founder and executive chairman of consumer products company Jarden Corp.; Alan Parker, former CEO of Whitbread PLC, the United Kingdom's largest hotel and restaurant company; and investor Nicolas Berggruen.
Franklin and Parker will join Burger King's board as part of the deal. 3G Capital has said that no other changes will be made to the senior leadership and that the company will continue its focus on turning around the brand.
As the fast-food market becomes increasingly crowded at home, Burger King like other companies has focused on expansion overseas. The Miami-based company recently announced plans to open hundreds of new restaurants in Russia and 1,000 in China over the next several years. That's in addition to similar expansion plans for Brazil.
In the past year, 80 percent of new store openings were in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
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Back in the U.S., Burger King — long known for its "Home of the Whopper" tagline — has been working to refresh its outdated image and win back lost market share. The company launched its biggest menu expansion ever in April, with items including fruit smoothies, specialty salads and coffee frappes. The chain is abandoning its strategy of courting young men and going after a broader customer base of moms and families.
The strategies at home and abroad will remain in place now that Burger King is a public company, says Daniel Schwartz, the company's chief financial officer and a partner with 3G.
"We have a situation where the value of the brand is so much bigger than the value of the business," he said. For example, he noted there is a long list of countries with dense populations where the chain has a limited presence despite its global recognition.
Burger King has more than 12,500 restaurants worldwide, compared with 33,000 for McDonald's Corp.
___
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Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Motorola Xoom 2 says buongiorno to Alitalia's cockpits and cabins (video) - engadget
Motorola Mobility Takes Motorola XOOM™ 2 to the Skies with Alitalia
ROME – June 19, 2012 – Today marks a unique opportunity between Motorola Mobility and the Italian airline Alitalia, which will revolutionize aircraft service and in-flight entertainment. Alitalia and Motorola Mobility have always been at the forefront in offering innovative technology solutions: Alitalia to flight assistants and customers and likewise Motorola Mobility to consumers. Today they anticipate that airlines will need more sophisticated technologies, focused on enhancing customer satisfaction.
Alitalia will be among the first airlines in the world to provide their crew with a tablet, Motorola XOOM™ 2, which will contain all relevant information on high value customers. This includes not only the profile of each passenger, but also their preferences in terms of the on-board menu, seating, travel history, as well as any inconveniences they experienced in the past. This will enable the staff to identify all the high value customers and to customise the service according to their needs.
Thanks to the wide range of programs and tools configured on each device and the ability to connect to the web, Alitalia staff will be able to receive updated information in real-time and perform all operations on board without having to print and carry, achieving great improvements in terms of time, efficiency and speed of updates. The flight attendants will also use the Motorola XOOM 2 to access the aircraft's internal manuals from the palm of their hands.
Motorola XOOM™ 2 tablets will also be introduced as Alitalia's in-flight entertainment services (IFE) for Business and Magnifica Class passengers on mid as well as long-distance flights to Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Tel Aviv, Beyruth, Riyadh and Teheran that are currently without an IFE service. Thanks to the tablets and the preloaded content, passengers will enjoy free access to a wide range of movies, music, online magazines and video games - all from Motorola XOOM 2's gorgeous 10.1-inch widescreen HD display.
But there is no need to be on the plane to take advantage of the Motorola XOOM 2. The Motorola XOOM 2 tablets will also be placed in 10 Alitalia lounges (Freccia Alata) so travelers can keep up to date on the latest news before embarking on their flights. A demo area within the Alitalia flagship store in Rome will provide useful suggestions to passengers on how to use the best technology of Motorola XOOM 2.
"Today we have made another further step ahead in our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategy" says Marco Sansavini, director of sales, Distribution and Customer Care in Alitalia. "It is a priority project for the new Alitalia, which involves the training of 9,000 people. Alitalia wants to make the onboard flight an extraordinary experience and the tablets will enable the crew to always stay online and in touch with the needs and preferences of its passengers. Alitalia will be one of the first airlines in the world that will use this innovative way to manage its clients. The tablet will also be used as a source of entertainment for passengers of six medium and long distance destinations and for the guests of our lounge rooms "Freccia Alata".
"With its cutting edge technology and host of entertainment features, Motorola XOOM 2 is the perfect travel companion for Alitalia passengers," said Maurizio Angelone, vice president and general manager, Mobile Devices, EMEA, Motorola Mobility. "Tablets have increasingly become a must-have device for staying connected, whether at home or on the go, and we anticipate the transportation industry will make tablets an integral part of their consumer offering in the years to come."
UPDATE 1-Judge probes Apple in lawsuit vs. Google - Reuters
By Dan Levine
CHICAGO, June 20 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Wednesday strongly questioned Apple Inc's request for an injunction against Google Inc's Motorola Mobility unit at a crucial hearing in the smartphone patent wars between the two technology companies.
Federal Judge Richard Posner in Chicago said an injunction barring the sale of Motorola phones would have "catastrophic effects" on Motorola. Posner also questioned the worth of many software patents, noting deep systemic problems with the U.S. patent system.
"You can't just assume that because someone has a patent, he has some deep moral right to exclude everyone else" from using the technology, Posner said.
Apple has waged an international patent war since 2010, part of its attempt to limit growth of Google's Android system, the world's best-selling mobile operating platform.
Opponents of Apple, meanwhile, say the iPhone and iPad maker is using patents too aggressively in its bid to stamp out the competition.
Motorola sued Apple in October 2010, a move widely seen as a preemptive strike. Apple filed its own lawsuit against Motorola the same month.
Posner issued a series of pretrial rulings that eliminated nearly all of Motorola's patent claims against Apple, while maintaining more of Apple's claims against Motorola. That meant Apple had more to gain at the trial, which had been set to start last week.
Earlier this month Posner canceled the trial, saying in a tentative ruling that neither side could prove damages. An injunction would be "contrary to the public interest," Posner wrote.
Yet last week, Posner granted Apple's request for a hearing on a possible injunction. Motorola also asked for an injunction connected to one patent in the case.
In court on Wednesday, Apple attorney Matthew Powers said the company is not seeking an order barring the sale of Motorola phones. Rather, Apple would be satisfied with an injunction requiring Motorola remove Apple's patented technology from Motorola phones within three months.
Posner said it may be preferable to direct Motorola to pay Apple a compulsory royalty. Nothing would stop Apple from coming back into court after three months to claim Motorola is still infringing, he said.
"That's all we need is new actions, new suits, because there's not enough litigation worldwide between Apple and Android," Posner said.
The case in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, is Apple Inc and NeXT Software Inc v. Motorola Inc and Motorola Mobility Inc, 11-cv-8540.
Motorola Mobility Brings the Longest Talk Time of any Smartphone (1) to Saudi Arabia with RAZR MAXX - TMCnet
(ENP Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) ENP Newswire - 20 June 2012 Release date- 19062012 - RIYADH, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - All day, every day - that's how much you use your smartphone.
With its impossibly thin and lightweight design, Motorola RAZR MAXX boasts features with the wow factor and a battery that can handle even the most demanding lifestyle. From today, customers across Saudi Arabia will be able to start talking, texting, typing, watching and more for even longer.
RAZR MAXX delivers up to 17.6-1 hours of talk time so you won't spend your day plugged into the wall. However its 1GB RAM combined with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and Android operating system will ensure you are always entertained, delivering a lightning-fast user interface and the power to multi-task like never before. You can rock your playlists while checking email, breeze through photos - all day, every day, all at the same time.
Still seriously thin at just 8.99mm, RAZR MAXX is the exact opposite of frail. It's made strong with KEVLAR fibre, while Corning Gorilla Glass defends the hyper-vibrant 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display from scratches and scrapes. And every part of the Motorola RAZR MAXX is protected by a splashguard coating, which even extends to the electrical boards inside, ensuring a go anywhere, do everything attitude.
Smart Actions, the remarkably intelligent application exclusive to Motorola Mobility, pushes the limits even further by automating everyday tasks based on triggers like time of day, location, battery levels and more. Never forget to put your phone on silent in meetings, turn up the volume when your boss calls and even maximize your last ounce of power by dimming the display and turning off power hungry services.
Motorola RAZR MAXX also comes preloaded with the Motorola MotoCast app-2, giving you the power to stream or download content from a home or work computer straight to the device so your docs, pics and music are always available - anytime, anywhere. No uploading to a third party means no wasted time or forgetting to upload that crucial presentation, and everything stays protected, right on your computer.
'RAZR MAXX isn't changing the rules - it's creating a whole new game. Building on the RAZR heritage it combines the pinnacle of design with mind-blowing power and an incredible battery life that is perfect for people who want to push their smartphone to the limits,' said Raed Hafez, managing director for Motorola Mobility, Middle East & Africa. 'Whether you want to watch hours of movies, or don't want to worry about charging between meetings, this latest smartphone from Motorola redefines boundaries and banishes the low battery beep to history.' Motorola smartphones offer some of the industry's most powerful enterprise features available, and Motorola RAZR MAXX is no exception, including government-grade encryption and productivity tools that rival the capabilities of desktop PCs. Collaborate in real time with GoToMeeting and create and edit files right on your phone with QuickOffice.
Availability Motorola RAZR MAXX is available from selected major retailers from SAR 2099. More information available on www.motorola.com/razrmaxx About Motorola Mobility Motorola Mobility, owned by Google, fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.
About Motorola Mobility Motorola Mobility, owned by Google, fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.
Certain features, services and applications are network dependent and may not be available in all areas; additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. Contact your service provider for details. All features, functionality and other product specifications are subject to change without notice or obligation 1 Comparison based on manufacturers published talk times as of 29/02/12 for 3G smartphones with voice carried over a 3G network. RAZR MAXX talk time is up to 17.6hrs. Battery performance depends on network configuration, signal strength, operating temperature, features selected, and voice, data and other application usage patterns.
2 MOTOCAST supports many popular file formats and codecs. Additional software is necessary to enable use of unsupported files on your mobile phone. DRM-protected content is not supported. Respect the rights of copyright owners by only using MOTOCAST to stream and sync authorized content.
MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. Android is a trademark of Google, Inc. Corning and Gorilla are registered trademarks of Corning Incorporated. KEVLAR is a registered trademark of DuPont used under license by Motorola Mobility, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. 2012 Motorola Mobility, Inc. All rights reserved.
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