TechAutos » Mobile

Leaked: Nokia 800 Windows Phone

admin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:11:29 +0000

Nokia is set to launch its new Windows Phones at Nokia World next week, but some renders have leaked of the 800, formerly code named Sea Ray. The phone sports the Meego-based N9′s industrial design language, paired with a 3.7″ screen and Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango). It should be available in black, blue, and pink.

Some other findings from these images: Nokia has replaced Windows Phone’s default Segoe WP font with its own font, Pure, and the phone shows Nokia Music, so where will Microsoft’s Zune Marketplace go?

Rumored specs include: 3.7″ ClearBlack AMOLED screen, 1.4 GHz Qualcomm CPU, 16GB storage, 8 MP camera with Carl Zeiss lens, 1540 mAh battery.

Source: PocketNow

Copyright © 2010, TechAutos
This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only.
The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, then the page you are viewing is violating the TechAutos copyright. (digital fingerprint:
62f5asd34hb2b3a53c9f2188376be03g25c5d) Sphere: Related Content

Apple announces iPhone 4S: A5 processor, HSDPA/CDMA, 8 MP, dual antenna

admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 23:10:02 +0000

Many expected Apple to launch a redesigned iPhone 5 at its phone event earlier today, but the company instead announced the iPhone 4S, an upgraded iPhone 4 that includes:

Dual-core Apple A5 processor (ARM Cortex A9)
Both HSDPA and CDMA radios built in (instead of separate variants, as in the iPhone 4)
8 MP camera with 1080p video recording
Dual antenna (to split send/receive and address iPhone 4 “death grip” issues)
Siri voice control

Apple also announced a Find My Friends feature that lets iPhone users track their friends on a map, similar to Google Latitude.

In the US, the new phone will be available on AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint for $199 (16GB), $299 (32GB), and $399 (64GB) on a 2-year contract. Meanwhile the iPhone 4 (16GB) will drop to $99 and the iPhone 3GS will be free, both on 2-year contracts.

Presales of the iPhone 4S begin Friday, and the phone should hit stores by October 14.

Source: Apple

Microsoft discontinues Zune HD

admin — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 22:31:38 +0000

As long suspected, Microsoft is discontinuing its dedicated Zune music players, instead focusing on the Zune music service that runs on Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox. Microsoft will continue to honor warranties on the Zune HD and other models. An update on the Zune site says, ”Windows Phone will be the focus of our mobile music and video strategy…we will no longer be producing Zune players.”

Source: Zune.net

HTC unveils new Windows Phones: 4.7″ Titan, 3.8″ Radar

admin — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:04:19 +0000

HTC just unveiled two new handsets running Microsoft’s latest mobile OS, Windows Phone 7.5 (codenamed Mango)– the Titan, a 4.7″ monster that may spawn a whole range of 4.7″ phones from HTC (as the HD2 did for the 4.3″ form factor), and the Radar, an update to the 3.8″ HTC Trophy.

The Titan (codenamed Eternity) is truly a beast, featuring a 4.7″ SLCD screen (800×480 resolution), 8 MP rear camera, 1.3 MP front-facing camera (for Skype chats). Inside, the phone sports a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 single-core processor, 512 MB RAM, and 16 GB storage. It’s quite slim (9.9 mm) and has a black painted unibody metal construction (minus a plastic bit at the bottom for the antennas), though Microsoft’s claim that it’ll be “the most amazing thing you’ve ever held” might a little ambitious.

The Radar (codenamed Omega) targets a lower price point. Featuring the same dimensions and weight as HTC’s current Trophy, along with the phone’s 3.8″ LCD, 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor, 5 MP rear camera, 512 MB RAM, and 8 GB storage. The Radar improves on the Trophy’s camera, and adds a front-facing VGA camera for video chat. The phone will come in gray and white variants, and while it’s slightly thicker than the Titan (10.9 mm), it’s still a decent-looking unit. HTC plans to offer landscape docks to allow the Radar and Titan to act as alarm clocks as they charge.

Imaging seems to have been a focus for HTC– both the Titan and Radar sport 28mm wide-angle lenses, f2.2 maximum aperture, and back-illuminated sensors (like the iPhone 4 and HTC’s own EVO 4G) that should improve image quality, along with LED flash (single on the Radar, dual on Titan). In addition, the phones include far more imaging options than HTC’s current WP7 lineup (along with features like panorama auto-stitching and burst mode).

HTC plans to ship its new Mango handsets in early October and will begin upgrading current phones to Mango starting in mid-September.

Source: Microsoft – Titan, Radar

Google to acquire Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion- but is it really patents they’re after?

admin — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 22:42:02 +0000

Google just announced that it’s purchasing Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion– the search giant’s biggest acquisition to date. Motorola Mobility is Motorola’s consumer division, which was spun off in January 2011 and primarily sells mobile phones and TV set-top boxes.

In a post on the official Google blog, CEO Larry Page wrote that the primary value Google sees in the acquisition is Motorola’s arsenal of 17,000 patents. In recent months, Apple, Microsoft, and others have sued prominent Android phone manufacturers like HTC, LG, and Samsung for patent infringement, with claims largely focusing on the Android OS. With little prior mobile experience, Google has few patents of its own to help defend its licensees. Motorola, on the other hand, has made millions of phones over the last few decades, accumulating a large patent portfolio along the way.

Most media outlets have reported that by licensing Motorola’s patents to Android manufacturers, Google will be able to help them defend against Apple and Microsoft, providing them the basis for counterclaims, resulting in mutually assured destruction and thus settlements freeing Android from patent troubles. The problem with this view is that Apple and Microsoft have already sued Motorola (see battle maps here and here); the cases are pretty far along and aren’t looking too great for Motorola at this point. If Motorola’s patents couldn’t protect it, then how will they shield the rest of Android-dom? And, as Florian Mueller writes, it’d indeed be quite ironic if, by the time the deal is approved, Google were to acquire a phone manufacturer that’s been banned from importing Android handsets into the U.S.

So clearly, patent protection from Apple and Microsoft is not the primary reason for the deal. If it were, Google could’ve just licensed Motorola’s patent portfolio (as Motorola shareholder Carl Icahn proposed just a few weeks ago). The fact that Google chose to purchase the entire company instead, and thus enter the phone hardware business itself, suggests a different modus operandi. So far, Google’s primary interest in the mobile space has been to increase access to its web services– that was the whole purpose of Android. But the company’s business practices on Android, from forcing licensees to use its services (see the Skyhook case– quite damning for a supposedly “open” platform) to giving only preferred partners early access to new versions of OS, suggest that Google wants a bigger slice of the mobile pie for itself.

Android licensees like LG, Samsung, and HTC are justifiably afraid of competing against the very company they get their phones’ operating system from. It’s unrealistic to imagine that Motorola would not gain a significant competitive advantage being under Google’s roof, and Google could easily decide to go vertical, creating Google-branded Android super-phones to match the iPhone’s tight hardware/software integration and leaving other Android licensees in the dust. An ancillary benefit for Google, of course, is that Motorola’s big presence in the TV set-top box market could be an entry point for its failing Google TV product.

One interesting provision of the deal is the reverse termination fee. If Google is unable to complete the deal, it must pay Motorola $2.5 billion– a fifth of the purchase price, four times the median for deals in the last year, and apparently the largest such fee in industry history. By contrast, if Motorola decides not to sell to Google, it must only pay $375 million. This seems to reflect Google’s desperation and Motorola’s concerns about regulatory hiccups– Google’s Android-related search business practices are already under FTC antitrust investigation.

Microsoft stands to benefit in that it can now market Windows Phone 7 as the only operating system OEMs can license without competing against the licensor’s own phones. Some believe Microsoft may follow Google’s move by acquiring Nokia (which is now a key partner on the Windows Phone platform). This is quite unlikely, especially if the Motorola deal motivates HTC, Samsung, and LG to put more effort into Windows Phone 7 (which they all offer but clearly place on the strategic backburner compared to Android). Microsoft wouldn’t gain anything beyond what it already has in Nokia (a high-quality hardware manufacturer exclusively committed to Windows Phone and armed with an immense patent portfolio), and besides, outside of Xbox, Microsoft still believes in the “ubiquity” strategy it used against Apple many years ago, mobilizing a whole industry of Windows-powered PC hardware manufacturers to destroy Apple’s bundled hardware-software offering.

RIM only gains in that the Google-Motorola deal kicks the mobile industry’s patent mess up a few notches, showing that the array of BlackBerry mobile patents is probably quite valuable. The issue is, however, that the only companies still interested in RIM’s IP would be firms that lack strong software portfolios and are looking to create their own phone OS (HTC or Samsung perhaps).

Time to sit back, grab some popcorn, and watch the tech giants duke it out for mobile supremacy.

AT&T agrees to buy T-Mobile USA for $39 billion

admin — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 23:44:49 +0000

AT&T and Deutsche Telekom just announced the sale of T-Mobile USA for $39 billion — $25 billion cash and $14 billion in AT&T stock, giving Deutsche Telekom an 8% stake in the U.S. telecom giant. If the deal passes regulatory approval, which the companies estimate will take up to 12 months to complete, the combined subscriber base would exceed 130 million, making AT&T by far the largest mobile operator in America (followed by Verizon and Sprint). Moreover, since AT&T and T-Mobile are the country’s only major GSM operators, AT&T would gain a monopoly on GSM cell service in the U.S.

AT&T says the deal will bring “straightforward synergies” due to ”complementary network technologies, spectrum positions and operations.” The company also claims the deal will expand the footprint of its LTE 4G service by 46.5 million people, to 294 million, or 95% of the U.S. population. T-Mobile USA itself had no clear plans to migrate to LTE, however, suggesting that AT&T intends to use T-Mobile’s AWS spectrum (1700/2100 MHz) for LTE, alongside its own 700 MHz bands.

If the deal does not receive regulatory approval, AT&T will have to pay T-Mobile a $3 billion “breakup fee,” transfer AWS spectrum it is currently not using for LTE deployment to T-Mobile, and sign a roaming agreement to give T-Mobile access to its network.

Read on for more about the deal.

AT&T seems to be inching closer to regaining the strength it once had as a telecom monopoly before the U.S. goverment broke it up in the early 1980s.

Deutsche Telekom had been seriously considering exit options for T-Mobile USA for many months prior to today’s announcement. Several reports cited Sprint as a merger, sale, or acquisition (+ spin-off) target, but the two companies’ entirely different technologies (CDMA + WiMAX vs. GSM + HSDPA+) make such a linkup unlikely. The AT&T takeover makes much more sense technologically, and the prospects of a nationwide LTE deployment are indeed exciting. However, the implications of a GSM monopoly are unclear as of yet. T-Mobile has traditionally been much more liberal than AT&T in allowing its customers to use cell data tethering, unlocked phones, contract-free plans, and the like, and it does significantly better than AT&T in customer service satisfaction surveys, so its customers might stand to lose from an AT&T takeover.

The deal faces an enormous risk of government antitrust objections– a Credit Suisse analyst commented that he had “never seen a deal with more regulatory risk be attempted in the U.S.” AT&T is keenly aware of this, however, and has carefully crafted its press release to assuage regulators’ concerns. Instead of mentioning the size advantage it would enjoy over Verizon after the deal, AT&T highlights the benefits it would bring to American consumers through $8 billion in infrastructure spending. The release also ties AT&T’s LTE 4G plans to President Obama and the FCC’s vision to deliver high-speed mobile internet to rural communites across America.

In the press release, AT&T’s Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson says the deal is “a major commitment to strengthen and expand critical infrastructure for our nation’s future” and will “help achieve the President’s goals for a high-speed, wirelessly connected America.” The company also calls attention to its union workforce and how the deal will boost the competitiveness of the U.S. wireless industry and improve cell connectivity across the country.

Here are some slides from AT&T on the acqusition’s impact on the operator’s LTE buildout:

Press releases below:

AT&T Press Release

AT&T to Acquire T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom

Provides Fast, Efficient and Certain Solution to Impending Spectrum Exhaust Challenges Facing AT&T and T-Mobile USA in Key Markets Due to Explosive Demand for Mobile Broadband
Enhances Network Capacity, Output and Quality in Near Term for Both Companies’ Customers
AT&T Commits to Expand 4G LTE Deployment to an Additional 46.5 Million Americans, Including in Rural, Smaller Communities, for a Total of 294 Million or 95% of the U.S. Population
Provides 4G LTE Service for T-Mobile USA’s 34 Million Subscribers
More Than $8 Billion in Incremental Infrastructure Spend by a U.S. Company over Seven Years, Enabling Nation’s High-Tech Industry, Innovation and Economic Growth
Creates Substantial Value for AT&T Shareholders Through Large, Straightforward Synergies

DALLAS & BONN, Germany–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and Deutsche Telekom AG (FWB: DTE) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which AT&T will acquire T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom in a cash-and-stock transaction currently valued at approximately $39 billion. The agreement has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies.

“This transaction represents a major commitment to strengthen and expand critical infrastructure for our nation’s future.”

AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile USA provides an optimal combination of network assets to add capacity sooner than any alternative, and it provides an opportunity to improve network quality in the near term for both companies’ customers. In addition, it provides a fast, efficient and certain solution to the impending exhaustion of wireless spectrum in some markets, which limits both companies’ ability to meet the ongoing explosive demand for mobile broadband.

With this transaction, AT&T commits to a significant expansion of robust 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) deployment to 95 percent of the U.S. population to reach an additional 46.5 million Americans beyond current plans – including rural communities and small towns. This helps achieve the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and President Obama’s goals to connect “every part of America to the digital age.” T-Mobile USA does not have a clear path to delivering LTE.

“This transaction represents a major commitment to strengthen and expand critical infrastructure for our nation’s future,” said Randall Stephenson, AT&T Chairman and CEO. “It will improve network quality, and it will bring advanced LTE capabilities to more than 294 million people. Mobile broadband networks drive economic opportunity everywhere, and they enable the expanding high-tech ecosystem that includes device makers, cloud and content providers, app developers, customers, and more. During the past few years, America’s high-tech industry has delivered innovation at unprecedented speed, and this combination will accelerate its continued growth.”

Stephenson continued, “This transaction delivers significant customer, shareowner and public benefits that are available at this level only from the combination of these two companies with complementary network technologies, spectrum positions and operations. We are confident in our ability to execute a seamless integration, and with additional spectrum and network capabilities, we can better meet our customers’ current demands, build for the future and help achieve the President’s goals for a high-speed, wirelessly connected America.”

Deutsche Telekom Chairman and CEO René Obermann said, “After evaluating strategic options for T-Mobile USA, I am confident that AT&T is the best partner for our customers, shareholders and the mobile broadband ecosystem. Our common network technology makes this a logical combination and provides an efficient path to gaining the spectrum and network assets needed to provide T-Mobile customers with 4G LTE and the best devices. Also, the transaction returns significant value to Deutsche Telekom shareholders and allows us to retain exposure to the U.S. market.”

As part of the transaction, Deutsche Telekom will receive an equity stake in AT&T that, based on the terms of the agreement, would give Deutsche Telekom an ownership interest in AT&T of approximately 8 percent. A Deutsche Telekom representative will join the AT&T Board of Directors.

Competition and Pricing

The U.S. wireless industry is one of the most fiercely competitive markets in the world and will remain so after this deal. The U.S. is one of the few countries in the world where a large majority of consumers can choose from five or more wireless providers in their local market. For example, in 18 of the top 20 U.S. local markets, there are five or more providers. Local market competition is escalating among larger carriers, low-cost carriers and several regional wireless players with nationwide service plans. This intense competition is only increasing with the build-out of new 4G networks and the emergence of new market entrants.

The competitiveness of the market has directly benefited consumers. A 2010 report from the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) states the overall average price (adjusted for inflation) for wireless services declined 50 percent from 1999 to 2009, during a period which saw five major wireless mergers.

Addresses wireless spectrum challenges facing AT&T, T-Mobile USA, their customers, and U.S. policymakers

This transaction quickly provides the spectrum and network efficiencies necessary for AT&T to address impending spectrum exhaust in key markets driven by the exponential growth in mobile broadband traffic on its network. AT&T’s mobile data traffic grew 8,000 percent over the past four years and by 2015 it is expected to be eight to 10 times what it was in 2010. Put another way, all of the mobile traffic volume AT&T carried during 2010 is estimated to be carried in just the first six to seven weeks of 2015. Because AT&T has led the U.S. in smartphones, tablets and e-readers – and as a result, mobile broadband – it requires additional spectrum before new spectrum will become available. In the long term, the entire industry will need additional spectrum to address the explosive growth in demand for mobile broadband.

Improves service quality for U.S. wireless customers

AT&T and T-Mobile USA customers will see service improvements – including improved voice quality – as a result of additional spectrum, increased cell tower density and broader network infrastructure. At closing, AT&T will immediately gain cell sites equivalent to what would have taken on average five years to build without the transaction, and double that in some markets. The combination will increase AT&T’s network density by approximately 30 percent in some of its most populated areas, while avoiding the need to construct additional cell towers. This transaction will increase spectrum efficiency to increase capacity and output, which not only improves service, but is also the best way to ensure competitive prices and services in a market where demand is extremely high and spectrum is in short supply.

Expands 4G LTE deployment to 95 percent of U.S. population – urban and rural areas

This transaction will directly benefit an additional 46.5 million Americans – equivalent to the combined populations of the states of New York and Texas – who will, as a result of this combination, have access to AT&T’s latest 4G LTE technology. In terms of area covered, the transaction enables 4G LTE deployment to an additional 1.2 million square miles, equivalent to 4.5 times the size of the state of Texas. Rural and smaller communities will substantially benefit from the expansion of 4G LTE deployment, increasing the competitiveness of the businesses and entrepreneurs in these areas.

Increases AT&T’s investment in the U.S.

The acquisition will increase AT&T’s infrastructure investment in the U.S. by more than $8 billion over seven years. Expansion of AT&T’s 4G LTE network is an important foundation for the next wave of innovation and growth in mobile broadband, ensuring the U.S. continues to lead the world in wireless technology and availability. It makes T-Mobile USA, currently a German-owned U.S. telecom network, part of a U.S.-based company.

An impressive, combined workforce

Bringing AT&T and T-Mobile USA together will create an impressive workforce that is best positioned to compete in today’s global economy. Post-closing, AT&T intends to tap into the significant knowledge and expertise held by employees of both AT&T and T-Mobile USA to succeed. AT&T is the only major U.S. wireless company with a union workforce, offering leading wages, benefits, training and development for employees. The combined company will continue to have a strong employee and operations base in the Seattle area.

Consistent with AT&T’s track record of value-enhancing acquisitions

AT&T has a strong track record of executing value-enhancing acquisitions and expects to create substantial value for shareholders through large, straightforward synergies with a run rate of more than $3 billion, three years after closing onward (excluding integration costs). The value of the synergies is expected to exceed the purchase price of $39 billion. Revenue synergies come from opportunities to increase smartphone penetration and data average revenue per user, with cost savings coming from network efficiencies, subscriber and support savings, reduced churn and avoided capital and spectrum expenditures.

The transaction will enhance margin potential and improve the company’s long-term revenue growth potential as it benefits from a more robust mobile broadband platform for new services.

Additional financial information

The $39 billion purchase price will include a cash payment of $25 billion with the balance to be paid using AT&T common stock, subject to adjustment. AT&T has the right to increase the cash portion of the purchase price by up to $4.2 billion with a corresponding reduction in the stock component, so long as Deutsche Telekom receives at least a 5 percent equity ownership interest in AT&T.

The number of AT&T shares issued will be based on the AT&T share price during the 30-day period prior to closing, subject to a 7.5 percent collar; there is a one-year lock-up period during which Deutsche Telekom cannot sell shares.

The cash portion of the purchase price will be financed with new debt and cash on AT&T’s balance sheet. AT&T has an 18-month commitment for a one-year unsecured bridge term facility underwritten by J.P. Morgan for $20 billion. AT&T assumes no debt from T-Mobile USA or Deutsche Telekom and continues to have a strong balance sheet.

The transaction is expected to be earnings (excluding non-cash amortization and integration costs) accretive in the third year after closing. Pro-forma for 2010, this transaction increases AT&T’s total wireless revenues from $58.5 billion to nearly $80 billion, and increases the percentage of AT&T’s total revenues from wireless, wireline data and managed services to approximately 80 percent.

This transaction will allow for sufficient cash flow to support AT&T’s dividend. AT&T has increased its dividend for 27 consecutive years, a matter decided by AT&T’s Board of Directors.

Conditions

The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals, a reverse breakup fee in certain circumstances, and other customary regulatory and other closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close in approximately 12 months.

Advisors

Greenhill & Co., J.P. Morgan and Evercore Partners acted as financial advisors and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, Arnold & Porter, and Crowell & Moring provided legal advice to AT&T.

Conference Call/Webcast

On Monday, March 21, 2011, at 8 a.m. ET, AT&T Inc. will host a live video and audio webcast presentation regarding its announcement to acquire T-Mobile USA. Links to the webcast and accompanying documents will be available on AT&T’s Investor Relations website. Please log in 15 minutes ahead of time to test your browser and register for the call.

For dial-in access, please dial +1 (888) 517-2464 within the U.S. or +1 (630) 827-6816 outside the U.S. after 7:30 a.m. ET. Enter passcode 8442095# to join or ask the conference call operator for the AT&T Investor Relations event.

The webcast will be available for replay on AT&T’s Investor Relations website on March 21, 2011, starting at 12:30 p.m. ET through April 21, 2011. An archive of the conference call will also be available during this time period. To access the recording, please dial +1 (877) 870-5176 within the U.S. or +1 (858) 384-5517 outside the U.S. and enter reservation code 29362481#.

Transaction Website

For more information on the transaction, including background information and factsheets, visit www.MobilizeEverything.com.

Deutsche Telekom Press Release
Bonn/ Dallas, March 20th 2011

Deutsche Telekom: US Deal accelerates own transformation
Deutsche Telekom to receive 39 billion USD for US-business
Deutsche Telekom to have up to 8 percent stake in the leading US telecommunications company
AT&T takes over US mobile business from Deutsche Telekom

Deutsche Telekom will receive 25 billion USD in cash and 14 billion USD in AT&T shares
Attractive multiple of 7.1 times 2010 adjusted EBITDA
Deutsche Telekom plans to use approximately 5 billion EUR for sharebuybacks
Deutsche Telekom net debt is planned to be reduced by approximately 13 billion EUR or 31 percent

Deutsche Telekom will take an approximately 8 percent stake in US telecommunication company AT&T. At the same time Deutsche Telekom will hand over 100 percent ownership of T-Mobile USA to AT&T. This has been agreed by the boards of the two companies today. AT&T will pay 25 billion USD in cash for T- Mobile USA, in addition to 14 billion USD in AT&T shares. AT&T has the right to increase the portion of the purchase price paid in cash by up to 4.2 billion USD with a corresponding reduction in the stock component. The value of the transaction will be 39 billion USD. This will amount to an attractive multiple of approximately 7 times 2010 adjusted EBITDA. The merger still needs US regulatory approval. The closing of the transaction is expected to be completed in first half of 2012.

1René Obermann, CEO Deutsche Telekom: “We have achieved the best solution for our company, our customers and shareholders. This will strengthen our position in Europe, whilst we are still participating in the rapidly growing business of mobile data. We will be able to focus more on the opportunities of a modern infrastructure in Germany and Europe, as well as in Internet products that accompanies to our strategy “fix, transform and innovate”. Following our initiatives of finding a solution for our activities both in the United Kingdom and Poland, we have with this transaction nearly accomplished the “fix” part of our strategy. We will now focus our resources more on the “transform” and “innovate” blocks of our strategy in order to accelerate the transformation of Deutsche Telekom.”

Timotheus Höttges, CFO Deutsche Telekom: “As the biggest single share holder of AT&T we will also significantly benefit from their strong dividend. With the excellent result of this transaction we will be able to continue to develop our company. At the same time we will be able to reduce our debts and initiate one of the biggest share buy back programs in both Germany as well as in the European telecommunication industry.”

Deutsche Telekom is planning to reduce its debt by approximately 13 billion EUR. Approximately 5 billion EUR are planned to be used for share buybacks after closing and required resolutions in accordance with the legal requirements .

Randall Stephenson, CEO and Chairman AT&T: “This transaction delivers significant customer, shareowner and public benefits that are available at this level only from the combination of these two companies with complementary network technologies, spectrum positions and operations. We are confident in our ability to execute a seamless integration, and with additional spectrum and network capabilities, we can better meet our customers’ current demands, build for the future and help achieve the President’s goals for a high-speed wirelessly connected America.”

For Deutsche Telekom the transaction after closure will provide amongst others a consolidation of the balance sheet. Pro forma the ratio for net debt to adjusted EBITDA in 2010 will be reduced to 1.9x from 2.2x, a reduction of 31 percent.

There will be no change regarding the shareholder remuneration policy which has been set for three years. As has been provided within the legal guidelines, Deutsche Telekom will continue with its plans to pay out 3.4 billion EUR on an annual basis consisting of a minimum dividend of 70 cents plus share-buybacks. The share buybacks amounting to approximately 5 billion EUR, which are planned after the closure of the transaction, will come on top of this.

The Guidance for 2011 remains unchanged. For the financial year 2011 Deutsche Telekom expects an adjusted EBITDA of around 19.1 billion EUR. The free cash flow is expected to be stable to slightly growing from the 2010 level of 6.5 billion EUR.

Deutsche Telekom is to receive one seat on AT&T’s Board of Directors.

Morgan Stanley acted as lead financial advisor and issued a fairness opinion to the supervisory board of Deutsche Telekom. Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse acted as financial advisors for Deutsche Telekom.

Deutsche Telekom was advised by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (M & A, N.Y.C) as well as Cleary Gottlieb and Wiley Rein (antitrust and regulatory law, Washington D.C.).

About Deutsche Telekom

Deutsche Telekom is one of the world’s leading integrated telecommunications companies with around 129 million mobile customers, approximately 36 million fixed- network lines and more than 16 million broadband lines (as of December 31, 2010). The Group provides products and services for the fixed network, mobile communications, the Internet and IPTV for consumers, and ICT solutions for business customers and corporate customers. Deutsche Telekom is present in over 50 countries and has around 247,000 employees worldwide. The Group generated revenues of EUR 62.4 billion in the 2010 financial year – more than half of it outside Germany (as of December 31, 2010). For further information on Deutsche Telekom, please visit www.telekom.com/media

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T │DIRECTV brands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com

TA Maps 2 hits the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace

admin — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 02:45:55 +0000

TechAutos Maps v2.0, an updated version of one of the first jailbroken apps for Windows Phone 7, has now hit the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace.

TA Maps is a mapping solution that uses sources like Google Maps and OpenStreetMap and gives better coverage in many parts of the world than Bing Maps. It includes:

Scrollable/zoomable maps
Street/satellite views
GPS location tracking
Search
Favorite locations
Driving mode (keeps map centered on GPS location)
GPS sensitivity settings
Smoothly restores your last map view and pushpins

We will be adding features like driving directions, additional map/search sources, and more point-of-Interest data in upcoming updates.

For screenshots and more details, see: TA Maps for Windows Phone 7
Marketplace link: TA Maps at the WP7 Zune Marketplace

Nokia Windows Phone 7 concept phone revealed

admin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 22:22:55 +0000

Engadget has come across the first concept rendering from Nokia of what a future Windows Phone 7 handset from Espoo might look like. In classic Nokia fashion, the phone is shown in three different colors (black, pink, and cyan). The rendering combines Nokia’s design language with the simplicity of WP7′s three-button interface for a sleek-looking package overall.

Combine it with solid internals and Nokia’s traditional strength in phone camera optics, and we’re sold. Just hurry up and get this on the market, Nokia.

Source: Engadget

Nokia CEO responds to Google VP’s “two turkeys” tweet, clarifies WP7 strategy

admin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 20:20:53 +0000

Two days before the Nokia-Microsoft alliance was announced, Google’s Vic Gundotra attacked the two companies by tweeting that “two turkeys do not make an Eagle.” Now Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop has responded with a tweet saying “two bicycle makers from Dayton Ohio, one day decided to fly”– referencing the Wright brothers.

Separately, Elop and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer provided some more details on the deal. The arrangement is not exclusive– Microsoft will continue to work with other phone manufacturers on Windows Phone 7, though Nokia will get some “unique” benefits out of the deal. When asked if Nokia would be able to customize “everything” on Windows Phone 7 (unlike current WP7 licensees), Elop said yes, but clarified that Nokia was unlikely to do so, as it preferred maintaining full compatibility across the Windows Phone platform.

Read on for more details.

WP7 will become Nokia’s primary smartphone OS, but the company will continue to ship Symbian phones for the next several months and will probably continue the Series 40 platform for non-smartphones beyond that. It will also ship one MeeGo phone this year, but “not as part of another broad smarpthone platform strategy, but as an opportunity to learn.” (for what it’s worth, Intel says it’s still committed to MeeGo, which was created as the merger of Nokia’s Maemo and Intel’s Moblin Linux) Nokia expects to significantly cut its R&D spending but boost productivity.

Elop said Nokia did have discussions with Google about Android but felt it “would have difficulty differentiating within that ecosystem” and the “commoditization risk was very high — prices, profits, everything being pushed down, value being moved out to Google which was concerning to us.” Nokia felt it could play a more significant role in the high-end smartphone arena by throwing its considerable weight behind Microsoft’s upstart OS and turning it into a “three-horse race” between Android, Windows Phone, and the iPhone.

Asked about Tablets, Elop said Nokia could go with Microsoft’s strategy in that space or pursue its own technology.

To close on an amusing and somewhat related note, John Biggs of CrunchGear just tweeted:

I’m glad the Nokia/Microsoft deal solved the Egypt crisis.

Nokia announces strategic alliance with Microsoft: Windows Phone 7, Bing, Xbox Live, Office

admin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 12:04:50 +0000

Nokia just dropped the bombshell we predicted yesterday: a wide-ranging “strategic alliance” through which:

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 OS will become Nokia’s “principal smartphone strategy”
Microsoft’s Bing and adCenter will provide search and advertising for Nokia Windows Phones
Nokia’s Ovi Maps content will become part of Bing Maps
Nokia’s app and music stores will integrate into Microsoft’s (Windows Phone / Zune / Xbox) Marketplace
Like all Windows Phones, Nokia handsets will now also feature Xbox Live and Office

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop (former head of Microsoft’s Business Division) and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said:

“There are other mobile ecosystems. We will disrupt them. There will be challenges. We will overcome them. Success requires speed. We will be swift. Together, we see the opportunity, and we have the will, the resources and the drive to succeed.”

Read on for more about the Nokia-Microsoft deal.

As we indicated yesterday, the deal could make a lot of sense: Nokia is still at the top of its hardware game, producing among the highest-quality handsets on the market, but its software efforts (Symbian, MeeGo) have foundered. Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 OS provides arguably the smoothest user experience in the industry but has a lot of ground to regain in market share against Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android.

A combination of Microsoft’s mobile software prowess and strong developer relations with Nokia’s hardware design and global retail presence, especially in emerging markets, could be a force to reckon with. A potential risk for Nokia lies in the fact that Microsoft tightly controls the user experience on Windows Phones to ensure uniformity and high performance. As a result, Nokia might not be able to sufficiently differentiate itself from other Windows Phone 7 handset manufacturers, from HTC to Samsung, LG, Dell, and the like.

Nokia says it plans to innovate ”on top of the platform” — what that will entail remains to be seen. The first Nokia Windows Phones should hit the market in late 2011 or early 2012. The company is planning a significant cut in R&D staff and has entirely reshuffled its leadership to match the new strategy. Symbian and MeeGo are most likely dead as consumer OSes, and Nokia is unlikely to support its Qt framework, which WP7 does not support. Windows Phone 7 remains a smartphone OS, though — and one that requires serious hardware capabilities, at that — so Nokia will still need a separate platform for feature phones, likely Series 40.

Here’s the official announcement:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Press Release:

Nokia and Microsoft Announce Plans for a Broad Strategic Partnership to Build a New Global Mobile Ecosystem

Companies plan to combine assets and develop innovative mobile products on an unprecedented scale.

LONDON – Feb. 11, 2011 – Nokia and Microsoft today announced plans to form a broad strategic partnership that would use their complementary strengths and expertise to create a new global mobile ecosystem.

Nokia and Microsoft intend to jointly create market-leading mobile products and services designed to offer consumers, operators and developers unrivalled choice and opportunity. As each company would focus on its core competencies, the partnership would create the opportunity for rapid time to market execution. Additionally, Nokia and Microsoft plan to work together to integrate key assets and create completely new service offerings, while extending established products and services to new markets.

Under the proposed partnership:

• Nokia would adopt Windows Phone as its principal smartphone strategy, innovating on top of the platform in areas such as imaging, where Nokia is a market leader.

• Nokia would help drive the future of Windows Phone. Nokia would contribute its expertise on hardware design, language support, and help bring Windows Phone to a larger range of price points, market segments and geographies.

• Nokia and Microsoft would closely collaborate on joint marketing initiatives and a shared development roadmap to align on the future evolution of mobile products.

• Bing would power Nokia’s search services across Nokia devices and services, giving customers access to Bing’s next generation search capabilities. Microsoft adCenter would provide search advertising services on Nokia’s line of devices and services.

• Nokia Maps would be a core part of Microsoft’s mapping services. For example, Maps would be integrated with Microsoft’s Bing search engine and adCenter advertising platform to form a unique local search and advertising experience

• Nokia’s extensive operator billing agreements would make it easier for consumers to purchase Nokia Windows Phone services in countries where credit-card use is low.

• Microsoft development tools would be used to create applications to run on Nokia Windows Phones, allowing developers to easily leverage the ecosystem’s global reach.

• Nokia’s content and application store would be integrated with Microsoft Marketplace for a more compelling consumer experience.

“Today, developers, operators and consumers want compelling mobile products, which include not only the device, but the software, services, applications and customer support that make a great experience,” Stephen Elop, Nokia President and CEO, said at a joint news conference in London. “Nokia and Microsoft will combine our strengths to deliver an ecosystem with unrivalled global reach and scale. It’s now a three-horse race.”

“I am excited about this partnership with Nokia,” said Steven A. Ballmer, Microsoft CEO. “Ecosystems thrive when fueled by speed, innovation and scale. The partnership announced today provides incredible scale, vast expertise in hardware and software innovation and a proven ability to execute.”

Please visit www.nokia.com/press for press materials.