Phone Service

KDDI won October subscriber war

2007-01-16T22:01:00.000-08:00

KDDI won October subscriber war

KDDI Corp. appears to have benefited the most from the mobile phone number portability service introduced Oct. 24 to allow people to switch phone companies without changing their numbers.

KDDI, which operates the au mobile-phone service, said Wednesday that it had a net 200,500 new subscribers in October, to give it a total of 26.6 million customers at the end of the month. KDDI is the second-largest carrier in terms of market share. Market leader NTT DoCoMo Inc. saw its subscribers increase by 40,800 to 52.1 million in October. The third-largest carrier, Softbank Mobile Corp., a unit of Softbank Corp., said its subscribers increased by 23,800 to hit 15.3 million. After number portability was introduced, KDDI said it had a net gain of more than 102,000 subscribers for the last week of October.

Centennial Communications Launches Unlimited Mobile Phone Service ...

2006-12-19T23:20:00.000-08:00

Centennial Communications Launches Unlimited Mobile Phone Service ...

WALL, NJ -- (MARKET WIRE) -- November 06, 2006 -- Centennial Communications Corp. (NASDAQ: CYCL) ("Centennial") today announced the launch of its unlimited wireless service in Puerto Rico, a bold move that reinforces the Company's leadership on the island by bringing unprecedented simplicity and value to its customers. This flagship service offering builds on Centennial's 10th anniversary marketing campaign on the island, leveraging the strength of a superior wireless network and a direct-distribution channel that includes nearly 90 retail locations.

The $49.99 plan includes unlimited inbound and outbound local calling in Puerto Rico for primary customers, with the option of adding companions with unlimited calling for $29.99. In addition, customers can add comprehensive feature and data bundles to their wireless service including: short messaging service (SMS), multi-media messaging service (MMS), Brew-based wireless data downloads, Internet access, call waiting, caller ID and enhanced phone care for between $4.99 and $19.99.

Kenya: Safaricom Starts Faster Phone Service

2006-12-11T18:59:00.000-08:00

Kenya: Safaricom Starts Faster Phone Service

The third generation Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) known as 3G will run on a pilot basis for one year before being officially rolled out.

Chief executive Michael Joseph said the packet-based technology will initially be confined around Westlands. It will enable the storage of data in discrete packets unlike in the current technology where a call ties up the network resources. It will also be four times faster than the current technology. Mr Joseph said in Nairobi that upon proof of viability, the network will be unveiled in selected parts of the country. "This is an expensive technology that requires new base stations and links and we are initially targeting corporate bodies but provisions will be made for such institutions like schools and hospitals in the rural areas," he said.

Dozens of North Idaho businesses lose phone service

2006-11-21T19:21:00.000-08:00

Dozens of North Idaho businesses lose phone service

COEUR D'ALENE -- Dozens of business throughout North Idaho are without landline phone service Tuesday evening and for more than 24 hours customers of XO Communication have not been able to make or take calls.

Details are sketchy but apparently there is a problem with a third party that handles phone traffic for businesses in the area including local doctor's offices. Verizon, which also provides phone services in North Idaho, reports that the problem started with TNS, the third party communications provider.

The problem has impacted numerous businesses including Dirne Community Health Center, for example, which lost 20 or so of the clinics land lines due to the phone service outage.

The health center, which is the only place in Kootenai County where the under and uninsured can get medical help, quickly posted emergency cell phone numbers on their website and started calling patients they knew needed care.

Comcast's Older $10 Phone Service

2006-11-09T22:56:00.000-08:00

Comcast's Older $10 Phone Service

San Francisco Chronicle columnist David Lazarus points out how Comcast is still letting Bay Area customers sign up for their older $10 coax-run phone service. "Comcast's Digital Phone service dates back to the late 1990s, when what was then AT&T Broadband, the cable division of long-distance provider AT&T, had sought to do an end run around rival SBC and compete for local phone customers," he observes. Lazarus notes it's really only a deal if you're largely using the line for local calling, but Comcast won't force users to migrate to newer digital voice. .