• The Associated Press selected Verve Wireless to provide the technology for the AP Mobile News Network, an advertising-supported, multimedia news service tailored for smartphones. The Mobile News Network, set to debut later this quarter, provides mobile users with a single point of access to local, national and international news. Verve’s publishing and ad trafficking platform allows content partners to extend their communities and readership onto mobile phones and other network-enabled devices. The Mobile News Network will include local news contributed by AP members as well as national, international and vertical content from the AP, such as sports, entertainment and business news. The network offers participating AP members the ability to generate revenue through local and national advertising.
• ADC announced that The Palazzo Las Vegas, a new resort built next to The Venetian, has deployed ADC’s InterReach Fusion in-building wireless system to deliver mobile wireless coverage for guests and staff throughout its facility. The Fusion system also will provide coverage for The Venetian/Palazzo Congress Center, a 5-floor, 1.1 million square-foot conference and ballroom facility that connects to The Sands Expo and Convention Center, The Venetian and The Palazzo. The Fusion systems in The Palazzo and The Venetian/Palazzo Congress Center will deliver services for AT&T Mobility, Sprint Nextel and Verizon.
• Brett White has joined wireless infrastructure provider Meru Networks as CFO. Responsible for Meru’s finance and information technology groups, White will report to Meru CEO Ihab Abu-Hakima.
• Cedar Point Communications, a worldwide provider of integrated VoIP switching technologies, and Argentinean cable operator Telecentro deployed Cedar Point’s SAFARI C³ Multimedia Switching System in conjunction with the debut of triple-play services in greater Buenos Aires. Using SAFARI C³, Telecentro hopes to provide high-quality, highly-reliable cable telephony as part of a bundle of services that include voice, broadband data and 84 channels of video over its 860 MHz hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) plant. The package is the first triple play bundle to be launched in the Buenos Aires region.
• India’s second largest carrier Reliance Communications announced that it had acquired eWaves, a UK-based operator of 4G services. With the acquisition, Reliance said it plans to launch 4G services globally. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
• CSR announced that its BlueCore5-Multimedia platform now supports integrated speech synthesis, also known as text-to-speech and speech recognition functionality.
• AT&T announced that availability of Research In Motion’s BlackBerry Pearl 8110 smartphone, which includes built-in GPS for location-based applications and services. The BlackBerry Pearl is available now for $150 with qualifying contact and monthly plans, at AT&T retail stores or online.
• RF Micro Devices announced the release of its new 5 GHz SZP-5026Z high linearity amplifier designed specifically for use in WLAN and WiMAX consumer premises equipment, access point and base transceiver station applications.
