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Quick news from around the Web

@FierceWireless: Rambus Sees ITC Ruling Helping Sway Other Potential Licensees (sub. req.) Article #Nvidia. | Follow @FierceWireless

> AT&T Mobility announced the Sharp FX from Personal Communications Devices, a feature phone with a touchscreen and slide-out Qwerty keyboard that features Qualcomm’s FLO TV service. Release

> HTC plans to push its brand in mainland China. Article (sub. req.)

> Chip technology vendor ARM beat its revenue forecasts. Article

> Canadian carrier Rogers enjoyed a rise in quarterly earnings. Article

> The “Qi” wireless power specification is now ready. Article

> Verizon Wireless suffered a service outage in parts of Manhattan yesterday. Article (sub. req.)

Mobile Content News

> Global financial services provider Citigroup warned customers its free mobile banking application for Apple’s iPhone contains a security flaw. Article

> Google appears to be eying the launch of a digital music store later this year. Article

> Google introduced Google Maps for mobile 4.4, promising more efficient access to information on nearby locations. Article

> According to a new survey, no one would pay for Twitter. Article

European Wireless News

> Ireland’s Imagine acquired Clearwire’s operations in the country. Release

And finally… An app from Cloud Music leverages Google’s Docs storage service to stream music to Android rival Apple’s iPhone. Article

FierceWireless

Yesterday I finally signed up for apples MobileMe service. After successfully using it on my Mac and iPhone whole connected to wifi, I have been unable to upload a single image over 3G or EDGE data yet.

I have to chalk this up to poor AT&T data performance.

More AT&T fail.

Att iPhone News, Hacks, App Reviews, How To and jailbreak

Chief operating officer Randall Stephenson discusses the benefits of AT&T Unity for customers and the company.
AT&T Your Podcast Delivered

I am taking a brief respite from my start-up focus to weigh in on the AT&T announcement this week that they are ending unlimited plans. This just as video is introduced on the iPhone 4.0 and as the iPad starts to take off.
RCR Wireless News

Dr. Ruth Peters, child clinical psychologist and author, gives parents some practical tips about talking to their children about technology and setting reasonable rules.
AT&T Your Podcast Delivered

Quick news from around the Web:

@FierceWireless: Will other operators follow AT&T’s lead on usage-based data pricing? Commentary | Follow @FierceWireless

> AT&T Mobility received top marks from PCMag.com for having the fastest mobile broadband network; however, it was also the least consistent, according to the tests. Article

> Hewlett-Packard felt the need to take back some comments CEO Mark Hurd made, and said that the company is excited to produce webOS smartphones. Article

> Samsung is reportedly working on its own tablet device, tentatively called the sPad, according to the Korea Herald. Article

> By 2015, 75 percent of WCDMA base stations will have been upgraded to HSPA+, according to ABI Research. Release

Mobile Content News

> MasterCard introduced its new MoneySend offering for the iPhone and iPad. Article

> Velti acquired mobile advertising firm Media Cannon. Article

> Foursquare was blocked in China on the Tiananmen Square anniversary. Article

And finally… AT&T has apologized to a customer who was threatened with a potential cease and desist letter after he sent an email to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson. Article

FierceWireless

AT&T Group President for Operations Support John Stankey discusses the company’s fiber strategy and provides an update on its progress in deploying its groundbreaking IPTV service, AT&T U-verse TV.
AT&T Your Podcast Delivered

Denis McCauley of The Economist Intelligence Unit discusses a new global survey about network security.
AT&T Your Podcast Delivered

AT&T’s Director of Olympic Integration Jason Simpson discusses the company’s sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic Team and the AT&T Athlete Connections Centers.
AT&T Your Podcast Delivered

AT&T (NYSE:T) is holding preliminary talks with India’s Reliance, the country’s second-largest wireless carrier, about buying a minority stake in the company, according to multiple reports.

Reliance, which has 106 million mobile subscribers, is planning to sell up to a 26 percent equity stake to raise cash for its debt and network upgrades. According to reports in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, which cited anonymous sources, AT&T is holding preliminary discussions about acquiring the stake. However, in a statement, AT&T denied that it is in discussions with Reliance.

According to the Journal, advisers to both companies have been in touch during the past few weeks regarding a deal. The stake is worth around billion at current market prices. Abu Dhabi-based Etisalat Emirates Telecommunications also has been mentioned as a potential suitor.

Like Reliance, AT&T is the second-largest carrier in its market–AT&T Mobility has 87 million subscribers in the United States, second only to Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ). The thinking is that AT&T, facing a saturated market in the U.S., is looking for a growth opportunity abroad. Indeed, India, with a population of more than 1 billion, already has 600 million wireless subscribers–and more than 17 million new subscribers sign up per month. However, AT&T could face significant challenges, including complex tax and merger rules. Additionally, there is intense competition in India, where six players each have more than 10 percent market share.

“AT&T has been dealt an unsatisfying set of cards. Its wired business is in unrelenting decline, and there’s not much growth left to be had in U.S. wireless anymore,” Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett told the New York Times. “Emerging markets offer the tantalizing prospect of growth. Unfortunately, India is a hyper-competitive market where profits have been exceedingly hard to come by.”

For more:
- see this AT&T release
- see this WSJ article (sub. req.)
- see this AT&T release
- see this Bloomberg article
- see this Reuters article
- see this NYT article

Related Articles:
With 1.9M total net adds, AT&T pushes growth with connected devices
Reliance Communications’ asset sale draws little interest

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