Google getting in the game for a US wireless licenses

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Google is among more than 260 companies vying for wireless licenses to be auctioned in January, which could allow the search giant to extend its reach to the mobile Internet.

Google has an advantage over many of its rival bidders, as it has amassed a war chest of several billion dollars to bid for the cherished telecom licenses.

The Federal Communications Commission said Tuesday it had received 266 bid applications for the licenses ahead of the January 24 auction. The licenses have become freed up for auction as analogue television broadcasters have to switch to a digital format by a 2009 deadline.

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What are refurbished Cell Phones

A refurbished cell phone is one that has been returned by a dealer or customer to the manufacturer due to damage or other reasons. Refurbished cell phones are checked for defects and, if necessary, repaired and cleaned up.

Some companies also purchase used phones and have them refurbished independently or in house. In many cases, refurbished cell phones have only been used for a short period of time. If you purchase a Refurb’s also called RB phone, you are likely to receive a warranty or the choice to purchase an extended warranty. Some refurbished cell phones may simply used cell phones that have been subjected to diagnostic and quality assurance tests and then reconditioned to have a new appearance so they can be sold.

My personal experience with RB’s is that they should be avoided unless you can get a warranty for them at a reasonable price. Always check the terms and condition of warranty to make sure you are covered and there are no loop holes where the merchant will try to give you a run around. Remember the rule the golden rule when buying "You get what you pay for". So if you buy refurbished don't expect it to be new. It is what it is "just like new"!

What is GSM?

GSM is a cellular network, which means that cellular phones connect to it by searching for cells in the immediate vicinity. GSM networks operate in four different frequency ranges. Most GSM networks operate in the 900 MHz or 1800 MHz bands. Some countries in the Americas including Canada and the United States use the 850 MHz and 1900 MHz bands because the 900 and 1800 MHz frequency bands were already allocated.

Global System for Mobile communications (GSM: originally from Groupe Spécial Mobile) is the most popular standard for cell phones in the world. GSM Association (GSM promoter), estimate that 82% of the global cellular phone market uses the standard. GSM is used by over 2 billion people across more than 212 countries and territories. Its ubiquity makes international roaming very common between cellular phone operators, enabling subscribers to use their phones in many parts of the world. GSM differs from its predecessors in that both signaling and speech channels are digital call quality, and so is considered a second generation (2G) cell phone system. This has also meant that data communication were built into the system using the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).

The key advantage of GSM systems to consumers has been better voice quality and low-cost alternatives to making calls, such as the Short message service (SMS, also called "text messaging"). The advantage for network operators has been the ease of deploying equipment from any vendors that implement the standard. Like other cellular standards, GSM allows network operators to offer roaming services so that subscribers can use their phones on GSM networks all over the world.Subscribers can also buy an Unlocked Gsm Cell Phone and use it any where in the world. All that is needed is prepaid SIM card which can be purchased at any cell phone store.

Newer versions of the standard were backward-compatible with the original GSM phones. For example, Release '97 of the standard added packet data capabilities, by means of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). Release '99 introduced higher speed data transmission using Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE).

The Music industry is betting on cell phones.

The music business has been in decline for the last seven years. CDs are not selling in the numbers they used to, which is a worry for the record industry as well as retailers.

CDs
The slump in CD sales has hit record industry profits

The online revolution took the record industry by surprise and it has been playing catch-up ever since.

"I think the music industry has to accept its fair share of the blame for not acting quickly enough to digital music," said Adam Benzine from Music Week magazine.

"There was a feeling in the music industry around 1998 when Napster first came out, well, there was simply a feeling of bewilderment and confusion.

"What is this thing, how do we deal with it and, more importantly, how do we turn it off? How do we stop people putting music on the internet, rather than how can we monetise this and how can we embrace this?"

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What the future hold: Young, poor prefer cell phones cell phones cell phones over landlines

WASHINGTON - More than one in eight households have cell phones but lack traditional landline telephones, according to a federal study released Monday that tracks the country's growing dependence on wireless phones.


The data, reported twice a year, suggested that the number of households relying solely on cell phones may be growing more slowly than it had in the past. But the researchers said the slowdown might be due to changes in their survey, including altering the order of some questions and some of the wording.

"We don't know how much reflects reality and how much reflects changes in the questionnaire," said Stephen Blumberg, senior scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and an author of the report.
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Italian cell phone users offered dial-a-saint service

ROME (AFP) - An Italian company is offering a unique new service to cell phone subscribers who might be tempted to pay three euros to download an image of their favourite saint.

Starting on Wednesday, a special SMS number will process orders for the images, according to the website www.santiprotettori.com (saint protectors).

For an additional 50 cents (75 US), a "theme prayer" will be sent to the user each week, the website explains

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Hi-tech helps world's 'invisible' -

Handheld computers could help give a voice to the huge numbers of people that do not officially exist.

The gadgets are being used to gather data about the estimated one billion people who live in shanty towns.

The Mobile Metrix project aims to determine how big these communities are and discover what their lives are like.

The up-to-date data will be given to governments and aid workers to help fine tune projects trying to help these communities.

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