uLocate

It's official: Virgin Mobile USA is in talks with Helio

Brian Dolan — Wed, 14 May 2008 11:21:25 -0400

After a week of speculation and rumors about a possible tie-up between Virgin Mobile USA and SK Telecom's MVNO Helio, Virgin Mobile has finally come forward and announced that the two are in preliminary talks. Virgin Mobile's brief statement characterizes the talks as "in early stages" and cautions that no transaction may result. The MVNO said it will have no further comment on the talks unless a definitive agreement takes place. Just yesterday, SK Telecom denied reports that it was in talks with Virgin Mobile USA about a possible tie-up.

If Virgin Mobile USA were to acquire Helio, it would mark the end of an era: Now that Mobile ESPN, Disney Mobile and Amp'd Mobile have ceased MVNO operations, Helio is the last big MVNO in operation from the content-heavy class of virtual operators.

For more:
- read Virgin Mobile's statement about Helio talks

2008's Top Emerging Wireless Companies: The Fierce 15

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:59:59 -0400

A medley of smart startups and engaging entrepreneurs

Despite wireless carrier consolidation and an 84 percent penetration rate, the U.S. wireless industry remains vibrant and highly competitive. Much of its continued success can be attributed to the entrepreneurial startups that flock to this industry in hope of success.

Every year FierceWireless editors evaluate dozens of the most innovative and smart emerging companies in the wireless industry. Our final selection--the top 15--are listed here as part of the FierceWireless' annual Fierce 15 list.

The winners this year are very diverse. A few are home to some of the best and brightest engineers who have developed interesting solutions to some of the most confounding wireless problems--like how to solve antenna interference issues in the handset or how to deliver better in-home coverage. Others are creative application firms that have come up with what we believe will be very compelling consumer services guaranteed to increase carrier ARPUs.

One thing all our Fierce 15 companies have in common is a bright executive team and the potential to advance the wireless industry. Here are the firms that we think will become great success stories. Click here for the full feature. -Sue

The 2008 Fierce 15 winners are...

uLocate - Top Wireless Company 2008: FierceWireless, Fierce 15

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:06:19 -0400

uLocate

Where it's located: Boston, MA
When it was founded: 2003
Website: www.ulocate.com

Why it's Fierce: While no one in the wireless industry would deny that the mobile location-based services sector is perhaps the most hyped of mobile services today, the value provided by location coupled with pertinent applications is undeniably going to change the way we use our mobile phones. The proud owner of www.where.com. uLocate, looks to be one start-up that will continue to innovate and shape the mobile LBS landscape. uLocate already has carrier dealsÃ‚Â with Boost Mobile, Helio, AT&T, Sprint Nextel, Alltel and MetroPCS as well as partnerships with Autodesk, Navteq, TeleAtlas, MapQuest and iDEN GPS company Trackem. Content providers like Eventful, EveryTrail, Zipcar, Twitter and Yelp have also inked deals with uLocate to mobilize and localize their offerings for the mobile phone. Recent wins for uLocate include a strategic partnership with Navteq as well as the acquisition of predictive web-based technologies company Zync, which provides users with recommendations for events and activities. The strategic deals, key partnerships and recent acquisition notwithstanding, uLocate has a developer program that allows application developers to leverage their GPS platform for the mobile phone. Did we mention they own www.where.com?

What to look for: Watch for uLocate to continue to leverage the BuddyBeacon brand, which it acquired rights to from Helio. We also expect it to ink deals with more carriers and additional application developers and ramp up the Where portfolio thanks to the company's developer contests and programs.

Alltel offers LBS roaming nationwide

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:59:57 -0500

Alltel Wireless subscribers who use the carrier's location based applications can now use them in more than 45 metro areas that previously had no LBS coverage. The new coverage areas were made possible by a roaming deal Alltel inked with another nationwide carrier. Alltel's LBS suite for consumers includes uLocate's WHERE application, TeleNav's GPS Navigator and Axcess Family Finder. Alltel also offers enterprise class LBS applications like TimecardGPS, which lets businesses track an employee's location and record shift times.

For more on Alltel's new LBS coverage area:
- read this press release from the carrier