December 20, 2007 - Embarq lets wireless subs talk all they want

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December 20, 2007 Sign up Forward Archive Advertise Read more at SmartBrief.com News for telecom industry leaders Search recent stories:       News of the Day    Embarq lets wireless subs talk all they want Embarq Corp. is offering its wireless customers unlimited domestic U.S. minutes as part of a December promotional campaign. "We want to attract new customers." said Harry Campbell, the company's president of consumer markets. The Kansas City Star (Mo.) (12/19) From Collaboration to Innovation: Leveraging Web 2.0 to Accelerate New Service Ideas. Learn how telecoms can harness Web 2.0 technologies to help visualize, develop and roll out new services. Get IBM's point of view on how to leverage the power of collaboration in a Web 2.0 environment now!   Business & Industry Watch  Maine regulators OK Fairpoint bid for Verizon Maine's utility regulators have signed off on a deal that allows Fairpoint Communications to take over Verizon Communications' lines in Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire for $2.7 billion. The utility boards in the remaining two states have yet to approve the settlement, in which Fairpoint may reduce its stock dividend 35% and make debt repayments annually of $35 million. Verizon has agreed to contribute $235.5 million to the working capital of the new company to help it reduce debt. TMC Internet Telephony (12/19) Vivendi closes in on Neuf Cegetel buyout SFR, Vivendi's French mobile-phone unit, has reached a preliminary deal to buy the 30% stake in Neuf Cegetel held by commodity-trading group Louis Dreyfus, a move that would lead to a bid for the remaining shares in the telecom company. Vivendi said today that it would pay a total of $6.33 billion for Neuf Cegetel in order to boost its broadband presence in France by creating an integrated telecom provider to rival market leader France Telecom. International Herald Tribune/Associated Press (12/20) AT&T partners with Rock the Vote AT&T will join Rock the Vote to help the group reach its goal of registering 2 million new voters between the ages of 18 and 29 for the 2008 elections. The nation's largest telecom company said Wednesday that it would use mobile technologies to reach these voters. American City Business Journals/San Antonio (12/19) Telefonica makes changes in management ranks Spain's Telefonica has filled its No. 2 slot for the first time in four years and said that Antonio Viana-Baptista, head of the company's key Spanish division, will leave the firm. The company named Julio Linares as chief operating officer as the telecom giant overhauled its management to deal with a potential slowdown in the country's once-booming economy and the prospect of tougher regulatory scrutiny in Europe. The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires (subscription required) (12/19) Federal court hears Nacchio appeal Attorneys for former Qwest Communications CEO Joe Nacchio pressed their appeal before a federal court in Denver on Tuesday on his conviction for insider trading. The three-judge panel was particularly interested in a trial judge ruling that effectively blocked a law professor from testifying for Nacchio, and also asked about the importance of the information that Nacchio had allegedly received. Yahoo!/TechWeb/InformationWeek (12/19) Check out USTelecom dailyLead's year-end report Remember to read Part 1 of the USTelecom dailyLead year-end report for the top industry stories and quotes of the year. Part 2 offers your predictions for the industry in 2008. Make USTelecom dailyLead part of your 2008 marketing plan! USTelecom dailyLead is a cost-effective way to reach over 45,000 telecommunications industry executives. To learn more, click here or contact Eric Hoffman at ehoffman@smartbrief.com or (773) 549-3868.   Technology Trends  Cisco vows big year for 802.11n WLAN standard The new 802.11n Wi-Fi standard will play a major part in Cisco Systems' 2008 efforts to expand wireless LAN networks, the company said Wednesday. Cisco executive Chris Kozup said prospects for 2008 were encouraging because businesses were eager to leverage more wireless technologies and because WLAN covered less than 20% of the average corporate floor plan. CRN (12/19) Cable companies among 266 bidders lining up for wireless auction Cable firms will be well-represented at the FCC's Jan. 24 wireless auction of the 700-Megahertz spectrum. A total of 266 companies will participate, including Cablevision Systems, Cox Communications and Vulcan Capital, a majority shareholder in Charter Communications. Multichannel News (12/19) Forecast: Consultant predicts wireless hot list for 2008 Wireless consultancy inCode is forecasting high-speed downlink packet access, open access and iPhone security as among the top 10 trends for next year. InCode expects HSDPA will prosper because of its global reach and the increasing number of devices that support the 3G technology. InformationWeek (12/19) The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS) Looking for ways to get more out of your network? Accelerate the pace of innovation with JUNOS! JUNOS software from Juniper Networks leads the industry in advanced capabilities that increase the availability and efficiency of today's services. JUNOS offers a rich set of service features and open interfaces for developing new solutions. Learn more >> Interested in learning more about advertising in the USTelecom dailyLead? Contact Eric Hoffman at 773-549-3868 or ehoffman@smartbrief.com.   IP Download  Content main driver in IPTV explosion A glut of content from three sources is one of the primary drivers behind widespread acceptance and development of IPTV, according to the head of content-delivery provider BitBand. Ervin Leibovici also said that quality and convergence had been the major factors in the platform's 2007 surge. Telephony Online (12/19) Skype: a VoIP case study Voice over Internet Protocol is eating away at traditional telco revenues. Examine the business strategy for VoIP industry leader Skype to understand how success in this industry can be replicated or challenged by new and existing competitors.   Regulatory & Legislative  U.K. drivers on cell phones could face jail time The U.K.'s Crown Prosecution Service is publishing guidelines that would make drivers who use their cell phones subject to a two-year prison term. The CPS rules change the designation of using a mobile phone, MP3 player or satellite-navigation device from a careless-driving offense to a dangerous-driving offense. The Independent (London) (12/20)   LeadQuote  If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders." --Abigail Van Buren, advice columnist       This dailyLead was created for webmaster@freeraovat.com Subscriber Tools       Update account information |  Change e-mail address |  Unsubscribe |  Print friendly format |  Web version |  Search past news |  Privacy policy Advertise Sales Account Director:  Eric Hoffman 773-549-3868 Download Media Kit   Read more at dailyLead.com A powerful Web site for dailyLead readers including: Breaking News Industry Home Competitor News Readers' Choice Press Releases Search Archive       Recent USTelecom dailyLead Issues: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 Tuesday, December 18, 2007 Monday, December 17, 2007 Friday, December 14, 2007 Thursday, December 13, 2007     Lead Editor:  Susan Rush       Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005     © 1999-2007 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information