AT&T CEO spoils for fresh fight with FCC
In case you had any illusions about the state of relations between Randall Stephenson and Federal Communications Chairman Julius Genachowski, the AT&T CEO should have put them to rest by now.
Still smarting from his December withdrawal from a $39 billion plan to buy smaller rival T-Mobile USA, Stephenson seems to be gearing up for another big fight with Genachowski, who opposed the deal. The executive wants Genachowski to be banned from setting bidding rules in the next wireless spectrum auction and spent the company’s quarterly earnings call complaining that the FCC’s spectrum ownership policy is inconsistent.
AT&T reports $6.7 bln loss on hefty charges, iPhone costs
By Sinead Carew
(Reuters) – AT&T Inc (T.N: Quote, Profile, Research) posted a $6.7 billion quarterly loss as it was weighed down by a hefty break-up fee for its failed T-Mobile USA merger and other big charges on top of costly subsidies for smartphones such as Apple Inc’s (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) popular iPhone.
While the No. 2 U.S. wireless provider beat analysts’ expectations for subscriber additions, the growth came at a massive cost as its wireless service margins plummeted.
AT&T posts big loss on hefty charges, iPhone costs
By Sinead Carew
(Reuters) – AT&T Inc (T.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) posted a $6.7 billion quarterly loss due to a hefty break-up fee for its failed T-Mobile USA merger and other charges on top of costly subsidies for smartphones such as Apple Inc’s (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) popular iPhone.
Its shares fell about 1 percent after the news. While the No. 2 U.S. wireless provider beat analysts’ expectations for subscriber additions, the growth came at a cost as its wireless service margins plummeted. It also took a big non-cash pension-related charge on top of its $4 billion break-up package.
TI says chip demand is improving; to close 2 factories
By Sinead Carew
(Reuters) – Texas Instruments Inc (TXN.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter chip sales as customers in a broad array of industries replenished depleted inventories.
TI shares rose more than 3.4 percent in late trade on Monday after the maker of chips for a broad array of manufacturers in everything from consumer electronics to industrial equipment said
Texas Instruments says chip demand back
By Sinead Carew
(Reuters) – Texas Instruments Inc (TXN.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) reported higher-than-expected fourth-quarter revenue on Monday as demand improved faster than expected because customers did not have enough chips in stock, signaling the end of an inventory correction.
TI shares rose more than 3.4 percent after-hours. The company makes chips for a broad array of products ranging from consumer electronics to industrial equipment.
Analysts to new RIM CEO: Just launch better phones already
Research in Motion has appointed a new CEO in an effort to appease investors who clamored for the ouster of its co-CEO’s Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, the architects of the Blackberry. Analysts described the appointment as a step in the right direction but they were still anxious after Thorsten Heins’ first presentation to Wall Street as CEO.
The executive vowed to improve RIM’s marketing to help win over consumers particularly in the U.S. market where it has lost out to Apple and others . That’s all very well, according to Wall Street analysts but what about its’ much delayed launch of its next generation of BlackBerrys?
Icahn snaps up some LightSquared debt: sources
BOSTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Billionaire investor Carl Icahn is buying some of the debt of hedge fund manager Philip Falcone’s LightSquared Inc MOSAV.UL as the ailing wireless-network company runs short of cash, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
Icahn, a veteran corporate raider who has battled corporate chiefs at companies like Genzyme and Biogen for decades, quietly purchased a big chunk of LightSquared’s loans when hedge fund Farallon Capital Management sold $300 million of the debt late last year, the sources said on Friday.
IBM, other tech results point to robust IT demand
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A strong outlook from IBM and decent results from Intel Corp and Microsoft Corp suggest that corporate decision makers are shaking off nervousness about economic growth and boosting spending on technology.
IBM, the world’s largest technology services company, easily beat Wall Street’s fourth-quarter profit expectations and promised earnings growth of 10 percent this year.
Path to connected future clear at crowded tech show
LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – From the world’s first eye-controlled laptop and a pet-tracking app to a glass-encased ultra-thin notebook, 2012′s Consumer Electronics Show produced more than a few gems to point the way forward in technology.
Out of the noise and confusion of the sprawling electronic circus in Las Vegas, two trends stood clear: we will soon interact with devices without thinking about it — or even being aware of it — and everything we do will be connected to the rest of the world.
Analysis: Path to connected future clear at crowded show
LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – From the world’s first eye-controlled laptop and a pet-tracking app to a glass-encased ultra-thin notebook, 2012′s Consumer Electronics Show produced more than a few gems to point the way forward in technology.
Out of the noise and confusion of the sprawling electronic circus in Las Vegas, two trends stood clear: we will soon interact with devices without thinking about it — or even being aware of it — and everything we do will be connected to the rest of the world.
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