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All posts tagged "billion"


Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Gates Says Yahoo! Bid Won't Change; Proxy Fight In the Works?

Posted by Darius Wey in "Digital Home News" @ 05:00 PM

"Whether Microsoft intends to take its case to Yahoo shareholders, and maybe raise its offer in so doing, remains well within the company's rights. Nonetheless, Bill Gates said, at the very least, that a price hike wasn't necessary. A multitude of press sources presented conflicting reports on Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates' comments following a speech at Stanford University yesterday. What Gates apparently said was that Microsoft has no plans to raise its $31 per share cash/stock bid for Yahoo, and that's the part that Reuters, the Associated Press, and The New York Times agreed upon. What they disagree upon is what he actually meant -- specifically, whether "no" means "yes." The confusion led MarketWatch this morning to simply report the conflicting stories as they appeared to stand, with the Times backing the AP's account that Microsoft could raise its bid through a proxy campaign with Yahoo's shareholders, and Reuters sticking with Gates' literal meaning... The news, such as it was, triggered a selloff in Yahoo shares this morning on the NASDAQ stock exchange, falling 2% in share value by 11:00 am EST to about $29. Last Thursday at mid-day, Yahoo share value peaked at about $30.25 -- very close to the point where Microsoft would probably have had to raise its bid anyway. So Gates' comments may have had the desired effect: tapering off the public value of Yahoo somewhat below the price Microsoft is willing to pay."



It's been a quiet few days on the Microhoo! front, but reports are in that Microsoft's initial bid of $44.6 billion, which Yahoo! claimed massively undervalued the company, will remain unchanged. Instead, it looks increasingly likely that Microsoft will rely on a proxy fight to take control of Yahoo!'s board and thus see the bid go through. It's certainly not the tidiest way to go about it, but I guess if Microsoft wants results without breaking the bank any more than it has to, it'll do whatever it takes to make this acquisition happen.


Saturday, February 9, 2008

Yahoo! Set to Reject Microsoft Bid

Posted by Darius Wey in "Smartphone News" @ 03:50 PM

http://blog.wired.com/business/2008...-and-bytes.html

"Yahoo's board is planning to reject Microsoft's $44.6 billion offer, arguing that it "massively undervalues" the company, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The board reportedly won't consider an offer below $40 per share, which, as we understand it, was a number that was tossed around by Microsoft last year. The board also argues that the current offer doesn't adequately reflect the risk that the deal could be overturned by regulators. The board is reportedly planning on sending a letter on Monday, a little more than a week after Microsoft submitted an unsolicited bid of $31 per share, or $44.6 billion, for Yahoo... Given the size of Microsoft's bid, the likelihood of a higher offer from another bidder is minuscule and the list of potential suitors is very short. Still, Yahoo is rumored to be toying with the idea reorganizing the company and outsourcing its search-based advertising to Google in an effort to bolster revenue and remain a standalone company. Some industry watchers have also speculated that Yahoo could be trying to arrange an alternative deal with AOL."



According to reports on the WSJ and NYT, Yahoo! is set to officially reject Microsoft's bid of $44.6 billion on Monday. It's been claimed that Yahoo! considers anything less than $40 per share a slap in the face, so I guess the ball's in your court, Microsoft. Will you raise the stakes with an even bigger debt-inducing bid of $57+ billion? Or allow Google to feel comforted knowing that Microhoo! is still light years away.


Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Mobile Marketing and Advertising to be Worth $3 Billion by 1Q 2008

Posted by Pete Paxton in "ARTICLE" @ 01:00 PM

http://www.abiresearch.com/abiprdisplay.jsp?pressid=837

"The world market for mobile marketing and advertising is expected to be worth about $3 billion by the end of 2007, according to a recent study from ABI Research. By 2011, the value of this market will reach $19 billion, including mobile search and video advertising. ABI Research also expects some of the highest levels of spending to come in the broadcast mobile video space. By 2011, it will surpass SMS as a source of mobile marketing spending, due in part to mobile broadcast networks' presence in all major markets. In 2011, ABI Research expects spending for broadcast mobile video advertising alone to reach $9 billion."

Yikes! That's some serious money! Looks like the advertising market is looking straight into the eyes of the mobile market. Wonder what type of advertising we will have to put up with. There better be some serious discounts involved here. I can't wait to see the type of devices we'll have by 2011. Personally I think the advertisement market has gotten way out of hand. So what do you think of ad supported marketing?


Monday, January 29, 2007

One Billion Mobile Phones Shipped In 2006!

Posted by Jerry Raia in "NEWS" @ 07:30 AM

http://www.mobilitysite.com/2007/01/one_billion_mobile_phones_shipped_in_200.php

"Can you really imagine one billion mobile phones shipped? According to the IDC (IDC is owned by International Data Group, which also owns Computerworld.), 2006 was a record year for mobile phone shipments in which for the first time over 1 billion units were shipped! Amazing! This was largely due to a strong 4th quarter where 294.4 million units were shipped. That's a lot of RAZR's for Christmas! But the truth of the growth is coming from developing nations in Asia. China alone fueled a great deal of the growth by contributing over "461.1 million mobile phone subscribers, adding 67.7 million new users during the year"."

I wonder how many of them were pink. :lol:


Friday, July 28, 2006

Mobile data revenues hit US$ 100 billion in 2005

Posted by Rocco Augusto in "NEWS" @ 06:16 PM

http://shop.telecoms.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=marlin/home&MarlinViewType=MARKT_EFFORT&siteid=30000000861&marketingid=20001131760&proceed=true&MarEntityId=1150478656297&entHash=1002311d964&

"Global revenues from mobile data services surpassed US$ 100 billion for the first time last year according to data sourced from the latest edition of Informa Telecoms & Media's World Cellular Data Metrics. The figure of US$ 102.1 billion is equal to US$ 52.9 per every mobile subscription throughout the year or US$ 4.4 per month. Putting the 2005 figure into perspective, it is on a par with the combined fees paid so far by European operators for 3G licenses (US$ 102.3 billion according to Informa Telecom & Media's World Cellular Information Service). Or put another way, it is greater than the entire GDP for New Zealand in 2005 (US$ 94.6 billion according to the CIA World Factbook)."

User submitted image

US$ 100 billion! That figure is insane! That is a one with eleven zeros after it! I'm flabbergasted! 8O

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  • Source: the::unwired


Monday, March 6, 2006

AT&T in $67 Billion Deal to Buy BellSouth

Posted by Jerry Raia in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 12:00 PM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/05/AR2006030500501.html

"AT&T Inc. announced plans yesterday to buy BellSouth Corp. for about $67 billion in stock in a deal that would reassemble large swaths of the old "Ma Bell" local-telephone monopoly but is likely to win regulatory approval because of growing competition from mobile phone, cable and Internet telephone companies. The merger would dramatically expand San Antonio-based AT&T, which is already the largest phone company in the country, by extending its local-phone service into 22 states and giving it full control of Cingular Wireless, the largest mobile phone company in the nation."

Just the sound of those 3 letters makes me shudder. They represent immobility that led to failure. Yet they are touted as a divine moniker that everyone will just flock to when they see it. Just like walking into the light. I am disappointed that they are resurrecting this dinosaur name. The article points out they will dump the Cingular name, a name I happen to like. The real question is will this buyout be good for customers in the end?


Tuesday, September 20, 2005

2 Billion Mobile Phone Subscribers

Posted by Mike Temporale in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 03:15 PM

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=1136608

"The number of mobile phone subscribers in the world has surpassed the 2 billion milestone Wireless Intelligence, an information service set up by industry body GSM Association and consulting firm Ovum, said on Sunday. "The bulk of the new growth now is coming from large, less well-developed markets such as China, India, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Africa," Wireless Intelligence said in a statement."

The worlds population is estimated to be 6.5 billion, which means that almost one third of the world has a mobile phone. 8O So, if you don't have a mobile phone yet; What are you waiting for? Everyone else is doing it. ;)

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  • Source: Guardian Unlimited


Saturday, July 23, 2005

Mobile Sales to Break 1 Billion by 2009

Posted by Mike Temporale in "NEWS" @ 10:30 AM

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/0,39020330,39209835,00.htm

"Massive global growth and increased uptake of services in Asia will drive the market for handsets to unprecedented heights. Sales of mobile phones are on pace to reach a billion annually by the end of the decade, when nearly 40 percent of the world's population will own a mobile handset, according to a Gartner report. Asian countries will continue to play a major role in increasing the number of mobile phones in circulation to 2.6 billion by 2009, the research firm estimated in the report, released Tuesday. Currently, 25 percent of all mobile phones are sold in Asian countries; by the end of the decade that number will be one in three, Gartner analysts said."

According to this Gartner report, Smartphones will make up a fifth of that billion. Which means we're looking at 200 Million Smartphones over the next 4 years. 8O


Wednesday, July 6, 2005

Mobile Content Market Set to Triple to More Than 7.6 Billion Euros Within a Year

Posted by Jerry Raia in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 10:00 AM

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?ContentId=4788

"Consumer demand for mobile downloads is set to triple in the next 12 months, creating a EUR7.6 billion global market for mobile content by this time next year, according to international research announced today by LogicaCMG at its Content Management event in London. One fifth of mobile phone owners worldwide have already experienced downloading content to their handsets, a percentage expected to rise to 60 per cent in the next 12 months. The survey - covering Europe, Asia Pacific, North and South America - also revealed that average monthly download spend per subscriber is currently EUR6.32, with more than 40 per cent of respondents expressing an expectation for it to rise next year."

This always amazes me. Cingular, for example, wants $1.99 for a ring tone. Why are people clamoring to pay prices like that for ring tones?? My phone is on vibrate 99% of the time and judging from most of the ring tones I am forced to hear during the day others should follow my lead.


Wednesday, May 25, 2005

2.1 Billion Cellphone Users by the end of 2005

Posted by Mike Temporale in "NEWS" @ 05:00 AM

http://www.mobiletracker.net/archives/2005/05/18/mobile-subcribers-worldwide

"The total number of mobile phone subscribers has cruised north of 1.8 billion according to research released today by Informa Telecoms & Media. According to the report, the number will swell to 2.14 billion by the end of 2005. Previous estimates from Q1 also pointed to passing the 2 billion mark this year."

Ever notice that everyone and their brother seems to have a cellphone now? Every where you go, there is someone talking on a cellphone. And it's no wonder - with 1.8 billion people owning cellphones! I guess owning a cellphone is no longer a just a status thing. ;)


Friday, April 22, 2005

Mobile Music Market to Reach $9 Billion by 2009

Posted by Mike Temporale in "CONTENT" @ 05:00 PM

http://www.juniperresearch.com/reports/24_mmusicandringtones2/press_release.htm

"The increasing popularity of full-track downloads and ring-back tones will help push mobile music revenues to more than $9.3 billion by 2009, according to a new report from Juniper Research. While the downloads of mobile ringtones and realtones will comprise the bulk of revenues ($4.8 billion), the market for full-track downloads is expected to increase from just $20 million in 2004 to nearly $1.8 billion in 2009, while ring-back tones � already generating substantial revenues in Asia � should be worth $2.7 billion worldwide by the end of the decade."

It's no wonder that everyone and their brother are fighting to launch music download services of one flavour or another. Thankfully, we can make our own ringtones for our Smartphones. 8)

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  • Source: Ringtonia.com


Saturday, March 12, 2005

U.S. Youth to Spend $25 Billion on Wireless in 2005

Posted by Kris Kumar in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 02:00 PM

http://www.mobilepipeline.com/159400002

"Young people in the U.S. will spend $25 billion on mobile products and services in 2005, according to a study by the London-based Wireless World Forum. The study, which covers wireless users under the age of 25, indicates that young users in the U.S. outspend young users in France, the U.K. Germany, Italy and Spain combined. Overall, 50 million young people in the U.S. now own a cell phone, according to the study. The information is part of a larger study that the Wireless World Forum said it will release next week at the CTIA Wireless show in New Orleans."

I am guessing that the study assumes that the U.S. youth loves text messaging and often end up with unexplainable bills. :lol: I am looking forward to the CTIA Wireless show next week, not to hear more about this study, but to check out the product announcements. ;-)


Wednesday, December 15, 2004

Sprint To Buy Nextel In $36 Billion Deal

Posted by Kris Kumar in "NEWS" @ 04:00 PM

http://www.sprintnextel.mergerannouncement.com/

"Sprint Corp. said on Wednesday it would buy mobile telephone company Nextel Communications Inc. for about $36 billion, creating a U.S. wireless carrier with nearly 40 million subscribers. The combination of the No. 3 and No. 5 U.S. wireless services narrows the gap with industry leaders Cingular Wireless and Verizon Wireless and allows Sprint and Nextel to cut costs and pool assets such as airwaves. It comes a month after Cingular completed its $41 billion purchase of AT&T Wireless that vaulted it past Verizon Wireless to become the biggest U.S. mobile provider. Executives of Sprint and Nextel said the complementary strengths of the two companies would help the combined company -- Sprint Nextel -- be a strong competitor."

User submitted image

It's official, Sprint and Nextel have made the joint statement announcing the merger plans. The combined company will be called Sprint Nextel and the deal is expected to close in the second half of 2005. I was reading the WSJ article on this deal and it mentioned that Nextel will operate the iDEN networks through 2007. It also stated that "Motorola will continue to play a role in the new company". I wonder what will have happen to the Smartphone, Nextel was planning on launching early 2005 or so, the Motorola i930? :?

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  • Source: Reuters


Tuesday, December 14, 2004

World-wide Mobile Phone Subscribers Hit 1.5 Billion

Posted by Jason Dunn in "THOUGHT" @ 09:56 PM

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TECH/ptech/12/09/telecoms.phones.reut/index.html

"Mobile phone subscribers around the globe totalled nearly 1.5 billion by the middle of this year, about one quarter of the world's population, the International Telecommunication Union said on Thursday. The figure reflected a sharp surge in the mobile telephony business, especially in developing countries, over the first half of the decade, with subscribers doubling since 2000, according to the United Nations agency's annual report."


Tuesday, November 2, 2004

Mobile Phone Gaming To Top $1 Billion In 2004

Posted by Kris Kumar in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 10:00 AM

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=6645080

"Video game and mobile phone companies are set to make money this year as customers use phones to zap space invaders or sink game-winning golf putts, pushing the mobile gaming market over $1 billion, a study said. According to London-based consultancy Screen Digest, mobile phone gaming also will grow by more than six times to $6.4 billion between 2004 and the end of decade.

"Currently, Japan and Korea are well ahead of North America and Europe in market size, accounting for nearly 80 percent of all revenues derived from video game play and game downloads, Screen Digest said on Thursday."


Video game and mobile phone companies may be making more money this year, but it's the mobile gamers who will be having more fun this year. ;-)

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  • Source: Mobile Gadget News


Friday, September 17, 2004

Flash Memory Worth $15.9 Billion By 2008

Posted by Mike Temporale in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 03:30 AM

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=18439

"Malcolm Penn, CEO of Future Horizons, said: "Mobile phones are the real upcoming catalyst for the flash memory card market. Over the next three years... the average mobile phone will have a removable card with over 1GB of flash". And what of the shape and sizes of flash cards? The analysts reckon that by 2008 miniSD will represent 35.5% of the market, reduced size multimedia 19%, and Sony's memory stick format 24%."

My 1 GB SD card is on the way. Guess that makes me above average. :wink: :lol:

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  • Source: Jonathon Watkins


Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Sprint To Spend $1 Billion On EV-DO

Posted by Mike Temporale in "NEWS" @ 04:00 AM

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=5482304

Sprint is set to spend $1 Billion by the end of 2005 to develop high speed data wireless services. Sprint has stepped up the pace on this rollout to better compete against Verizon, who is also working on a high speed EV-DO based network. Their original plan was to rollout the high speed network by the end of 2006.

The idea of high speed wireless network is very intriguing, however the price of such a network seems a little prohibitive. I've heard the expected cost is $80 a month. I hope for that price there is an easy way to hook my home network up to it. Otherwise; $80 for high speed Internet to my phone just seems crazy.


Tuesday, June 15, 2004

Nokia Predicts 2 Billion Mobile Phone Users By 2007

Posted by Mike Temporale in "NEWS" @ 07:30 AM

http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/040614/15/3l0tf.html

"Nokia Corp. Monday said it expects the global number of mobile phone users to hit 2 billion by 2007 from 1.5 billion currently. The company expects 300 million new users to come from the Asia-Pacific region"

500 Million new users in the next two and a half years.... That works out to 548,245.6 new mobile users each day (Assuming that the stores are open 7 days a week and there are no holidays :wink: ). Is it just me or does that seem a little high? Over half a million new subscribers every day. If this prediction is correct, then the network operators better get moving on building a more stable network that can handle the load. 8O

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  • Source: Ed Hansberry


Saturday, May 15, 2004

Telus Makes $1.1 Billion Bid For Fido (Microcell)

Posted by Mike Temporale in "NEWS" @ 11:15 AM

http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=784730e4-c312-4ac0-a7c1-2af100cf037f

"Telus has offered $1.1 billion for Montreal-based Microcell, or $29 per share, a figure already exceeded by the market run-up. Microcell, better known by its brand name Fido, could be worth $40 to $45 a share to Rogers and Bell, John Henderson, an analyst at Scotia Capital, wrote in a note."

Following in the footsteps of Cingular and AT&T, consolidation among the Canadian wireless carriers is in the air. These two carriers run different networks so chances are one of them will be shutdown. Unfortunately it would probably be the Microcell GSM network. This merger will put Telus ahead of Bell Canada as the largest wireless carrier in the country.


Thursday, April 1, 2004

Cingular's $41 Billion Lemon?

Posted by David McNamee in "NEWS" @ 01:24 PM

http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/8323105.htm

Cingular might be feeling some buyer's remorse. Reports indicate that AT&T Wireless is losing upwards of 150, 000 subscribers per month, setting up what is expected to be the wireless provider's first quarterly loss. Verizon, on the other hand, claims to have gained 10 subscribers for every one that has used phone number portability rules to leave the carrier.

This certainly doesn't look good for Cingular. There's going to have to be a lot of work done for the combined Cingular-AT&T to be a strong company. Taking on a strengthening Verizon won't make it any easier.

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  • Source: Engadget


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