Sierra Wireless today announced that the Sierra Wireless MC5720 PCI Express Mini Card embedded module has been certified for operation on the Sprint Power Vision Mobile Broadband EV-DO network. The Sierra Wireless MC5720 PCI Express Mini Card is the first product in the Mini Card series of embedded modules designed for integration into notebook computers and other mobile computing devices, delivering the benefits of 3G speeds in a conveniently built-in form. With the certification of the MC5720 on the Sprint network, OEM customers can now develop AirCard Enabled notebook computers with built-in connectivity to Sprint’s Mobile Broadband network.

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Sprint Nextel inked a deal to purchase Velocita Wireless, in part to supplement iDEN national network coverage. The No. 3 U.S. wireless carrier was attracted to Velocita for its 900 MHz spectrum assets, a portion of which Sprint Nextel will use to supplement iDEN national network coverage. Velocita’s customer base consists of roughly 400,000 business and government subscribers. The Velocita buy comes on the heels of an affiliate purchase announced on Friday. Sprint forged an agreement to acquire Enterprise Communications for $98 million. The carrier has purchased several of its affiliates, including Alamosa Holdings, IWO Holdings, Gulf Coast Wireless and U.S. Unwired.

Sprint and Velocita expect to close the purchase agreement, which is subject to customary regulatory approvals, during the first half of 2006.

Alltel wireless customers can ring in the holidays with music from their favorite artists through the Sony Music Box, available through Alltel’s Axcess Apps mobile catalog. With the purchase of a $10 Alltel Axcess Gift Card, users receive 8 credits to download MusicTones, ringtones and wallpaper from the Sony Music Box downloadable application. Sony Music Box brings the hottest music ringtones, graphics, and more to mobile phones. It enables consumers to choose from thousands of ringtones featuring the actual recordings they know and love by their favorite artists. With Sony Music Box, fans can personalize their ring with all-time classic hits and show themes, and choose from hundreds of voicetones. Sony Music Box also offers hundreds of wallpapers for the phone, with images from musical artists, professional sports, cartoons and more.

GotVoice allows users to retrieve their voicemail from any source, residential, office or mobile phone; consolidate to one voicemail account, and access it within their email or online. GotVoice uses patent pending technology based upon voice recognition robots. These software robots can be trained to interact in real-time with any voice-response system to provide web-based management of existing voicemail accounts.

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Cingular Wireless is set to release its mobile music search feature, MusicID. MusicID is a music recognition service which allows the user to identify the song and artist of almost any pre-recorded song they hear on the radio, on TV, almost anywhere! Cingular Customers can assess this information by simply dialing #43 (#ID) from their handset, then when prompted, hold the phone near the music source. Shortly after, customers will receive a text message on their handset with the name of the song title and the recording artist. In addition, if the identified song is available within the Cingular Wireless music database, then the customer will be given the option to purchase the song as their ringtone! Customers can expect to pay $.99 for each recognized song, but is offering the first ID for free at time of release. MusicID services had been introduced by AT&T Wireless prior to their acquisition in 2004.

Orb Networks today announced V4S, the world’s first software for free Web voice messaging, enabling users to send voice messages to any email or Skype contact. From any Web browser (or directly form the Skype interface), V4S users can now easily create and send voice messages for free to all their friends, wherever they are. V4S voice messages can be played back from any device with a streaming audio player, including mobile phones and PDAs. V4S is the latest addition to the Orb platform, which gives users access from everywhere to their television, music, photos, and other digital content.

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