News of the Day

• AT&T in talks for Telecom Italia stake
  AT&T and America Movil of Mexico are each considering buying a 33.3% stake in Olimpia, a holding company that owns 18% of Telecom Italia. The deal would mark AT&T's first European carrier partnership. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) (4/2) , The New York Times/Reuters (4/1) , The Times (London) (4/2)

Hatteras Networks is redefining how Carriers deliver Ethernet services. Hatteras' customers are leveraging Mid-Band Ethernet to extend the Ethernet Service Edge over existing copper facilities to capture part of the $15 billion Mid-Band Ethernet worldwide services opportunity. To learn how Mid-Band Ethernet creates new opportunities for Carriers, visit www.hatterasnetworks.com.

Business & Industry Watch

• Nokia Siemens goes live
  Nokia Siemens Networks officially opened its doors for business Sunday, but the joint venture is already trimming its 2007 outlook, saying it now expects slight market growth. While the company has set a goal of becoming No. 1 in the sector, a Nokia spokesman said spending might slow in some regions this year. Forbes/Associated Press (4/2)

• AT&T snags statewide video franchise in California
  AT&T plans to leverage its newly awarded video franchise to extend the reach of its IPTV services in California as soon as possible, a company spokesman said. Verizon Communications secured a statewide franchise in early March. Telephony Online (3/30)

• Former Microsoft executive brings MVNO model to the masses
  Juha Christensen, the former Microsoft executive, has launched Sonopia, which plans to enable any group to offer a wireless service of its own via the Verizon Wireless network. The sponsoring group -- a church organization, say, or a sports team -- will receive 5% of subscriber revenue. BusinessWeek (4/2) , Reuters (4/2)

• Syniverse acquires BSG for $290 million
  Syniverse Technologies will acquire the wireless clearing and financial settlement business of Billing Services Group. Syniverse, a wireless-technology service provider, is expected to pay $290 million for the acquisition. Reuters (4/2)

• Sprint Nextel dials up Goodby for consumer account
  Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco, has been tapped by Sprint Nextel to handle its consumer advertising, following a review. Incumbents Publicis & Hal Riney, San Francisco, and TBWA/Chiat/Day, New York, did not participate in the final round for the business. Advertising Age (3/31)

• Carphone Warehouse attracts new customers
  Carphone Warehouse calculates it has signed up 2.27 million subscribers during the 13 weeks ended March 31. The retailer is working with Best Buy to expand its mobile presence in the U.S. and says its unbundled broadband offering is catching on with consumers. The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires (subscription required) (4/2)

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Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by USTelecom dailyLead readers in the past week.

• Judge orders permanent Vonage injunction (Bloomberg)

• AT&T, Verizon, Qwest share in Networx contract (Bloomberg)

• Fighting back against Google (BusinessWeek)

• Whitacre steers AT&T ship (The New York Times)

• Alcatel-Lucent wins Verizon network contract (Reuters)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

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Technology Trends

• Motorola completes purchase of Tut Systems
  Motorola has completed the deal announced in December to buy Tut Systems for $39 million. Tut Systems provides products that encode, process and distribute digital video. Converge! Network Digest (3/30)

• Survey: Canadian telecoms avoid margin dips
  Telecoms in Canada are adjusting to the competitive marketplace by being efficient and moving to simpler IP networks, according to a survey of telecoms in North America and Europe. Incumbent Canadian telecoms also are facing less pricing pressure, and fewer VoIP providers have entered the market, as compared to other countries. National Post (Canada) (4/2)

• Cable, telecom battle shaping up in Canada: According to a new report, Canadian cable companies will cut into their rivals' residential telephone market in the coming years, but expect telecoms to strike back on the video front. The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (4/2)

• Fixed-mobile convergence promising, study says
  An ABI Research study concluded that 25% of wireless customers would switch carriers to gain access to Wi-Fi/mobile convergence. In 2011, more than 325 million converged phones will be shipped into the market, according to the firm's forecast. Wireless Review (Chicago) (3/30)

• Bar codes provide link to mobile Web
  In Japan, mobile-phone users routinely download product information, receive advertising and conduct transactions via bar codes embedded in product packaging and outdoor advertising that can be read by cell phones. Now, ad firm Publicis Groupe and electronics manufacturer Hewlett-Packard are teaming up to try to persuade cellular providers to build phones that are equipped with the code readers. The New York Times (4/1)

Regulatory & Legislative

• Cambodia shuts off texting before elections
  Cambodia turned off mobile-phone text-messaging services to maintain a two-day "tranquillity period" before elections. The government wanted to keep voters' mobile phones from being swamped by campaign messages. America's Network (4/2)

LeadQuote

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other." --Benjamin Franklin, inventor and politician