| This week's sponsor is Kaltura. |  | Webinar: CorporateTube - The Next Step for Enterprise Success
Thursday, April 18th, 2pm ET/ 11am PT
Learn from an elaborate case study and see how leading companies implemented this cutting edge solution to reap the benefits of video in the enterprise. Experts from Oracle, Akamai, and Kaltura will explain the many possibilities of deploying a CorporateTube for your organization. Register Today! |
Today's Top Stories
1. IDC: Facebook, Twitter usurp mobile display ad lead from Google, Millennial Media
2. Report: Apple, Yahoo in talks on deeper iOS integration
3. AppGratis CEO 'sad and scared' about Apple rejection, company searching for solution
4. Viber extends free voice calling to BlackBerry app, sidesteps BB10
5. Motricity reorganizes under Voltari mobile advertising brand Also Noted: Neustar
Spotlight On... The top 10 wireless carrier spokespeople of all time
Foursquare revamps iOS app; Google overhauls Android in-app purchase flow and much more...  The 10 highest paid executives in wireless in 2012
During the past several weeks, publicly traded companies in the wireless industry revealed how much they pay their CEOs. These numbers, from 2012, include several changes from last year's list. For example, in 2012 operators dominate the list, not vendors. The following lists the highest-paid CEOs in wireless for 2012. The data comes from filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Special Report
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson
Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs
Verizon Communications CEO Lowell McAdam
AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega
Sprint CEO Dan Hesse
Motorola Solutions CEO Greg Brown
MetroPCS CEO Roger Linquist
Verizon Wireless CEO Dan Mead
Nokia CEO Stephen Elop
Apple CEO Tim Cook
| Sponsor: Ooyala, Verimatrix, Irdeto and IneoQuest FierceLive! Webinars > CorporateTube - The Next Step for Enterprise Success- Thursday, April 18th, 2pm ET/ 11am PT
> Creating new business opportunities with customer data - Thursday, May 16, 2pm ET / 11am PT
Events > Mobile Payments Conference - April 10-11, 2013 - New York, NY
> Competitive Carriers Global Expo - April 17-19 - New Orleans
> BlackBerry Jam for Developers - May 14-16 - Orlando, Florida
> Andrew Seybold Wireless University at CTIA 2013 - May 20, 2013 - Las Vegas, Nevada
> The App Summit - May 21, 2013 - Las Vegas, NV
> World of Tablets at CTIA 2013 - May 22, 2013 - Las Vegas, NV
> Fierce Innovation Awards 2012 Live Announcement of this Year's Winners - Now Available On-Demand
Marketplace > eBook: Smarter Service: The Contract Center of the Future
> eBook: How to Get a Return on Knowledge in a Big Data World
> Whitepaper: VoLTE: Why, When and How?
> Research: How to Unlock Knowledge from Big, Unstructured Data to Improve Customer Service
> eBook: The Promise of VoLTE
> Whitepaper: Cisco Small Cell Solution: Reduce Costs, Improve Coverage
Jobs > Instructional Developer II - Denver, CO - Cricket Communications
> Need a job? Need to hire? Visit FierceWirelessJobs
* Post a classified ad: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here | Today's Top News 1. IDC: Facebook, Twitter usurp mobile display ad lead from Google, Millennial Media
Mobile publishers like Facebook (NASDAQ:FB), Twitter, Pandora and The Weather Channel are rapidly gaining control of the U.S. mobile display advertising market, ending years of dominance by ad networks like Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), Millennial Media (NYSE:MM) and Apple (NASDAQ:APL), research firm IDC reports. Marketers across the U.S. spent $4.5 billion on mobile advertising in 2012, surging from $2.4 billion in 2011. Mobile display ad spending jumped 8 percentage points and now accounts for 39 percent of all spending, accounting for revenues of $1.7 billion, up from $700 million in 2011. Publishers captured 52 percent of mobile display ad spending in 2012, up from 39 percent the previous year. Among mobile publishers selling display advertising, Facebook raked in the largest gross revenue at $234 million, followed by Pandora ($229 million) and Twitter ($117 million). Looking at the ad network segment, Google remains on top with gross revenues of $243 million, trailed by Millennial Media at $151 million, Apple at $125 million and Jumptap at $90 million. "Mobile ad networks are losing market share to publishers, and we expect them to lose even more going forward," said IDC Vice President of Media & Entertainment Karsten Weide. "Networks, especially independent ones, are entering a difficult phase, in which, with an ever smaller share of revenue, they'll have to compete with publishers, which will only grow in strength." Mobile search ads represent 61 percent of U.S. mobile ad spending, accounting for revenues of $2.8 billion, increasing from $1.6 billion a year earlier. Google led the mobile search ad segment with a gross market share of 79 percent and gross revenues of $2.1 billion. For more:
- read this release Related articles:
Millennial Media's revenue growth hampered by traffic costs, eMarketer predicts
eMarketer: Twitter mobile ad revenues to eclipse $300 million in 2013
Pandora mobile revenues jump 111 percent in Q4, CEO Kennedy steps down
Google retools AdWords to boost mobile revenues
Gartner: Mobile ad revenues on pace to reach $11.4 billion in 2013 Read more about: Apple, The Weather Channel
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2. Report: Apple, Yahoo in talks on deeper iOS integration
Apple (NASDAQ:APL) and Yahoo are in discussions to integrate Yahoo Web services more deeply into the iPhone and iPad user experience, The Wall Street Journal reports. Yahoo weather and finance apps are already preloaded on iOS devices, and other Yahoo data helps power Apple's Siri voice assistant. Citing sources with knowledge of the talks, the report states Apple and Yahoo are now exploring a deal that would encompass more pre-installed Yahoo content and/or an expanded Siri partnership. In addition, Yahoo is mulling options to provide search data to Apple, in turn reducing Apple's reliance on information and services from archrival Google (NASDAQ:GOOG). However, the possibility of a search pact is considered remote: Google is already under contract as the default Web search provider on iOS devices, and while Apple no longer pre-installs services like Google Maps and YouTube, insiders say Apple executives like Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue believe Google delivers a superior search experience compared to competing services, and they are unwilling to sacrifice the quality of iOS search results. Yahoo's 10-year search partnership with Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) also poses obstacles: While Yahoo controls the look and feel of its search tools, Microsoft's Bing search engine provides the actual query results. Representatives for both Apple and Yahoo declined to comment. Yahoo President and CEO Marissa Mayer has called mobile the company's "top priority," and is looking to the platform to recharge its business. "I think the opportunity for growth (in mobile) is very fundamentally one of the things that drew me to Yahoo," the former Google exec told The Wall Street Journal earlier this year. "When you think about mobile... When you see triple-digit growth in some areas, there's a big opportunity for growth. Yahoo has the content that people want on their phone." Mayer has also said that because Yahoo does not manufacture its own mobile devices or own its own mobile OS, browser or social network, it must rely on partnerships to boost usage. "There is really an opportunity for strong partnerships and that's what we'll be focused on," she said earlier this year at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. For more:
- read this Wall Street Journal article (sub. req.) Related articles:
Yahoo continues acquisition spree, scoops up mobile news app Summly
Yahoo snaps up Jybe, shuts down recommendation app
Yahoo acquires Alike, but CEO Mayer looks to reduce number of Yahoo's mobile apps
Yahoo Mail overhaul for iOS, Android touts enhanced speed, simplicity
Yahoo! grabs online video chatter OnTheAir
Yahoo acquires Stamped, will sunset its mobile recommendations app
Yahoo 'hasn't capitalized on the mobile opportunity,' CEO Mayer admits Read more about: Apple
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3. AppGratis CEO 'sad and scared' about Apple rejection, company searching for solution
AppGratis issued a long emotional response to Apple's (NASDAQ:APL) rejection of its app discovery service, arguing that Apple's action happened without much warning and has left the company searching for answers and a solution. "Initially, I thought we'd been caught in an internal communication accident and not the victim of a supposed 'ban on third-party apps.' We checked the apps of our competitors, all of them were available for download," wrote AppGratis CEO Simon Dawlat in a blog post. "While we stand in total disbelief that Apple actually made the decision to cut a service used by so many of their users, those people still have AppGratis on their iPhone and iPad. And we owe them new app deals every day. And that is pretty much where we stand, still stunned that Apple took the decision to destroy so much value within their own ecosystem, but more than ever convinced that what we're doing is good, and accomplishing a much needed mission in a broken App Discovery world." Dawlat confirmed that AppGratis had been pulled from the App Store for violating Apple developer guidelines 2.25 ("Apps that display Apps other than your own for purchase or promotion in a manner similar to or confusing with the App Store will be rejected") and 5.6 ("Apps cannot use Push Notifications to send advertising, promotions or direct marketing of any kind"). But he assured AppGratis users and partners that the app removal was only temporary. "Even if our iOS apps are momentarily unavailable, your app recommendation service, AppGratis, is very much up and running. If you're part of the 12 million lucky people to have downloaded our app before last Friday, know that it will keep updating everyday with new free apps and cool discounts. So will our website, and so will our daily newsletter," Dawlat wrote. He did not reveal when the native AppGratis app would again be available for download. "Our iOS apps may have been unavailable now for a few days, but at the same time, a few million free apps have been downloaded through AppGratis since last Friday," Dawlat noted. "And I know that right now, some of you are sad and scared. I am too. But even in dark times, every problem has a solution. And we are going to find one," Dawlat wrote. Interestingly, Dawlat wrote that AppGratis had been in touch with Apple for months about improving AppGratis' app. He said the company initially had different versions of the app for different countries, but said the company worked with Apple to create one version for multiple countries, so as not to run afoul of Apple's policies. Dawlat said that, as of last week, the AppGratis team had its app for the iPad approved for the App Store. AppGratis is by no means alone in being rejected by Apple from the App Store. For example, Apple introduced the 2.25 clause in September and pulled price tracker app AppShopper in December for violating the rule. AppShopper is still missing from the App Store. For more:
- see this AppGratis blog post
- see this TechCrunch story Related articles:
AppGratis' competitors escape Apple's knife - for now
Apple yanks AppGratis discovery service from the App Store
Where do chart-climbing apps come from?
Apple boots AppShopper for violating new App Store guidelines
Apple slams the door on third-party app discovery services Read more about: Apple
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4. Viber extends free voice calling to BlackBerry app, sidesteps BB10
Viber Media released a new beta version of its over-the-top BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY) messaging application, introducing free voice calling for users on devices running the legacy BlackBerry OS 5 and OS 7 but not the new BlackBerry 10.  | | Viber for BlackBerry 2.4 | With the release of Viber for BlackBerry 2.4, consumers can make free HD-quality calls via 3G or Wi-Fi to other supported BlackBerry devices as well as phones powered by Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS, Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android and Microsoft's (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows Phone. Viber for BlackBerry also supports free texting, photo messaging and location sharing. Viber said that it is issuing the beta in order to bring voice services to BlackBerry as quickly as possible but stressed that engineers are still at work on enhancements ahead of the app's finalized release, suggesting that BlackBerry 10 support may be still be in the cards. "Voice calling is not available on BlackBerry OS 6 due to inherent limitations of the operating system," Viber said. Viber now counts more than 175 million users in close to 200 million countries worldwide. Earlier this month, the firm extended its app to the Windows Phone 8 platform, and Viber Media CEO Talmon Marco recently said the company also plans to roll out value-added services designed to monetize its platform, but he promised its core calling and messaging services will remain free. Viber's popularity and expanding feature set poses a challenge to BlackBerry's signature Messenger application, which in recent months has also introduced voice calling options as well as collaborative features and even money transfers. "BBM was traditionally thought of as just a chat client," BlackBerry Vice President of BBM and Social Communities T.A. McCann told Bloomberg following BBM Money's February introduction. "We're really trying to work hard to show clear examples of how we're expanding BBM well beyond just chat." Roughly three out of every four BlackBerry device owners use BlackBerry Messenger, corresponding to about 60 million active users worldwide. More than 45 percent of all smartphone owners now use some form of instant messaging or OTT messaging app in addition to or instead of traditional SMS, according to a survey conducted in late 2012 by Analysys Mason--in addition, 20 percent of consumers use VoIP apps, and 20 percent within that segment use it more than conventional voice services. For more:
- read this release Related articles:
Viber, Nimbuzz expand OTT messaging apps to Windows Phone 8
OTT messaging app Viber plans to make money with value-added services
Viber: We want to share revenues with wireless carriers
Verizon challenges OTT rivals with cross-platform messaging
AT&T's Christopher dishes on HTML5, OTT threats
Survey: Half of smartphone owners use IM, OTT messaging apps Read more about: BlackBerry
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5. Motricity reorganizes under Voltari mobile advertising brand
Motricity (NASDAQ:MOTR) will now operate under the Voltari mobile advertising brand after stockholders approved a reorganization plan during a special meeting Tuesday. Moving forward, Motricity will do business as a wholly owned subsidiary of Voltari, and the firm will trade on the NASDAQ under the symbol "VLTC." With the transition to the Voltari brand, each outstanding share of Motricity common stock has been converted into one share of Voltari common stock. Richard Stalzer, promoted from president of the Voltari unit to Motricity CEO in late 2012, will remain at the helm. All other Motricity executive officers and directors also will retain their current posts. The five-person Voltari board includes Brett Icahn, son of activist investor Carl Icahn, who owns approximately 16.5 percent of Motricity's outstanding shares; Hunter Gary, who is married to Icahn's wife's daughter, also sits on the firm's board. Motricity first announced plans to restructure its business in early 2012, shifting away from its signature mobile content and data solutions to focus on the mobile advertising and enterprise space. In recent months the firm has rolled out V-Connect, a predictive analytics platform designed to help mobile advertisers more effectively identify and target audience demographics prior to launching campaigns, as well as Serrano Mobile, a cloud-based mobile marketing platform including campaign development, management and performance measurement tools. The Motricity unit also continues providing value-added mobile data services to operator partners in the U.S. and Europe, including Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ). For more:
- read this release Related articles:
Motricity replaces interim CEO Smith with mobile media chief Stalzer
Motricity, Sprint end premium SMS aggregator deal
Motricity restructures to focus on mobile advertising, enterprise
Motricity acquires mobile marketer Adenyo for $100 million
Motricity founder/CEO Wuerch exits, Smith named interim chief
Motricity shuffles executive ranks as stock plummets Read more about: Motricity
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Also Noted | This week's sponsor is Neustar. | 
| Webinar: Creating new business opportunities with customer data
Thursday, May 16th, 2pm ET/ 11am PT
It's no secret that wireless operators have interesting data on their customers, but privacy concerns have always kept operators from profiting from it. Join us to discuss how operators can leverage their customer data, while still protecting customer privacy. Register Today! |
SPOTLIGHT ON... The top 10 wireless carrier spokespeople of all time Quick news from around the Web @FierceMobiCo: .@Distimo: In-app purchases pay off for iOS developers http://bit.ly/Z70dyv via our friends at @FierceDeveloper Article | Follow @FierceMobiCo > Foursquare's iOS update focuses on local search, recommendations over check-ins. Article > Google overhauls Android in-app purchase flow. Blog > Apple rejects Saga comic book over mature content. Article Wireless News > DT could delay T-Mobile/MetroPCS vote if initial tally comes in short. Article > Verizon CEO: 50 percent of our wireless traffic is video. Article And finally… Kim Jong-un starred in his high school's production of Grease. Article > CorporateTube - The Next Step for Enterprise Success- Thursday, April 18th, 2pm ET/ 11am PT Learn from an elaborate case study and see how leading companies implemented this cutting edge solution to reap the benefits of video in the enterprise. Experts from Oracle, Akamai, and Kaltura will explain the many possibilities of deploying a CorporateTube for your organization. Register Today. > Creating new business opportunities with customer data - Thursday, May 16, 2pm ET / 11am PT It's no secret that wireless operators have a lot of interesting data on their customers, but privacy concerns have always kept operators from profiting from that data. Yet that trend is changing as some service providers are finding different tactics to help marketers understand and engage with their customer base. Join us to discuss how operators can leverage their customer data, while still protecting customer privacy. Register Today!
| > Mobile Payments Conference - April 10-11, 2013 - New York, NY Sponsored by Mobile Marketing & Technology, a leading news outlet on mobile payment and marketing developments, the Spring Mobile Payments Conference will bring together high level executives to learn about the latest in the mobile marketing, mobile wallet and mobile payments ecosystem. Click here. > Competitive Carriers Global Expo - April 17-19 - New Orleans CCA is the premier trade show and conference for the competitive mobile ecosystem and brings together decision-makers for networking, learning and sharing best practices. CCA is the nation's leading association for competitive wireless providers. To register www.ccaevents.org. > BlackBerry Jam for Developers - May 14-16 - Orlando, Florida Ready to create innovative social experiences or engaging, in-demand mobile apps? BlackBerry® Jam Americas at BlackBerry Live™ is your opportunity to gain valuable knowledge direct from BlackBerry experts. Take your development platform to the next level. Register today! > Andrew Seybold Wireless University at CTIA 2013 - May 20, 2013 - Las Vegas, Nevada LTE worldwide broadband standard is changing wireless forever. Delve into the technologies, spectrum, deployments, ecosystems, and devices. Understand the implications. More information at www.andrewseybold.com > The App Summit - May 21, 2013 - Las Vegas, NV The annual international conference on multi-platform apps. Join us for our seventh event in Las Vegas as we bring together the top companies from around the globe that will help shape the future of applications and mobile web. Official Partner event of CTIA 2013 www.theappsummit.net. > World of Tablets at CTIA 2013 - May 22, 2013 - Las Vegas, NV Don't miss the longest running event dedicated to tablet strategies for the consumer and enterprise. The World of Tablets has consistently lead the tablet revolution by bringing together industry thought leaders. Visit www.tabletsevent.com. > Fierce Innovation Awards 2012 Live Announcement of this Year's Winners - Now Available On-Demand Please join Jason Nelson, Publisher of FierceWireless, FierceTelecom, and FierceCable as we announce the winners of the Fierce Innovation Awards 2012. Click here to RSVP today.
| > eBook: Smarter Service: The Contract Center of the Future This eBook explores the challenges facing traditional contact centers and the benefits of deploying the contact center of the future. You'll find links to further resources on the final page. Download today. > eBook: How to Get a Return on Knowledge in a Big Data World Learn how to get put your organization's collective knowledge in the hands of your service reps using advanced enterprise search technology - and watch your service performance improve and customer satisfaction soar. Download Now For Free! > Whitepaper: VoLTE: Why, When and How? This whitepaper will argue that VoLTE creates a significant opportunity for operators, but warns that the evolution from existing voice services will place before them a number of serious challenges. Read More. > Research: How to Unlock Knowledge from Big, Unstructured Data to Improve Customer Service Learn how to unlock knowledge trapped in silos and systems and read how advanced enterprise search technology can put your organization's collective knowledge in the hands of your service reps. Watch your service performance improve and customer satisfaction soar. Download Now! > eBook: The Promise of VoLTE While operators are hesitant to move to VoLTE at the moment, experts predict that all operators will eventually move their services over. FierceWireless analyzes when the VoLTE switch will likely occur and how. Download for free today. > Whitepaper: Cisco Small Cell Solution: Reduce Costs, Improve Coverage Address the challenge of mobile service coverage and expand network capacity with the Cisco Licensed Small Cell Solution. Using small cells, service providers extend voice and data services to mobile subscribers while offloading traffic. Read this whitepaper today.
| > Instructional Developer II - Denver, CO - Cricket Communications Cricket Communications, a subsidiary of Leap Wireless, is the pioneer and leader in delivering innovative value-rich prepaid wireless with no long-term contracts. Responsibilities include developing eLearning content and managing all training rollouts. 5 years' experience in eLearning and training content development required. Telecommunications experience preferred...Learn More. > Need a job? Need to hire? Visit FierceWirelessJobs | |
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