Mobile Phone News Weekly Roundup

• On Monday, Sonopia announced that it is closing its doors.  What the heck is a Sonopia?  They're an MVNO.  MVNO's are Mobile Virtual Network Operators.  Basically, if you want to launch your own wireless service but don't have billions and billions of dollars to build out your own network you can try starting an MVNO and lease space on another carrier's network.  Then, you sell your own devices and service plans.  Most MVNO's operate (or operated) on Sprint or Verizon's network.  Helio, Virgin Mobile and Trumpet Mobile all operate on Sprint's network.  Sonopia and Amp'd Mobile were both MVNO's on Verizon's network.  Amp'd, Sonopia, Movida, Voce and ESPN mobile have all shut down, and with the exception of ESPN, all this year.  This year which isn't even halfway through yet.  The reasons for the shutdown are varied.  MVNO's don't have the name recognition of the big carriers.  Customer's wonder if the service will be reliable or if the carrier will even be around in a few years.  There's also the fact that some MVNO's are a little too "niche." Voce, for example, was a premium-focused MVNO and didn't have a single plan below $100 per month.  How many people do you know who pay more than $100 per month for a single personal device?

Details about Sonopia at mocoNews.net.

• Also on Monday, The EU announced that it will allow mobile phone calls on airplanes.  Basically, the airline would install a small wireless base station on the airplane.  The base station would send your phone call to a satellite, which would in turn send your call back down to Earth, where it would be connected.  The EU, being big old smarties, included a stipulation that airlines will need to make sure that those who decide to use their mobiles in the air don't disturb those who choose not to.  Additionally, the pilot will have the ability to turn the service off.  Whether it's because they're leaving European airspace or just because the people using their phones are being obnoxious, it'll be under the pilot's control.  The source article, over at BBC News, made sure to mention that you should check with your carrier to see what kinds of additional charges would be incurred by calling from the air.

Details and a really neat "How it Works Graphic" at BBC News.

• This week Phonescoop.com had details about the Sanyo Pro200 and 700 for Sprint.  These 2 devices are nearly identical and represent the first working implementation of PTT (Push To Talk or Walkie-Talkie) technology that operates entirely on the CDMA network but can connect with iDEN PTT phones as well.  Sprint has had hybrid phones (a CDMA phone for calls and data with an iDEN PTT system) to try and transition iDEN users over to CDMA.  The Pro 200 and 700 can appeal to the same market, but get them into a 100% CDMA handset.  Of note is the fact that both phones are fairly basic, but have an EVDO Rev A data connection.  I wonder if including Rev A was the solution for eliminating the lag time that existed on Sprint's first attempt at CDMA PTT, ReadyLink.  Direct Connect (the iDEN name for PTT which is being kept for the new technology) has been the biggest reason that more people haven't been transitioned off of iDEN and on to CDMA.  If Sprint can get out some high-end media phones with the new Direct Connect (like a CDMA counterpart to the Motorola i880, for example) and a CDMA Direct Connect BlackBerry (to replace Nextel's aging 7520 and 7100i) Sprint would have a real shot at getting themselves down from 3 networks (CDMA, iDEN and WiMAX) to 2.

Details on the Pro 200
Details on the Pro 700, both from phonescoop.com.

• Potentially less newsworthy is RiM's announcement of a CDMA BlackBerry Curve.  The Curve is the only BlackBerry that has both a full keyboard and a camera.  It's been around on AT&T and more recently T-Mobile.  Now Sprint and VZW will get to join the party. Why do I bring it up?  Because I want want  one but neither have the money nor could I justify buying one not 4 months after buying an 8830.