Microsoft to acquire Nokia Devices & Services for $7.1 Billion

Microsoft plans to acquire Nokia’s Devices & Services business in a deal valued at EUR 5.44 billion (US$7.1 billion) in cash. The deal includes all of the Mobile Phones and Smart Devices business units as well as Nokia's design team, operations including all Nokia Devices & Services production facilities, Devices & Services-related sales and marketing activities, and related support functions. At closing, approximately 32,000 people...

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Verizon and Vodafone Agree on $130 Billion Buyout Deal

Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group Plc reached a deal under which Verizon will acquire Vodafone’s 45% equity stake in Verizon Wireless for $130 billion.  This will give Verizon full ownership of Verizon Wireless. Lowell McAdam, Verizon chairman and CEO, said: "Over the past 13 years, Verizon Wireless has been a key driver of our business strategy, and through our partnership with Vodafone, we have made Verizon Wireless into the premier...

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Ericsson to Build Three Massive Data Centers

Ericsson plans to build and operate three, huge data centers to serve as platforms for customer innovation and its own R&D.  Together, the three facilities will measure 120,000 square meters (1.3 million square feet), approximately the size of 14 football fields. Two of the new data centers will be in Sweden (Stockholm and Linköping), while the third one will be built in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.   The company expects that innovative...

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Pure Storage Raises $150 Million Pre-IPO

Pure Storage, a start-up based in Mountain View, California, last week announced $150 million in new funding to support its all-flash enterprise storage array strategy. The Series E funding round was led by T. Rowe Price, Tiger Global Management and other public market investors, with participation by its previous venture capital investors Greylock Partners, Index Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, Samsung Ventures and Sutter Hill Ventures. This bring...

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NEC Supplies LTE Microcells to Russia's Scartel

NEC Neva Communications Systems will supply its LTE microcell base stations to Russian mobile operator Scartel (Yota).  The first installations have begun operating in Scartel's LTE network across major cities, including Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Krasnodar and Sochi. NEC said its LTE microcell base stations provide the ability for multiple operators to provide services simultaneosly. NEC's LTE base stations are also equipped with a Heterogeneous...

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Acer Packs 4K Ultra HD into Smartphone

Acer unveiled the first smartphone featuring 4K Ultra HD recording capability, which is driven by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 800 processor.  Users will need a 4K TV to benefit from the higher resolution as the Acer Liquid S2 offers a 6-inch IPS display with 1080 resolution. LTE is supported at up to 150 Mbps. It also features the new 802.11ac Wi-Fi. A Zero Air Gap Display removes the air between the touch panel and LCD module, thereby providing...

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