In the papers 13 May
13-05-2008
by Sylvia Leatham

Bank of Ireland investigates another laptop theft | Dell reinvigorates Alienware gaming PCs

The Irish Times says that the Boxer DTT consortium has urged the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland to award it the three digital terrestrial television (DTT) multiplex licences on the basis that it is the only applicant with no conflict of interest, as noted by ENN on Monday.

Separately, the paper says that London-based television executive Sir Gerry Robinson has agreed to join the board of the OneVision consortium, which is also bidding for the DTT licences. It is understood Robinson will have an equity interest in the OneVision business if the BCI awards it the 12-year DTT licences in July. OneVision is backed by broadcasters TV3 and Setanta Sports, telecoms group Eircom and UK TV network specialist Arqiva.

The paper also reports that Bank of Ireland is investigating the theft seven years ago of another laptop used by the bank's life assurance division. A laptop used by an official from Bank of Ireland Life was stolen from the bank's branch in Newbridge, Kildare, in 2001. It contained details of life assurance customers from bank branches in Newbridge, Kilcullen and Athy. In a statement, the bank said it was "investigating an allegation of a stolen laptop computer dating back to 2001. The bank would like to reassure customers that the risk level of any data from seven years ago being used for fraudulent purposes is extremely remote."

According to the Financial Times, struggling US mobile operator Sprint Nextel lost more than 1 million subscribers in the first quarter and has forecast only marginal improvements in the current quarter. The customer defections pushed Sprint Nextel into a net loss of USD505 million, or USD0.18 a share, compared with a loss of USD211 million, or USD0.07 a share, a year earlier. Excluding one-time items and merger expenses, Sprint earned USD0.04 per share on revenues that fell to USD9.3 billion from USD10.1 billion a year ago.

The paper also says that Vodafone has announced a deal with Entel PCS, one of Chile's leading mobile operators, under which the UK telecoms group will provide access to its global wireless network. The deal brings to 43 the number of "partner networks" that Vodafone has with other mobile operators around the world. These are mobile operators that Vodafone does not own, but it provides them with products and services. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Wall Street Journal reports that PC maker Dell is taking a surprising step to reinvigorate its gaming PC products, abandoning several of its most popular models to focus on what it sees as its premium line. Gaming PCs are highly priced machines that are made specifically for playing games. Next month, Dell will begin phasing out four gaming systems in its XPS line of PCs, leaving the Alienware line that it acquired in 2006 as its sole offering to big-spending gamers.

The paper also notes that two senior executives have left chipmaker AMD as part of a management reshuffle. Mario Rivas, who had been executive vice president of AMD's computing solutions group, and Michel Cadieux, formerly senior vice president and chief talent officer, have left AMD to "pursue new opportunities," the company said.