The Lloyds Bank Wholesale Banking and Markets Business Barometer fell to minus 21% from 26% last month, meaning most respondents are negative on the view of the economy.
The eurozone crisis continued to escalate throughout May as fears grew over the health of the Spanish economy and the possibility of Greece exiting the euro.
Trevor Williams, chief economist at Lloyds Bank Wholesale Banking & Markets, said: "The renewed concern around the eurozone is clearly having an impact on businesses' sentiment towards prospects for the UK economy and, to a lesser extent, to their own prospects."
Companies also became less confident about their own prospects, although the decline was not as severe as the sentiment towards the broader economic outlook.
Businesses' confidence in relation to their own prospects currently stands at 35%, down eight points on April's 43%, Lloyds said, which still remains higher than during the worst of the financial crisis in 2008/09.
The survey data suggest an underlying 0.2% growth in gross domestic product (GDP) between April and June, Lloyds said, but only once the impact of the Diamond Jubilee is taken into account, which is likely to have reduced growth by 0.5 percentage points.
The most notable declines in confidence in May came in the North and Midlands and in the retail and distribution sector.
The deepening troubles in the eurozone have also hit confidence on stock markets.
Debt-ridden Greece, which is in its fifth year of recession, faces a crucial election later this month, which has been branded a referendum on whether it will stay in the eurozone and stomach more painful austerity measures.
Meanwhile, there are fears over the health of Spain's banking sector, after its fourth biggest lender, Bankia, said it needed a 19 billion euro (£15.2 billion) bail-out. In the UK, banking stocks have been among the worst hit.
Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2012, All Rights Reserved.
Clearwire Builds on Wholesale Momentum With Jolt Mobile Agreement - Yahoo Finance
- Clearwire's 4G Mobile Broadband Network to Power Jolt Mobile's Pay-As-You-Go Service
- Companies Expect to Pursue Agreement to Include LTE Capability In the Future
BELLEVUE, Wash. and LOS ANGELES, June 5, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clearwire Corporation (Nasdaq:CLWR - News), a leading provider of 4G mobile broadband services in the U.S., and Jolt Mobile Inc., a full service prepaid wireless solution provider, today announced a wholesale agreement that will enable Jolt Mobile to offer its customers high-speed mobile broadband service using Clearwire's 4G network.
"Clearwire's wholesale 4G services can benefit a broad range of providers including national and regional operators, MVNOs, and non-traditional entrants, to serve a diverse range of customers and product options," said Don Stroberg, senior vice president of strategic partnerships and wholesale at Clearwire. "Clearwire's 4G network is a great fit for Jolt, enabling them to add 4G mobile data plans to their prepaid service portfolio. We're thrilled to continue building momentum as the premier wholesale provider of 4G capacity to carriers in the U.S."
Jolt Mobile offers no-contract pre-paid and pay-as-you-go wireless plans that enable its customers -- consisting mainly of ethnic communities, students and seniors -- to affordably connect with family and friends nationwide and throughout the world. Under its agreement with Clearwire, Jolt Mobile customers will have the option to add 4G mobile broadband service on Clearwire's 4G network to their plans.
"With this agreement, Jolt Mobile customers can have 4G data plans that give them access to the Internet at home, at work, and on the go," said Avi Yroshalmaine, president of Jolt Mobile. "By partnering with Clearwire we aim to give our customers a compelling 4G alternative to higher-priced carriers."
Clearwire is constructing a next-generation 4G LTE Advanced-ready network to address the capacity needs of carriers in urban markets where demand for mobile broadband is high. As Clearwire's LTE network comes online, Jolt Mobile and Clearwire expect to pursue an agreement to offer users even faster speeds on this network.
About Clearwire
Clearwire Corporation (Nasdaq:CLWR - News), through its operating subsidiaries, is a leading provider of 4G wireless broadband services offering services in areas of the U.S. where more than 130 million people live. The company holds the deepest portfolio of wireless spectrum available for data services in the U.S. Clearwire serves retail customers through its own CLEAR(R) brand as well as through wholesale relationships with some of the leading companies in the retail, technology and telecommunications industries. The company is constructing a next-generation 4G LTE Advanced-ready network to address the capacity needs of the market, and is also working closely with the Global TDD-LTE Initiative and China Mobile to further the TDD-LTE ecosystem. Clearwire is headquartered in Bellevue, Wash. Additional information is available at http://www.clearwire.com.
The Clearwire Corporation logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8493
About Jolt Mobile, Inc.
Jolt Mobile, Inc., a subsidiary of NET, Inc., is a pay-as-you-go service. They make it easier for retailers to activate new SIM cards and refill them. With Jolt Mobile, Inc. customers enjoy direct International dialing, making it easier to stay in contact with friends and family all over the world without having to worry about being charged outrageous rates. Additional information is available at http://www.joltmobile.com.
The Jolt Mobile, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=13137
Forward-Looking Statements
This release, and other written and oral statements made by Clearwire from time to time, contain forward-looking statements which are based on management's current expectations and beliefs, as well as on a number of assumptions concerning future events made with information that is currently available. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, management's expectations regarding future financial and operating performance and financial condition; proposed transactions; network development and market launch plans; strategic plans and objectives; industry conditions; the strength of the balance sheet; and liquidity and financing needs. The words "will," "would," "may," "should," "estimate," "project," "forecast," "intend," "expect," "believe," "target," "designed," "plan" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of Clearwire's control, which could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from such statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ are:
- We have a history of operating losses and we expect to continue to realize significant net losses for the foreseeable future.
- If our business fails to perform as we expect or if we incur unforeseen expenses in the near term, we will require additional capital to fund our current business. Also, we will need substantial additional capital over the long-term. Such additional capital may not be available on acceptable terms or at all. If we fail to obtain additional capital, our business prospects, financial condition and results of operations will likely be materially and adversely affected, and we will be forced to consider all available alternatives.
- Our current plans and projections are based on a number of assumptions about our future performance, which may prove to be inaccurate, such as our ability to substantially expand our wholesale business and implement various cost savings initiatives.
- Our business has become increasingly dependent on our wholesale partners, and Sprint in particular. If we do not receive the amount of revenues we expect from existing wholesale partners or if we are unable to enter into new agreements with additional wholesale partners for new wholesale commitments, our business prospects, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected, or we could be forced to consider all available alternatives.
- We regularly evaluate our plans, and we may elect to pursue new or alternative strategies which we believe would be beneficial to our business, including among other things, expanding our network coverage to new markets, augmenting our network coverage in existing markets, changing our sales and marketing strategy and/or acquiring additional spectrum. Such modifications to our plans could significantly change our capital requirements.
- We plan to deploy LTE on our wireless broadband network, alongside mobile WiMAX and we will incur significant costs to deploy such technology. Additionally, LTE technology, or other alternative technologies that we may consider, may not perform as we expect on our network and deploying such technologies would result in additional risks to the company, including uncertainty regarding our ability to successfully add a new technology to our current network and to operate dual technology networks without disruptions to customer service, as well as our ability to generate new wholesale customers for the new network.
- We currently depend on our commercial partners to develop and deliver the equipment for our legacy and mobile WiMAX networks, and will be dependent on commercial partners to deliver equipment and devices for our planned LTE network as well.
- Many of our competitors for our retail business are better established and have significantly greater resources, and may subsidize their competitive offerings with other products and services.
- Our substantial indebtedness and restrictive debt covenants could limit our financing options and liquidity position and may limit our ability to grow our business.
- Sprint owns just less than a majority of our common shares, is our largest shareholder, and has the contractual ability to obtain enough shares to hold the majority voting interest in the company, and Sprint may have, or may develop in the future, interests that may diverge from other stockholders.
- Future sales of large blocks of our common stock may adversely impact our stock price.
For a more detailed description of the factors that could cause such a difference, please refer to Clearwire's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the information under the heading "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 16, 2012 and subsequent Form 10-Q filings. Clearwire assumes no obligation to update or supplement such forward-looking statements.
Clearwire inks wholesale deal with MVNO Jolt Mobile - FierceWireless
Clearwire (NASDAQ:CLWR) inked a wholesale mobile WiMAX deal with AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) MVNO Jolt Mobile.
The deal, which will eventually include Clearwire's TD-LTE service when Clearwire launches that network next year, will enable Jolt Mobile customers to add mobile WiMAX broadband to their plans. Jolt, a subsidiary of Net Inc., offers prepaid service using AT&T's network.
Currently, Jolt's plans range from $40 per month for unlimited voice and texting to $60 per month for unlimited voice, texting and 2 GB of data. A Jolt representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how the MVNO will price Clearwire's services.
For Clearwire, the Jolt deal is the latest in a string of arrangements meant to expand its customer base. MVNO H2O Wireless, which also works with AT&T, has been reselling Clearwire's WiMAX service since February. In March Cricket provider Leap Wireless (NASDAQ:LEAP) inked a wholesale deal to use Clearwire's LTE network, which it plans to launch by June 2013. Clearwire is also providing service for Voyager Mobile, a startup MVNO. And FreedomPop is also taking advantage of Clearwire's network for its planned "freemium" mobile data service.
However, Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S), Clearwire's majority owner, remains by far and away Clearwire's largest wholesale customer.
For more:
- see this release
Related Articles:
Clearwire joins RCA, notes spectrum backstop
Clearwire: Our LTE Advanced network will be able to hit 168 Mbps
Clearwire, Qualcomm team up on multi-mode LTE chipsets
Clearwire to launch 5K TD-LTE hotspots in 31 markets by June 2013
Clearwire: Usage on our network increased 705% year-over-year
The Talent Shopping Network Launches “Promotion by Contest” Free Marketing Platform - PRLog (free press release)
TTSN’s “Promotion by Contest” program allows businesses to create talent contests that double as viral marketing and advertising tools, while providing opportunities for talented individuals who enter the contests.
The Promotion by Contest tool is offered free to organizations interested in learning more about how promotion by contest translates to increased web traffic, brand awareness and profits. Participating organizations manage the contest process from start to finish online, using TTSN’s state-of-the-
Each business runs its contests entirely from its own website. Voters invited through contestants’
Each 900W x 320H banner can be customized with the individual promotional message that the sponsor wants to convey. Contestants, their friends and families will view each banner regardless of whether they enter the contest or vote, which means guaranteed exposure for the sponsor’s banner.
Businesses and entertainment industry organizations can post unlimited online contests at no cost; the TTSN contest management system is designed to make the process easy, organized, and efficient to encourage businesses to give it a try. Sponsor businesses can also create a company profile utilizing their logo, promo pictures, audios and commercial videos, and set up live auditions online with up to four contestants at a time through video conferencing. Embedded codes for each contest are created automatically, and can be cut and pasted to promote the contest anywhere – your company website, social networking pages, and online classified ads for instance.
The TTSN platform allows sponsor organizations to manage and view all contestant submissions from one location, contact contestants directly, sort contestants by talent or industry rating (provided by agents), by votes or views, best performances and more. The system eliminates email inundation from thousands of contestants;
“The ’Promotion by Contest’ tool is all about how a business owner or manager can turn talent that auditions for their promotional contests into marketers for their company, “says William Quinones, The Talent Shopping Network founder and president. “Contestants are motivated to win the contest, and since votes determine the winner, contestants happily send their voting page link to all of their email contacts, friends and family on the social networks.
“Before long it’s doubling as viral marketing,” Quinones says. “As friends and family open or click the link to vote, the first thing they will see is the sponsor’s banner advertisement.”
Quinones says that he expects the TTSN audition and contest Management system, the first of its kind for entertainment industry professionals, to transform the way the entertainment industry conducts auditions, casting calls, and contests. At the same time, and in keeping with Quinones’ vision, it will serve as a platform for talented individuals to gain exposure, and serve as a catalyst toward launching careers.
For more information on The Talent Shopping Network’s Promotion by Contest” tool, visit The Talent Shopping Network's Promotion by Contest web page,..
About The Talent Shopping Network:
The TTSN.co platform is for agents, managers, and anyone in the business of auditioning and finding talent. The Talent Shopping Network's/ audition management system provides industry agents with a state-of-the-
TTSN audition management system was designed to transform the way the entertainment industry conducts auditions and casting calls, without the expense and time sink that defines the traditional casting and management process.
Three years in the making, TTSN.co is the brainchild of William Quinones, a former dancer and later manager of a singing group who experienced firsthand the challenges of breaking into show business and accessing the opportunities that lead to a successful career in the entertainment industry.
With more than 50,000 active auditions on TTSN.co right now, the site provides talent with the ability to download audition scripts directly, video record their audition performance and submit it directly to the hiring agent. The site also offers access to a video voice-over recorder and demo song recording capabilities, and the first 10 auditions through TTSN are free.
Quinones calls TTSN.co an audition networking system for the entertainment industry, geared toward agents who are provided a comprehensive management system for auditioning for talent and networking with other industry insiders.
In addition to the TTSN.co audition/contest management system, agencies are invited to become part of the TTSN.co strategic partnership revenue sharing program, free for one year, and earn additional revenue as a partner by using TheTalentShoppingNetwork.com to conduct auditions and castings, run contests, and perform other functions.
For more information about all The Talent Shopping Network programs and opportunities, or to learn more about the strategic partnership program, visit The Talent Shopping Network (TTSN.co).
Photos:
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Beggs: Wholesale Market Becoming More Consistent - Auto Remarketing
Sharing what Black Book editors observed for themselves in the lanes or what the commentary survey personnel reported back to the home office, Ricky Beggs indicated that dealer sentiment is becoming more consistent about how wholesale conditions are nowadays.
In his latest video blog, “Beggs on the Used Car Market,” the Black Book managing editor described how the firm handled its information-gathering processes after Memorial Day weekend.
“What a week we just had, as we took a little time to honor our military friends and then had to dig a little deeper to make sure we were reporting the complete market,” Beggs began. “The editorial team stepped up this past week with focused analysis after each one attended at least one physical auction and watching several more online.
“As we received the reports from our survey personnel all across the country there were many comments similar to the previous few weeks,” he continued. “It is consistent that the market is still not overly aggressive in trying to buy additional or fresh inventory.
“It’s also clear that much of what is available on the dealer consigned lanes could be from slightly aged inventory that was previously acquired when we were at or near the peak of the market, thus leading to a few more no sales this week or maybe even a winkled brow if it did sell,” Beggs went on to say. “It doesn’t hurt too long, but as we overheard one dealer say, he at least turned his offerings into cash. That’s the beauty of the auction industry.”
Beyond the dealer commentary, Black Book found that its wholesale price data is shedding light on a market that’s becoming more consistent, too.
Editors determined the number of necessary adjustments that were increases remained in the low 30-percent level for the third consecutive week. That stretch comes after an 11-week run where Black Book’s increasing adjustments fell between 42 percent and 69 percent.
And the average change for those positive adjustments — $78 to be exact — turned out to be the lowest increasing figure since the week ending Nov. 18.
“This represents another sign of a slightly softening market,” Beggs pointed out.
“Over the past week or so I have talked with quite a few automotive journalists, all asking about the softening of the market and the reasons behind this changing trend,” he continued. “It seems that the price of gas and diesel at the pump always came up in these conversations.”
Black Book noted gas ticked another 4.5 cents lower last week to an average of $3.67 per gallon, what the firm said is the lowest level since Feb. 20. Beggs contends the cost at the pump is why prices within all 10 car segments have now softened for three weeks in a row.
Last week, car prices dipped by an average $31 or 0.2 percent — a figure editors said was consistent with the previous two weeks. The four segments with the greatest percent decline for the week at 0.6 percent and 0.5 percent were also the most fuel-efficient models overall.
Looking over at trucks, the prices for these units dropped by same amount on average for the second straight week. On average, Black Book determined trucks dipped by $29.
Prices for only one truck segment climbed week-over-week, compact SUVs, which rose by $9. Black Book noted this is the only truck segment that has increased each of the past three weeks.
“When looking within this segment, it is small in the volume of vehicles and is primarily driven by the Jeep Wrangler and Nissan Xterra, which have both been pretty solid performers recently,” Beggs indicated.
Beggs wrapped up his latest commentary by asking, “What’s around the corner in the market?”
In response, Beggs said, “We feel there will continue to be a slight softening in the market due to a few more units in the market from the new car trade-ins and the need to adjust to make room for another model year of vehicles, the 2013s, not far from hitting the franchised dealers’ lots.
“When looking at this time of the year in 2011 and the adjustment patterns, maybe the market just began the changes just a little earlier in 2012,” he projected.
“We hope you have a very active and great week and look forward to seeing you on the auction lanes,” Beggs concluded.
Beggs’ video can be viewed below.
Children watch shopping centre stabbing attack - Sydney Morning Herald
Children, related to a man stabbed multiple times at a Blue Mountains shopping centre, watched as the attack unfolded, police say.
Members of the public rendered first-aid to the 41-year-old, who suffered life-threatening injuries during the attack at the Hazelbrook Shopping Centre shortly before 6pm, acting Superintendent Paul Glinn of Blue Mountains Local Area Command told the Blue Mountains Gazette.
He said the argument started in a shop before spilling out into the car park.
"He sustained a number of wounds to the chest and the neck, which were considered life threatening last night," he said.
"It would appear that it wasn't a random incident. However, the exact nature of the relationship between the people is something which is still being investigated."
There were reports the attack may have followed a schoolyard fight earlier in the day, but acting Superintendent Glinn said he was unaware of any such connection.
"Certainly it's the case there [were] some children and other people present in the area at the time that the incident has occurred.
"There were a number of children there that I believe are related to the 41-year-old victim."
Ambulance crews stabilised the man before he was flown to Westmead Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery overnight.
A 50-year-old man was arrested about 7pm yesterday and was charged at Katoomba police station this morning with reckless wounding causing grievous bodily harm.
He was refused bail and will appear before Katoomba Local Court today.
Police expected to interview the victim either tonight or tomorrow morning and were also interviewing between 20 and 25 witnesses, acting Superintendent Glinn said.
"Consistent with any shopping centre, Hazelbrook Shopping Centre at 6 o'clock on a Monday night, there'd be a lot of people there," he said.
"There's a train station nearby, people would be walking home, so there certainly would be people about the area going about their normal day-to-day business."
It was unclear how many times the victim was stabbed and police were still unclear what weapon was used in the attack, he said.
CCTV from the area would also be used in the investigation, he said.
"Any incident whereby it's alleged that somebody may have been in possession of a knife or some other sort of weapon whereby some injuries have been occasioned to somebody else is of significant concern," he said.
"The good thing from our perspective is it's not something that occurs on a regular basis and it would appear that this is a one-off incident.
"The exact nature as to what was used is unknown and ... from our perspective, if anyone was there that witnessed the incident and has not made themselves known to police, we'd ask they make contact with police so that we can follow up any information they may have."
Mystery shopping uncovers guest satisfaction - Hotel News Now
Over the years, I’ve heard management company representatives ask the same questions when it comes to mystery shopping: Do we really need to perform mystery shops? What is mystery shopping going to tell us that we’re not already finding out through our existing measurement components? How will mystery shopping fit in with our current approach to measurement?
One of the easiest ways to determine whether you really need to perform mystery shops is to ask yourself what your quality inspections and guest satisfaction surveys are already telling you.
Quality assurance inspection programs tend to focus on your brand elements and the fundamentals of your property. Is the logo/signage current and compliant? Are you using the specified products? What is the condition of the facility with regard to brand initiatives or brand-wide updates? Quality assurance inspections measure your compliance within the brand or collection of which you are a part.
Guest satisfaction surveys tell you how satisfied your guests are with the elements of your brand, and, more specifically, with what your individual property delivers. The results let you know what it is that matters most to your guests. Is it cost, location, amenities or quality of service? Guest satisfaction survey results make it easier for you to identify the types of guests that frequent your property and what it is they really want and expect.
Mystery shopping delivers
What quality assurance inspections and guest satisfaction surveys don’t do a great job of telling you is how your brand elements are being delivered. A well-designed and well-implemented mystery shopping program fills in the blanks and allows you to gain a real understanding of how a typical guest experiences the products and services you offer at various points.
Mystery shopping uncovers what truly drives guests to return and recommend, or, what I like to call “brand positive indicators.” While some brand positive indicators can be measured through quality assurance inspections and guest satisfaction surveys, many can only be identified through mystery shopping.
Let’s say your quality assurance inspections tell you a location stocks all the wares and food items that are required for breakfast, but your guest satisfaction survey scores show low guest satisfaction when it comes to the location’s food-and-beverage service. If you haven’t performed a mystery shop, it is going to be very hard to uncover the reasons for the low guest satisfaction scores. A mystery shop will tell you things such as whether the items being served are fresh, whether breakfast is being served during posted hours, whether the attendant is greeting guests appropriately, and other important details pertaining to service delivery.
Bridging the gap
Mystery shopping tends to be the final measurement component hotel management companies incorporate, but it is more like the component that bridges the gap between inspections and surveys. If quality assurance inspections prove all your brand elements are in place, but guest satisfaction surveys show your guests are unhappy, a mystery shop not only can confirm the problem is execution, but also it can tell you the specifics about what’s wrong that will enable you to pinpoint trouble spots and develop and implement solutions.
When you have a three-pronged measurement program in place, it becomes much easier to expand your measurement arsenal and incorporate tools such as intercept visitor satisfaction surveys, employee opinion surveys, and social-media management technology. The key to developing a successful quality assurance program is having your bases covered by quality assurance inspections, mystery shopping and guest satisfaction surveys. Once these three measurement components are in place, you can build upon them as you improve upon and expand your business.
Patrick O'Bryan is COO at FreemanGroup, a customer service solutions provider that serves premier hospitality and tourism organizations around the world. Clients range from government and tourist boards to hotels, casinos, cruise ships, and airlines. In addition to offering a number of proprietary training workshops and follow-up training programs, FreemanGroup offers instructor certification programs and workshops specifically designed for human resource departments, leadership, and supervisors.
The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of HotelNewsNow.com or its parent company, Smith Travel Research and its affiliated companies. Columnists published on this site are given the freedom to express views that may be controversial, but our goal is to provoke thought and constructive discussion within our reader community. Please feel free to comment or contact an editor with any questions or concerns.
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