mobile carrier

China Unicom to launch its own smartphone line later this month. The new line of mobile devices are meant to rival Apple’s iPhone as well as Android handsets, as reported by the company spokeswoman.

A new smartphone called Wophone runs a proprietary operating system, announced by the company in March. Being the second largest mobile carrier in China, China Unicom has 180 million users. It faces strict competition in an app store business from Apple and Android vendors.

In a move to rival the stir created by Verizon Wireless iPhone the number four US mobile carrier T-Mobile is launching a new promotion: all of its phones will be free with a two-year contract.

The phone that will be given to subscribers will include such models as the Android-equipped HSPA+ myTouch 4G and G2, and the Windows Phone 7 HTC HD7. A total of 30 free phones will be available from brands that include HTC, Garmin, Motorola, Nokia, and Samsung.

According to an outlook of R.W. Baird & Co. analyst William Power the number of iPhones to be sold by Verizon in 2011 may account for 25 million, reports All Things Digital.

The analyst believes that Verizon could sell 23.8 million iPhones to its subscribers this year. That figure, combined with the 5.6 percent of AT&T iPhone users who, Baird says, will switch to Verizon in 2011, and you've got a sales number that approaches 25 million, which is more than twice as predicted by other analysts who forecast 9 to 12 million.

Nokia has recalled its plans to launch a smartphone for the US No 2 mobile carrier AT&T some time before the device should have been announced according to the sources familiar with the situation.

Supposed to be called as the X7 the touchscreen phone could have helped Nokia in its move to gain market in North America where it is strongly challenged by Apple, Research in Motion and Motorola.

"This was Nokia's decision," said the person who asked not to be named because the companies have not made a public announcement.

China Mobile, the largest Chinese carrier, is making another push to attract more customers and retain them as the competition in the market is tightening. The company is launching a new initiative to better promote its own mobile operating system by establishing an "innovation alliance" to further its development.

China Mobile has developed its mobile operating, OMS (Open Mobile System), last year. The operating system is based on Android, but was modified to localize it for the China market. Handsets that use the operating system have been branded as Ophones.

An article posted on the PCWorld Magazine website analyzed the reports and data from the mobile industry and found that no wireless carrier in the United States actually has a 4G network while the companies persistently claim the opposite.

The shelves with Windows Phone 7 handsets are getting empty faster than the phones are supplied to the stores. While Orange decided to please consumers with £20 HMV vouchers as they are waiting, HTC and Samsung handsets are selling out as they fast as they can be shipped to the stores.

According to the latest rumors reported by a technology and consumer gadgets blog BGR, a new iPhone 4 version is being on its final stage of testing before release. The new device is coded as the "iPhone3,2", a "solid" mole has told website BGR. The current iPhone 4 is "3,1".

The US Federal Communications Commission is proposing new rules to make mobile phone companies warn consumers on their reaching monthly limits so as to avoid shocking bills.

With the new rule the FCC hopes to thwart the cases of bill shock by having the mobile carriers send voice alerts to customers before charging them for services not covered by their plans.

"Our core goal is to make it easy for consumers to determine their destiny when it comes to their services and their monthly bills," said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.

Sunday the mobile carrier Verizon Wireless announced its plan to repay millions of dollars in refunds to 15 million cell phone customers who were unjust charged by the company for data sessions and Internet use.

While the amount for repayment was not disclosed by the carrier it is known that 15 million consumers will receive credits or refund checks that in most cases would range from $2 to $6 but would go beyond this in some cases, on their October or November bills. Former customers will get refund checks while existing customers will get credits.

Verizon Communications chief executive Ivan Seidenberg refuted the rumors about the soon launch of the iPhone on the carrier’s network. He stated that the iPhone won't come to Verizon's network in the very near future (e.g., January), at least not until the carrier implements its fourth-generation (4G) LTE network, a process that's already underway but won't be completed until 2012.

Vodafone is showing extreme generosity giving away the email addresses of any of its customers.

The password reminder feature on the company website in the “My account” section allows anyone to learn others’ email address. All you have to do is enter the phone number of the person you're interested in. If he's got an online account, Vodafone gladly gives up his email address.

According to a study from professionals service firm Deloitte about 50% of Apple Inc iPhone users in the United States would be "very interested" in dumping AT&T Inc for Verizon Wireless as a service provider.

"If another carrier were to pick up the iPhone, you would probably see a number of defections," said Ed Moran, director of insights and product innovation at Deloitte.

Meantime, AT&T'S Chief Executive Randall Stephenson played down the potential impact of the loss of iPhone exclusivity at a Goldman Sachs conference on Tuesday.

Speculations continue roaming in the media that Apple iPhone could come to Sprint or T-Mobile sooner that to Verizon. In a note to clients, Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu told clients that Apple and Verizon Wireless are still negotiating important details for the iPhone, "including technology and economics," Fortune reports. Wu wouldn't rule out the possibility of Sprint or T-Mobile getting the iPhone instead of, or in addition to, Verizon.

A proposal by the radio and recording industries to require all mobile devices in the US to include Fm receivers was strongly opposed by trade groups who represent electronics makers and mobile carriers.

The proposal on FM inclusion from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), comes as the trade group attempts to come to an agreement with a group affiliated with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in a long-standing battle over whether radio stations should pay royalties to record labels and performers for playing their songs.