Mobile phone sales have plummeted by a record amount in the first quarter of 2009 as the global financial crisis sapped demand, a research firm said. … more

Nearly a decade ago, the merger between Time Warner and America Online was heralded as a surprising and revolutionary marriage between “old media” and “new media.” By comparison, yesterday’s revelation by Time Warner that divorce papers may be on the way came as a shock to almost no one. … more

European Union states gave the green light on Wednesday to a sweeping reform of the telecoms sector after accepting a last-minute deal to resolve a spat over Internet access, the Czech EU presidency said. … more

Bharti Airtel Ltd. posted a 21% rise in fiscal fourth-quarter net profit on record subscriber gains, but key indicators showed that stiff competition took a toll. … more

All the chatter about Verizon’s talks with Apple and with Microsoft seem to be off topic for what is the important development over the next year in the mobile phone industry. … more

Do you treat your iPhone as a guilty pleasure? You’re not alone.

A new report from Compete surveying the behavior of 600 smartphone users found that 73 percent of iPhone owners used their mobile devices primarily for personal reasons, like entertainment. By comparison, 59 percent of owners with other types of smartphones — from manufacturers like HTC, Research in Motion and Nokia — primarily used their devices for business and work-related needs. … more

Microsoft Corp. and Verizon Wireless are in talks to launch a touch-screen multimedia cellphone on the carrier’s network early next year, in an ambitious effort to challenge Apple Inc.’s iPhone, according to people familiar with the matter. … more

The European Union has reached a draft deal to resolve a spat holding up a sweeping reform of the bloc’s telecom sector, lawmakers and diplomats said on Tuesday. … more

Wireless technology currently in development by the CSIRO may be the key to bringing a cost effective National Broadband Network to regional and rural Australia, according to the national science organisation. … more

The phone’s sleek lines and touch-screen keyboard are unmistakably familiar. So is the logo on the back. But a sales clerk at a sprawling electronic goods market in this Chinese coastal city admits what is clear upon closer inspection: this is not the Apple iPhone; this is the Hi-Phone. … more