The iPhone has taken a big bite out of the BlackBerry in a market where the older phone once dominated: business customers in North America.
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North Korea has warned that any of its citizens caught trying to defect to China or using mobile phones during the 100-day mourning period for Kim Jong-il will be branded as “war criminals” and punished accordingly. … more

Research in Motion, maker of BlackBerry smartphones and tablets, sent its co-chief executives packing last week and replaced them with Thorsten Heins, who had been RIM’s chief operating officer. How would he characterize his employer? … more

Delegates to focus on region-wide ‘digital inclusion’

Over the past 12 months, the Arab Spring has brought about unprecedented political changes across the region. The right to communicate is increasingly recognized and asserted, and now needs to be complemented by opportunities to be educated and employed, and to contribute to the development of the economy and wealth of the region. … more

Georgia is the latest state to become engaged in a community broadband fight with the introduction of SB 313, the Broadband Investment Equity Act. … more

Telecoms operators are struggling get a meaningful slice of the growing tablet computer market due to consumers, daunted or confused by data plans, going directly to manufacturers like Apple to buy their cherished devices. … more

ARCEP, the French telecommunications regulator, has promised to investigate whether new network operator Free Mobile is still offering the level of coverage required by its license, following complaints by employees of rival networks. But it also warned the company’s critics to stop whining, saying that the existing three network operators had all failed to meet their coverage obligations at launch. … more

The value of the web economy in G20 countries will nearly double by 2016, according to Boston Consulting Group. … more

Nokia’s battle to rejoin the race with Apple and Google’s Android has seen the world’s largest phone maker burn through over €1bn (£830m) in a year, with unit sales of smartphones down 31% in the last quarter. … more

European Union member countries that fail to implement the bloc’s new rules on consumer rights for telephone and Internet services could be taken to Europe’s highest court as soon as next month, EU Digital Commissioner Neelie Kroes said Thursday. … more