Clearwire Corp. announced it has agreed to use DVB-H broadcast mobile TV technology as it collaborates on a new mobile TV trial with ICO Global Communications Ltd.

The trial, which is set to begin early next year will test the mobile video broadcast system and examine the feasibility of using Clearwire’s 2.5 GHz spectrum and ICO’s 2 GHz spectrum more efficiently. For the trial, ICO plans to integrate is mobile interactive media services, which delivers consumer entertainment and communications services, with Clearwire’s mobile broadband network.

By Matt Kapko

Apple announced that it has sold its 1-millionth iPhone. The company had predicted it would sell 1 million handsets by the end of the third quarter, and with weeks to spare, Apple says it has met its goal. The company has said it hopes to sell 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008.

By Teresa von Fuchs

FairPoint and Verizon officials remain optimistic that the $2.7 billion deal that merges Verizon’s Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont operations into FairPoint will be approved by regulators, despite public complaints and controversy concerned the merger plan announced last January.

By Carol Wilson

A new service will launch in the U.K. this month that enables users to get premium broadcast channels and video-on-demand content on a PC, using a virtual set-top box that comes with full personal video recorder capabilities. The service, known as Freewire, is being delivered by Inuk Networks, using security from Widevine Techologies to ensure content protection.

By Carol Wilson

Senators announced plans to introduce a consumer protection bill that could limit fees and surcharges wireless carriers impose on customers. The bill, called the Cell Phone Consumer Empowerment Act, seeks to enact new controls over wireless carriers.

By Teresa von Fuchs

The Justice Department told the FCC that it is opposed to net neutrality, saying that Internet service providers should be allowed to charge different fees for different sorts of Web traffic.

Telecoms and cable companies have been lobbying for the right to charge some users more for loading certain content or Web sites, and yesterday, the Justice Department agreed with them, saying that Net neutrality regulations could impede development of the Internet and hamper service providers from upgrading or expanding their networks.

By Teresa von Fuchs

Fujinon, an optical equipment manufacturer based in Japan, has filed a suit against Motorola, alleging several its RAZR handset and other mobile phone models infringe on three of the company's patents. The patents cover components having to do with the phones imagine lens.

By Teresa von Fuchs

HP looks to expand its handheld offerings into the mobile phone market with two new handsets. First is the iPAQ 600 Series Business Navigator, HP's second cell phone, a 3G handset using a traditional 12-key keypad, which also includes a navigation wheel, a 3 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, including VoIP capabilities and navigational features including 3-D maps. HP has not yet announced pricing or availability, but did say the phone should be available by the end of the year.

By Teresa von Fuchs

Launched Wednesday to much fanfare, the new Touch version of the Apple iPod looks like the Apple iPhone but doesn’t include voice or data services from partner AT&T. It does, however, include integrated Wi-Fi, possibly positioning it as much a communications device as a mere music player.

But while you can browse the Web using the including Safari Web browser—and buy music via a new mobile iTunes store interface—that’s about where the communications capabilities of the Touch come to an end. Unlike the iPhone, the iPod Touch doesn’t include native email, instant messaging or Google Maps applications.

By Rich Karpinski

Wireless call quality continues to improve, with customers seeing a reduction in initial disconnects in particular, according to the most recent J.D. Power and Associates report on call quality. Furthermore, J.D. Power reported that initial disconnects were down by 40% year-over-year and reports of dropped calls were down by 33%.

By Kelly Hill