GSMA drives mobile broadband

The GSMA, a global trade association representing over 750 mobile phone operators around the world, has revealed an initiative backed by operators, device suppliers, software firms and chipset vendors to drive awareness of mobile broadband connectivity embedded within computing devices such as notebooks, says Your Industry News.

The initiative's primary focus is a graphic service mark bearing the words "Mobile Broadband" to be attached to notebooks and designed to help customers easily identify mobile broadband-enabled laptops.

The GSMA expects a global media spend of $1 billion around this service mark within the next year to create awareness of mobile broadband access.

Sprint will soon begin trimming the fees customers face for cancelling their cellphone service early, reports Gather News.

Chief executive Dan Hesse says Sprint could start lowering the early termination fees as soon as December, once the company updates its billing software. The $200 or more fee is charged to wireless subscribers who end their service before their two-year contract expires.

The new policy would reduce the fee slightly for each month a subscriber stays with the plan. Competitors AT&T, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA have already reduced their fees.

Technology Marketing has partnered with Crossfire Media to form 4G Wireless Evolution, says Market Watch.

The partnership will help address a growing need for information regarding next-generation wireless technology, and will feature two new products - a 4G Wireless Evolution Web site and a 4G Wireless Evolution conference and expo.

4G is the fourth generation of wireless communications, which will offer significantly faster speeds and broader applications than current wireless networks can allow. It is expected to be implemented globally in two to five years.