Just caught the press release, so I’m not sure this is still valid, but it’s interesting nonetheless.

The Texas-based developer Brice Milliorn is selling its company called JBMJBM on eBay. What’s interesting about it is that the company makes iPhone apps, and 87 apps are included in the offering. Starting bid is $100,000 and we’re eager to see how up can this go.

Among the applications potential buyer will get are Friday Night Lights, iSpy Game, iReferee, iSexyRef, iSexyRef2, Pro Rodeo Fan, Sit Up Counter, Shake 2 Count, plus several College sports apps.

Commenting on the move to sell its business, Brice said he’s doing so to spend some time with his family. And in case you’re wondering, he has sold over 30,000 applications so far. eBay listing is here.

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Wataniya Palestine is the second mobile operator that offers its services in Palestine. The company which is owned by Kuwait’s National Mobile Telecommunications (unit of Qatar Telecommunications) and a holding company for Palestinian public assets is looking to serve residents of the West Bank, even though Israel has yet to release the full range of frequencies agreed for the network.

The new carrier began functioning with a frequency range of 3.8 MHz, less than the 4.8 MHz Israel had agreed to open under the last year’s agreement with the Palestinian Authority. Some $270 million was invested in infrastructure in addition to a $140 million licence fee, with part of the money being provided by the World Bank and the U.S. government.

Wataniya Palestine will compete with the existing operator, Zain-owned Palestine Telecommunications Co (PalTel), which has about 1.5 million subscribers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Right from the start, the Wataniya has 40,000 users who had registered during a month-long promotional campaign…

[Via: Reuters]

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India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that pre-paid mobile phones are now banned in Jammu & Kashmir. As a result, no carrier can issue a new pre-paid SIM card while existing SIM cards should not be renewed in the region.

Security issues are the main reason behind the move, and Ministry said that the step comes in the wake of the reports that proper verification is not being done while providing pre-paid SIM cards by the service providers and vendors.

It’s also worth pointing out this isn’t the first time the Indian government has changed the rules about mobile services in the region bordering Pakistan. For instance, mobile phone coverage is forbidden along the demarcation line between the two countries…

[Via: CellularNews]

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The GSMA unveiled the European Mobile Manifesto with the idea to set out how the mobile industry will/could help achieve key European Union objectives to boost economic performance, improve efficiencies, protect consumers and increase the use of green technology.

Through the Mobile Manifesto, the mobile industry outlines its goals to:

• Increase internet connectivity and make mobile broadband access widely available
• Engage consumers and improve efficiency by enabling the “mobilisation” of commercial and public services (eCommerce, eLearning, eHealth and eGovernment)
• Reduce Europe’s carbon footprint through M2M technologies
• Provide mobile privacy tools to maintain consumer trust

The Manifesto outlines specific, detailed goals from the industry and highlights Europe’s existing strength in mobile and estimates the economic, social and environmental benefits of these goals. You can download it from a dedicate page at GSM World’s website.

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• Gemalto, Microsoft, Nokia and Philips team up for “Trust in Digital Life”
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Guess we knew Iliad Group’s FREE Mobile will participate in the auction for France’s 4th 3G license. However, we didn’t knew they will end up as the only candidate for the spot. Earlier we heard Virgin Mobile may also jump on board and bid for the portion of spectrum.

Whatever the case is, the country’s telecoms regulator, ARCEP, confirmed that FREE is the only company that submitted bid for the license. Now they [ARCEP] have to examine the application to check that it meets the eligibility criteria. I’m guessing it does since Iliad’s previous bid for the license was rejected by the regulator in October 2007 — i.e. one would hope they did their homework this time.

Earlier it was suggested that if just one bidder emerges, ARCEP may award the license by the end of the year.

For the record, France has three 3G license holders – Orange, SFR and Bouygues Télécom which hold 47%, 36% and 17% of the market, respectively.

[Via: CellularNews]

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• Virgin Mobile interested in French 3G license?
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• CBS4’s entertainment reporter Lisa Petrillo sends 21,000 texts in a week; Wins $5k

Don’t know about you, but I was amazed to learn that Dubai got a metro. And now I’ve learned one more thing – it’s fitted out with WiFi coverage both on trains and stations!

Mobile operator Du and UK-based Nomad Digital are two companies behind the WiFi coverage. The trick is in the following: trains run along a corridor of wireless coverage linked to trackside wireless base stations, with WiMAX radios located at frequent intervals along the route. Neat don’t you think?

For the record, Nomad installed the first-ever rail broadband system on the UK’s Brighton Express in 2005, and is currently working on the world’s longest broadband corridor from London to Glasgow.

[Via: CellularNews]

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• UK: Northern Rail improves Customer Service with mobile tech
• New York considers wireless broadband for railways
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• Verizon Wireless does femtocells too – CDMA femtocells for Verizon customers later this year

Zain Kenyan has applied for a 3G license in the country. The company is expected to pay $25 million for the license, and effectively join Safaricom which got its license back in 2007. Safaricom, BTW is now protesting the move of regulators to reduce the 3G license fees in an effort to get more carriers to build their own 3G networks.

After the paperwork is cleared, Zain expects to start the network rollout in the first half of 2010 and the procurement process is already in place, said Zain Kenya’s CEO – Rene Meza.

In the other Zain news, the carrier unveiled a new offering, allowing its subscribers to make free calls and SMS within the network based on the airtime top up. Prepaid customers will be able to call and SMS up to three Zain numbers for free for a period of seven days.

Finally, for those of you looking at numbers, Safaricom had 13.8 million subscribers at the end of June, whereas Zain only 2.4 million.

[Via: CellularNews]

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• Zain, Western Union team-up on mobile payments
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• Econet Wireless sign up 200K subs in 3 months in Kenya!

The cable company/ISP Comcast is mulling a mobile data offering. Apparently, the company wants to extend the “Comcasting experience” to a laptop near you. And in that sense this page on their website is talking about 3G and 4G services. The latter is available “across your metro area,” but we’re hearing they only mean Bellingham, WA; Portland, OR; and Atlanta, GA — with more to come. As for their 3G offering, it’s available throughout most of the continental U.S.

One thing is not clear, though – which carrier they’re using to offer the mobile data services. BGR thinks it’s Sprint (NYSE: S), and somehow we trust them.

The best thing about Comcast’s offering is that for 50 bucks a month you get Internet both at your home and while on the go. Sounds impressive! If anyone of you had a chance to try this out, we’re eager to hear your thoughts. Comments form is all yours…

[Via: BGR]

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More than 500 Mall of America stores are now offering their shoppers access to last minute sales offers, in-store coupons and up-to-date event information via SMS. The service is called “MallCall, The Text Best Thing” and here’s how it works:

When arriving at a shopping centre, visitors are asked to register for the service by texting a number displayed above the entrance. Those who opt-in will receive text messages, but only during Mall business hours for the day. After the Mall closes, the messaging ends until you opt-in again, on your next visit to the store. Of course, you can opt-out at any time by texting STOP.

It’s a neat idea, don’t you think? I mean it’s better to have the store specials in your phone than on a flyer. I like it!

[Via: textually]

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• Texting is for old people!
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• T-Mobile forces SMS text messages on customers, charges customers, sued by customers

Laos has a new mobile operator called Unitel, launched as a joint venture between Vietnam’s Viettel and local partner – Lao Asia Telecom. Viettel, which is owned by the Vietnamese army, owns 49% of the company and has invested $79 million in the new network so far. This is their second overseas investment, following the launch of Metfone in Cambodia.

The new carrier’s General Director, Le Huu Hien, told the Vietnamese official news agency, Saigon GP Daily that the new network has the largest infrastructure of the five mobile service providers in Laos. It covers the entire country with its nearly 900 base transmission stations and 8,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables.

For the record, there are just under 2.5 million mobile phone subscribers, representing a population penetration level of 36%.

[Via: CellularNews]

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• Vinaphone first to launch 3G in Vietnam; unlimited 7.2 Mbps goodness for only $16.80/month
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• China Telecom offers video news to its 3G users in Shanghai

Red Cross is taking advantage of SMS, big time. The organization will provide real-time alerts to critical blood inventories, tips for successful blood donations and early notification of new promotions to all donors who opt-in for the program. Once that is cleared (user has registered), he or she will be able to make appointments using a “click to call” feature or locate a blood drive by entering a zip code.

Hopefully this will help Red Cross get all the blood it/people need. Interested donors can opt-in by sending a text message to 42227 or by registering at bloodisneeded.org. And yes, we advise all healthy individuals to give blood.

[Via: textually]

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• Oldie but a goodie: Morse code outpaces texting!

The United Arab Emirates could permit mobile number portability (MNP) starting from next year. An offical at the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) told Al Ittihad that MNP would only be available to subscribers who had a mobile phone for over a year, though.

That would certainly be a good thing for all our UAE readers (and those who don’t read us, for that matter) and I’m hoping this will get through in the country.

For the record, there are two carriers operating in the Emirates – Etisalat which has some 7.3 million mobile phone subscribers, and Vodafone (NYSE: VOD)’s partner – Du with 2.9 million subscribers.

[Via: CellularNews]

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Like they don’t have smarter things to do, the French Senate is discussing the bill which if signed would prohibit phone use (calling and texting) in the middle of the class to limit distractions for the students. And while I can agree there’s some point to be made here, the thing I don’t understand is the next part. They want to extend the prohibition to ban mobile phone use EVEN WHEN STUDENTS ARE OUT OF CLASS, during breaks. Banning texting while driving makes sense, this simply doesn’t. Hopefully, this will end with the discussion and no actions will be taken. I’m all against these kinds of bans – if you want to limit the mobile phone use in classes, install phone jammers and that’s it. “Stupid” is the only word that comes to my mind…

[Via: Unwired View]

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I love writing about smaller carriers and their efforts to keep growing. On that note, we bring you this story which involves Mississippi-based Cellular South and their plans to acquire Alabama-based Corr Wireless.

Details of the deal were not disclosed and the acquisition requires regulatory approval, which Cellular South hopes to get in several months.

Corr Wireless has 130 employees and provides its service to more than 30,000 customers in 18 counties of North Alabama and in Rome, Georgia. The area includes the cities of Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, and Gadsden, plus the counties of Blount, Cullman, Marshall, Dekalb and Jackson in Alabama.

Both parties say that the partnership is a good fit for both companies.

[Via: Yahoo]

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According to Qatar News Agency, telecoms regulators in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are to meet to discuss plans to push down roaming costs in the region.

Last year, government ministers from the GCC said they will take the necessary steps to reduce the roaming charges within the region, but little has been done since then. However, despite the fact that regulators have been kinda quiet on the issue, several operators have expanded their roaming services, with Zain being one of them to enlarge its borderless roaming zone.

A separate body, the Arab Regulators Network (AREGNET) has also called for regulators to do the same and make mobile phone calls in roaming cheaper. We’ll see how all this goes…

[Via: CellularNews]

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• Zain Kenya wants a 3G license
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• New EU roaming regulation starts on June 30

CompaniesAndMarkets has some interesting numbers to report about the ever growing Chinese mobile industry. Here’s the recap:

• During the first half of 2009, China exported 237 million mobile phones valued at $16.1 billion, and imported 11.74 million units.
• The total output of mobile phones was 305 million in the same period.
• Among the big winners were BYD, Samsung, ZTE and LG. Samsung’s Huizhou Plant was almost three times more productive this year, when compared to 2008. ZTE also won big time, as it obtained large shares in the new telecoms procurement.
• In contrast, the growth rate of Foxconn, Motorola (NYSE: MOT), Huawei and Compal declined sharply. Huawei tried to sell its handset making unit in H2 2008, but failed to do so. And the remaining manufacturers had little changes.
• Finally, last year the world’s still fastest growing economy exported 533 handsets valued at $38.5 billion!

More information is available from CompaniesAndMarkets’ website.

[Via: CellularNews]

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• Compal Communications scores contract to build 4 million Nokia mobiles

India’s Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) said that it is investigating the possibility of taking a stake in Zambia’s landline and mobile operator – Zamtel. The company’s Chairman, Mr R.S.P. Sinha, told reporters that the company had signed an NDA with Zamtel, hence they cannot talk about it at this stage.

Zambia’s government plans to sell three-quarters of its stake in Zamtel to a private investor and eventually float the remaining 25% onto the local stock exchange. It is estimated that the company needs a capital injection of around $200 million, which cannot come from the government.

For the record, Zambia currently has three mobile network operators: Zain which holds 70% of the market, MTN with 20%, and Zamtel with 10%.

[Via: CellularNews]

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• Zambia wants to sell the state-owned Zamtel to private investor?
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Prepaid operator Page Plus Cellular announced the new plan called Talk n Text 1200, which costs $29.95 a month and includes:

• 1,200 voice minutes,
• 1,200 messages (SMS or MMS), and
• 50 megabytes of data.

The main idea here was to offer something for everyone in a single plan. There are enough minutes for “talking without thinking,” enough text messages as well as a decent number of megabytes included with the plan, though I could add the last point is arguable, especially for high-end users…

Anyway, we dig the idea that if you can’t get yourself the “unlimited everything” plan, you should go for some plan which best suits your needs. In that sense we like Page Plus Cellular for thinking it through and unveiling new plans from time to time. Plus, I personally like supporting small carriers, hence I’m giving them some space on IntoMobile.

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• Page Plus Cellular unveils unlimited text messaging add-on plan
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• Apple announces rate plans for the iPhone – unlimited data and 200 SMS text messages included!
• Cellular South debuts most affordable family plans

India’s Aircel and state-owned BSNL have signed a 10-year passive infrastructure sharing agreement. As a result, Aircel, which has around 32,000 base stations, will now have access to BSNL’s approximately 45,000 towers across all its licensed circles.

The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. But we do have a comment from Aircel’s COO Gurdeep Singh, who said: “Aircel will now have access to strategically located sites across BSNL’s 21 circles (excluding Mumbai and Delhi). Leveraging BSNL’s passive infrastructure will help Aircel meet its aggressive network roll out plans in addition to reducing operational cost.”

[Via: CellularNews]

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• Telecom Italia, 3 Italia sign tower sharing agreement
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• 3 Italia and Ericsson tie up Network and Managed services agreement

Just in time when the HTC Hero pre-orders have started, Cellular South has unveiled a new offering – Smartphone Unlimited Plan, which is touted as the “first plan of its kind which makes the enriched user experience smartphones provide and advanced devices, such as the HTC Hero, even more accessible to individuals and families.”

Basically with this plan you get unlimited everything — including talk, text, web and email for $79.99. Additionally, the second such plan is available for half off at $39.99 per month.

The new plan builds on top of Cellular South’s earlier offering – the original Smartphone plan, which included (limited) mobile to mobile calling and unlimited data, Web, e-mail and text messaging for $49.99.

Related News from IntoMobile:

• Cellular South debuts most affordable family plans
• Page Plus Cellular unveils unlimited text messaging add-on plan
• Sprint offers cheaper unlimited calling plan – $89.99 for unlimited domestic minutes
• T-Mobile nixes Android data plan features
• Prepaid-operator Page Plus Cellular offers unlimited plan, too