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.

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]

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]

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.

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]