Telefónica O2 Germany agrees to €900m purchase of Telecom Italia’s German broadband provider Hansenet to leapfrog E-Plus as the country’s number three telecoms provider in terms of revenue

France’s fourth 3G licence awarded to Free Mobile, a subsidiary of fixed line provider Iliad

Vodacom Tanzania announces that more than one million customers have signed up to its money transfer service

New collaboration from AT&T and Verizon, but warning of spectrum challenge

Vodacom launches South Africa’s first SIM card designed exclusively for vehicle tracking purposes

France Telecom deputy chief Louis-Pierre Wenes stands down amid employee suicide saga

The operator has awarded Nokia Siemens Network a contract to improve its 3G radio access network by mid-2010

Japanese electronics firms to merge handset divisions to take on Japanese market

Deutsche Telekom said to be making offer for US rival Sprint

Mobile networks MTN and Bharti Airtel are yet to finalize a deal

US regulator’s annual review of competitiveness of UK market takes in new data and mobile broadband elements

Nokia holds back ‘Comes with Music’ launch for crucial US market

Brightstar gets patent for emerging market fixed-mobile product line, with Indian, African and Latin Amercian markets in mind

Nokia announces the 5230, the latest addition to its touchscreen mobile range

Indian mobile network Bharti and South African MTN Group extend merger talks until September 30; a merger would create the world’s third largest mobile operator

Nokia’s Ovi mail service claims one million customers have opened accounts globally

PC manufacturer Dell in launch talks for Android-based smartphone with China Mobile

Ecuadorian operator Telecsa looks to US distributor Brightstar to help it keep up with America Movil and Movistar in home market

Vodafone’s expanding partner programme hits Azerbaijan with Azerfon agreement

Vodafone promises to invest one billion Turkish lira (£410m) in new Turkish 3G market, while rival Turkcell unveils new 3G offerings