• ABI Research today released a report that shows the worldwide mobile phone market shipped 35 million fewer units than it did during the same period one year ago. The report concludes that the trend will continue through the fourth quarter of 2009.
• According to Kevin Burden, ABI Research practice director, the decline was sharper than expected. “The 255.6 million handsets shipped represented a 20 percent decline from fourth-quarter 2008, which was already a down quarter, and a nearly 12 percent decline from first quarter 2008.”
• The Sisvel Group has launched a patent pool for CDMA2000 technology with essential patents from France Telecom, NTT DoCoMo, Siemens AG and KPN. The patent pool remains open to new licensors. The program’s royalty structure is built around a basic rate of 5 cents per patent for each licensed product.
• Device charger manufacturer iGo has expanded its U.S. distribution network to more than 600 new locations, including U.S. Cellular, Cricket and Fry’s Electronics. The company plans to use the expansion to help with its pending rollout of its line of environmentally friendly products, which will feature laptop chargers, surge protectors and wall outlets that automatically use 85 percent less standby power than standard power products.
• Leap Wireless subsidiary Cricket Communications has debuted the Motorola Evoke QA4, which features a full HTML browser, and both a touch-screen keyboard and a slide-out qwerty keyboard. The Motorola Evoke is currently available for $299.99 on Cricket’s Web site and soon will be available at Cricket dealers and retail stores.
Rob Payne has joined Yakety Yak Wireless as the company’s vice president of sales. In his new role, Payne will manage the purchase and distribution of handset equipment and accessories, as well as lead the company’s market expansion and franchising efforts.
• FPL FiberNet is deploying Alcatel-Lucent’s packet optical transport solution for mobile backhaul to increase bandwidth for mobile broadband applications. Florida-based FPL FiberNet is working to improve the reliability and cost-effectiveness of its fiber-optic network. The company serves telecom companies, wireless carriers, Internet service providers, enterprise and government customers.
• Verizon has expanded its notification capabilities for Verizon Enterprise Center customers. The expansion allows Verizon Enterprise Center to receive and access information in near-real time on a Web-enabled mobile device. Additionally, users can request that trouble-ticket status updates be sent as alerts to computer desktops or as automated voice calls to phones.