• Clearwire and Sprint have launched their WiMAX network in Pittsburgh and Minneapolis/St. Paul. The network covers more than 820,000 people in Pittsburgh. The companies' service is now available in 55 cities and 22 states.
• Google has launched a hyper-local mobile advertising service that serves locally relevant ads and displays distance information to help users understand how close they are to a business. The ad feature delivers down-to-the-block level information about a business. Google says Enterprise Rent-a-Car is using the service.
• Sprint says it is carrying the first Motorola enterprise handheld device to be branded, stocked and sold through a wireless carrier. The Motorola ES400S will be available by the end of October for as low as $499.99 for qualifying business customers or $549.99 with a new line or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement. The Windows ruggedized device has a built-in biometric fingerprint reader, 3-inch VGA touchscreen and CDMA EV-DO Rev. A for domestic service and HSPA/GSM for international roaming.
• AT&T says it will begin carrying Research In Motion's BlackBerry Curve 3G for $99.99 before the holiday season and is launching the BlackBerry Pearl 3G for $149.99 beginning Oct. 17. Both phones require a two-year service agreement and smartphone data plan.
• Polaris Wireless says the 3GPP has technically endorsed RF pattern matching technology for incorporation into its 3G UMTS specifications. The endorsement was made by the RAN Work Group 2 on UMTS during the recent 3GPP standards meeting in Madrid. Polaris Wireless provides software-based wireless location solutions to wireless operators, law enforcement, government agencies and location-based application companies.
• Alcatel-Lucent's ng Connect Program has announced that 11 new members have joined the initiative, bringing membership to 47 companies since the start of the program. The ng Connect Program is a multi-industry organization committed to the development and rapid deployment of the next generation of broadband services based on LTE and other ultra-high bandwidth.
• Media software and services company Marketron has acquired U.S. broadcast-based mobile advertising network mSnap. MSnap's technology is being delivered on Marketron's platform, providing clients with a mobile solution that includes audience engagement tools, mobile content and an advertising network. In addition to the acquired technology and network, mSnap's executive team and employees have been retained by Marketron to create a united workforce highly specialized in mobile advertising tailored to the broadcast media space. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
• Western Union and the State Bank of India (SBI), the largest commercial bank in India, have announced that SBI account holders will soon be able to receive cross-border money transfers in their bank accounts using their mobile phones through Western Union. The new mobile service will also provide SBI customers with an option to direct a Western Union Money Transfer into their accounts.