• Boost Mobile expanded its retail distribution into 2,400 additional RadioShack stores, bringing its total presence into more than 4,200 of the stores nationwide. Boost Mobile’s new $50 Monthly Unlimited plan will be available at RadioShack locations across the country beginning Feb. 16.

• In-Stat says it expects to see more infrastructure vendors pull back or leave the WiMAX market entirely. Still, the firm’s research found that WiMAX base station revenues grew by 137.9 percent in 2008.

• Handmark appointed Vincent Guinier to vice president and managing director of its EMEA team. He will play a key role in expanding the company’s London office and strengthening its position as a mobile content provider globally. Prior to Handmark, he held positions at UIQ Technology, m-systems, Intel and Texas Instruments.

• Skyworks Solutions announced that Samsung is leveraging its front-end modules (FEM) and power amplifiers (PA) in its GPRS, EDGE and UMTS handset models.

• About 80 percent of iPhone users use e-mail compared with 39 percent of non-iPhone callers, and 61 percent of iPhone users use backup and restore services compared with just 25 percent of non-iPhone users, according to a study commissioned by Mformation.

• In-building coverage solutions provider MobileAccess reports its 2008 revenues increased more than 55 percent. The company also unveiled its Encover product line, a new brand for its flagship Universal Wireless Network product line.

• MIR3 announced the strengthening of its international mobile messaging capabilities through a partnership with Sybase 365, a subsidiary of Sybase. MIR3 says that with the solution provided by Sybase 365, MIR3’s clients will have access to a stronger, two-way, international messaging platform that will enable users to correspond in the most effective way possible during both urgent and non-urgent situations.

• Netbiscuits is expanding its support of high-end mobile phones, integrating standard modules for location-based services and starting a new partner program. The enhancements will be unveiled at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona Feb. 16-19. Specifically, Netbiscuits will announce expanded support for the iPhone, Nokia Series 60, BlackBerry, Android devices and other high-end mobile phones. 

• Nokia Siemens Networks supplied the gear for Telefonica Spain’s 3G network expansion. With the implementation, featuring Nokia Siemens Networks’ Flexi Base Station, Telefónica expects to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 9,500 tones per year, which can be compared to getting 1,800 vehicles off the roads in Spain.

• Verizon Wireless and Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), a division of Universal Music Group, have teamed to provide V CAST Music customers with dozens of classic songs by iconic Motown artists throughout February. V CAST Music will highlight exclusive sets of Motown hits each week.