(H) Kyocera SoHo KX1 Trans. Pink faceplate

Microsoft near deal with Verizon for cellphone search (AFP)

AFP - Microsoft Corp. is close to a deal with Verizon Wireless to become the default search provider on the wireless carrier's cellphones, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

Nokia sees cellphone, gear market falling in 2009 (Reuters)

Reuters - Top handset maker Nokia Oyj said on Friday the world's mobile phone market would fall in the fourth quarter and next year as an economic slowdown crimps consumer demand around the world.

Vodafone's 1H profit falls; cost cuts boost shares (AP)

AP - Vodafone Group PLC, the world's biggest mobile phone company by sales, said Tuesday its net profit fell 35 percent during the first half of the financial year. But shares rallied as the company announced 1 billion pounds ($1.56 billion) in cost cuts and stuck to its full-year profit forecast despite the global economic downturn.

India rejigs spectrum fees for 2G and 3G services (Reuters)
Reuters - Foreign telecoms firms not currently operating in India but looking to enter the world's fastest-growing market as a third-generation (3G) services operator will have to pay more each year for spectrum.

Appeal threatens Telenor's Russian stake (AP)
AP - A Siberian appeal court is scheduled Tuesday to consider a ruling that could lead to the temporary seizure of Norwegian Telenor's ownership in Vimpelcom, Russia's second largest mobile phone company.

Vodafone net profit drops 35 percent, plans cost cuts (AFP)

AFP - British mobile phone giant Vodafone posted a 35-percent slump in first-half net profit on Tuesday and booked a hefty loss on the value of its Turkish business.

ARM, Adobe collaborate on mobile Web browsing (Reuters)
Reuters - Software maker Adobe Systems and chip designer ARM Holdings will collaborate to bring better Web services to ARM-powered devices including cellphones from most of the world's biggest handset makers.

China picks up 3G pace, Mobile completes gear deals (Reuters)
Reuters - China took another step toward its long-cherished goal of operating high-speed telecoms services, with China Mobile (0941.HK) dishing out over $4 billion of deals and smaller rival Unicom (0762.HK) hoping to win a 3G license soon.