Beige Plaid faceplate for Kyocera Phantom KE/KX 413/414

Irish the heaviest users of mobile phones: Ofcom (Reuters)
Reuters - Residents in the Republic of Ireland spent the most time on their mobile phones and sent the most text messages per head in the world in 2007, according to a report which examines changes in the communications industry.

Wall Street sells off as consumers snap wallets shut (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. stocks fell on Friday after a record drop in retail sales last month heightened fears that American consumers' reluctance to spend will push the economy into an even deeper downturn than currently expected.

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.

Japan's DoCoMo eyes 'Google phone' launch next year (AFP)

AFP - Japan's top carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc. aims to launch next year a cellphone developed with Internet search giant Google, an official said Wednesday, a move that could counter Apple's iconic iPhone.

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.

Apple's iPhone 3G Now Most Popular Mobile Phone (NewsFactor)
NewsFactor - Apple's iPhone 3G can add another trophy to its crowded shelf. On Monday, The NPD Group reported that the popular smartphone surpassed the Motorola RAZR in the third quarter as "the leading handset purchased by adult consumers in the U.S."

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.