Virgin Mobile USA makes 3G leap with launch of the EV-DO-enabled Shuttle along with its first Mobile Web data packs.

Networks resists Nokia's new Comes With Music service; Nokia says: "If we are treading on people's toes now, BlackBerry have been doing it for 10 years."

Carphone Warehouse is first to stock the 8GB version of the white iPhone, ahead of O2 and Apple itself - although Apple has stocked 16GB version for some weeks

Virgin Mobile's acquisition of Helio offers improved network rates from Sprint for Virgin Mobile USA.

Sony Ericsson is poised to launch its own music store in the coming months, but it won’t take the confrontational approach with operators adopted by Nokia.

Sony Ericsson has spent a large part of this year coveting music labels and operators for the service, which will launch under its PlayNow brand.

The company will soon announce a range of phones that the new PlayNow service will be available on, and has been striking revenue share deals with operators.

50 new stores, 200 new retail jobs and significant investment

Vodafone has announced a multi-million pound investment plan to open 50 new stores, creating 200 new jobs in retail by spring 2009.
The new stores, which will take the numbers of stores to more than 400, will appear in high streets and shopping centres from September, starting with Bristol Cabot Circus and White City London, and Liverpool in October.
The announcement brings the number of new retail vacancies in Vodafone to 500 this year, after the network announced in March it had created an extra 300 vacancies to help improve customer service levels in store.  

Virgin Mobile USA's net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 was $3.5 million, compared to net income of $7.1 million for the second quarter of 2007.

Synergy Research Group reports smartphones represented 12.2 percent of total handsets shipped in the US during the first half of 2008 and the iPhone continues breaking records retaining second place behind RIM's BlackBerry for the second quarter of the year.