Operators

Nigeria's largest mobile operator MTN is to spend as much as US$1.6 billion this year to boost capacity and quality on its mobile network.

Vodafone chief executive Vittorio Colao has hinted at closer ties between his company, China Mobile and Verizon Wireless, two operators in which the UK-based group has minority stakes.

Mobile advertising agency MADS says that it has won contracts from Vodafone Netherlands and Vodafone Greece to integrate mobile adverts within their Vodafone live! Portals, according to Cellular News.

Cellular News reports that China Unicom has launched a mobile phone-based payment service - 'Cqpass' -  in the city of Chongqing which enables users to use their phone to pay for transport tickets and at various retailers.

Vodafone has signed what it calls a "Partner Market agreement" with the UAE-based fixed-line and second-largest mobile operator, du.

Verizon Wireless - now the largest US mobile operator following its recent acquisition of Alltel Wireless - used its Q4 results announcement yesterday to stress that its LTE plans remain on track, despite concern over availability of its allotted spectrum for the technology.

A Phones Review report claims that Verizon Wireless is announcing 1 million BlackBerry Storm smartphones have been sold since launch on 21 November last year.