HTC is paying a $515,000 fine to settle an FCC investigation into whether its cell phones met hearing aid compatibility standards. The company came under FCC scrutiny in 2009 for failing to offer enough phones that worked with hearing aids. According to FCC documents, HTC brought all of its handsets into compliance with the regulations as of June 2012.

Sprint has become the only wireless operator to participate in the EPA‘s Sustainable Materials Management Electronics Challenge, a new national program where manufacturers and electronics retailers agree to send all of their used electronics for reuse or recycling. The EPA estimates 135 million cell phones are thrown out each year, generating 17,200 tons of electronic waste. LG Electronics has also joined the initiative.

AT&T executive John Donovan has joined the board of directors at network security company Palo Alto Networks. Donovan served as AT&T’s chief technology officer before taking his current position as senior executive vice president of technology and network operations. Before AT&T, he held positions at Verisign and inCode Telecom Group.

Parents are increasingly using smartphones and tablets to entertain their children, according to a new survey commissioned by Qualcomm. More than half of respondents were parents who said they used mobile devices to calm their children. Another half said they allowed their kids to use smartphones and tablets, and that the appropriate age for a child to own a smartphone is between 8-13. Just 5 percent of respondents said it appropriate for children under age 8 to own a smartphone. The survey was conducted by Ipsos, which polled 1,500 U.S. smartphone and tablet users between ages 18-50 through an online form.