SGP Technologies SA, the Switzerland-based joint venture of Silent Circle and Geeksphone behind Blackphone, today announced that Blackphone handsets have started shipping to the device’s first pre-order customers. Blackphone is built from the ground up for user privacy. Blackphone’s security-enhanced operating system, PrivatOS, built on Android KitKat, provides users protection and control over security issues.

Verizon Wireless has deployed XLTE in Jacksonville, Panama City and Naples to further increase the capacity of the company’s 4G LTE network and enhance services throughout Florida. Today, more than 300 of the 500+ markets where Verizon offers 4G LTE have XLTE, with more markets scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014.

Jibe Mobile, a communications cloud company, today announced that Deutsche Telekom‘s regional operating companies in Romania and Slovakia, COSMOTE Romania and Slovak Telekom, rolled out their joyn services developed by Jibe Mobile and delivered over the Jibe IP Communication Cloud. joyn powered by COSMOTE and joyn by Telekom, provided by Jibe Mobile, let customers use a single application to connect via video call, text, instant messaging, group messaging, as well as share photos and videos — on their iPhone and Android smartphones.

Today the Wi-SUN Alliance announced the appointment of TELEC (Telecom Engineering Center, Tokyo, Japan) as an Authorized Test Laboratory. TELEC will provide test and certification services in Japan for Wi-SUN PHY and Wi-SUN Profile for ECHONET Lite standards. Along with TUV Rheinland, the addition of TELEC brings two Authorized Test Laboratories to the Wi-SUN Alliance. Wi-SUN Alliance members include international companies helping to build Smart Utility Network infrastructure on five continents. The growth of Smart Grid markets in Australia, Europe, North and South America and the Asian region, is driving the need for verification and certification of standards.