• Royal KPN has extended its buyout offer for iBasis to Oct. 23 in an effort to counter legal measures iBasis has taken to stop the acquisition. KPN’s original tender offer expires tonight at midnight. iBasis claims less than .25 percent of it’s shares were tendered into the offer, bolstering its previous arguments that its shareholders believe KPN’s buyout offer for the wholesale international voice carrier was “grossly inadequate.”
• SkyTerra subsidiary SkyTerra Safety Access and Level 3 Communications have filed separate requests for stimulus funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. SkyTerra filed under the NTIA’s Sustainable Adoption Program with the intention of increasing broadband adoption by the public safety community. Level 3 Communications’ application requested $15 million in grant funding and an additional $5 million in Level 3 matching funds to create access points or “middle mile” connections to the Level 3 network in more than 50 rural markets in six states.
• The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has replied to the NTIA’s request for comment about the Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act. Saying that the country faces a “spectrum crisis” for wireless broadband, the CEA recommended reforming federal spectrum usage and placing the responsibility of spectrum allocation under one agency. CEA also supports pending legislation (H.R. 3125 and S. 649) that would require an inventory and assessment of the nation’s radio spectrum.
• Elektrobit Corporation has joined the Symbian Foundation. The embedded wireless technology company also will have a seat on the Foundation’s Release Council, which works to integrate contributions to the Symbian source code into platform and tools releases.
• Southwest Airlines is moving forward with Row 44 to advance its plans to roll out satellite-enabled Wi-Fi in next year’s first quarter. The airline has been testing a variety of price points for the service and will continue testing price points through the end of 2009.
• Verizon Wireless has made its V Cast mobile video service available for the BlackBerry Storm. The service currently features more than 100 full-length programs from broadcast and cable networks. V Cast also broadcasts live sporting events, including NHL hockey and an upcoming slate of college football games.
• Mainland China smartphone supplier Yulong has released the Coolpad N900 with the hope of protecting its market from the upcoming China release of Apple’s iPhone. The dual-mode CDMA2000/GSM handset features a user interface reminiscent of the iPod Touch and has applications geared specifically toward Chinese consumers.
• U.S. Cellular parent company TDS has appointed Jane W. McCahon as vice president of corporate relations. McCahon will replace Mark Steinkrauss, who is retiring later this year. TDS also declared a third-quarter 2009 dividend of $.1075 per share.
• Prepaid carrier Page Plus Cellular has launched a $19.95 unlimited text messaging plan. The plan must be bundled with Page Plus’ Standard voice plan and only applies to domestic text messages.
• EA Mobile, a division of Electronic Arts (EA), announced eight new titles available on BlackBerry App World, including Bejeweled, Need for Speed Undercover, RISK, SCRABBLE (in the U.S. and Canada only), Tetris, Tetris Mania, The Sims 3 and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR.