The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation into Vodafone, Telefónica and Everything Everywhere’s plans to create a UK-based mobile commerce joint venture.

The scheme, which was announced in June last year and has been nicknamed ‘Project Oscar, will now be investigated to see whether it would reduce effective competition in the European Economic Area. A decision will be made by the end of August.

Online mobile payment business BOKU has announced $35 million in new funding. Telefónica Digital, New Enterprise Associates and a number of other venture capital businesses will be joining previous investors.

BOKU says the money will be used to expand its team, broaden its infrastructure and continue its global expansion.

Mark Bridge writes:

It’s all gone a bit quiet. Is it the calm after the Mobile World Congress storm... or is it the knowledge that an Apple announcement will push anything else out of the headlines, even before the product itself has been revealed?

Either way, the last seven days have had significantly fewer news stories than the beginning of the month. But that’s not to say they’ve been completely news-free.

Wayra, Telefónica’s technology investment scheme, has opened for business in the UK. Launched a year ago in Latin America and Spain, Wayra - which means ‘wind’ in the central Andean language of Quechua - was created to find and nurture the best technology ideas and talent worldwide.

It’s offering UK entrepreneurs an investment of up to €50,000, access to technology expertise within Telefonica & O2 and use of a new state-of-the-art workspace in London.

Mark Bridge writes:

Mobile World Congress is over for another year. Also gone is the mobile industry’s sudden obsession with public transport and student protests in Barcelona. But away from the local news, what’s been going on?