Vodafone UK has set up a commission-free text donation number for customers wishing to donate to the Red Cross New Zealand earthquake appeal.

UK Vodafone customers can make a £5 donation to the Red Cross by texting NZQUAKE to 70801. The donation will be taken from the customer's 'pay as you talk' credit or added to their 'pay monthly' bill.

A new report from telecoms analyst Ovum says mobile operators are in danger of underestimating the threat that Facebook poses.

Mobile Social Networking: change driver & key players states that operators tend to view Facebook as a non-competitive presence to partner with. However, it suggests that Facebook’s ambitions spread much wider than simply being a social network.

Burnside Telecom, a UK-based company that produces GSM-enabled 'desk phones' for homes and offices, has announced an agreement with GAI-Tronics to create a range of rugged telephones and mobile-enabled terminals for indoor and outdoor use.

The first set of products will include mobile-equipped versions of GAI–Tronics existing products, including weather-resistant phones and hands-free help points.

It's reported that the US Federal Trade Commission will investigate the way in-application charges are sold and applied by app stores.

It follows recent complaints that 'virtual currency' is too easy to buy, particularly when children are using mobile devices.

Orange customers in the UK will soon be able to pay for content purchased on their Window Phone devices by adding the charge to their mobile phone account. It means they won't need to give their bank information when opening a Microsoft account to buy music, games or apps.

The news comes a week after Research In Motion and Telefonica announced they were working together to introduce integrated carrier billing to BlackBerry App World.