Fixed and mobile broadband technology company Allot Communications says mobile data bandwidth usage increased by 68% during the first half of 2010. Video streaming consumed 35% of all mobile bandwidth, making it the largest-consuming application. Thanks in part to the continuing popularity of YouTube, it's also the single largest-growing application type, showing a 92% increase. YouTube alone accounted for 13% of mobile data bandwidth.

India's Supreme Court has set 25th October as the next hearing for Vodafone's tax appeal. Vodafone could owe the Indian government more than 120 billion rupees (around £1.7 billion) following a court ruling earlier this month, although the company insists nothing is due. The case centres on Vodafone's 2007 purchase of Hutchison's Indian business, which saw Netherlands-based Vodafone International acquiring a stake in Hong Kong-based Hutchison; the stake was owned by a company in the Cayman Islands. Mumbai's High Court says Capital Gains Tax is payable and should have been collected by Vodafone.

Three UK has launched 0.facebook.com, the 'lightweight' mobile version of the social networking site. The service was announced at Mobile World Congress this year and went live in May, although it wasn't supported by any UK networks. Now Three says it'll offer its customers free mobile browsing on the new 'Facebook Zero' site for at least the next 12 months.

International mobile phone service provider Lebara has launched 'pay monthly' SIM-only contracts in the UK. Charges start from £10 per month and include up to 2000 Lebara-to-Lebara call minutes and text messages, along with an allowance of UK or international calls. There's a minimum contract term of three months. Lebara is also offering up to 10MB of mobile internet access per day free until 1st November 2010 as part of a special launch offer.

Telecoms technology company Ericsson has expanded into the mobile advertising business. It's launched AdMarket, an open, global market for buying and selling targeted mobile advertising. Network operators and content publishers will be able to use AdMarket to deliver advertising on mobile websites and other digital properties, enabling consumers to receive targeted advertising on their mobile phones. AdMarket promises to be a 'one-stop-shop' that handles technology requirements, relationships and settlements for the entire mobile advertising ecosystem.