The Week in Review

Welcome to our Friday feature, Week in Review. Every Friday, RCR Wireless News runs through the major events of the past week, outlining what happened and speculating on what to look for in the coming weeks, months and years. Check below for news about carriers, handset makers, content companies, infrastructure vendors and more.
Carriers
–Sprint Nextel stood firm behind its WiMAX plans reiterating its goal of launching trial networks in select markets by the end of the year. The carrier, which has suffered debilating operational troubles over the past year, said it would launch a limited service in Chicago and Washington, D.C./Baltimore within the next couple of weeks serving initially Sprint Nextel employees. The move is seen as important for the carrier as it tries to regain its position as a legitimate competitor to its larger rivals AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless.
Handsets
–Apple quietly lifted the two iPhone limit for its highly sought after device allowing consumer to purchase up to five devices at a time. The raised limit is not being publicized in Apple’s retail outlets, though customers looking to spend the dough can ask to purchase the additional devices.
Content
–Digital Chocolate jumped on the free gaming bandwagon announcing it would provide five games through mobile game distributor Greystripe. While a number of big-name publishers continue to eschew the free-game model, the numbers are dwindling.
Other
–More than a dozen small- and mid-sized wireless carriers signed onto a letter sent to key lawmakers questioning a proposal to cap the distribution of universal service funds. The carriers, including Alltel, U.S. Cellular and Centennial, said the proposal for a temporary cap could lead to a permanent cap and hurt their ability to provide service to rural customers.