The Federal Communications Commission and T-Mobile USA have signed a consent decree regarding the company’s use of outside contractors for telemarketing, to improve its compliance with the national Do Not Call list.

A couple of months ago I let you know about SkyGuard, a nationwide vehicle tracking service offered by MCI’s SkyTel division, which lets parents of teenagers track where they go when they’re driving. Now a new company has entered the market, offering vehicle tracking and notification services to parents.

Five of the nation’s largest wireless carriers have filed a lawsuit against the state of Kentucky over a wireless phone tax set to go into effect January 1, 2006. The new 1.3% tax on wireless phone revenue was passed last March, and prohibits wireless carriers from disclosing the existence of the tax on customer invoices.

SBC announced Monday that its merger with AT&T has completed and it will henceforth use the AT&T name. It also unveiled the new corporate logo for the merged company.

With VoIP telephone service growing in popularity, many people are finding that — once connected — the service is cheaper and more convenient than their old landline telephone. However, there are pitfalls, as one Portland, Ore., area businessman learned.

Qwest has been much quieter than Verizon about its plans for building fiber-optic plant to replace the copper wires which now provide telephone and Internet service to consumers. But this week we have learned that Qwest will build out the service, and begin offering television service, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

On Wednesday, a University of Wyoming student suffered minor burns when her LG VX6000 wireless phone battery exploded, sending flames 18 inches high.

The California Public Utilities Commission on Friday approved the mergers of SBC with AT&T and Verizon with MCI, with few conditions placed on the mergers.

MCI announced Monday that it would be offering free phone calls and Internet access during the holiday season to troops stationed in Iraq.

Remember when directory assistance used to be free? In the 1990s, telephone companies began charging for this service, and now many companies charge over $1.00 per call, with some customers paying as high as $1.75 per call for directory assistance. Now a Bay Area company is reintroducing free directory assistance.