More wireless news from across the Web:
Cricket Expands Calling Plans to Central, South America http://t.co/LOjlKBOB0E via @phonescoop
— FierceWireless (@FierceWireless) August 24, 2015
> Cavendish Kinetics, a Silicon Valley radio chipset design company, has raised $36 million to make chips that it said will help it solve key radio performance bottlenecks in future LTE devices. Release
> Sprint expanded its Direct 2 You service to the metropolitan areas of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Orlando, Phoenix, St. Louis, San Antonio and Seattle. Release
> The Chinese government appointed new chairmen for the country's three large state-owned telecom operators. Post
> More 700 MHz A block signals for T-Mobile US were spotted in Florida, Michigan and New York. TMoNews article
> Apple said "a small percentage" of iPhone 6 Plus models have a faulty component that makes images blurry and that the company will replace the iSight camera on the back of those phones at no charge. Post
> Business-focused T-Mobile MVNO Harbor Mobile switched to using AT&T's network. Prepaid Reviews article
> Google is expected to start rolling out its new mobile payment service, called Android Pay, in the United States later this week. Daily Telegraph article
> The camera on the next iPhone will reportedly have a bigger sensor that can take in more light and a lens that's designed to work with that improved sensor. Business Insider article Meanwhile, pre-orders for the iPhone 6S are reportedly going to start on Sept. 11 in France. Business Insider article
> South Korea's Fair Trade Commission has approved Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia under conditions that put a number of restrictions on Microsoft's use of patents against local companies. ZDNet article
> Swatch plans to add to its new smart watch range, the Swiss watchmaker's chief executive told a newspaper in an interview published on Saturday. Reuters article
> Netflix struck a deal with SoftBank for the Japan launch of its video-streaming service on Sept. 2. Wall Street Journal article
> Apple has hired a senior engineer from electric car maker Tesla, according to a LinkedIn posting. Reuters article
Wireless Tech News
> With backing from companies like AT&T, the GSMA has launched an initiative to accelerate the rollout of cellular networks customized for machine-to-machine communications. Article
> Gimbal is going truly mobile with its beacons. That is, by putting beacons on moving assets, such as on the sides of buses and on Segways and jet packs, it's going about as mobile as you can get. Article
European Wireless News
> Vodafone Ireland is investing €7 million ($8 million) in the development of new data-center services for enterprise and public sector customers, according to a report in the Irish Times. Article
> It is still early days for the Internet of Things in the Middle East and Africa, but IDC noted that the retail sector is already showing strong signs of adoption. Article
Cable News
> Dish Network continues to grapple with technical challenges as it tries to live-stream popular programming events through its Sling TV service. Article
> CableLabs said it has successfully completed four equipment interoperability events (interops) related to DOCSIS 3.1 and is now open to product certification submissions for the technology. Article
Telecom News
> BT Americas President Bas Burger says that AT&T and Verizon, the two largest U.S. telcos, are price gouging competitors that purchase special access services. Article
> Windstream is reportedly looking to put up for sale its data center business, Windstream Hosted Solutions. Article
And finally… Sony plans to offer commercial drone services targeting the construction, logistics and agriculture industries starting in the first half of next year. Article