Webwire: TLD overhaul starts; DoCoMo tops net add charts

ICANN starts web address overhaul

Companies can now apply for unique URL suffixes, after global web address administrator ICANN kicked off a major overhaul of the current set-up. Applicants must pay £120,000 ($180,000) and show they are capable of managing the new domain names.

The Telegraph

Japan's DoCoMo adds most users in Dec

NTT DoCoMo topped Japan's net subscriber addition charts in December for the first time in 21 months, with Softbank falling to second place, and KDDI dropping to third.

Mainichi Daily News

Foxconn resolves pay dispute at China plant

Manufacturer Foxconn has resolved a pay dispute with workers at a Chinese factory, with most protesting workers agreeing to return to work.

New York Times

FCC hones spectrum refarm plan

Julius Genachowski, chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), claims to have political backing to re-sell unused broadcasting spectrum for mobile data services. However, details of regulator FCC’s involvement in the sale have yet to be ironed out.

Reuters

Google beefs up China efforts

Google’s head man in Asia says the firm is hiring more engineering, sales and product management staff in China, as it attempts to re-enter the market.

Wall Street Journal

LG looking for mobile partnerships

LG Electronics is in talks with prospective allies over a mobile device partnership, as part of efforts to turn around the company's lossmaking mobile division, according to a company executive.

Reuters

Sony to launch music streaming app for iOS

Sony has announced plans to bring music streaming service Music Unlimited to iPhones and iPads this quarter.

VentureBeat

Swedish file share group gets religion status

Sweden has granted religion status to the Church of Kopimism, a group that encourages internet-based file sharing and holds that copying can never be stealing.

Reuters