On the same day, Sienna Miller, an actress who thinks she was a victim of the paper's hyperactive newsgathering, won a court order making her mobile-phone company provide third-party data to help determine whether she is entitled to damages.

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And whether licensed or not, nearly all the grey market firms place orders with mobile phone component companies that work with major manufacturers as well, which keeps factories up and running especially as handset sales plummet amidst the economic downturn.

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Whether the choice of payment is by debit or credit card, gift card, check or mobile phone, online or at the checkout counter, First Data takes every opportunity to go beyond the transaction.

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We took an informal poll of associates who are professionals in the mobile phone sector to assess the the level of their relationship with their smartphone, whether Apple, Google Android or RIM Blackberry.

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Mobile-phone operators, meanwhile, analyse subscribers' calling patterns to determine, for example, whether most of their frequent contacts are on a rival network.

ECONOMIST: Technology