The new Heavy Reading Insider, "SON: A Paradigm Shift in 4G Network Operations," identifies and analyzes the key issues driving the market for self-organizing network (SON) technology. In his companion Heavy Lifting blog post, "Can SON Relieve 4G Broadband Opex Pressures?," Heavy Reading Contributing Analyst Claus Hetting notes that the profitability of 4G may depend on the development of self-organizing network technology.

Also over at Heavy Reading, Senior Consultant Berge Ayvazian doubles up on the Malaysian telecom scene this week. His first Heavy Lifting blog post, "Malaysia's P1 Combining WiMax & LTE," looks at the reasons why P1 is adding LTE TDD to its existing WiMax network, while "Making the Case for LTE TDD in Malaysia" examines the business plans of Malaysia's four broadband wireless licensees regarding WiMax and/or LTE.

When you think mobile finance, you should be thinking about Asia-Pacific. With over 2 billion (with a B) potential users, to say this region represents a great opportunity for operators would be an understatement. Pyramid Research analyst Daniel Yu gives all the details in his new Asia-Pacific Telecom Insider, "Up to 2.3 Billion Mobile Finance Users in APAC by 2015."

Apparently the creators of Angry Birds aren't afraid of overexposure, because they're now partnering with fellow Finns Nokia on a version of the game that requires near-field communication to play it to the max. Pyramid Research analyst Stela Bokun dishes out the details in her new Pyramid Point, "Angry Birds Pig Out on NFC-Enabled Smartphones."

What happens when a country with the size and influence of Brazil gets broadband religion? If mobile broadband adoption continues to increase, the country stands a chance to provide broadband access to nearly three quarters of its population by 2014. For more on that and the upcoming Making Money on Mobile Broadband conference in Brazil in June, see Pyramid Research Director Sonia Jorge's new Pyramid Point, "Brazil Gets Serious about Broadband."

Meanwhile, according to Pyramid Research Analyst Sylwia Boguszewska, the Poles can't seem to get enough of the latest and greatest smartphones. Read more in her new Pyramid Point, "Poles Go on a Smartphone Diet."