IN BRIEF (Page 16)

Telecom battle

T-Mobile USA Inc, the fourth-largest US wireless carrier, will offer its home-phone service nationwide, stepping up competition with AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc.

Customers connect their home phones to a device costing $49.99 that routes calls over the Internet. The service, available July 2, costs $10 a month for unlimited national calls and requires customers to sign a two-year contract, T-Mobile said in a statement.