In 2009, even a crystal ball would have a hard time predicting:

•  Most Internet traffic bypasses tier-one networks
•  Ciena beats Nokia Siemens in the auction for Nortel’s assets.
•  Infinera introduces new gear without its flagship chips inside.

More after the break, including the best from our readers: more

Nuance Communications (NASDAQ: NUAN) today inked a deal with Samsung Electronics to embed its on-device self-service software, Nuance Mobile Care, in select mobile phones. The relationship builds on one announced earlier this week to bring Nuance’s XT9 predicative text service to Samsung’s mobile phones. more

Whether you think they’re buzz-worthy or not, we’ll be happy if we never hear these industry favorites again:

•  Cloud and/or cloud computing
•  TV Everywhere
•  4G
•  Over-the-top
•  shovel-ready

More after the break… more

You can bet these companies have their fair share of regrets:

•  eBay’s acquisition of Skype, which didn’t include key technologies, resulting in a legal mess
•  Nokia Siemens Networks. Despite Synergies, losing market share

More after the break… more

Start-up Swype has made no secret that its goal is to take-over text input for all mobile phones, and it appears to be one step closer. The company, whose technology relies on quick tracing motions on touchscreen phones, today announced it has secured $5.6 million in series B funding, including from world’s largest handset maker Nokia (NYSE:NOK). more

The companies and individuals who bore the brunt of criticism in 2009 were:

•  Most unfair scapegoat: U.S. telcos as anti-net-neutrality invaders or privacy and unfair business practitioners
•  Google, which is destroying multiple industries so that they can be rebuilt for the digital age.

More after the break… more

Just a few weeks after Clearwire (NASDAQ:CLWR) finished its 2009 WiMax rollout, competing 4G technology long-term evolution (LTE) landed its first network – in Sweden. TeliaSonera launched in two cities – the first LTE launches ever – today, promising wireless download speeds of up to 100 megabits per second. The wireless operator used equipment from Ericsson and Huawei to roll out the service in Stockholm and Olso, respectively. more

This year will be most remembered as:

•  The year we all survived – well at least mostly.

• Everyone opened an app store. Applications continued the insane momentum they started last year, but this year, no one was satisfied with just an app. Every handset maker, carrier, operating system and third-party wanted to own the storefront to shop them.

• The year everyone focused on broadband stimulus and nobody got any.

Keep reading to see the rest of our responses, as well as the best from our readers… more

Prepaid wireless users are no longer relegated to out-of-date flip phones or the bricks that once symbolized the contract-free market. More and more sophisticated handsets are being introduced by carriers and being embraced by younger text- and Web-oriented wireless customers, according to New Millennium Research (NMRC). more

There was no shortage of events, trends, new products and services to remember in 2009 - even some that we’d like to forget. But as 2009 comes to a close, we’d like your opinions on the year past. What were the top technology trends? What was the most unexpected event or most game-changing product? We know our readers have opinions, and we’d like to hear them.

Connected Planet and Telephony Online readers, please take a moment to fill out our survey on the good, the bad and the ugly in telecom for 2009. The first 100 respondents will be entered in a drawing to win a $50 American Express gift certificate.

Take our short survey here: Best & Worst of 2009