Can I shorten the network name in my status-bar so I have room for more icons?
Yes you can root your phone then cook up your own ROM. The easiest way to cook up your own ROM is to use one of the online Kitchens such as UOTKitchen (http://uot.dakra.lt/kitchen/) or RomKitchen (http://romkitchen.org/). Then when choosing the status bar, edit it to suite your needs.