ASUS to Unveil Next-Generation Eee PC with Intel and Sprint Nextel at CES

On Monday, ASUS will announce its next-generation Eee PC, in partnership with Intel Corporation and Sprint Nextel. The partnerships and announcement specify that the second major release of the mobile computing platform will incorporate Mobile WiMAX support. A special invite-only launch party is being hosted by the three vendors at the Riviera Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, where the 2008 International CES event is being held.

Will WiMAX Deliver on Its Royalty Promises? ABI Research Has Doubts

One of the major advantages claimed by the WiMAX community over their cellular cousins is that WiMAX will come with a far lower average royalty rate than either LTE or UMB. A favorite phrase among the WiMAX OEM community is that WiMAX has effectively “democratized” the 4G space. Although ABI Research applauds the move to a more widespread intellectual property holding in the 4G realm, it could be argued that this democratization of IP will result in more, not fewer, IP royalties.

As ABI Research director Stuart Carlaw points out, “The diversification of IP holdings in 4G technologies and especially WiMAX is something of a double-edged sword. On one hand, the number of companies with vested interests in the technologies’ success is far greater; on the other hand, the number of companies likely to succeed in any market is apt to be far smaller than the number of companies that hold IP. The only vehicle left for them to recoup R&D dollars is to look for revenue from licenses.”
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Digitalcube Introduces i-station U43 Portable Media Player with HSDPA

Digitalcube is introducing its new multimedia player ‘i-station U43′ with enhanced network capability in Korea market. The i-station U43 offers WLAN connectivity and runs WinCE 5.0 OS. In Korea, users have access to HSDPA network via SKT’s ‘T-Login’ service. It also supports several additional features for education use including dictionary, translation, and subtitle functionalities.

The company said that with enhanced network capability the U43 is expected to be used for stock trading service like the company’s previous model M43.

Source: AVING.net

A Poor Market Outlook for Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), says ABI Research

The prospects for widespread adoption of Qualcomm’s flagship 4G technology UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband) are dim, according to a new study from ABI Research. But Qualcomm’s intellectual property portfolio is strong in key enabling technologies for 4G, and the company faces no real threat to its long-term future even without successful UMB network rollouts.

The technology is expected to be commercially available by mid-2009, but, says senior analyst Nadine Manjaro, “No operator has yet announced plans to trial or deploy UMB. Several of the major CDMA operators in the two primary markets are migrating to other technologies. Vendors cannot move forward with development unless their customers commit to trial this technology. WiMAX and LTE have ecosystems in place that offer support. LTE, which is expected to be available around 2010, already has operator commitment from Vodafone and Verizon. WiMAX has implemented many trials, and has over fifty commercial deployments underway.”
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Raon Digital Announces Launch of EVERUN S60H WiBro/WiMAX UMPC

Raon Digital announced the launch of ‘EVERUN Wibro (model:S60H WiBro’ in Korea market. The EVERUN WiBro is a touched-up version of its previous model adding a WiBro wireless Internet module. The previous model used to connect a modem through the USB port, while this one has a built-in WiBro module.

The EVERUN WiBro has AMD LX900 processor and 60GB HDD. Suggested price is KRW799,000 (~USD845).

Source: AVING.net

Huawei Selected by Babilon-T for Tajikistan’s First Mobile WiMAX Network

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. announced that it has been selected by Babilon-T, the largest telecommunication operator in Tajikistan, to deploy the Central Asia’s first WiMAX commercial network.

Under the terms of agreement, Huawei will provide an end-to-end Mobile WiMAX network, including distributed Base Station, Wireless Access Service Node-Gateway, Network Management Equipment and Terminals.
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Global Mobile Raises $33.5 Million and Receives Chunghwa Telecom Investment

by Jeff Orr, Editor
Mobile Broadband News

The Dow Jones News Service is reporting that Taiwan WiMAX licensee Global Mobile said in a statement Wednesday it has raised NT$1.13 billion (US$33.5 million) for network deployment from nine new shareholders including Chunghwa Telecom.

Global Mobile was awarded one of six regional WiMAX licenses in an auction in late July. Its license covers Taiwan’s northern region. Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan’s largest phone company by revenue, took part in the auction but failed to win a license.
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Taiwan’s Kaohsiung Constructing WiMAX-enabled City for 2009 World Games

“Mobile Kaohsiung,” an efficient, wireless communication network under construction as part of the southern Taiwan port city’s ongoing urban development program in preparation for hosting the 2009 World Games, is expected to be completed by the end of next year, city officials told The China Post.

The program, aimed at building a WiMAX network covering the city to facilitate wireless data transmission, was formed in August 2006, with the Industrial Development Bureau under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Chunghwa Telecom Co. offering financial subsidies, according to the city officials.

Under the program, which is assessed to require NT$600 million (US$18.47 million) in construction costs, 25 base transceiver stations will be built in city districts surrounding the main venue for the World Games to turn the city into a barrier-free environment for data transmission, the officials said. Over 1,000 taxis and 300 police vehicles will also take part in enabling security throughout the event by having access to the Internet and carrying mobile camera devices.

Read the full article at: The China Post

Partner Israel Hooks Up with Ericsson for 3G Swap and Expansion

Partner Communications Company Ltd., an Israeli mobile communications operator, announced that the company has entered into an agreement Ericsson, for the replacement of third party 3G equipment existing in Partner’s network and the expansion thereof, and for the support and maintenance of the Ericsson elements in Partner’s network. As a result, Ericsson shall become the sole vendor of Partner’s 3G network.

The Agreement is expected to lead to higher operational and technological efficiency and to result in cost reduction. The replacement process shall take place during a period ending on June 30, 2011 but may be completed earlier.
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Mobile WiMAX Captures Every Movement of Korea’s President-Elect

by Jeff Orr, Editor
Mobile Broadband News

Korea’s Digital Chosun reports that South Korea’s WiBro service (Mobile WiMAX) enabled journalists to work faster using the technology during the recent Presidential election.

Koreans were able to follow Lee Myung-bak after his election by trailing Lee on motorcycles, videotaping his every move like paparazzi. They then quickly transmitted video footage to their editorial networks by simply connecting their cameras to laptop computers.
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Improve Spectrum Utilization Through Dynamic Spectrum Access, Says ABI Research

Dynamic Spectrum Access may offer mobile operators and regulators relief from a looming bandwidth squeeze.

IMT-2000 now includes WiMAX as well as traditional 2G and 3G mobile technologies. These will be joined by evolved variants of EDGE, UMTS, CDMA2000, and HSPA in the next few years, culminating in the deployment of all-IP “4G” mobile networks beginning in 2010. Meanwhile the Digital Dividend is set to free up spectrum in the 700 MHz bands for new applications including homeland security, mobile Internet, mobile TV, and terrestrial HDTV. The market will be allowed to decide in competitive auctions how to make best use of the spectrum, which will not be able to support all these new technologies and services unless a different approach is taken.
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Huawei’s WiMAX Exhibition Vehicle Takes India Dignitaries for a Ride

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. exhibited its mobile WiMAX end–to-end solution at the recently held India Telecom Event 2007.

Huawei’s WiMAX exhibition vehicle (live service demo) received around 300 visitors per day, and provided them with an opportunity to witness Huawei’s leading mobile WiMAX products, specially brought down from China. Hon’ble Union Minister for Communications & IT, Mr A Raja, Union minister of State for Communications and IT, Mr. Shakeel Ahmed, DG- TEC, CTO Airtel and senior executives from various corporate houses and System Integrators were amongst the dignitaries who visited the Huawei stall.
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Ericsson to Supply Nationwide GSM/WCDMA/HSPA Network to Entel PCS in Chile

Ericsson will be the sole supplier for a nationwide GSM/WCDMA/HSPA network expansion and upgrade by leading Chilean operator Entel PCS. The deal builds on earlier Ericsson-Entel contracts and will allow Entel subscribers to access high-speed mobile broadband throughout Chile. Under the three-year agreement, Ericsson will provide GSM/WCDMA/HSPA radio access and common core network equipment to expand and upgrade Entel PCS’s existing mobile network across Chile. Ericsson will also provide a wide range of professional services, including network design, deployment and systems integration.

Deliveries will begin in the first quarter of 2008. Ericsson’s solutions will enable the uptake of mobile broadband throughout Chile and set the stage for the introduction of a suite of innovative new services to Entel PCS clients. The move follows Ericsson’s deployment of Entel PCS’s WCDMA/HSPA network in Chile in December 2006, the first such network in Latin America.
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POSDATA and KT Strike a Deal to Deploy Mobile WiMAX Commercial Network

Mobile WiMAX, a next-generation telecommunications service currently being offered in the Seoul metropolitan area, will be expanded to Pohang, a thriving city of 500,000 people in the south of Korean peninsula.

POSDATA and KT have drawn up plans to establish a “Mobile WiMAX Town” in Pohang City, where the demand for Mobile WiMAX services is fairly high in all income classes due to a concentration of industrial, research, academic, and residential complexes. Both companies are planning to not only provide Internet access services but also develop a wide array of specialized Mobile WiMAX service models.
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ICO and Alcatel-Lucent to Demonstrate First Mobile TV Broadcast in North America Based on the DVB-SH Satellite/Terrestrial Standard

ICO Global Communications (Holdings) Limited (ICO) and Alcatel-Lucent will demonstrate North America’s first video broadcast based on the DVB-SH (Digital Video Broadcasting – Satellite services to Handhelds) mobile broadcasting standard at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next month in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This demonstration is a key milestone for ICO’s initiative to deploy a fully-integrated DVB-SH hybrid satellite/terrestrial network in North America. Alcatel-Lucent, as the end-to-end network integrator for the project, is supplying the system architecture, design and installation for the network.
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