Bloomberg: NEC Says Sales to Carriers Will Rise 43% on Faster Gear Demand
July 30, 2008
By Pavel Alpeyev and Mikako Nakajima
NEC Corp., Japan’s largest personal-computer maker, forecast sales of equipment and software services to carriers will increase 43 percent in three years as telecommunications companies upgrade their networks.
Revenue in the business will rise to 1 trillion yen ($9.3 billion) in the year ending March 2011, from 700 billion last fiscal year, Nobuhiro Endo, NEC’s associate senior vice president in charge of the mobile-network operations unit, said in a Bloomberg Television interview broadcast today. The operations accounted for 15 percent of the company’s sales last fiscal year.
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ZTE picks Telegent for Free-to-Air Mobile TV handset chips
July 30, 2008
Telegent Systems announced that it has been selected by SHENZHEN ZTE MOBILE TELECOM CO. LTD. to provide its free-to-air mobile TV solution for selected ZTE mobile handsets sold worldwide. Under the agreement, Telegent will be the exclusive supplier for the free-to-air mobile TV feature for a period of two years.
“Operators worldwide view free-to-air mobile TV as a way to differentiate their service offerings and attract and retain subscribers,” said GSM department head of ZTE MOBILE TELECOM Corporation. “We selected Telegent to power the mobile TV feature in ZTE’s handsets because of Telegent’s proven performance in the global marketplace.”
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Alcatel-Lucent and Airvana to develop an integrated IMS-femtocell solution for CDMA/EV-DO network operators
July 30, 2008
Airvana, Inc. and Alcatel-Lucent announced that the two companies will develop an integrated solution – incorporating IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and CDMA/EV-DO femtocell technology — to support more effective delivery of mobile voice and multimedia services inside homes and offices. This initiative will ensure that CDMA/EV-DO network operators are able to make use of femtocells to improve the in-building wireless experience for their subscribers, while ensuring that these new network elements work seamlessly with the broader mobile network.
Femtocells are small – about the size of a book – cellular access points that use a subscriber’s existing broadband connection to provide enhanced voice, video and data services, especially in the home, using existing mobile devices. Femtocells help operators meet the growing demand for mobile voice and data services by cost-effectively increasing network coverage and capacity, particularly in difficult-to-serve indoor environments.
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2.1 billion mobile broadband customers by 2015, says Analysys Mason
July 30, 2008
Wireless broadband services will create significant opportunities for revenue growth, and cellular technologies will take the largest share, according to a report from Analysys Mason.
Globally, 2.1 billion wireless broadband customers will generate USD784 billion in service revenue by 2015. This revenue increase of about 2400% will be underpinned by continued developments in wireless technologies, improvements in devices and more flexible pricing options.
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W3C Standards Make Mobile Web Experience More Inviting
July 29, 2008
W3C today announced new standards that will make it easier for people to browse the Web on mobile devices. Mobile Web Best Practices 1.0, published as a W3C Recommendation, condenses the experience of many mobile Web stakeholders into practical advice on creating mobile-friendly content.
“Mobile Web content developers now have stable guidelines and maturing tools to help them create a better mobile Web experience,” said Dominique Hazaël-Massieux, W3C Mobile Web Activity Lead. “In support of the W3C mission of building One Web, we want to support the developer community by providing tools to enable a great mobile Web user experience.”
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Samsung’s Q1 Ultra UMPCs Now Available with HSDPA and Vista Business
July 28, 2008
Samsung Electronics America announced today the availability of two new ultra mobile personal computers (UMPC). The Q1U-CMXP, a Q1 ultra mobile model with integrated HSDPA 3G cellular modem and the Q1UP-V, a Q1 Ultra Premium featuring Vista Business, join Samsung’s current line of UMPC’s. The new models are available nationwide at a suggested list price of $1,499 for the Q1U-CMXP and $1,449 for the Q1UP-V.
The Q1U-CMXP connects with integrated 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, 10/100 BaseTX, and an integrated HSDPA 3G cellular modem supporting the AT&T Broadband Connect network. In addition, the model boasts the same specifications as the industry standard Q1 Ultra XP model launched in May of 2007.
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Ericsson’s HyC And Telecinco Launch Formula One Live Via Mobile TV In Spain
July 28, 2008
Spanish fans of Formula One can watch this season’s races live on their handsets thanks to HyC - part of the Ericsson group - in partnership with Boomerang TV and Spanish broadcast network Telecinco. The mobile TV service was launched in May. Under the terms of the agreement, Ericsson’s HyC supplies an end-to-end, scalable service including encoding, editing and transmission, which enables Boomerang TV and Telecinco to stream the Formula One races to mobile subscribers via live or scheduled repeat broadcast. HyC also provides related systems integration services.
Live streaming to the consumer is a key aspect of the agreement. Viewers can enjoy personalized coverage and choose between live streaming and downloading selected moments of the races which are recorded, archived, managed and published automatically in real time as part of the service.
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Latin American on Mobility: Productivity + Personal Balance
July 24, 2008
With a 52% service revenue share in the telecommunications market, far exceeding that of fixed telephony (35%), mobile telephony services, including voice and data, are the industry’s top performer in Latin America, and show the regional users’ need to be continually connected. These conclusions were addressed by IDC Latin America Telecom Director Romina Adduci during the conference hosted by Nokia in Buenos Aires.
This mobile services growth is being mainly supported by access to personal and professional communication resources, ranging from email solutions, messaging and Internet navigation to more complex, business-related applications, including CRM, ERP, Workforce Automation, etc., which are supported by the corporate intranet in the mobile environment.
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Nokia and Qualcomm agree to settle all litigation and form new agreement
July 23, 2008
Nokia and Qualcomm today announced that they have entered into a new agreement covering various standards including GSM, EDGE, CDMA, WCDMA, HSDPA, OFDM, WiMAX, LTE and other technologies. The agreement will result in settlement of all litigation between the companies, including the withdrawal by Nokia of its complaint to the European Commission.
Under the terms of the new 15-year agreement, Nokia has been granted a license under all Qualcomm’s patents for use in Nokia mobile devices and Nokia Siemens Networks infrastructure equipment. Further, Nokia has agreed not to use any of its patents directly against Qualcomm, enabling Qualcomm to integrate Nokia’s technology into Qualcomm’s chipsets. The financial structure of the settlement includes an up-front payment and on-going royalties payable to Qualcomm. Nokia has agreed to assign ownership of a number of patents to Qualcomm, including patents declared as essential to WCDMA, GSM and OFDMA. The specific terms are confidential.
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Mercury unveils WiMAX car navigation system for Korea
July 22, 2008
Mercury has presented its high-end built-in car navigation system ‘MD5000′ supporting mobile broadband Internet service. By adopting KT WiBro device, it delivers faster speed than HSDPA even while moving at a speed of up to 120 km/h.
Equipped with Monahan 624 MHz processor, LG’s DMB chipset and PIP chipset independently, the MD5000 features ‘Mappy United’ map software, POP (picture out picture), PIP (picture in picture), NIP (navigation in picture) and drag & drop functions. It also provides trip display dedicated respectively to QUUS, OPIRUS, SM5/7, WINSTORM, TOSCA, and more.
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China’s Mobile TV Compound Growth Forecasted to Reach 225.5% During 2008-2012
July 22, 2008
CCID Consulting recently released its article on compound growth rate of the output in China’s broadcasting mobile TV will reach 225.5% during the period of 2008-2012.
With the drive of export and domestic demands, China’s mobile phone output continues to grow in 2007, reaches 554 million sets, with a growth rate of 25.4%. The volume of export is 322 million sets, which accounts for 58.2%. Currently, China’s global mobile phone manufacturing base is quite steady. Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and Sony Ericsson have transferred their capacities to China; because of this factor, the export volume of China’s mobile phone increases 26.2%. Meanwhile, China’s domestic mobile phone enterprises’ capacity increases are evident, especially ZTE, Huawei and K-Touch.
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Internet on-train provider Icomera to acquire Moovera Networks
July 22, 2008
Icomera AB has agreed to acquire UK-based Moovera Networks. As a result of the merger Icomera AB will become the foremost provider of in-vehicle, industrial-grade Internet access technology – encompassing trains, buses, coaches, trucks and ferries – with a global customer base including many of the world’s largest transport operators.
“The market for Internet connectivity on public transport is developing at a very rapid pace,” said Ola Sjölin, Chief Executive Officer at Icomera. “Whether for Wi-Fi hotspots, CCTV monitoring, vehicle tracking or streaming entertainment, real-time connections to buses and trains are increasingly in demand. Moovera has acquired a strong reputation in the industry as a developer of innovative yet price competitive technology and has established an impressive customer base that in many instances overlaps with our own. It was a natural progression for Icomera and Moovera to combine forces to offer a complete range of solutions from low-cost bus products to high-end systems certified for the railway industry. Moving forward we will continue to build on Icomera’s position as the dominant force in on-board vehicle communications.”
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Aircell Selects LTE as Next-Gen Protocol for Inflight Connectivity
July 20, 2008
Aircell announced its intention to base its next-generation mobile broadband network on Long Term Evolution (LTE). Having pioneered the first commercial Inflight Internet service in North America, Aircell plans to deploy LTE to enable the next generation ultra-high bandwidth mobile services such as high-definition and interactive TV and multi-player immersive gaming that passengers will come to expect. As Aircell migrates toward full LTE deployment, planned network and technology developments will enable Aircell to serve North American airlines with state-of-the-art mobile broadband technology.
Aircell’s LTE announcement expands on the company’s vision and leadership in the airborne communications market. With a 16-year history in airborne communications, Aircell’s continuing innovation and leadership were confirmed recently by the company’s demonstration of the first and only air-to-ground mobile broadband Inflight Internet solution for commercial airlines, Gogo. Gogo turns a commercial airplane into a Wi-Fi hotspot, providing full Internet access - including Web, personal IM and email accounts and VPN access to corporate email and systems - to passengers with Wi-Fi enabled personal devices such as laptops, smartphones and PDAs.
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Wi-Fi Hotspots Stay Hot in 2008
July 20, 2008
Wi-Fi hotspots are continuing their torrid growth in 2008. According to ABI Research’s WI-Fi Hotspots Forecasts, by the end of this year global hotspots will grow by 40% over 2007. The greatest growth and the largest number of hotspots continue to be found in Europe. While the UK has long led in European Wi-Fi hotspots, there is also marked growth in France, Germany, and Russia.
Most remarkable about the hotspot market, says vice president and research director Stan Schatt, are the dynamics of a fast-changing business model.
“Starbucks’ decision to go to a virtually free Wi-Fi hotspot model is having a profound impact. Hotspot owners are beginning to see Wi-Fi as a cost of doing business and an operational expense, rather than as a profit center.” Schatt expects major retailers to move towards a free service model in phases.
“The first phase is likely to be a free or almost free service for good customers, those who have signed up for loyalty cards.”
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Ericsson expands Softbank Japan’s HSPA network
July 20, 2008
Ericsson has signed a frame agreement with Japanese operator, Softbank Mobile, to expand and upgrade its HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) network to increase capacity and enable even faster mobile broadband. With this contract, Ericsson will expand its business with Softbank by providing enhanced HSPA on new and existing base stations in the high traffic areas of Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.
The deal also includes an extension of the Ericsson circuit and packet switched networks, a field maintenance service and a full turnkey service for the rollout of new base stations.
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