Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks Enter Into Patent License Agreement With Huawei

Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks announced today a patent license agreement with Huawei and its affiliates for standards essential patents. The comprehensive agreement covers the worldwide use of all standards essential patents of all parties, including GSM, WCDMA, CDMA2000, optical networking, data communications and WiMAX in mobile devices, infrastructure and services.

“We are very pleased to have entered into this agreement with Huawei” said Ilkka Rahnasto, Vice President, Intellectual Property Rights, Nokia. “Huawei is the thirty-fifth company to license Nokia patents related to cellular standards and this agreement demonstrates how companies can license intellectual property in a way that encourages industry innovation and fosters a healthy IPR environment.”
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CE Vendors Offering Internet Connectivity Must Get the Usage Model Right

The trend towards cramming ever more functions into mobile phones is forcing consumer electronics vendors to explore new capabilities in their devices in order to stay relevant to consumers in a “connected age.” Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) combining specialized functions (camera, media player, navigation etc.) with wireless Internet access seem likely to succeed and consumers increasingly expect their electronics to connect to the Internet. But makers of these products have only a window in which to build devices and business models that users will adopt.

“CE manufacturers try to stay relevant in the face of phones that perform multiple functions ‘well enough’,” says ABI Research director Kevin Burden. “Mobile Internet Devices promise to deliver that relevance, but consumers aren’t clamoring for these new devices yet. That means CE vendors must get the user experience and the economic model right from the start. If consumers are not hooked by a compelling experience right away, they’ll stick with what they’ve got.”
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Non-Handset mobile Internet devices to reach $90 billion in operator revenues by 2013

The mobile phone is by far the most common device used to connect to mobile networks. However, the number of non-handset mobile devices is set to grow dramatically. These category of products, termed ‘Mobile Internet Peripherals and Devices’ encompass products such as data cards, laptops, ultra-mobile PCs, game consoles, eBooks, digital signs, ATMs and host of other M2M applications. Sitting within all these devices is a wireless data module providing a connection to a wide-area network. ARCchart forecasts that unit shipment of these mobile data modules will grow from a base of 10 million in 2007 to 370 million units by 2013, representing a market value of $11 billion.

There are several factors driving the proliferation of these devices. “In their pursuit of higher ARPU, network operators have become a key driving force.” says Kaustubha Parkhi, ARCchart Senior Analyst, “Their willingness to subsidise the cost of devices such as data cards, laptops and UMPC is making them affordable to a wider base of consumers.” ARCchart estimates that the service revenue generated by operators from these products will hit $93 billion worldwide by 2013.
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LG Electronics picks Ericsson for HSPA modules

by Jeff Orr, Editor
Mobile Broadband News

Ericsson announced today that it has been selected by LG Electronics to provide mobile broadband modules based on high speed packet access (HSPA). LG Electronics notebooks and netbooks will include the modules starting in Q3 2008.

Ericsson developed its own HSPA chipset technology, based on a collection of mobile telephony protocols that extend and improve the performance of existing UMTS protocols. Two standards, HSDPA and HSUPA, have been established by ETSI and a further standard, HSPA+, is soon to be released.
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Sprint announces XOHM WiMAX Broadband Service in Baltimore Maryland

A next-generation 4G wireless network based on mobile WiMAX technology debuted today in Baltimore, Maryland as Sprint officially launched XOHM mobile broadband commercial service in the first U.S. city.

“This is truly an historic day with the birth of a completely new Internet-based business model that alters the dynamics of the traditional telecom industry,”

explained Barry West, president of Sprint’s XOHM business unit. “Wireless consumers will experience WiMAX device and XOHM service innovation on multiple levels as the computer, Internet, telecom and consumer electronics industries converge to redefine wireless mobility.”
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Mobile Broadband News Podcast: Episode 12

Mobile Broadband News Podcast: Episode 12 for 28 September 2008 is now available.

The MBN Podcast is an audio recap of top stories in the mobile broadband industry. Click on the link above to download the MP3 file, or add Mobile Broadband News to your iTunes Podcast list.

Alcatel-Lucent announced a location-based services platform that provides messaging rules based on geofencing. What is geofencing and what does it offer mobile users?

Podcast Alley

Alcatel-Lucent launches location-driven services platform and mobile social network

be Jeff Orr, Editor
Mobile Broadband News

Alcatel-Lucent announced a location-driven services platform called the Geographic Messaging Services Platform (GMSP). The platform supports targeted mobile content messages, push advertising and social networking services through use of a “geofencing” engine.

Geofencing is the concept of establishing a virtual “fence” around a particular location or individual. When a mobile phone user crosses a given “fence,” it triggers the delivery of an SMS text message or multimedia message that is relevant to that individual and that location, such as a promotion for a particular store, or the presence of a friend or colleague in the area.
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