Articles on Telecommunications, with emphasis on Emerging Wireless Technologies

Mobile Apps Summit 2012

7 April 2012, 6:43 am

Mobile Apps Summit 2012 “An Era of Mobile Killer Apps” 27th July 2012, Taj Author:Tania

Review: Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch

5 April 2012, 8:59 am

The Epic 4G Touch is powered by a very impressive homegrown processor; the 1.2GHz dual-core Exynos. Samsung is rightly proud of th Author:Umesh Satija

Latest Android Mobile News and Reviews

29 February 2012, 5:05 pm

After making its first appearance at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) event in February the LG Optimus 4X HD has gone on to cause q Author:Umesh Satija

Latest 4G News

29 February 2012, 5:03 pm

There is no doubt that tablets really need to offer the option of 4G connectivity if they are to remain relevant in the modern mar Author:Umesh Satija

Latest Computer Tech News and Releases

29 February 2012, 5:02 pm

The excitement of Christmas is now a dim memory and for most people, it`s thinking about the summer holidays that now lifts the sp Author:Umesh Satija

LTE Advanced- a 4G Networking Standard

29 February 2012, 5:00 pm

LTE Advanced is essentially a 4G networking standard which marks a significant evolution for mobile services, dramatically improvi Author:Umesh Satija

Latest Handset News

27 February 2012, 8:43 pm

Nokia has used the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2012 event to launch its final Symbian-based flagship smartphone called the 808 Pur Author:Umesh Satija

LTE for 4G Mobile Broadband: Air Interface Technologies and Performance

12 February 2012, 1:41 pm

"This text is an especially helpful as an accompaniment to the 3GPP specifications themselves, which offer no explanations as to Author:Umesh Satija

LTE Network Sharing - Network Management Considerations

8 February 2012, 8:57 am

Regulators around the globe are now approving and even promoting active network sharing between carriers in order to accelerate de Author:LucSamson

World's first voice handover between LTE and WCDMA accomplished

6 February 2012, 8:31 am

Up until this point, the main use of LTE has been for mobile data traffic, however operators are starting to evolve their networks Author:Umesh Satija

The Mobile Broadband Market 2012-2017

23 April 2012, 10:00 pm

Mobile broadband is increasingly becoming a necessity for subscribers on a global scale. With ever increasing smartphone penetration rates and a host of new devices such as tablets, netbooks, MIDs and increasingly powerful smartphones the need for mobile broadband is at an all time high and is set to continue in demand and popularity. The mobile broadband market is flourishing with increased attention and recognition by an ever growing number of businesses, governments, emergency services (Public Safety), and consumers. With the introduction of newer technologies such as WiMAX and LTE combined as 4G the mobile broadband industry is on the brink of significant growth. Visiongain has determined that the value of the global mobile broadband market in 2012 will reach $111bn Mobile broadband technologies are still relatively fresh in the market and have yet to reach their full potential. Visiongain believes that in the next five years the mobile broadband market will continue to expand on a global level, as an increasing number of businesses worldwide switch to mobile broadband networks in order to conduct daily business related tasks. The convergence of several factors such as cheap pricing plans and the emerging availability of LTE technologies mean that mobile

Moving to the Next Generation? LTE Deployments in CEMA

10 April 2012, 10:00 pm

This IDC Insight reviews recent LTE network technology developments in the CEMA region. It begins by providing an overview of recent LTE network deployments in CEMA and looks at the state of other LTE network development efforts across the region. It then reviews drivers of LTE deployments and considers factors contributing to operators' caution about LTE rollouts. It concludes by providing recommendations for players with an interest in LTE network deployments in the CEMA region.

Voice over LTE: Market Analysis and Forecasts

31 March 2012, 10:00 pm

Carriers worldwide are seeking ways to improve the efficiency and capacity of their networks while minimizing costs and improving end-user experience. LTE has served this purpose well in terms of mobile broadband data access, but carriers are struggling to find solutions to fight declining revenues for voice services, the primary stream of revenue for most carriers. Voice over LTE (VoLTE) offers a potential solution. Not only does VoLTE offer unique advantages in lowering a carrier’s voice infrastructure economics, but it also promises to improve voice quality, device battery life and user experience by allowing concurrent voice and data services over a single LTE radio interface. ARCchart forecasts that the number of devices supporting VoLTE will ramp significantly over the coming years, spurred by aggressive competition against OTT providers. By 2016, we expect a total installed base of over 74 million VoLTE-enabled handsets will be present in the market. However, the OTT mobile VoIP market will also continue to maintain healthy growth. Topics of coverage include: Mobile voice over IP The rise of OTT mobile voice VoLTE business case Operator commitments and vendor selection Challenges to the VoLTE ecosystem Factors driving VoLTE

The LTE Market by Infrastructure, Devices and Operator Services 2012 - 2016

31 March 2012, 10:00 pm

The growing demand for mobile broadband services is driving an ever increasing number of commercial LTE network deployments. This surge has seen the number of LTE subscriptions already surpass 7 Million subscriptions worldwide, and over 300+ commercial LTE user device launches. As the market gained momentum, the LTE industry witnessed revenues for over $ 19.1 Billion in 2011 alone. Projected to grow at a CAGR of over 86 %, the industry will account for $ 410 Billion by the end of 2016. Out of this, nearly $ 290 Billion will arise from operator service revenues, while infrastructure and device shipments will account for $ 110 Billion. Comprising of 4 comprehensive reports and associated databases, the “LTE Market by Infrastructure, Devices and Operator Services 2012 – 2016” report package presents a comprehensive analysis of the LTE market by individual industry sector. In addition to tracking quantitative indicators such as subscriptions, ARPUs, revenue and market share for Infrastructure, devices and operators services, this report package assesses several key trends in the industry such as LTE deployment models (such as wholesale deployments), spectrum allocation strategies, price plans and CAPEX/OPEX strategies as well as vendor profiles. This research consists

Key Trends in Southeast Asia Telecom Market in 2012

29 March 2012, 10:00 pm

This IDC Insight presents the 2012 top key trends for the telecoms market in the Southeast Asia (SEA) region, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Drawing from the latest IDC research and from internal sessions among IDC's telecommunications and network analysts based in these countries, we take a high-level look at trends, vendors, and service provider (SP) strategies and new technologies that are expected to have an impact on the industry and its players in 2012. Selection for inclusion in IDC's telecommunications key trends is based on at least one of the criteria below: Has substantial financial impact in 2012 Creates disruption that affects the marketplace in 2012 or the years following Builds an important foundation for change in the years ahead To set the context of our 2012 key trends, this study will begin with a review and key highlights in the fixed and wireless market in the SEA region in 2012. Note: All figures in this document may not be exact due to rounding.

The Wireless Infrastructure Market 2012-2017: Wi-Fi, WiMax, 3G, HSPA+ and LTE

25 March 2012, 10:00 pm

The wireless infrastructure market, which includes core network products for NGN (Next Generation Networks) architectures as well as wireless transport network technologies for backhaul, is well established in all parts of the world. In 2012, this market is going through a rapid transition as a result of a number of technological advancements such as LTE (Long Term Evolution). Visiongain has determined that the value of the global wireless infrastructure market in 2012 will reach $43bn. Visiongain believes that for network operators, capital expenditure in new technologies is critical to gain competitive advantage and remain formidable market players. However there are economic uncertainties looming in the market, forcing them to take cautious views on the infrastructure CapEx. Given the market dynamics, Visiongain believes that the wireless infrastructure sector will witness single digit growth over the report's forecast period as operators ramp up the network capacity in areas such as backhaul, aggregation, transport, routing based on IP (Internet Protocol) and Ethernet technologies for offering mobile broadband services. We believe that the majority of the operators will continue to sign new infrastructure contracts across the globe. The report contains 112 tables, charts and graphs that add visual analysis in

Mobile Value Added Services in India 2012

21 March 2012, 10:00 pm

India houses 811.6 bn cellular subscribers. This huge subscriber base is split in 66:34 between rural and urban users respectively. With falling prices of mobile voice calls and text messages, telecom operators are turning to additional services which are offered to customers; such services are called Mobile Value Added Services or MVAS. With diverse demography, lifestyle and consumer preferences amongst urban, sub-urban and rural consumers across the country, MVAS are destined to generate high returns, if deployed correctly. World’s third largest sector, Indian Telecom sector is betting big on MVAS segment with wide variety of products in variable price range. MVAS adoption is polished to increase by manifold with increasing numbers of mobile devices and rising demand for mobile contents across India. Rise in disposable income has revolutionized consumer’s buying and spending trend towards PC, mobile devices, communication equipments and services. It has catalyzed the trend of smartphone & featurephone which enhances the scope for MVAS with mobile apps and rich mobile content. “Despite of low ARPU in India, telecom operators will earn significant amount of revenue through various segments of MVAS” says Mr. Kalyan Banga, Product Manager at Netscribes. The report begins with ‘Introduction’ section covering overview

United Kingdom - Telecoms, IP Networks, Digital Media and Forecasts

20 March 2012, 10:00 pm

This report provides a comprehensive overview of trends and developments in the Polish telecommunications market. The report analyses the mobile, Internet, broadband, digital TV and converging media sectors. Subjects include: Market and industry analyses, trends and developments; Facts, figures and statistics; Industry and regulatory issues; Infrastructure; Major players, revenues, subscribers, ARPU, MoU; Internet, VoIP, IPTV; Mobile voice and data markets; Broadband (FttH, DSL, cable TV, wireless); Convergence and digital media; 3G subscriber and mobile ARPU forecasts to 2015; Broadband market forecasts for selective years to 2020. Key developments: Liberty Global consolidates cableco leadership with Aster City purchase; UPC plans 250Mb/s cable trial, extends 150Mb/s service to 1.6 million households; Telekomunikacja Polska losing broadband subscribers yet expands new VDSL Neostrada Fiber offer; EC fines TP €127.6 million for anti-competitive practices in the broadband market; Netia and TP head fibre-based consortia to extend broadband nationally; memorandum signed for constructing a national broadband infrastructure; large drop in average cost of mobile broadband plans; cablecos step up network investment in 2012; ASO confirmed for mid-2013; bundled services taken by 2.1 million customers; 75% of cable association PIKE subscribers can receive digital TV; Telekomunikacja Polska sells EmiTel

Global and Taiwanese Communications Industry Outlook 2012

20 March 2012, 10:00 pm

Aggregated the information gathered from the seminar held by Taiwan's MIC (Market Intelligence and Consulting Institute) regarding industry outlook for 2012, this report profiles the major development trends observed in the telecommunication industry, including mobile, fixed and wireless communications. In addition, this report also probes into the major development trends of six major areas in communications, including LTE, Smartphones, platforms, OTT, video over Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi hotspots.

Global LTE Infrastructure Market 2011-2015

18 March 2012, 10:00 pm

TechNavio’s analysts forecast the Global LTE Infrastructure market to grow at a CAGR of 50.6 percent over the period 2011–2015. One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is end-users demanding higher data speed and availability of LTE-enabled devices. The Global LTE Infrastructure market has also been witnessing a high number of FDD-LTE deployments in comparison with TD-LTE network deployments. However, the lack of standard frequency bands to provide LTE services could pose a challenge to the growth of this market. TechNavio’s report, the Global LTE Infrastructure Market 2011–2015, has been prepared based on an in-depth analysis of the market with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the Americas, and the EMEA and APAC regions; it also covers the LTE Infrastructure market landscape and its growth prospects in the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. Key vendors dominating this market space include Ericsson, Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia Siemens Networks, and Huawei. Key questions answered in this report: What will the market size be in 2015 and at what rate will it grow? What key trends is this market subject to? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key

Key Trends in Southeast Asia Telecom Market in 2012

17 March 2012, 10:00 pm

Spectrum Valuation: Critical Strategic, Technical And Commercial Factors For Operators And Regulators

15 March 2012, 10:00 pm

Operators will need to consider many universal and local variables to ensure that they acquire spectrum at sustainable prices. A record number of spectrum licences will be auctioned in 2012. Spectrum is becoming available in a wide variety of bands, facilitating the roll-out of next-generation mobile broadband networks ('4G'). Operators need to understand how to best compare and contrast the different bands to determine appropriate spectrum asset valuations. This report examines the key strategic, commercial and technical factors that should inform decision making in the run-up to spectrum auctions, and explains the results of previous auctions. This Report answers your key questions: what are the key trends in spectrum valuation? is low-frequency spectrum considerably more valuable than high-frequency bands? what are the key variables that affect spectrum valuation? what are the policy trends that may influence spectrum prices? Companies mentioned in this report: América Móvil, Anatel, AT&T, Cell C, China Mobile, Everything Everywhere (T-Mobile), EVN Telecom, France Telecom (Orange), Globe Telecom, Hanoi Telecom (Vietnamobile), Hutchison 3G UK (3), LightSquared, Net4Mobility, Sonera, Telefónica de España (Movistar), Telefónica UK (O2), TeliaSonera, TELUS Communications, Verizon, Vodafone (UK) and Vodafone España.

4Q11 Netherlands Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 – 2015: The Dutch mobile market to have 25 million subscriber connections in 2015 with T-Mobile taking 20% market share

14 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on the Netherlands provides over 50 operational and financial metrics for the Dutch wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide five-year forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Mobile network operators covered for the Netherlands include KPN Mobile N.V., Vodafone Netherlands (Vodafone Group Plc), T-Mobile Netherlands (Ben) (T-Mobile International AG), and Lycamobile Netherlands. Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Companies Covered in this Country Mobile Operator Forecast KPN Mobile N.V. Vodafone Netherlands (Vodafone Group Plc) T-Mobile Netherlands (Ben) (T-Mobile International AG)

Uganda - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Forecasts

13 March 2012, 10:00 pm

This annual report provides a comprehensive overview of trends and developments in Uganda’s telecommunications market. Subjects covered include: One of the most competitive mobile markets in the region; Key statistics; Market and industry overviews; Government policies affecting the telecoms industry; Market liberalisation and regulatory issues; Telecoms operators – privatisation, acquisitions, new licences; Major players (fixed, mobile and broadband); Infrastructure development; International, national and last-mile fibre developments; Mobile voice and data markets, including 3G; Internet and broadband development and growth; Average Revenue per User (ARPU); Convergence (voice/data, fixed/wireless/mobile); WiMAX and 3G mobile broadband rollouts; The rapid growth of mobile money transfer and m-banking services. Companies covered in this report: Uganda Telecom (UTL, LAP Green), MTN, Bharti Airtel (Zain, Celtel), Warid Telecom, Orange (HiTS Telecom), i-Tel, Simba Telecoms, Seacom, Infocom (Altech), Internet Solutions, UTL Online, Africa Online, Spacenet, The Broadband Company (TMP), Wateen Telecoms, Smile Telecom, Foris Telecom, Talk Telecom, Mo Telecom, Goal Technology Solutions (GTS), UMEME, WBS Television, NTV Uganda, MultiChoice, Jump TV, Wananchi

Egypt - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Forecasts

13 March 2012, 10:00 pm

This annual report provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of trends and developments in Egypt’s telecommunications market, including forecasts. Subjects covered include: Key statistics; Market and industry overviews; The impact of the global economic crisis; Government policies affecting the telecoms industry; Market liberalisation and regulatory issues; Telecoms operators – privatisation, acquisitions, new licences; Major players (fixed, mobile and broadband); Infrastructure development; Mobile voice and data markets; Internet development and growth; Broadband, including 3G mobile Convergence (voice/data, fixed/wireless/mobile); Average Revenue per User (ARPU), fixed and mobile; Forecasts for mobile and Internet 2013 and 2016. Companies covered in this report: Telecom Egypt, Orascom Telecom, Mobinil (ECMS - France Telecom/Orange, Orascom), Vodafone Egypt, Etisalat Misr, Menatel, NilePhone, Thuraya; Iridium, Inmarsat, Alkan Communications, EgyptSat, MobiServe, TE Data (Telecom Egypt), EgyNet, LINKdotNET, Nile Online, Yalla, Equant, Noor, Vodafone Data (Raya Telecom), Menanet, Batelco, Soficom, Egypt Network, Internet Egypt, MenaNet, MenaSat, iSkySat, StormSat Egypt, PLC International, JumpTV.

U.S. 4Q11 and 2011 Mobile Operator Roundup: A Year Focused on Smartphone Adoption and LTE Strategies

11 March 2012, 10:00 pm

This IDC Insight examines the 4Q11 and year-end earnings call results of the major U.S. mobile operators. This document outlines the five tier 1 players — AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Wireless — and includes commentary on the prepaid category as a whole. A subsection, Notable Developments in 2011, is included for each mobile operator, which reviews interesting announcements in 2011. For the second consecutive quarter, analysis of existing smartphone penetration rates among the top operators is also included. The analysis in this document reflects conditions at the end of 4Q11 and uses information in the operators' earnings calls and financial statements.

U.S. 4Q11 and 2011 Mobile Operator Roundup: A Year Focused on Smartphone Adoption and LTE Strategies

11 March 2012, 10:00 pm

M2M Industry Models: A Canadian Perspective

11 March 2012, 10:00 pm

This IDC study reviews and highlights machine-to-machine (M2M) activities in Canada. The purpose is to review enabling technologies, introduce participants, and then highlight two market drivers and two segments for discussion. The questions answered in this study include what is M2M, who are the participants, which market segments are gaining traction, what are two market drivers in Canada, where is the return on investment, and what is actionable for network operators and software developers. "Market activities suggest automation — more specifically, automation in information exchange — will enable changes to billing models and further personalize services for end users. Decision makers should approach the machine-to-machine category as an alternative long-term paradigm with missing services for full solutions," writes Tim Tang, an analyst at IDC Canada.

Unified Communications Market in India 2012

8 March 2012, 10:00 pm

Unified Communications market in India is currently undergoing through a phase wherein the market can be characterized with steady growth and a cut-throat competition amongst players operating in the market space. Primarily, the market is boosted by the ongoing proliferation of high speed internet services such as 3G and broadband. Further, the demand to incorporate mobility amongst corporations is also raising the demand for UC based technology so as to facilitate seamless flow of information and data. The market comprises of multiple segments including voice based communications, conferencing and messaging & calendaring. “Currently, the market is growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 23.5%,”says Mr. Kalyan Banga, Product Manager at Netscribes. An array of factors including rising enterprise mobility, availability of 3G and broadband services, abundance of smart portable devices and the presence of a tech savvy youth population basically propel the market forward. Cloud computing has become a significant part of the UC market wherein players hailing mostly from the small and medium business segment opt for hosted UC services and solutions. This typical behavior is mainly because of the tendency to avoid the upfront capital costs associated with the deployment of UC solutions. “The UC

Global Mobile Communications - A Keystone for Industry Growth

4 March 2012, 10:00 pm

This annual report offers a wealth of information on the global mobile sector and is a valuable resource of insights, examples and trends. It provides information on the key trends and statistics, supported by analysis and cases studies. It also includes unique insights into regional developments, written by BuudeComm’s Senior Analysts. Subjects covered include: Key global mobile industry trends; Key global mobile industry statistics; Global mobile smartphone, handset and touchscreen statistics and trends; Insights into mobile spectrum issues; Insights in customer service issues; Regional overviews for North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Case study on the emerging market of Brazil.

LTE Ecosystem Report 2012-2017

2 March 2012, 10:00 pm

The mass deployment of 3G networks has accelerated the adoption of smart devices, conditioning users to access wireless data services on a daily basis. The growing strain on current 3G networks due to increased mobile traffic has driven operators to start deploying 4G networks in order to cope with future demand. As a result, LTE has emerged as the prime candidate for 4G networks, prompting mass commitment and adoption on a global level. Visiongain has calculated that $10.84bn will be spent on LTE infrastructure in 2012. The number of LTE subscribers is set for dynamic growth in the next five years, as operators build and trial LTE in order to cope with the increasing amounts of data traffic on their networks. The successful launch of a number of LTE networks in the US, Asia and Europe is driving ever greater adoption of 4G services. A wide range of mobile services will be enabled by the deployment of LTE, including streaming video-on-demand, video conferencing, high quality VoIP, high-speed upload of user-generated content, consistent low-latency online gaming, paid dynamic content such as e-newspapers and e-magazines, video-based mobile advertising, on-demand music download and storage, application sharing and cloud-based services.

Handheld Point of Sale (POS) Device Market Shares, Strategies, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2012 to 2018

29 February 2012, 10:00 pm

WinterGreen Research announces that it has a new study on Handheld Point of Sale (POS) Devices. The 2012 study has 316 pages, 121 tables and figures. Worldwide markets are poised to achieve significant growth. Handheld computer POS terminals represent a quantum shift in point of sale devices by making a range of POS functions portable. Handheld Point of Sale (POS) devices are more versatile than existing standard PC based point of sale systems, providing greater range of functions and providing for wireless connectivity to the network. Both WiFi 802.1x fixed wireless and 4G / 3G wireless data solutions are supported by the handheld POS systems permitting seamless transport of information to enterprise systems. Transport of information does depend on middleware integration software. The segments addressed by handheld POS point of sale devices relate to extension of and replacement of standard cash register POS retail terminals, integrated direct inventory POS applications, portable combined remote / on site POS solutions, and mobile indoor payment POS solutions. Products go beyond simple retail sale processing. Products help retailers control inventory flow, combine in-store and back office solutions to enhance productivity, and track customer purchasing patterns for pinpoint marketing. Industry-specific solutions are provided across retail

Public Safety LTE: A Global Assessment of Market Size, Technology, Vendor Trends and Spectrum Allocation 2012 - 2016

29 February 2012, 10:00 pm

Considered as the de-facto standard for Public Safety broadband communications, LTE is rapidly gaining momentum within the Public Safety industry. As a result, Public Safety agencies, vendors and service provider are heavily investing in Public Safety LTE, with over eleven commercial contracts awards (as of March 2012), and several prominent international trials. While initial investments appear promising, there still remain a number of key issues that need to be addressed such as frequency spectrum allocation, funding for global Public Safety LTE deployments, QoS prioritization of Public Safety LTE users in commercial networks, and interoperability with legacy Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems such as APCO 25 and TETRA. This report provides an in-depth of the global Public Safety LTE industry to address the aforementioned issues, in addition to providing a detail assessment of the technology, market size, and key trends within the Public Safety LTE industry.

Satellite Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Services

29 February 2012, 10:00 pm

This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Satellite Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Services in US$ Million. The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of World. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2008 through 2017. The report profiles 67 companies including many key and niche players such as General Electric Company, Geotab, Inc., Globalstar, Inc., Honeywell International, Inmarsat plc, Iridium Communications, Inc., Lat-Lon LLC, Lockheed Martin Corporation, M2M Data Corporation, Orbcomm, Inc., PeopleNet Communications, Qualcomm, Inc., SkyBitz, SkyTel, SkyWave Mobile Communications, Inc., Telefónica UK Limited, Thuraya Telecommunications Company, and Wireless Matrix, Inc. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research. Company profiles are primarily based upon search engine sources in the public domain. Please note: Reports are sold as single-site single-user licenses. The delivery time for hard copies is between 3-5 business days, as each hard copy is custom printed for the organization ordering it. Electronic versions require 24-48 hours as each copy is customized to the client with digital controls and custom watermarks. The Publisher uses digital controls protecting against copying and printing is restricted to one full copy to be used at the same location. The latest

LTE Operator Strategies: Key Drivers, Deployment Strategies, CAPEX, OPEX, Price Plans, ARPUs and Service Revenues 2012 - 2016

29 February 2012, 10:00 pm

Skyrocketing mobile broadband demand is driving an ever increasing number of commercial LTE network deployments. This surge has seen the number of LTE subscriptions already surpass 7 Million subscriptions worldwide, and over 300+ commercial LTE user device launches. As Mobile Network MNOs (MNOs) remain committed to deliver mobile broadband services over their LTE networks, a number of critical questions remain unanswered: What is the typical ARPU for an LTE subscription worldwide or in particular regional market and how will it fluctuate in the next 5 years ? What is the relative Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of an LTE network in comparison to competing technologies such as HSPA + and WiMAX ? What is the market outlook for VoLTE (Voice over LTE) and wholesale LTE networks, and when would the first VoLTE deployments take place ? How much CAPEX and OPEX would an MNO require to deploy at LTE network, and what strategies can be adopted to minimize both CAPEX and OPEX ? Covering over 325 global MNOs in 120 countries, this report answers the aforementioned questions by quantifying LTE service revenues, subscriptions, ARPUs, CAPEX and OPEX. In addition, the report reviews key

MetroPCS Communications, Inc.

30 April 2012, 10:00 pm

Sheila Greco Associates' Individual Business Lists are 100% staff verified and details the company’s roster of key professionals and key decision makers. In addition to the executive contacts, this report contains: Global HQ Location, US Address (Street, City, State & Zip), US HQ Phone Number & Company Website Address, Ticker Symbol, Most Recent Revenues Reported, Number of Employees and Industry. SGA Business Lists do not include direct-dial phone numbers for all executives listed. When available, we will provide the direct phone number. We provide the HQ phone number and the accurate executive name and title.

China Mobile Communications Corporation

30 April 2012, 10:00 pm

France Telecom SA

30 April 2012, 10:00 pm

United States Cellular Corporation

30 April 2012, 10:00 pm

Wired Telecommunications Services

29 April 2012, 10:00 pm

Brief Excerpt from Industry Overview Chapter: The US wired telecommunications services industry includes about 2,000 companies with combined annual revenue of about $160 billion. Major companies include AT&T, Verizon Communications, Comcast, and CenturyLink. The industry is highly concentrated: the 50 largest companies generate more than 90 percent of revenue. The global wired telecommunications services industry comprises roughly 1.2 billion fixed telephone lines and 550 million fixed broadband Internet subscriptions, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). China has the most fixed lines (294 million), followed by the US (151 million), Germany (45 million), and Russia (44 million). Major wireline carriers include Japan's Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT), Spanish firm Telefónica, and China Telecom. Companies in the industry, which provide services such as local and long-distance calling, Internet access, and TV program distribution, own and operate telecommunications networks. Cable TV system operators are discussed in the Telecommunications Services industry profile. A separate profile covers Wireless Telecommunications Services. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE Demand is driven by new services and growth in business activity. The profitability of individual companies depends on efficient operations and effective marketing. Large companies have economies of scale in providing a highly automated service to large numbers of customers, and the financial resources required to

Wireless Telecommunications Services

8 April 2012, 10:00 pm

Brief Excerpt from Industry Overview Chapter: The US wireless telecommunications services industry includes about 1,600 companies with combined annual revenue of about $210 billion. Major companies include the four nationwide wireless carriers: AT&T, Verizon, Sprint Nextel, and T-Mobile USA (an indirect subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom). The industry is highly concentrated: the 50 largest companies generate nearly all industry revenue. Global wireless services revenue is about $1 trillion. Top countries by number of wireless subscriptions include China (747 million), India (525 million), the US (298 million), and Russia (230 million). The industry includes companies that operate wireless telecommunications networks and related facilities. Companies that resell wireless telecommunications services are not included in the industry. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE Demand for wireless services is driven by consumer income and innovative service offerings. The profitability of individual companies depends on marketing and customer service. Large companies have advantages in marketing and in delivering a comprehensive array of services nationally. Small companies can compete effectively by delivering economically attractive service packages tailored to niche groups regionally. The industry is capital-intensive: average annual revenue per employee is more than $1 million. The proliferation of smartphones, including iPhones, BlackBerries, and Androids, has to a large extent driven industry revenue and R&D in recent years. PRODUCTS,

Mobile Network Operators’ Trends

31 March 2012, 10:00 pm

The Mobile Network Operator Trends report (78 pages in total) is published every six months and the latest edition covers the period June 2011 to December 2011. The report also provides a year-on-year comparison of: Subscriber numbers, breakdown of subscriber numbers and market share Blended monthly ARPU Blended annualised churn PLUS comments on each of the markets and provides an inside into the latest pricing trends. Coverage The report covers the main MNOs in eight key European countries namely France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

4Q11 Armenia Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 - 2015: Armenia to have 4.6 million mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with Orange Armenia taking 21% market share

30 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Armenia provides key operational and financial metrics for Armenia’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Mobile network operators covered for Armenia include: K-Telecom CJSC (VivaCell-MTS), ArmenTel (BeeLine), and Orange Armenia (France Télécom S.A.). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as an Excel file.

4Q11 Austria Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 – 2015: Austria to have 14 million mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with T-Mobile taking 29% market share

30 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Austria provides over 50 operational and financial metrics for Austria’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Operators covered for Austria include: mobilkom austria (Telekom Austria Group) (A1), T-Mobile Austria (Deutsche Telekom AG), Orange Austria (Connect Austria), and Hutchison 3G Austria GmbH (Drei). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as an Excel file.

4Q11 Antigua and Barbuda Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 - 2015: Antigua and Barbuda to have over 128,000 mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with Digicel taking 53% market share

30 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Antigua and Barbuda provides key operational and financial metrics for Antigua and Barbuda’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Operators covered for Antigua and Barbuda include: Cable & Wireless Antigua and Barbuda (LIME), Digicel Antigua and Barbuda (Digicel Group Limited), and APUA (Antigua Public Utilities Authority). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as a n Excel file.

4Q11 Angola Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 - 2015: Angola to have 11.4 million mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with Unitel taking 70% market share

30 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Angola provides key operational and financial metrics for Angola’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Operators covered for Angola include: Unitel Angola (UNITEL SA) and Movicel (Angola Telecom). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as a n Excel file.

4Q11 Albania Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 - 2015: Albania to have 4.6 million mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with AMC taking 38.8% market share

30 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Albania provides key operational and financial metrics for Albania’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Mobile network operators covered for Albania include: AMC (Albanian Mobile Communications), Vodafone Albania (Vodafone Plc), and Eagle Mobile (Albtelecom). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as a n Excel file.

4Q11 Azerbaijan Mobile Operator Forecast, 2011 - 2015: Azerbaijan to have 12 million mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with Bakcell taking 32% market share

30 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Azerbaijan provides key operational and financial metrics for Azerbaijan’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Operators covered for Azerbaijan include: Azercell Telecom LLC, Bakcell Ltd., Azerfon LLC (NAR Mobile), and Catel (Caspian American Telecom LLC). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as a n Excel file.

4Q11 Anguilla Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 - 2015: Anguilla to have over 23,000 mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with Digicel taking 45% market share

30 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Anguilla provides key operational and financial metrics for Anguilla’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Operators covered for Anguilla include: Cable & Wireless Anguilla (LIME) and Digicel Anguilla (Digicel Group Limited). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as a n Excel file.

4Q11 American Samoa Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 - 2015: American Samoa to have approximately 58,000 mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with ASTCA taking 46% market share

30 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on American Samoa provides key operational metrics for American Samoa’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Mobile network operator covered for American Samoa include: ASTCA (American Samoa Telecommunications Authority) and BlueSky Communications. Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as a n Excel file.

4Q11 Australia Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 – 2015: Australia to have 36 million mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with Telstra taking 40% market share

30 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Australia provides over 50 operational and financial metrics for Australia’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Mobile network operators covered for Australia include: Telstra Corporation Limited, SingTel Optus Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Ltd (Vodafone Group Plc and Hutchison Telecoms (Australia) Limited before 1Q.2009) and Virgin Mobile Australia Pty Ltd. Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Companies Covered in this Country Mobile Operator Forecast Telstra Corporation Limited SingTel Optus Pty Limited

4Q11 Andorra Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 - 2015: Servei de Telecomunicacions d'Andorra (STA) to have approximately 66,750 mobile subscriber connections in 2015

30 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Andorra provides key operational metrics for Andorra’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Operators covered for Andorra include: STA (Servei de Telecomunicacions d'Andorra). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as a n Excel file.

4Q11 Aruba Mobile Operator Forecast, 2011 - 2015: Aruba to have 0.16 million mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with Digicel taking 28% market share

30 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Aruba provides key operational and financial metrics for Aruba’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Operators covered for Aruba include: SETAR N.V. and Digicel Aruba (Digicel Group Limited). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as a n Excel file.

4Q11 Argentina Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 – 2015: Argentina to have 59.4 million mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with Claro taking 34% market share

30 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Argentina provides over 50 operational and financial metrics for Argentina’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide five-year forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Mobile network operators covered for Argentina include: Telecom Argentina S.A., Movistar Argentina (Telefonica S.A.), Claro (America Movil S.A.B. DE C.V.) / CTI, and Nextel Communications Argentina S.A. Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Companies Covered in this Country Mobile Operator Forecast Telecom Argentina S.A. Movistar Argentina (Telefonica S.A.) Claro (America Movil S.A.B. DE C.V.) / CTI Nextel Communications

4Q11 Brunei Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 - 2015: Brunei to have 0.56 million mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with B-Mobile taking 26.7% market share

29 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Brunei Darussalam provides key operational and financial metrics for Brunei’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Operators covered for Brunei include: B-Mobile Communications Sdn. Bhd. and DST Communications Sdn Bhd. (DSTCom). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as a n Excel file.

4Q11 Bangladesh Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 – 2015: Bangladesh to have 100 million mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with GrameenPhone taking 41% market share

29 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Bangladesh provides over 50 operational and financial metrics for Bangladesh’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide five-year forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Operators covered for Bangladesh include: Banglalink/Sheba (Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E), GrameenPhone (Telenor ASA), Axiata (Bangladesh) Limited (TM Int'l)(Robi), Citycell (Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Limited), Warid Telecom International (Bharti Airtel), and BTTB (Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Companies Covered in this Country Mobile Operator Forecast Banglalink/Sheba (Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E) Grameenphone Limited Robi Axiata Limited

4Q11 Bosnia Herzegovina Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 - 2015: Bosnia Herzegovina to have 3.4 million mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with Telekom Srpske taking 50% market share

29 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Bosnia Herzegovina provides key operational and financial metrics for Bosnia Herzegovina’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Operators covered for Bosnia Herzegovina include: BH Telecom d.d Sarajevo (GSM BiH), M:tel (Telekom Srpske JSC Banjaluka), and Eronet (HT Mostar). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as a n Excel file.

4Q11 Burkina Faso Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 - 2015: Burkina Faso to have 8.9 million mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with Onatel taking 46% market share

29 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Burkina Faso provides key operational and financial metrics for Burkina Faso’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Operators covered for Burkina Faso include: Onatel SA, Zain Burkina Faso (Bharti Airtel Limited), and Telecel Burkina Faso (Telecel Faso SA). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as a n Excel file.

4Q11 Bulgaria Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 - 2015: Bulgaria to have 14 million mobile subscriber connections in 2015 with M-Tel taking 46.6% market share

29 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on Bulgaria provides key operational and financial metrics for Bulgaria’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. Operators covered for Bulgaria include: M-Tel (Mobiltel EAD), GLOBUL (Cosmo Bulgaria Mobile EAD), and Vivacom (Bulgarian Telecommunications Company). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as a n Excel file.

4Q11 Bahamas Mobile Operator Forecast, 2012 - 2015: BTC (Bahamas Telecommunications Company) to have approximately 0.4 million mobile subscriber connections in 2015

29 March 2012, 10:00 pm

IEMR’s Mobile Operator Forecast on the Bahamas provides key metrics for the Bahamas’s wireless market and is one of the best forecasts in the industry. We provide forecasts at the operator level going out to 2015. We also provide quarterly historical and forecast data starting in 1Q2003 and ending in 4Q2013. The mobile network operator covered for Bahamas is BTC (The Bahamas Telecommunications Company Ltd.) (Batelco). Our Mobile Operator Forecasts are updated quarterly and are available for one-time delivery or through regular updates. IEMR’s Global Mobile Operator Forecast covers 50+ metrics on 800+ mobile operators in 200+ countries. Our forecasts are based on our proprietary, country-specific forecasting models. These models deploy multiple regression analysis and cross-impact matrices that estimate relationships between subscriber data, technology use and deployment data, overall economic and demographic changes expected in a particular country; and relate these to company operational and financial metrics. Please note: The Online Download version of the report is a Global Site License. This report is delivered as a n Excel file.

World LTE Pricing Tracked in New Tariff Consultancy Database Now Available at MarketPublishers.com

7 May 2012, 4:08 pm

Global Mobile Broadband Market Dynamics Analyzed in New Visiongain Report Published at MarketPublishers.com

4 May 2012, 1:45 pm

SON Future Beyond 4G Discussed in Updated Mind Commerce Publishing Report Available at MarketPublishers.com

2 May 2012, 1:46 pm

World Passive Electronic Components Industry Future Reviewed in New Study Available at MarketPublishers.com

29 March 2012, 1:44 pm

Johnson Controls Inc. to Increase Lead-Acid Batteries Price According to BAC Company Report

20 March 2012, 5:10 pm

Global LTE Devices Market Analyzed in New In-demand Study Published at MarketPublishers.com

9 February 2012, 1:34 pm

World LTE Market Database Now Available at MarketPublishers.com

18 January 2012, 3:45 pm

Global LTE Industry Survey Service by Signals and Systems Telecom Now Available at MarketPublishers.com

12 January 2012, 4:24 pm

New Present-Day Market Reports by Signals and Systems Telecom Recently Published at MarketPublishers.com

12 January 2012, 4:24 pm

Global Smart Grid Market Reviewed in New Research Report Published at MarketPublishers.com

9 January 2012, 5:01 pm

Global LTE Infrastructure Market Examined in New Report Published at MarketPublishers.com

9 January 2012, 5:01 pm

New Up-to-Date Telecommunication Market Research Reports Now Available at MarketPublishers.com

5 January 2012, 2:45 pm

WiFi and WiMAX Infrastructures Discussed in New Up-to-Date Market Research Reports Now Available at MarketPublishers.com

27 December 2011, 5:39 pm

M-Commerce Market Reviewed in New Cutting-Edge Report Now Available at MarketPublishers.com

22 December 2011, 1:42 pm

Industry of Long Term Evolution Discussed in New Research Report Now Available at MarketPublishers.com

19 December 2011, 3:47 pm

World Cellular Handset Market Analyzed in New Research Report Published at MarketPublishers.com

19 December 2011, 3:36 pm

Global LTE Market Trends Examined in New In-demand Research Report Now Available at MarketPublishers.com

16 December 2011, 1:33 pm

Global Mobile Commerce Market Reviewed in New Research Study Published at MarketPublishers.com

1 December 2011, 4:41 pm

4G Handsets Market Examined in New Research Report Now Available at MarketPublishers.com

23 November 2011, 8:13 pm

4G Wireless Networks & their Opportunities for Industries Discussed in New Report Published by MarketPublishers.com

1 November 2011, 7:39 am

SaskTel to Launch LTE, the Next Evolution of Wireless Technology

2 September 2011, 2:03 pm

"LTE technology will significantly improve the customer experience and will provide our customers with data speeds of up to 5 times faster than our existing 4G network," said Bill Boyd, Minister Responsible for SaskTel. "SaskTel has a solid technology evolution plan that will ensure Saskatchewan residents continue to benefit from the most advanced wireless technology available. The initial LTE phones will be compatible with the 4G network and will seamlessly transmit voice over the 4G network and data over LTE until LTE is set up for both voice and data."

SaskTel's existing 4G wireless technology reaches download speeds of up to 21 Mbps and LTE will reach download speeds of over 100 megabits per second (Mbps) and 50 Mbps upload. The higher bandwidth LTE will provide increased capacity to serve more customers, improved latency with respect to data applications and video, and it will allow SaskTel to provide more advanced and higher bandwidth video and multimedia services. It will also support SaskTel's line of leading edge handset options, which will continue to expand as new handset devices are introduced in the market.

SaskTel has begun work on LTE planning, infrastructure development and internal system work. Phase 1 of LTE deployment will begin in the fall of 2012 to Regina and Saskatoon, and surrounding areas. LTE will be deployed to other urban and rural areas starting in 2013 based on the demand for incremental data services and it anticipated that LTE for voice will also begin to be deployed in 2013.

SaskTel has the largest cellular network in Saskatchewan and is the first wireless service provider to announce its intention to deploy LTE in the Province.

About SaskTel

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corporation (SaskTel.com) is the leading full service communications provider in Saskatchewan, with $1.15 billion in annual revenue and more than 1.4 million customer connections including more than 550,000 wireless accesses, 543,000 wireline network accesses, 225,000 Internet accesses and 77,000 Max^TM (TV) subscribers. SaskTel offers a wide range of communications products and services including competitive voice, data, Internet, entertainment, national security, messaging, cellular, wireless data and directory services. In addition, SaskTel International offers software solutions and project consulting in countries around the world. In 2009, SaskTel contributed more than $651 million to the Saskatchewan economy through dollars spent with Saskatchewan-based suppliers and sponsorships to non-profit organizations. SaskTel and its wholly-owned subsidiaries have a workforce of approximately 4,800 employees.

Original Source: Newswire Today (http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/97047/)

Award Solutions the Official Technical Training Sponsor of CTIA E&A!

22 August 2011, 7:39 am

Award Solutions is proud to be the Official Technical Training Sponsor of CTIA Enterprise and Applications™ 2011. More than 15,000 wireless and IT professionals will gather for CTIA Enterprise & Applications 2011 in San Diego this year, and as an Official Show Partner Award will offer a 1 day training event on LTE specifically designed for those in sales-related roles.

LTE promises much faster data speeds and access to services that are not practical in 3G. As enterprise customers explore the capabilities and implications of this technology, those involved with enterprise sales need to be prepared to confidently and accurately answer their questions.

LTE: Services and Speeds Unleashed (Oct 12 @ 10:30am)
This must-attend course designed for sales-related roles provides the background necessary to answer more involved questions about the LTE technology and how it applies to enterprise customers, including questions about devices and SIM cards, LTE sessions, connecting to enterprise networks, Quality of Service, Voice over IP, and interoperability with other technologies, including EV-DO and UMTS.

To get more course details please visit http://www.awardsolutions.com/downloads/Award_Solutions_LTE_Services_Speeds_Unleashed.pdf or connect with Beverly@awardsolutions.com. Participants can take advantage of early bird pricing through August 29th. Visit http://www.ctiaenterpriseandapps.com to register for this must-attend training event.

About Award
Award Solutions, Inc. provides training and consulting in advanced wireless and Internet technologies such as LTE, UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+, GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 1xEV-DO, WiMAX, and IP. We provide clients with innovative, cost-effective solutions that rapidly boost workforce productivity and competence to more quickly meet market demands.

The training and consulting solutions delivered by Award have proven successful for telecommunications and Internet equipment manufacturers, service providers, and management consulting firms since 1997.

For additional information, please visit our website at www.awardsolutions.com or call us at +1.972.664.0727 or toll-free at +1.877.472.9273.

About CTIA Enterprise and Applications™
With the consumerization of corporate IT coupled with advancements in wireless technologies an evolution is underway that will forever change the way we do business. Enterprises across healthcare and energy to media, retail, and transportation are finding innovative ways to capitalize on this mobile opportunity to drive revenues, ignite new global partnerships, satisfy and retain customers and increase workforce productivity. With a focus on applications, content, network architecture and technologies, CTIA Enterprise & Applications™ brings a community of users, new wireless entrants, carriers, developers and manufacturers together to generate dialogue, share ideas and do business.

Top Global Launches the World’s First Simultaneous 3G and 4G LTE Router MB7900 with certification by Verizon Wireless Open Development Initiatives

19 August 2011, 7:34 am

The MB7900 is Verizon Wireless ODI certified with embedded 3G Gobi technologies. It can simultaneously support both 3G and 4G links with dynamic load balancing using an additional 4G LTE modem. It offers affordable 3G mobile broadband networks with future proof 4G technologies for M2M sensors and enterprises to support business continuity, digital signage, POS & Kiosks, in-vehicle data solutions and more.

Top Global today announced the certification of the Top Global MB7900 by Verizon ODI, the 3G Gobi™ Embedded Router which can simultaneously support 3G and 4G networks using an external 4G modem. Qualcomm’s Gobi™ technology gives customers the freedom of secure mobile Internet connectivity anywhere in the world by reprogramming the software.

Machine-to-machine (M2M) equipment, sensor and control panel manufacturers also can more simply and cost-effectively develop global solutions with Gobi technology since the single embedded router is easily scalable and reprogrammable to support multiple wireless networks worldwide. It can also seamlessly migrate to 4G LTE network without replacing the router.

The Top Global MB7900 supports all 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE standards offering high speed Internet access and GPS functionality in a convenient, affordable and portable package that can fit in any M2M equipment, sensor and control panel. The MB7900 can simultaneously link Verizon’s 3G and 4G cellular networks with existing Wi-Fi, GPS, LAN, WAN, Serial and USB-enabled devices. Additionally, features such as the built-in auto-failover, allowing for different configurations of WAN networks and GPS tracking systems. The MB7900 enables customers who do business internationally to send and receive large amounts of data at broadband speeds via the fastest 4G LTE network with build-in Qualcomm 3G Gobi technology for mission critical applications

“We are delighted to launch the awards winning Gobi Router for mission critical enterprise connectivity and other M2M applications," said Dr. Alan Zhen Zhou, President and CTO, Top Global. “Enabled by our patented MobileBridge^TMtechnology, the MB7900 can connect to both 3G and 4G networks simultaneously for maximum speed with built-in network redundancy.”

Targeting M2M applications and designed to benefit enterprises, small to mid-size businesses and small office home office (SOHO) customers, the MB7900 offers a scalable, reliable and affordable solution to quickly deploy a multitude of wireless 3G and 4G networks. The MB7900 is available for purchase in tandem with Verizon’s Mobile Broadband Data Access Plan, which is also ideally suited for businesses who want to enhance their productivity by being connected just about anywhere they go.

More information about Top Global is available at http://www.topglobal.us/.

Award Solutions is a 2011 4G World Training Sponsor

13 June 2011, 9:49 am

In collaboration with the Yankee Group, the organizers of 4G World, we are pleased to annouce Award Solutions as a 2011 4G World Training Sponsor. 4G World is the largest event in the world covering the entire ecosystem of next-generation technologies and business models that power the mobile Internet industry and economy.

LTE is an evolution path for both UMTS/HSPA and 1x/1xEV-DO Networks, and continues to be one of the most high profile technologies in the emerging wireless/mobile broadband industry. Award Solutions will offer the following LTE courses in conjunction with 4G World:

LTE Technology Overview (Oct 24-25)
This course describes the simplified architecture of LTE, OFDM, and MIMO. Topics in this course include: LTE Architecture and Protocols, LTE Air Interface, Initial LTE Connections, QoS Support in LTE, Mobility and Handovers, Services in LTE, Interworking and Deployment, etc.

Delivering Voice in LTE-IMS Networks (Oct 26-27)
This course provides a detailed look at the architecture of the LTE EPC, IMS, and QoS framework to deliver end-to-end voice and data services in an LTE network. Topics in this course include: LTE-EPC Architecture, IMS Architecture, QoS Framework in LTE-EPC, Pre- Call IMS Functions for VoIP, Voice Over LTE (VoLTE), Voice in Non-IMS Domain, Interworking in IMS, etc.

LTE Advanced (R10) for Engineers (Oct 26)
This course provides an overview of LTE-Advanced features, describing the key requirements and proposed solutions. Topics in this course include: EPS Network Architecture, Air Interface, Enhancements, Life of an LTE-Advanced US, Deployment Considerations, etc.

Visit http://www.4gworld.com/register/registration-packages-prices/ or connect with Beverly@awardsolutions.com for more information on these courses. Participants can take advantage of 4G World early bird pricing through 6/30/2011.

About Award
Award Solutions, Inc. provides training and consulting in advanced wireless and Internet technologies such as LTE, UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+, GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 1xEV-DO, WiMAX, and IP. We provide clients with innovative, cost-effective solutions that rapidly boost workforce productivity and competence to more quickly meet market demands.

The training and consulting solutions delivered by Award have proven successful for telecommunications and Internet equipment manufacturers, service providers, and management consulting firms since 1997.

For additional information, please visit our website at www.awardsolutions.com or call us at +1.972.664.0727 or toll-free at +1.877.472.9273.

About 4G World
4G World^TM is the largest event in the world covering the entire ecosystem of next-generation technologies and business models that power the mobile Internet industry and economy. 4G World 2011's four-day conference program includes more than 200 speakers and industry leader keynotes. This comprehensive and interactive program delivers updates on the latest innovations in wireless business and technology.

SaskTel Extends 4G Wireless Coverage to 15 More Locations

13 June 2011, 9:46 am

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, 06/09/2011 - SaskTel has expanded its 4G wireless network to 15 more locations across the province of Saskatchewan.

"Construction of the 4G network is a significant development for SaskTel and its customers in Saskatchewan," said Bill Boyd, Minister Responsible for SaskTel. "SaskTel 4G wireless coverage is already available to more than 98% of the population."

"Our 4G wireless network delivers increased bandwidth, greater international roaming and a wider selection of wireless devices," said Ron Styles, SaskTel President and CEO. "4G is the new industry standard and will enable SaskTel to make a smooth transition to future generations of wireless technology."

The 15 tower locations, along with 4G coverage details, are:

Antler: provides coverage to the oil and gas area east of Redvers including highway 13 near the Manitoba border.
Archerwill: provides coverage to the area west of Archerwill including highways 35 and 349.
Arelee: provides coverage to the area southwest of Radisson including highway 376.
Belbutte: provides coverage to the area between Spiritwood and Glaslyn including highway 3.
Bjorkdale: provides coverage to the area southeast of Tisdale including highway 23 south of Crooked River.
Crooked River: provides coverage to the area east of Tisdale including highways 3 and 23.

• Hubbard: provides coverage to the area south of Ituna including Star Blanket Cree Nation, Little Black Bear First Nation, and highways 15 and 310.

Hudson Bay: provides coverage to the town of Hudson Bay and the surrounding area including highways 3 and 9.
Lestock: provides coverage to the village of Lestock and the surrounding area including highway 15.
Missinipe: provides coverage to the Missinipe area.
Montreal Lake: provides coverage to Montreal Lake Cree Nation.
Rose Valley: provides coverage to the town of Rose Valley and the surrounding area including highway 35.
Spy Hill: provides coverage to the village of Spy Hill and the surrounding area including highways 8 and 22.
Stanley Mission: provides coverage to the community of Stanley Mission and the surrounding area.
Wishart: provides coverage to the area south of Wynyard including Day Star First Nation.

The 4G network provides increased bandwidth with download speeds approximately 4 times faster than existing speeds (up to 21 megabits per second, and up to 42 megabits per second in Regina and Saskatoon after an upgrade to be complete by this summer). It is also compatible with approximately 80% of all networks across the world and international roaming customers will be able to use their SaskTel 4G device on 4G networks anywhere.

The current SaskTel 4G device line-up includes:

Apple iPhone 4
BlackBerry® Torch^TM 9800
BlackBerry® Bold^TM 9780
BlackBerry® Curve^TM 9300
BlackBerry® Pearl^TM 9100
HTC Incredible S^TM
LG Optimus Quantum^TM
LG Rumour Plus^TM
LG Flick^TM
Nokia C6
Nokia 7230
Nokia 6350
Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant^TM
Samsung Gravity Touch
Samsung Gravity® 3
Samsung Rugby^TM II
Novatel MC998D Mobile Internet Stick
Novatel Mi-Fi 2372 Mobile Hotspot

SaskTel plans to support the existing CDMA digital network for the foreseeable future to ensure that all wireless customers continue to enjoy a full selection of wireless services that best suit their needs. Customers can now choose from a wide range of devices for both the existing CDMA network and the new 4G network.

About SaskTel
Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corporation (SaskTel.com) is the leading full service communications provider in Saskatchewan, with $1.1 billion in annual revenue and over 1.4 million customer connections including over 568,000 wireless accesses, 528,000 wireline network accesses, 230,000 internet accesses and 85,000 Max^TM (TV) subscribers. SaskTel offers a wide range of communications products and services including competitive voice, data, internet, entertainment, national security, messaging, cellular, wireless data and directory services. In addition, SaskTel International offers software solutions and project consulting in countries around the world. In 2010, SaskTel contributed over $678 million to the Saskatchewan economy through dollars spent with Saskatchewan-based suppliers and sponsorships to non-profit organizations. SaskTel and its wholly-owned subsidiaries have a workforce of approximately 4,800 employees.

Original Source: Newsire - http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/92137/

Award Solutions to Deliver “The NEW OS Wars: Smartphones and Tablets are the Next Battleground” Seminar at IEEE CE Society Meeting – RSVP Today

30 March 2011, 10:30 am

Join Award Solutions and the IEEE Consumer Electronics (CE) Society on Tuesday, April 12 in Richardson, TX for a complimentary seminar entitled, "The New OS WARS: Smartphones and Tablets are the Next Battleground". Chris Reece, Principal Consultant at Award Solutions, will deliver the session.

The New OS War: Smartphones and Tablets are the Next Battleground:

As the OS war advances beyond PCs, smartphones and tablets are battling for their position in the consumer and enterprise markets. The additional arsenal needed to dominate market position is expected to be the supporting hardware and applications. Get insight into the mobile landscape, the key players (iOS, WM7, Android, WebOS, Blackberry, etc.), and a strategic look at other factors that will likely impact market share. In the end, consumers will most definitely be the winners.

Join us at the ITT Technical Institute Richardson campus for an inside look into the new OS Wars. Networking begins at 11:30am, with the main presentation on the Smartphone and Tablet OS's from 12:00pm to 1:00pm.

ITT Technical Institute - Richardson Campus

2101 Waterview Parkway, Richardson, TX 75080
972-690-9100 or 1-888-488-5761

This session is free and open to the public. Walk-ins are welcome, but RSVP to Beverly@awardsolutions.com by Friday, April 8 to take advantage of the complimentary lunch.

About Award

Award Solutions is the premier international training provider for the top wireless operators and majority of manufacturers worldwide. Award Solutions offers onsite, public, and virtual training, as well as self-paced eLearning, in advanced wireless and IP technologies (such as LTE, UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+, Ethernet Backhaul, WiMAX, IP Convergence, IMS, Cloud Computing, etc.).

For additional information on Award, please visit our website at www.awardsolutions.com or call 972-664-0727 x299.

About IEEE and IEEE CE Society

IEEE is the world's largest professional association for the advancement of technology. For over 125 years, IEEE has enabled its worldwide members to shape our technological future. With over 5000 members worldwide, the Consumer Electronics Society (CE Society) promotes advancement within the consumer electronics industry. As a member, the benefits are numerous and include access to valuable resources such as cutting-edge training and publications, networking opportunities, and exposure to technologies and products before they hit the market. For additional information or to become a member visit www.ieee.org.

Award Solutions Speaker at LTE Forum 2011

23 March 2011, 10:47 am

Award Solutions' Senior Consultant John McKeague will be speaking at the pre-conference workshop LTE Essentials at the LTE Forum on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 in Stockholm, Sweden.

Join HanseCom Media and Communications and LTE Forum 2011 at this one-day workshop, which provides a comprehensive high-level view of LTE and is intended for those in sales, marketing, product line management, and executives who need to understand LTE and its place in the 4G wireless landscape.

The LTE Essentials workshop provides an overview of LTE from both application and technical aspects, including the network architecture, the underlying technologies of OFDM and multiple antenna techniques, and the call setup procedure. In addition, deployment and interworking issues are explored along with the competitive landscape by comparing features and services with other 4G systems such as WiMAX.

The LTE Forum 2011 will help operators to identify the evolutionary steps to 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution), to understand the drivers for migrating, and to determine what they need to be doing now to ensure their network remains competitive. Presentations from mobile operators and other industry experts will help delegates to understand why, when and how to migrate to 4G LTE, and what they should be doing now to ensure their networks remain competitive into the future.

For more information about LTE Forum 2011, visit www.lteforum2011.com.

About Award

Award Solutions, Inc. provides training and consulting in advanced wireless and Internet technologies such as LTE, UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+, GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 1xEV-DO, WiMAX, and IP. We provide clients with innovative, cost-effective solutions that rapidly boost workforce productivity and competence to more quickly meet market demands.

The training and consulting solutions delivered by Award have proven successful for telecommunications and Internet equipment manufacturers, service providers, and management consulting firms since 1997.

For additional information, please visit our website at www.awardsolutions.com or call us toll-free at +1.972.664.0727.

About HanseCom

HanseCom Media & Communication is a leading IT and Telecom conference organizer that has earned a reputation of excellence, specializing in specific themes pertaining to the Information Technology community. Led by an experienced management team headquartered in Porto, the company was established in Portugal in 2004.

Our conferences provide not only valuable updated information, but also insight on how a given technology is likely to pan out in the future. In this way, a HanseCom event is often an interface between research and industry. It is an excellent occasion for bringing together these two worlds and ensuring an extremely strong networking opportunity for delegates and speakers.

Grading the top 10 U.S. carriers in the third quarter of 2010

9 November 2010, 3:27 pm

The following charts the top 10 U.S. wireless carriers in the third quarter of 2010 by subscriber base, according to research firm Strategy Analytics, and includes major metrics--such as churn, ARPU and revenue--of each carrier. The subscriber figures include both retail and wholesale customers.

This list does not include resellers or MVNOs such as TracFone.

And don't forget to see how these figures stack up against first quarter 2009, second quarter 2009, third quarter 2009, fourth quarter 2009, first quarter 2010 and second quarter 2010 figures.

(Don't forget to check out our wrap-up of the wireless industry in the third quarter, and our special report on the top global handset makers in the third quarter.)

Top US Wireless Carrier Metrics Q2 2010 (ranking by subscribers, retail + wholesale)
	Carrier	Subscribers (millions)	Net Adds (millions)	Churn (Avg Monthly)	Service Revenue (US$ millions)	Data % of Service Revenue	ARPU ****
1	Verizon Wireless	92.063	1.351	1.27%	$14,046	34.5%	$50.42
2	AT&T	90.130	1.562	1.29%	$13,186	33.2%	$50.02
3	Sprint Nextel*	47.924	0.106	2.79%	$6,397	31.8%	$48.03
4	T-Mobile USA	33.620	-0.093	3.40%	$4,699	24.9%	$ 46.52
5	MetroPCS	7.634	0.303	3.30%	$922	n/a	$39.84
6	US Cellular	6.144	-0.003	1.91%	$973	22.1%	$52.71
7	Leap Wireless	5.288	-0.112	5.0%	$597	n/a	$37.61
8	Clearwire***	1.692	0.722	3.2%	$123	100.0%	$41.58
9	Cincinnati Bell	0.510	-0.014	3.4%	$69	25.4%	$44.44
10	Ntelos	0.439	-0.006	3.0%	$94	23.1%	$49.93
11**	Cellular South**	n/a
Sprint Nextel subscribers and net adds excluding estimated number of affiliate subscribers, but including wholesale; service revenues excluding wholesale and affiliate Cellular South is a private company and does not reveal its metrics, but is presumed to be in top 10 but have under 1 million subscribers Clearwire subscribers and net adds include wholesale subs outside current 4G network coverage area, but from whom Clearwire receives nominal revenue; revenue is total revenue **Blended, calculated by Strategy Analytics Source: Strategy Analytics, based on carrier reports

Original Source: Mike Dano; FierceMobileContent (http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/special-reports/grading-top-10-us-carriers-third-quarter-2010#ixzz14oqva3ZI)

Trials and tribulations of LTE and all-IP

3 November 2010, 12:25 pm

The mobile industry has made a bold move with LTE having an all-IP core, shedding the circuit switched legacy of its predecessors. By embracing an all-IP environment, LTE will ultimately enable network simplification and heightened service innovation, with the elimination of traditional vertically integrated operational silos. However as service providers migrate to all-IP, a variety of challenges emerge. Two notable challenges include:

Support for legacy systems - Even as LTE embraces all-IP, there is a need to ensure adequate service integration and feature transparency with legacy systems, which we believe will remain in mobile networks foreseeable future. The most notable example is in the delivery of voice services over LTE. A variety of solutions, including circuit switched fallback, proprietary software upgrades to pre-IMS switches and full IMS implementations are proposed. Other cases include both proprietary and standardized approaches to encapsulating services like SMS in an IP payload.
Business and operational support system upgrades - All-IP architectures enable tremendous improvements in service velocity and in service lifecycle management. To capture this benefit, upgrades to business and operational support systems are necessary. With these upgrades, traditional boundaries between business and operational support systems become blurred. Traditional operational silos must evolve to enable end-to-end service centric business and operational support.

In addition to the specific challenges associated with all-IP, the proliferation of IP is placing tremendous pressure on the IPv4 address space. Finally, after more than a decade of false starts, IPv6 is looking imminent. In the past industry players have deferred the need for IPv6 by using techniques such as network address translation (NAT) to increase the scale of IPv4. However with the proliferation of Internet enabled mobile devices, IPv6 overlays are inevitable. Service providers like Verizon have recognized this trend by requiring all of its LTE devices to be IPv6 capable. As IPv6 is adopted, legacy IPv4 installations will prevail for the foreseeable future and dual mode capabilities will be mandatory and require costly system upgrades.

As the LTE fever takes hold over the next 36 months and as industry players eagerly anticipate the new capabilities that LTE offers the marketplace, we believe that there are two important messages that the industry must embrace:

Don't forget the extensive legacy installed base. Without adequate integration and backward compatibility, service providers run the risk of creating LTE silos.
Address challenges with business and operational software early in the upgrade planning and design process. Too often, software issues are not identified and addressed until late in the overall design and planning process, result in complex and sub-optimum designs. This is particularly important with the increased role that software will play in the overall delivery of mobile broadband services in the future.

Original Source: Phil Marshall; 4G Trends (http://4gtrends.com/?p=4326&mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRokvqrJZKXonjHpfsX57ekuUaag38431UFwdcjKPmjr1YcJT9QhcOuuEwcWGog82Q1WEeWQe5JP7%2BU%3D)

Rohde & Schwarz collaborates with Blue Wonder and 4M Wireless on LTE

14 October 2010, 8:46 am

Rohde & Schwarz, a premium supplier of test and measurement solutions to the wireless industry, and Blue Wonder, an independent design house and licensor of LTE IP and system solutions, today announced a joint demonstration at 4G World 2010 in Chicago, Illinois, from October 18 through October 21 at Rohde & Schwarz booth (Booth 627).

Blue Wonder Communications and Rohde & Schwarz have teamed up to demonstrate one of the latest market trends showing their TD-LTE capabilities. The demonstration utilizes Blue Wonder Communication's BWC200 LTE IP reference solution and Rohde & Schwarz R&S®CMW500 Wideband Radio Communication Tester. The R&S®CMW500, a multi-standard platform, is supporting the latest development in 3GPP and 3GPP2 standards and is the most comprehensive test solution in the market for chipset and handset development, and for emerging technologies like LTE and HSPA+, EDGE evolution or VAMOS.

Blue Wonder Communication's BWC200 is capable of handling FDD and TD-LTE on the same architecture and is therefore the ideal IP solution for customers to deploy multi-mode LTE devices worldwide. The BWC200 reference platform utilizes the proven protocol stack from 4M Wireless for the 4G World demonstration. The 4M Wireless LTE protocol stack is deployed in several commercially available LTE UE solutions and has undergone significant IOT to date.

The demonstration is the result of joint testing activities for TD-LTE. A connection is established between the R&S®CMW500, acting as TD-LTE base station emulator, and the BWC200, realizing a 2x2 MIMO setup. The connection is verified by streaming a high-definition video in downlink and uplink, which is visualized on two external notebooks.

"Partnering with Rohde & Schwarz on TD-LTE testing gives confidence to our customers to have a fully verified and tested solution available for going to market quickly", comments Dr. Wolfram Drescher, Managing Director at Blue Wonder Communications. "Discovering the performance of BWC200 LTE-IP at the 4G World in Chicago is a good opportunity to get an impression of what the coming advanced multimode LTE solutions are able to achieve."

"This joint demonstration is another example of the broad application range of the R&S®CMW500 used as LTE Protocol Tester supporting, not only the latest changes and developments in LTE FDD, but moreover also for TD-LTE!" says Anton Messmer, director of subdivision for mobile radio testers at Rohde & Schwarz.

"We are pleased to be demonstrating and further testing our solution with the Rohde & Schwarz R&S®CMW500," added Atif Malik, CEO of 4M Wireless. "The 4M Wireless LTE protocol stack is fully integrated with the reference baseband solution from Blue Wonder Communications and this event further proves the TD-LTE capabilities of all involved."

Rohde & Schwarz is an independent group of companies specializing in electronics. It is a leading supplier of solutions in the fields of test and measurement, broadcasting, radiomonitoring and radiolocation, as well as secure communications. Established more than 75 years ago, Rohde & Schwarz has a global presence and a dedicated service network in over 70 countries. It has approx. 7400 employees and achieved a net revenue of € 1.2 billion (US$ 1.7 billion) in fiscal year 2008/2009. Company headquarters are in Munich, Germany. For more information, see http://www.rohde-schwarz.com/usa.

Blue Wonder Communications is an independent design house and licensor of LTE-IP and system solutions. Serving the semiconductors and telecommunications industries, Blue Wonder Communications strives to become the leading provider for embeddable modem technology and system solutions supporting the next generation mobile standard LTE (Long Term Evolution). Customers will benefit from the advantage of an easy to integrate and cost efficient solution combined with optimized performance, size and power consumption. For more information, see http://www.bluwo.com.

4M Wireless Ltd is a supplier of innovative software solutions for mobile communications. The company is the industry leader in LTE protocol stack software for mobile devices. The 4M Wireless PS100 LTE protocol stack consists of Layer 2, Layer 3 and NAS protocol layers fully compliant to the latest 3GPP Release 8 specifications. The company's award winning software is currently being used by a variety of leading customers and partners. For more information, see http://www.4mwireless.com.

Verizon's Shammo: LTE enables new kinds of data plans

24 May 2012, 10:31 am

Verizon Wireless' (NYSE:VZ) LTE network gives it the ability to create new and differentiated kinds of data plans, including ones where content providers could pay Verizon to take their content out of a customer's data allotment, a senior Verizon executive said.

Speaking at the Barclays Global Technology, Media and Telecommunications Conference, Verizon Communications CFO Fran Shammo said that LTE gives carriers the ability "to price data many, many different ways." He was asked specifically about charging more or less for data depending upon the time of day or network utilization, and while Shammo did not address those two scenarios directly or say how Verizon might charge differently for data, he did mention the possibility of "toll free" data plans. Such plans, like toll free numbers, pass the cost of the connection from the user to a service provider.

"There's a lot of innovation that LTE brings to give us the ability to price data very differently," Shammo said.

Shammo also addressed his comments from last week about the carrier's forthcoming family data plans, or data share plans, which Verizon will launch this summer. Shammo said he misspoke slightly, noting that customers will have the choice to upgrade to such plans. However, he reiterated his point from last week that if customers on unlimited data plans move to data share plans, they will lose their unlimited pricing.

"If you go to data share, you can't intuitively have an unlimited plan if you want to go to data share," he said, noting that the company's market research has shown that customers want such plans. He did not provide details on Verizon's planned family data plans, but said, "I think it's going to be different and innovative for the industry."

The Verizon CFO also talked about the carrier's pending purchase of $3.9 billion worth of AWS spectrum from a group of cable companies, as well as the company's proposed sale of 700 MHz Lower A and B Block spectrum. Verizon has said the sale of its 700 MHz spectrum is contingent on getting federal approval for the AWS purchases. Verizon noted in a recent FCC filing that it has attracted 36 possible bidders for the 700 MHz licenses.

"At the end of the day, this is not a fire sale," Shammo said of the 700 MHz spectrum. "This is a fair market value sale. It will be our discretion, if we don't believe we're getting the value then we won't go ahead with the sale."

According to Credit Suisse, Verizon will auction 24 12 MHz A Block licenses covering 152 million POPs and 54 12 MHz B Block licenses covering 48 million POPs. Verizon spent a total of $9.36 billion on its 700 MHz spectrum during the FCC's 2008 auction, with around $4.4 billion of that going to A and B Block licenses.

In December, Verizon agreed to pay $3.6 billion for the nationwide AWS spectrum licenses held by SpectrumCo, a joint venture of cable companies Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks. Separately, Verizon said it will buy Cox Communication's 20 MHz of AWS spectrum covering 28 million POPs for $315 million. All of the deals include the option of Verizon reselling cable services and cable companies reselling Verizon service. The cable companies can also become MVNOs of Verizon.

Shammo said that the AWS spectrum Verizon wants to buy fits better with its existing spectrum holdings and will serve as a capacity overlay to augment its 700 MHz Upper C Block spectrum, which Verizon is currently using for its LTE network. He said there are other companies that could make better use of Verizon's A and B Block spectrum.

For more:
- see this webcast

Related Articles:
Verizon: 36 buyers interested in our 700 MHz spectrum
Is Verizon's Viewdini a hint of what's to come?
Verizon will kill 'grandfathered' unlimited data plans, push users to data share
Verizon to launch family data plan by mid-year
Verizon revives double LTE smartphone data promotion
Verizon LTE subscribers climb to 8M in Q1, iPhone activations decline to 3.2M

The 10 top VC firms in the wireless industry in 2011

24 May 2012, 8:27 am

Venture capital is back; 2011 was a banner year for venture capital investments in wireless. After the recession of the past few years, venture capitalists came out in force during 2011 to invest a total of $6.3 billion in mobile-focused companies, according to Rutberg & Co. That's just slightly less than the high of $6.4 billion that VC firms delivered to mobile in 2006, the biggest year of VC investments in mobile in the past decade. According to Rutberg, mobile applications comprised $1.8 billion of the $6.3 billion total in 2011, with infrastructure contributing $2.6 billion, devices scooping up $1 billion, carriers netting $500 million and semiconductors nabbing $400 million. Which VC firms made the most investments? Find out in our special report.

ABI: 'Phablets' like Samsung Galaxy Note to hit 208M units in 2015

24 May 2012, 8:22 am

The emerging device category of "phablets," or devices that are larger in size than smartphones but smaller than tablets (generally with a 5-inch screen), will hit its stride over the next few years, reaching 208 million units in 2015, according to a forecast from ABI Research.

Samsung Galaxy Note

Currently, the most high-profile phablet is Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note, which sports a 5-3-inch screen. Samsung, which markets the device as having the best features of both a smartphone and a tablet, said in late March it had sold 5 million units of the device. The Galaxy Note went on sale last fall and is currently available in the United States via AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T), which sells the LTE-capable device for $250 with a two-year contract.

Likely because of Samsung's success, other handset makers appear poised to jump into the phablet market later this year, including HTC, Huawei and LG Electronics. ABI defines phablets as devices with a touchscreen size between 4.6 and 5.5 inches. The research firm predicts that global shipments of phablets will increase by a factor of 10 in 2012 from 2011.

"One of the chief drivers for phablets is the amount of time people use their smartphones for web browsing, reading articles and newspapers on the go, or simply navigating their journeys," ABI analyst Joshua Flood said in a statement. "The larger screen sizes make a significant difference to the user's experience when compared to conventional-sized touchscreens between 3.5 to 4 inches." Additionally, new phablet-styled devices provide an attractive two-in-one device proposition and are beginning to see the competition between these larger smartphone form factors and smaller media tablets (less than 7 inches)."

As LTE networks proliferate, phablets are also likely to find favor with consumers who may want to view HD and other multimedia content on large screens but who might balk at buying a more expensive tablet. The chief drawback to phablets at this point is that they are somewhat ungainly to hold because of their in-between size.

For more:
- see this release

Related Articles:
Samsung soars to record Q1 on the back of smartphone sales
AT&T upgrading 11 devices to Android Ice Cream Sandwich
LG targets sales of 80M handsets, 35M smartphones for 2012
LG unwraps quad-core Optimus 4X HD smartphone before MWC

RIM loses global sales chief in latest exec departure

24 May 2012, 8:01 am

Even as it works toward releasing its BlackBerry 10 platform, Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) keeps losing top executives. The latest to depart is Patrick Spence, who resigned as RIM's head of global sales.

"Patrick will be taking on a leadership position in a different industry," RIM said in a statement sent to media outlets. "The sales function will report directly into Kristian Tear, our newly appointed COO when he starts this summer. In the interim, the sales function will report to [CEO] Thorsten Heins." Spence's resignation will take effect June 15.

Spence, 37, had worked at RIM for 14 years, and had taken on a much more high profile role over the past few months promoting BlackBerry around the world. Spence was promoted to the global sales role in July 2011 after serving as managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Spence's departure is the latest in a string of executive shakeups at RIM, which is treading water as it works on BlackBerry 10, the platform the company is betting its future on. Former co-CEO Jim Balsillie, former COO Jim Rowan, former CTO David Yach and former VPs Alan Brenner and Alistair Mitchell have all left the company recently.

RIM has made a few high-profile hires recently. The company named Tear, a former executive vice president at Sony Mobile Communications, as its COO earlier this month. RIM also named Frank Boulben as its CMO. Boulben was an executive vice president at LightSquared and who had a career with European carriers.

RIM's share of the U.S. smartphone market slumped to 12 percent in the first quarter, according to comScore. RIM's BlackBerry 10 platform, introduced earlier this month, was well received by analysts and the tech press, but will not make its way onto commercial devices until later this year.

For more:
- see this Wall Street Journal article (sub. req.)
- see this Bloomberg article
- see this Reuters article
- see this AllThingsD article

Related Articles:
RIM CEO promises LTE PlayBook, dishes on licensing BlackBerry 10
RIM's BlackBerry 10 impresses, but analysts say more is needed
RIM unveils Blackberry 10, Heins promises 'laser' focus on execution
RIM's HSPA+ and LTE PlayBook tablets could be headed to U.S. market
Report: RIM's Balsillie pitched cheap, global data service for Android, iPhone
RIM launches BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, adding iOS, Android security support

DT's Obermann: Another sale of T-Mobile USA not in the cards

24 May 2012, 7:41 am

Deutsche Telekom CEO Rene Obermann said it's unlikely DT will try to sell T-Mobile USA again after AT&T's (NYSE:T) $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile fell apart. However, he left open the possibility of other kinds of partnerships to grow DT's U.S. business.

Obermann

"We continue to look for a long-term solution to improve earnings in our U.S. business," Obermann told shareholders at Deutsche Telekom's annual general meeting. "However, a complete sale like the one to AT&T is considered unlikely."

Interestingly, the DT chief also said the company is not excluding "any option for the T-Mobile unit in the U.S., also not a merger." Obermann said the company is exploring ways to increase its return on capital or reduce its capital investment in the market, and is looking at other partnerships and other unnamed "non-organic steps."

The comments fit with those from other high-ranking DT and T-Mobile USA executives from recent weeks. DT CFO Timotheus Höttges said last week that there was "no need for us to enter into any kind of deal at this point in time" between T-Mobile and another company. T-Mobile CEO Philipp Humm said in a more recent interview with the Seattle Times that the focus for the business is to grow organically, though Humm also left the door open to "opportunities to gain additional scale or additional spectrum or strengthen capital structure in the U.S. market."

Höttges said last week that the $1.4 billion DT will spend this year and next year to upgrade T-Mobile's network--and the $4 billion in investments over time--will be all "self-funding" and will come from cash T-Mobile generates in the United States. He said at the end of the network upgrade, T-Mobile will have 2X10 MHz channels for LTE in almost all of its markets, which he said will give the company a strong spectrum position through 2017 or 2018. T-Mobile plans to deploy LTE next year using AWS spectrum and will start refarming its 2G 1900 MHz PCS spectrum for HSPA+ services.

For more:
- see this Bloomberg article
- see this MarketWatch article
- see this Reuters article

Related Articles:
T-Mobile's Humm: We don't need to make a deal with another carrier
T-Mobile clarifies restructuring plans, will cut only 350 jobs
DT CFO: T-Mobile USA can stand alone
T-Mobile to axe 1,900 jobs, close seven call centers
Report: Deutsche Telekom may try to merge T-Mobile with MetroPCS
T-Mobile picks Ericsson, NSN as its LTE vendors

Nvidia gets Icera onto AT&T's LTE; Yahoo intros new mobile browser

24 May 2012, 7:25 am

Quick news from around the Web.

@FierceWireless: @Wired asks if Dennis Woodside could be Google's bid to dominate mobile ads. Article Could be a long-term plan. Thoughts? --PG | Follow@FierceWireless

> Alcatel-Lucent CEO Ben Verwaayen said Silicon Valley is the place to be. Article

> Nvidia said its Icera modem has been certified for AT&T Mobility's LTE network. Release

> AT&T detailed the next phase of its "Rethink Possible" ad campaign. Post

> Bharti Airtel will acquire an interest in Qualcomm Asia Pacific's Indian BWA entities. Release

Mobile Content News

> Yahoo introduced a new mobile browser. Article

> Google and Oracle's drawn out battle over alleged patent infringement finally reached a jury decision: the jury found that Google did not infringe on Oracle's patents with its Android operating system. Article

> Android and iOS made up more than 80 percent of the global smartphone market in the first quarter of 2012, according to research firm IDC. Release

> Google introduced a redesigned search app for the iPhone. Article

> Huawei has asked European Union officials to intervene in its patent dispute with InterDigital. Article

> The NFL turned to mobile to revolutionize the stadium experience. Editor's Corner

Broadband Wireless News

> The Cloud is adding pub chain company Greene King to its list of partners, which will enlarge The Cloud's Wi-Fi network with 2,400 more venues. Article

> Movik unveiled its intelligent radio access network architecture as well as what it is calling a 3G/4G/LTE real-time correlation solution for RAN traffic management. Article

> Voice over LTE is keeping providers of IP Multimedia Systems very busy, according to separate reports from research firms Infonetics and Exact Ventures. Article

European Wireless News

> Mobile commerce uptake in the UK has quadrupled in the last two years. Article

> Operators in southern Europe will be unable to afford the huge investment costs associated with LTE unless the current network business model is fundamentally changed, according to an Orange executive. Article

> Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao used the reporting of the operator's full-year results to quietly outline the company's direction for the next three years. Article

And finally... Nokia Siemens Networks pointed out the similarities between one of its brochures and one of Huawei's brochures. Post

Verizon: 36 buyers interested in our 700 MHz spectrum

24 May 2012, 7:21 am

Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) has so far attracted interest from 36 potential buyers for its 700 MHz Lower A and B Block spectrum, according to the carrier.

Verizon made the disclosure in a letter dated May 22 it sent to the FCC. The carrier said 36 entities have signed non-disclosure agreements over the proposed sale. The disclosure was part of a larger accounting of the planned sale Verizon gave to the FCC following the commission's request for more information.

Importantly, Verizon has said the sale of its Lower A and B Block spectrum is contingent on the carrier getting regulatory approval to buy more attractive nationwide AWS spectrum from cable companies. The FCC had asked Verizon to explain what steps it has taken to build out the 700 MHz spectrum, what difficulties exist in deploying that spectrum, why the 700 MHz sale is relevant to a review of the AWS spectrum purchases and what Verizon would do if the entirety of the AWS purchases were not approved.

In its response, Verizon said that it has taken a number of steps to prepare to use its Lower And B Block spectrum, "including RF system design, site construction planning, and discussions with vendors. In all markets covered by these licenses, three phases of the initial RF system design have been completed: identifying cell sites for development, selecting configurations of antennas, and determining center height requirements for the antennas." Verizon said it has also "communicated with equipment vendors about procuring both devices and network equipment that will operate on" the spectrum.

The nation's largest carrier also matter-of-factly stated what has been a general consensus among analysts since the proposed 700 MHz sale was announced: that AWS spectrum is better spectrum and is more complementary to Verizon's existing spectrum holdings. Verizon noted the technical challenges associated with making its devices work for both the Lower 700 MHz spectrum and the Upper C Block, which it is currently using to deploy LTE to around two-thirds of the U.S. population. Verizon also noted the interference concerns between the A Block and Channel 51 broadcast spectrum.

Verizon also took aim at its critics, including T-Mobile USA and the Rural Cellular Association, which have accused it of hoarding spectrum. "The sale of the Lower 700 MHz licenses also further undercuts the meritless 'warehousing' claims by several of our competitors," Verizon said. "In response to the license assignment applications in this proceeding, these parties argue that Verizon Wireless should not be allowed to acquire AWS spectrum because it is 'warehousing' what they describe as beachfront Lower 700 MHz spectrum in order to keep other wireless providers from using it. The fact that Verizon Wireless has announced a public sale process for the Lower 700 MHz spectrum if the AWS transactions are approved conclusively refutes those claims."

The filing contains numerous portions that have been redacted for public viewing, including sections detailing the efforts Verizon has undertaken since 2009 to sell its Lower A and B Block spectrum. Verizon indicated that after discussions it held in February and March with unnamed parties it determined that there was enough interest in the spectrum to warrant a sale. The company said that if the FCC does not approve its AWS purchases, Verizon "would have re-assess all available options to meet its customers' needs."

In response, the Alliance for Broadband Competition, a group backed by T-Mobile and the RCA and supported by Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S), said that Verizon's "math simply doesn't add up."

"In the letter, Verizon fails to mention that the spectrum licenses it seeks to purchase from the cable companies cover the entire nation, while the lower MHz holdings provide only incomplete coverage," the group said. "The spectrum Verizon is so willing to offload requires costly upgrades by 2013. The spectrum from the cable companies does not. The FCC must consider these transactions accordingly, which is to comprehensively assess their impact on the entire mobile industry, and not simply facilitate horse trading between the Twin Bells."

U.S. Cellular has indicated in a regulatory filing that it is interested in buying Verizon's 700 MHz spectrum (it already owns some A Block spectrum), but has said the sale did not override the need for the FCC to issue interoperability requirements for the Lower 700 MHz band. Such a mandate would require carriers to sell phones that support multiple 700 MHz bands, not just the bands they own licenses in.

For more:
- see this FCC filing (PDF)

The 10 top VC firms in the wireless industry in 2011

24 May 2012, 3:31 am

2011 was a banner year for venture capital investments in wireless. After the recession of the past few years, venture capitalists came out in force during 2011 to invest a total of $6.3 billion in mobile-focused companies, according to Rutberg & Co. That's just slightly less than the high of $6.4 billion that VC firms delivered to mobile in 2006, the biggest year of VC investments in mobile in the past decade.

VC investments in mobile, global figures, 2001-2011. Source: Rutberg.

Unlike in 2006 though, when roughly 35 percent of venture capitalists' money went to the "wireless carrier" segment, in 2011 almost all VC money went to "technology" companies. This is a reflection of the growth of mobile applications, third-party services and over-the-top offerings. The Rutberg data also shows that mobile has made up a growing percentage of all VC money, spiking to 42.4 percent in 2011, up from 30.4 percent in 2010 and 17.1 percent in 2009.

According to Rutberg, mobile applications comprised $1.8 billion of the $6.3 billion total in 2011, with infrastructure contributing $2.6 billion, devices scooping up $1 billion, carriers netting $500 million and semiconductors nabbing $400 million.

Of course, this is not the only way to slice and dice the mobile VC landscape. Data provided to FierceWireless by the National Venture Capital Association looked solely at VC contributions to wireless communications services, which exclude mobile apps (those fall under different categories monitored by the NVCA). By this much narrower measure, VC firms contributed $263 million in equity in 2011. According to the NVCA, the top 10 VC firms in 2011 for wireless communications services were: Andreessen Horowitz, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Kleiner Perkins, Oak Investment Partners, Sequoia Capital, Spark Capital, Duff Ackerman & Goodrich, North Bridge Venture Partners, Highland Capital Partners and Norwest Venture Partners. While there is some overlap with the Rutberg data, the two firms are measuring very different things.

It's no real surprise that venture capitalists are interested in the mobile sector. After all, VC payouts can in some cases be huge. For example, Zynga acquired social and mobile gaming company OMGPOP for a reported $180 million, with an additional $30 million in employee-retention payments. And Facebook dropped a whopping $1 billion to buy photo-sharing service Instagram.

With this in mind, here's a look at the top 10 VC firms in mobile in 2011. This list is based on figures provided by Rutberg and is ranked on the number of investments each firm made last year. (There are two entries for No. 9 since both invested in the same number of companies.)

Sequoia Capital
About: Founded in 1972. Headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif. Within the mobile sector, the firm invests in advertising, applications, devices and enabling technology companies.
Number of mobile investments in 2011: 24
Specific investments: Bubble Motion, Bump, Clickatell, Color, Cotendo, DailyBooth, Evernote, Flite, Inkling, Just Dial, MeLLmo, Meraki, MobileIron, MoboTap, Onavo, Quantenna, Sencha, Sourcebits, Square, Stoke, Synapsense, Trippy, Unity

Intel Capital
About: Founded in 1991. Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. Since 1991, Intel Capital has invested more than $10 billion in over 1,100 companies in 51 countries. In that period, 189 portfolio companies have gone public and 258 were acquired or participated in a merger.
Number of mobile investments in 2011: 23
Specific investments: 4tiitoo, AltoBridge, Animoca, Arcsoft, Borqs, CloudMade, Digital Chocolate, GainSpan, InVisage, ip.access, July, Kno, mFoundry, Mocana, NeuString, SecureKey, SkyCross, skyrockit, Sotera, Swrve, TOA, Total Immersion, Urban Airship

SV Angel
About: Headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif. Founded by angel investor Ron Conway, SV Angel is now playing with around $40 million.
Number of mobile investments in 2011: 21
Specific investments: AppRedeem, BankSimple, Bump, Drchrono, EggCartel, Everyme, Game Closure, Hyperink, just.me, Kno, Mindless, Dribble, Onswipe, Orchestra, Parse, Poshmark, ShowMe, Sincerely, SnapGuide, Swrve, Tagstand, Trippy

Google Ventures
About: Founded in 2009. Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. The firm, started with a $100 million commitment, has made investments in a variety of fields ranging from Internet, software, and hardware to clean-tech, biotech and healthcare.
Number of mobile investments in 2011: 19
Specific investments: Airy Labs, Astrid, Crittercism, Echoecho, Enterproid, just.me, Milk, Miso, Nettle, Ordr.in, Parse, Pocket Change, Read It Later, Rumble, Scvngr, Stickery, Subtext, ThinkNear, TweetNGo

Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers
About: Founded in 1972. Headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif. Since its foundation, Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers has invested in more than 500 ventures including AOL, Amazon.com, Citrix, Compaq, Electronic Arts, Genentech, Genomic Health, Google, Intuit, Juniper Networks, Netscape, Sun, Symantec, Verisign, WebMD and Zynga.
Number of mobile investments in 2011: 19
Specific investments: Aerohive, Apperian, Awarepoint, Cooliris, Crittercism, Fixmo, Flipboard, GOGII, iControl, INRIX, Jawbone, Kovio, Path, Session M, Shazam, Square, Stoke, Waze, WorkSmart

Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ)
About: Founded in 1985. Headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif. The firm, which has more than $7 billion in capital commitments, has invested in a variety of tech firms, including Baidu, Hotmail, Overture, Skype and Glam Media.
Number of mobile investments in 2011: 18
Specific investments: 4INFO, Cloudbot, do@, GameSalad, JiWire, Medialets, MomentFeed, Neul, Opinionaided, Qosmos, Siklu, Synapsense, Tango, Taptu, TOA, ViVOTech, Z2Live

Accel Partners
About: Founded in 1983. Headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif. The firm manages $8.8 billion in capital commitments and has invested in a variety of companies related to mobile, including Facebook, Groupon, GetJar, AdMob, Spotify, Dropbox, Rovio, Lookout and MetroPCS.
Number of mobile investments in 2011: 17
Specific investments: Animoca, Azumio, BlueSprig, Breezy, CellScope, Dropcam, GetJar, Hotel Tonight, Lookout, MoPub, Pipette, Qriously, Qwilt, Rovio, Shopmium, Skimble, SoundTracking

New Enterprise Associates (NEA)
About: Founded in 1978. Headquartered in Chevy Chase, Md., and Menlo Park, Calif. The firm has more than $11 billion in capital committed and the firm's most notable investments include 3com, Juniper Networks, Macromedia, Salesforce.com, TiVo, Vonage and WebMD.
Number of mobile investments in 2011: 16
Specific investments: Aerohive, CellScope, Euclid Elements, Leyden Energy, Millennial Media, Pipette, Pulse, SiliconBlue, Skimble, Stitcher, Subtext, TabbedOut, Tabula, Umami, ValueFirst Messaging, Vuclip

500 Startups
About: Founded in 2010. Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. The firm was started by angel investor and former PayPal marketing chief Dave McClure.
Number of mobile investments in 2011: 13
Specific investments: Apsalar, AwayFind, Drchrono, FastCustomer, Khush, Life360, MindSnacks, Nettle, Punchd, Stickery, TaskRabbit, Twilio

Andreessen Horowitz
About: Founded in 2009. Headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif. The firm, which is the brainchild of investors Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, has a distinguished pedigree since Andreessen and Horowitz were strong angel investors in the likes of Facebook, Groupon, Skype Twitter and Zynga.
Number of investments in 2011: 13
Specific investments: BlueStacks, Bump, Capriza, Everyme, Foursquare, Hyperink, Jawbone, Kno, Lookout, Massive Health, TinyCo, Wikets

Vodafone CEO details 'Supermobile' strategy to mimic Amazon

23 May 2012, 10:19 am

Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao used the reporting of the operator's full-year results to quietly outline the company's direction for the next three years.

Colao said its plan, dubbed "Vodafone 2015: Supermobile strategy," includes replicating the success of online retail giant Amazon in terms of customer service. "Vodafone wants to be the Amazon of telcos," not in terms of selling but rather top-class customer service, Colao told reporters at a briefing, according to the Wall Street Journal.

In line with that Vodafone will be refurbishing 75 per cent of its 2,200 retail outlets across the globe by 2015 to give them an "experience-led store design." Colao said that the aim is to turn the stores towards being more like service centres, offering "fantastic service," as against simply a room full of cell phones stuck to shop walls. He added that customers should be able to purchase products online, and have the option to collect them in store.

Colao also said that as part of the strategy Vodafone will look to bolster its network capabilities and launch "healthy data pricing models" to ensure it differentiates itself from rivals. Other aspects of the 3-year plan include boosting customer loyalty and sustaining ARPUs, while at the same time improving average margin per user.

This mention of average margin per user (AMPU) would, according to Colao, becoming an increasingly important metric at a time when handset subsidies are putting operators' earnings under pressure. "We're moving to pull back on [acquisition and retention] costs," Colao told Total Telecom. "At the end of the day it is the margin that matters," he added.

This is not the first time Vodafone has touted "Supermobile" as a strategy. In fact, Colao expounded at length on the strategy in November 2010. "This is the whole set of things, and this is going to be a strong strategy based on covering technology, covering pricing, covering all the customer experiences and all the touch points that a customer will touch and, of course, covering all leading devices," he said at the time. "Our objective here is clearly to deliver data earlier and more profitably than what we thought under the old strategy."

Separately, Vodafone's 11 per cent drop in full-year profit due to higher taxes and weaker operations in Europe, left analysts largely unconcerned.

Will Draper from Espirito Santo told City AM that the outlook was slightly disappointing. However, in a sector context, the fact that Vodafone has reiterated a growing dividend should provide reassurance.

Jonathan Jackson of Killick & Co added that Vodafone's results were encouraging. "Although the reduced guidance on revenue for next full year is a little disappointing, we are comforted by the expectation for stability in free cash flow, given that is the driver of the 7 per cent dividend growth target."

For more:
- see this release
- see this Wall Street Journal article (sub. req.)
- see this Total Telecom article
- see this City AM article

Everything Everywhere slams rivals for not helping build LTE ecosystem

23 May 2012, 10:17 am

Everything Everywhere (EE) said it is ready to launch LTE this year but is being hampered by Vodafone and O2 not working to build the necessary ecosystem.

The operator, which has been lobbying the UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, to allow to allow it to refarm is 1800 MHz spectrum for LTE use, said it's made the necessary investment to gain a head-start on it UK rivals, while they have instead focused on improving their 3G networks.

If Vodafone and O2 were to start deploying LTE now, they could do it in nine to 12 months, Tom Bennett, director of network services and device development at EE, told ComputerWorld UK. He said the operators need to work on creating the proper LTE "ecosystem," including device manufacturers, to support LTE.

"Compared to 3G [where the UK was ahead of the rest of the world], we are easily two years behind [with LTE]," said Bennett.

Adding to the criticism, David Salem, head of network strategy and architecture at EE, said: "Vodafone and O2 have had their opportunity to do the same [roll out LTE] and they have chosen not to champion LTE at this stage," he told CNET UK. "It's a choice."

"The 900MHz they have [they could have used for LTE]," Salem sadded. "They have chosen to reuse that spectrum for 3G [instead]. It is part of an efficiency drive." Salam maintains that EE is not looking at low cost strategies, but is intent on moving forward with LTE, and gaining an early lead in the UK, according to Computer World.

However, O2 has responded by claiming that the ecosystem EE was referring to didn't exist, and was unlikely to develop.

"There is so little 900MHz spectrum in Europe that it doesn't make commercial sense for the manufacturers to build the handsets to support it. And that is not going to change," O2 spokesperson told CNET.

Unwilling to accept this viewpoint, EE's Bennett told CNET: "The chipsets have supported 900MHz for a good year. As an operator you have a relationship with a vendor--you go to Samsung or HTC and you say, 'Are you going to assemble devices? I'll make it worth your while.' You create the market."

For more:
- see this Computer World article
- see this CNET article

Orange exec: Network sharing only option for LTE operators

23 May 2012, 10:16 am

Operators in southern Europe will be unable to afford the huge investment costs associated with LTE unless the current network business model is fundamentally changed, according to an Orange executive.

Duato

This stark message from Eduardo Duato, CTO of Orange Spain, prefaced a call for operators to move ahead rapidly and share active RAN and backhaul networks. The Orange executive said that using this approach on a 50-50 basis could see each operator saving 25 per cent of the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the LTE network, according to Mobile Europe.

While LTE is 100 per cent more spectrally efficient, and 30 per cent cheaper in TCO than 3G, Duato said that costs remain too high given the huge LTE deployments being called for.

Duato said that to monetise LTE services, operators will be required to make significant investments. "We keep doing calculations on how to monetise this service," he told delegates at the LTE World Summit, according to Mobile Europe. "Mobile broadband revenues are falling faster than costs, there is continuous margin reduction, signalling traffic is a fixed fee. We need co-operative architectures to reduce the impact."

Commenting on the comparison with other regions that are deploying LTE, Duato said that network sharing is the only way forward for the more than 100 operators in Europe compared to the handful in the United States. "It doesn't make sense to have this many networks [in Europe]" he said, according to Telecoms.com. "We have to move to LTE network sharing."

Duato called on national and European regulators to do everything possible to support operators intent on building pan-regional shared networks, as well as the vendor community. He also indicated that Orange could be willing to free up spectrum to enable this strategy, given the right circumstances. While he stressed that Orange has little to spare in urban areas, he said "we don't need all the spectrum we have in rural areas." Duato added that if operators were allowed to pool frequencies, then negotiations would be made easier.

For more:
- see this Mobile Europe article
- see this Telecoms.com article

Analyst: UK m-commerce usage rockets 4X in just two years

23 May 2012, 10:12 am

Mobile commerce uptake in the UK has quadrupled in the last two years, with 64 per cent of smartphone owners now using their mobile devices to shop online, according to a new study released by market research firm eDigitalResearch.

UK m-commerce adoption is taking off, according to eDigitalResearch.

Commenting on the results, Derek Eccleston, head of research at eDigitalResearch, said the data confirms that m-commerce has revolutionised the way in which we shop and browse. "The growth of mobile is completely unprecedented and the rate of change that we've tracked over the past two years is alarming."

Two years ago the market research firm forecast that smartphones were likely to play an increasingly significant part in consumer's busy lifestyles. While 2011 saw great strides being made towards this, "these latest set of results demonstrate that this trend is now irreversible," said Eccleston. "It is therefore essential that all retailers and brands make their mobile channels as accessible as possible to maximise the potential that m-commerce has to offer".

Of note, eDigitalResearch said the results indicated that the growth of mobile shopping shows no signs of slowing down. Almost half (44 per cent) of the 1,000 smartphone owners surveyed said they would use their devices to browse more often in the coming months, with one third (31 per cent) claiming that they would then go on to make a purchase.

The study also found that security, clear navigational links and quick browsing remained key features for mobile shoppers, who also rated functionality and usability higher than branding and design.

For more:
- see this eDigitalResearch release

Report: 70% of operators think LTE deployments make business sense

23 May 2012, 10:10 am

Momentum behind LTE is set to accelerate worldwide with the majority of operators planning to launch services this year or next, according to a recent survey by Informa Telecoms & Media. The study, a survey of operators conducted in May with 528 respondents found that almost 60 per cent of operators confirmed they would launch LTE services this year (33.7 per cent) or next (24.9 per cent), while over 70 per cent claiming there is a viable business case to launch LTE today. However, Paul Lambert, a senior analyst at Informa, warned: "Because LTE technology, at the moment at least, is an extension of the mobile broadband experience, initial evidence suggests that mobile users aren't prepared to pay a significant premium for LTE access." Release

Is Verizon's Viewdini a hint of what's to come?

23 May 2012, 10:02 am

I think it's very interesting that Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) decided to make what it called one of its most important announcements of the year--the debut of the new aggregated video portal called Viewdini--at the Cable Show in Boston this week and not at the CTIA Wireless 2012 show held just a few weeks ago in New Orleans.

Verizon Wireless CEO Dan Mead told the audience at the Cable Show that the company held the announcement for this week because it was such a big development for the company. In case you missed it, Verizon announced that it will soon introduce its Viewdini service, an Android powered app that lets customers with LTE-enabled smartphones and tablets access video content from Comcast, Hulu, Netflix and mSpot.

Mead didn't talk about how much the service will cost, nor did he provide details on how the company will manage the enormous amount of bandwidth that Verizon subscribers might consume by watching video from Viewdini over the carrier's wireless network.

We do know that Verizon has room on its LTE network (at least for the time being) to handle video content. At the end of the first quarter, Verizon reported that just 9 percent of its customer base was using its LTE network. But Verizon's LTE subscribers are growing at a steady pace and I'm sure that if this new Viewdini service is a hit, it will prompt Verizon subscribers to upgrade to LTE even more quickly.

Verizon also indicated just last week that it plans to unveil a new shared-data pricing plan in July. Concurrent with that move, Verizon said that its legacy unlimited data plans will not be available to those customers who migrate to its shared data plans and who buy a new device at a subsidized price. So that means that few of these LTE subscribers who decide to use the Viewdini app will do so with unlimited data--and therefore they will have to closely monitor their video usage or they will face huge overage charges.

I don't think the timing of the release of this Viewdini app just a month or so before the planned debut of Verizon's new shared-data plans is a coincidence. Verizon is clearly rethinking its pricing strategies and wants to encourage more people to use data.

I hope that the company also is thinking about ways to encourage people to consume content without being fearful of racking up overage charges. Perhaps when Viewdini debuts we will also see some content-specific pricing in which the price of the content (in this case a video) is bundled with network usage for a flat fee. I'm not the only one making this connection. GigaOm editor Kevin Fitchard thinks there's also a likihood that Verizon is considering this model as he outlines here.

At the CTIA Wireless show earlier this month, Verizon Communications CTO Tony Melone said his company was thinking about toll free data plans, where content providers would pay carriers for the data access charges users would generate in accessing their content. He acknowledged that there may be some net neutrality issues to consider but maintained that the model was something being weighed by executives.

This toll-free data model is similar to the Amazon Kindle model--Amazon pays AT&T (NYSE:T) for the traffic generated by a customer who downloads a book over AT&T's network. Of course, downloading a book is a lot less network intensive (and less pricey) than a video, but the model works well.

Getting over-the-top players such as Netflix, Hulu, mSpot and others to agree to a toll-free pricing model might not be an easy proposition. However, at the CTIA Wireless show earlier this month I did hear a lot of vendors talking about the need for OTT players to work with operators if they want to ensure a better experience for their customers. Perhaps that's why Verizon was at the Cable Show touting Viewdini--it wanted to showcase a service where OTT players could work with the wireless operator to create a better experience for the user. --Sue

Top 5 marketing tips for budget-conscious developers

23 May 2012, 8:47 am

With a million mobile apps on the market, developers need to be aggressive when it comes to building consumer awareness for their products. Marketing is a challenge for many developers, who are usually not trained in this discipline and may not have marketing budgets. Further, marketing activities must reflect consumer trends and the highly personalized nature of mobile communications. What are the top 5 marketing tips budget-conscious developers need to know? Special report

AT&T starts refarming 2G spectrum in New York City

23 May 2012, 8:41 am

AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) said it has started refarming is 2G 1900 MHz PCS spectrum for more advanced wireless services in the New York City area.

The announcement comes a little more than two months after the carrier began notifying customers with 2G-only phones that the changes were coming. AT&T said the refarming will lead to an improvement in customers' overall experience as they upgrade to AT&T's HSPA+ and LTE networks.

"By re-allocating network resources from our 2G network to support our newer, advanced networks, we're moving capacity to support the voice and mobile Internet services our customers want," Tom DeVito, AT&T's vice president and general manager in New York and New Jersey, said in a statement.

AT&T said it has reached out to 2G-only customers to "provide them with more details and a variety of options for upgrading their devices, including discounts on new ones while keeping their mobile numbers. AT&T is encouraging customers to make the move to a better overall experience."

Refarming spectrum is nothing new, but AT&T may be refarming its PCS spectrum in lieu of getting new spectrum from a competitor or through auctions. After regulators blocked AT&T's proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA, AT&T said it would have to look to more creative ways to expand its spectrum capacity--and refarming appears to be one of them. AT&T would have acquired massive reserves of AWS spectrum if the T-Mobile deal had gone through, but actually wound up divesting AWS spectrum to T-Mobile as part of a breakup fee when the deal fell apart.

T-Mobile plans to use AT&T's AWS spectrum to aid its deployment of LTE. T-Mobile's intends to deploy HSPA+ in its 1900 MHz spectrum, which it is currently using for 2G GSM services (the carrier's HSPA+ network currently runs on T-Mobile's 1700 MHz AWS spectrum). T-Mobile has said it will continue to support 2G customers as it refarms the spectrum and has no plans to decommission its 2G network.

For more:
- see this release

Related Articles:
T-Mobile picks Ericsson, NSN as its LTE vendors
AT&T looks to refarm 2G spectrum, urges customers to upgrade
AT&T revises throttling policy after user uproar
T-Mobile's Ray: We will be first carrier to deploy integrated radios in N. America
T-Mobile to launch LTE in 2013 in AWS spectrum divested from AT&T

Rumor Mill: Apple-Samsung meeting produces no patent truce

23 May 2012, 8:28 am

A hotly anticipated series of meetings Monday and Tuesday between Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Tim Cook and Samsung Electronics CEO Choi Gee-sung to try and resolve a long-simmering patent dispute between the smartphone giants did not produce any agreement, according to a Korea Times report.

The report, citing an unnamed Samsung official, said that the two sides, which brought along their general counsels, could find no agreement. An Apple representative in South Korea declined to comment, according to the report.

In April, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh directed the companies to a San Francisco-based magistrate judge, Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero, who led the talks at an undisclosed San Francisco court house.

The two companies, the world's two largest smartphone makers in the first quarter, have been locked in a worldwide patent battle since last year. Apple first sued Samsung in April 2011, claiming that Samsung "slavishly" copied its iPhone design. Samsung countersued and since then the patent battle between the companies has spread to multiple continents, generating dozens of cases in 10 countries.

"There is still a big gap in the patent war with Apple but we still have several negotiation options including cross-licensing," J.K. Shin, the head of Samsung's mobile division, told reporters in South Korea shortly before his departure for the United States, according to Reuters.

For more:
- see this Korea Times article
- see this The Verge article

Related Articles:
Apple's Cook, Samsung's Choi to meet on patent dispute
Apple, Samsung may be headed toward patent settlement
Analyst: Nokia, IBM, Microsoft and Samsung dominate mobile patents
Motorola wanted Apple to license all its patents, according to EU
Report: Apple offers to settle patent fights with Motorola, Samsung--for a price

Samsung sees record Galaxy S III pre-orders; AT&T launches Galaxy Appeal for prepaid

23 May 2012, 8:18 am

Quick news from around the Web.

@FierceWireless: 5 Lingering Questions About Shared Data Plans. Article (via @OneJaredNewman) | Follow@FierceWireless

> A number of executives are leaving Motorola Mobility following Google's acquisition of the company. Article

> Samsung said it enjoyed a record number of Galaxy S III pre-orders in the United Kingdom. Article

> Nokia said its annual Nokia World conference will no longer be a single, large-scale event. Post

> T-Mobile USA said it opened its 1,000th premium retailer store. Release

> Nokia reportedly could withdraw support for Skype on its Lumia 610. Article

> Dell'Oro Group said wireless packet core market revenues grew 9 percent over the last year during the first quarter of 2012. Release

> AT&T Mobility added the Samsung Galaxy Appeal to its prepaid lineup. Article

> Verizon Wireless is driving Vodafone's profit. Article

> Apple's Jonathan Ive promised that the company is working on its best product yet. Article

Mobile Content News

> HTC said it will upgrade more than a dozen Android devices to run Google's Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, with the process slated to wrap up in August 2012. Article

> Target announced a mobile rewards program with Shopkick. Article

> Appcelerator is upgrading its Titanium 2.0 application development platform to incorporate Geoloqi's real-time location services API and toolkit. Article

And finally... Sprint Nextel's Assurance Wireless prepaid brand announced $5 cell phone plans. Release

Report: 60% of carriers worldwide to deploy LTE by end of 2013

23 May 2012, 8:15 am

The momentum behind LTE adoption may be slow among consumers globally, but operators are clearly on the bandwagon, according to a new report form Informa Telecoms & Media. The report, a survey of operators conducted in May with 528 respondents, found that 58.9 percent of operators plan to launch LTE services this year (33.7 percent) or next year (24.9 percent). Further, the survey found that 70.5 percent of carriers think that LTE represents a viable business case today.

According to the Informa survey, the main reasons carriers are launching LTE is to create new revenue streams (34.7 percent); to build brand value through technology leadership (31.3 percent); and to increase capacity to offer mobile broadband services (23.3 percent).

Data from Signals and Systems Telecom found there were 6.4 million global LTE subscriptions at the end of the fourth quarter of 2011. The firm said the United States and Japan accounted for 72 percent and 23 percent of the total subscriptions, respectively. According to Informa's own data, the rollout of LTE is being slowed by the relatively dearth of LTE devices.

Interestingly, Informa's survey also found that most carriers are not yet charging a premium for LTE access. "Because LTE technology, at the moment at least, is an extension of the mobile broadband experience, initial evidence suggests that mobile users aren't prepared to pay a significant premium for LTE access," said Informa analyst Paul Lambert.

In the United States, Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) and AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) do not charge extra for LTE data access compared to what they charge on their 3G networks. However, this may change when they move to shared family data plans. Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) has said it will maintain unlimited smartphone data when it launches commercial LTE service by mid-year.

For more:
- see this release

Related Articles:
It's rough going for C Spire, Leap, U.S. Cellular and other small carriers moving to LTE
Global LTE: Verizon dominates today, but which operators will lead in 2016?
AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile all claim to offer nation's 'largest 4G network'
T-Mobile to launch LTE in 2013 in AWS spectrum divested from AT&T

FCC's Genachowski eyes spectrum sharing, praises cable companies' Wi-Fi pact

23 May 2012, 7:54 am

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski once again said the government will need to look for ways to share spectrum with wireless carriers as a method of bringing new spectrum to market, hitting again on the theme of opening up airwaves for mobile data.

Genachowski

"We have to do things like look harder and more carefully at government spectrum" and explore "innovative ways" to share spectrum,Genachowski said at the Cable Show in Boston Tuesday. He said the government needs to explore ways to re-license its own spectrum for commercial use.

The comments echo ones he made earlier this month at the CTIA Wireless conference in New Orleans, where he outlined a three-pronged approach to help bring more spectrum to market. His menu of options included "core opportunities," or getting the most out existing tools; "emerging opportunities," or making use of new tools; and "charting the new frontier" of wireless innovation. He said that the plan is "not an à la carte" approach but an "all of the above" approach.

In New Orleans, Genachowski said one of the new frontiers includes the recent finding by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration that 95 MHz of spectrum currently in federal hands, the 1755-1850 MHz band, could be repurposed for commercial wireless use and shared with carriers. He said spectrum in the 1755-1780 MHz band could be paired with the 2155-2180 MHz band to extend the AWS band by an additional 50 MHz. He added that T-Mobile USA filed an experimental application with the FCC to test the sharing concept.

On Tuesday Genachowski praised a recent announcement by Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks to create a nationwide Wi-Fi roaming network for their subscribers. The companies will create new network name, "CableWiFi," for subscribers to use when accessing the Wi-Fi hotspots. The network spans more than 50,000 hotspots.

"Cable has been leading the way in innovating around Wi-Fi," Genachowski said, adding that the Wi-Fi roaming pact is "great."

For more:
- see this Dow Jones Newswires article
- see this Multichannel News article

Related Articles:
Cable companies agree to nationwide Wi-Fi roaming deal
FCC's Genachowski defends blocking AT&T/T-Mobile deal
NTIA finds 95 MHz of spectrum for wireless, proposes sharing parts
FCC moves forward on 700 MHz interoperability and MSS spectrum rules

Comcast's 'Voice 2go' Wi-Fi calling service takes aim at carriers, Skype

23 May 2012, 7:39 am

Comcast's new "Voice 2go" service for its Xfinity Voice home phone customers, which enables subscribers to make calls and send texts via Wi-Fi networks, has the potential to undercut revenues from wireless carriers as well as services like Google Voice and Skype.

Click here for a video from Comcast about Voice 2go.

The service enables customers to make calls and send texts for free within a Wi-Fi network using their home phone number and Comcast's Xfinity Connect Mobile app for iOS and Android. The MSO said also said that calls can be made using a 4G or 3G wireless data plan and won't use wireless minutes. Comcast spokesman Charlie Douglas said the company has 9.5 million Xfinity Voice customers.

Comcast also announced recently that customers can send and receive text messages domestically and internationally to more than 40 countries, including Canada, Brazil, China and, soon, Mexico. The company also announced "person Phone Numbers," which is essentially a virtual number not tied to a customer's primary Xfinity Voice number and can be assigned to up to four family members. Personal Phone Numbers work within the Xfinity Connect Mobile app, allowing users to make calls and texts for free when on a Wi-Fi network.

The Wi-Fi calling feature come shortly after Comcast, along with Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks, announced they will allow subscribers to freely roam across their respective public Wi-Fi networks. The companies said they will create a new network name, "CableWiFi," for subscribers to use when accessing the Wi-Fi hotspots. The network will give subscribers free access to 50,000 hotspots that the companies collectively own.

Wi-Fi calling is, of course, nothing new. T-Mobile USA has been a proponent of the calling feature for years, as have multiple companies and VoIP-based apps. Some operators have embraced the method, and vendors are willing to oblige. In February, for example, Kineto Wireless rolled out a "Smart VoIP" app that allows mobile operators to offer an over-the-top voice service through their existing network infrastructure.

At the same time Comcast is rolling out services that could cut into the voice, SMS and data revenues of wireless carriers, the MSO is also partnering with Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ). Under their agreement, the companies are allowed to resell each other's service. The deal is one aspect of a series of agreements Verizon has made with Comcast, Time warner, Cox and Bright House, the primary thrust of which is Verizon's proposed $3.9 billion purchase of AWS spectrum from the cable companies.

For more:
- see this release
- see this Comcast blog post
- see this CNET article
- see this Dow Jones Newswires article (sub. req.)
- see this Bloomberg article

Related Articles:
Cable companies agree to nationwide Wi-Fi roaming deal
T-Mobile's B2B strategy includes Wi-Fi calling, local advertising and sales reps
Kineto's Smart VoIP offers competition to Goggle Voice, Skype
Kineto Wireless offers an OTT Skype-killer

T-Mobile's B2B strategy includes Wi-Fi calling, local advertising and sales reps

22 May 2012, 12:33 pm

Marc Rohleder

with Marc Rohleder, director business sales and engineering at T-Mobile USA

As part of T-Mobile's plan to rejuvenate itself following the failed $39 billion acquisition by AT&T (NYSE:T), the company said it will grow its market share in the business-to-business space. That strategy includes hiring 1,000 more business sales representatives, increasing the company's distribution channels and beefing up its marketing and advertising. At the recent CTIA Wireless 2012 conference in New Orleans, FierceWireless Editor in Chief Sue Marek sat down with Marc Rohleder, T-Mobile's director of business sales engineering, to talk about the company's B2B strategy.

FierceWireless: T-Mobile is making a big push into the business-to-business area now. This is an area that T-Mobile hasn't pursued for a long time. Why the change in strategy now?

Rohleder: We've been in the B2B space for 10+ years. We have 10- to 12-year veterans in our B2B group. We've always been in the enterprise space. We have about 5 percent share today. And we believe we can gain more of that share because we have been under-represented in that space. On the consumer side, we have about 12 percent and that is closer to our fair share.

But to build the B2B business it requires additional investment and it requires Phillip Humm [T-Mobile USA's CEO] to support us. This is one of our key strategic initiatives. And that's one of the biggest changes for us going forward. With Phillip's leadership and support for B2B we have the opportunity to do more things to capture more share and be a bigger player.

FierceWireless: What is T-Mobile's strategy for B2B?

Rohleder: 2011 was the acquisition year. We are now re-invigorating the "Challenger" strategy. We said re-invigorate because this strategy was actually rolled out prior to the announced acquisition by AT&T. We kind of altered the strategy a bit when we were in acquiring mode. Now we are dusting it off. We didn't lose all that work. We plan to bring these new capabilities to market this year.

FierceWireless: How can you increase your share in the B2B space?

Rohleder: We talk about how the speeds and capabilities of our network are more than adequate for the B2B market today. The speeds are very good and so is the performance. Our customers can take advantage of that. Our view is that today we have a great 4G network and we have a plan for moving forward with LTE.

FierceWireless: Do you think there is confusion among the enterprise space about what 4G is and what it means?

Rohleder: If you are talking to the business owners, there is some confusion. If you are talking to the IT group, they understand it all too well. I think in general, businesses are looking for us to clarify it. The way we do it is to prove it. We could talk for an hour about LTE and HSPA+ but that doesn't do much good. We just put a device in their hands and power their application and prove the performance.

FierceWireless: How will you differentiate from your competitors?

Rohleder: From a network perspective, one way we differentiate is through Wi-Fi calling. Clearly that's an area that we feel is a strong differentiator. You have customers with coverage challenges--that's across all carriers. For example you might have a company with poor coverage in a basement or another area. Also, a lot of companies want to offload their voice traffic to the Wi-Fi network to help with costs. Or if you have a company with a large international presence, or people that are traveling internationally, they see the benefits of Wi-Fi calling. It's a big differentiator.

We continue to push Wi-Fi calling into all of our devices. Right now, it's available in BlackBerry and Android devices.

Our other advantage is the international perspective. We are part of Deutsche Telekom. We have strong agreements in those countries and can offer cheaper roaming in those countries. We also can give them other services. We have a partnership with iPass for Global Corporate Access. They have a connection manager and entire platform and we have rebranded as Global Corporate Access. We do it for a fixed fee for our customers. They have a fixed monthly recurring cost. Not a pay-per-use model.

FierceWireless: What about distribution? A lot of operators have enterprise specific sales forces and they work with VARs. Do you have that same model?

Rohleder: One of the areas where we are growing--we are growing our sales force. Today we have 400 or so sales reps. We are hiring 1,000 more in the next 12-18 months. We are tripling our sales force. That is how we get the story out. That is our distribution model.

We also have a VAR model--this is typically small business focused. We work with TechData and some other partners. TechData has 60,000 VARS under them. So that's how we leverage the VAR side. We have other partners that we work with also, so if we don't have a solution they can augment our capabilities.

Small business is also served by direct and retail stores.

FierceWireless: What about pricing?

Rohleder: We are working on intelligent pricing and disruptive pricing plans to go after business customers. And we are also looking at ways to increase our marketing and advertising messages. I think this will mean more local marketing in addition to our existing approach.

We are also investing in a lot of our systems, back end systems, to help our customers. That is how we plan to gain more share.

FierceWireless: Do you think the lack of the iPhone is impacting you? We hear more and more about the iPhone being a popular device with enterprises.

Rohleder: Make no mistake the iPhone has changed the whole market. Would we benefit from having the iPhone? We certainly would. But our view is that a strong BlackBerry lineup, our strong Android platform with tablets and devices, and the Windows Phone device gives us a compelling portfolio to offer to enterprises.

Will Google use Motorola to help other Android players - and will they want it?

22 May 2012, 11:59 am

After months of waiting, Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) finally closed its acquisition of Motorola Mobility (NYSE:MMI), elevating Dennis Woodside to CEO in place of Sanjay Jha, who is leaving the company (with a $47 million compensation package for 2011). The questions of what happens now and why Google plunked down so much cash for Motorola in the first place are just as pressing and unanswered now as they were in August when then deal was announced.

I don't have any special insight into the thinking of Google CEO Larry Page or Andy Rubin, senior vice president of mobile. However, it seems clear to me that while Motorola will be broken out as a separate business within Google, the search giant will not be running Motorola as the pure hardware company it once was.

Instead, it's likely that Google will use Motorola's engineering talent to enhance the Android platform. Google will also likely spend the next year courting and showering its beneficence on Android licensees to perpetuate support for the platform. Despite its massive market share, Android faces issues. Its licensees are beset by patent litigation. It takes a long time to get new Android innovations into device portfolios. The Motorola deal could potentially help with these issues, and Google will likely try to demonstrate how the deal will benefit the ecosystem.

"It's imperative for Google at this point in time to step up its engagement from the licensee community," said CSS Insight analyst John Jackson. A big unanswered question is whether other Android licensees will go along or will care--or will see benefit from this approach.

The first clue to what happens next is in the canned statement from Woodside in Google's press release announcing the close of the deal: "Our aim is simple: to focus Motorola Mobility's remarkable talent on fewer, bigger bets, and create wonderful devices that are used by people around the world."

This seems to indicate Motorola will not be churning out 9 million handsets per quarter in more than a dozen SKUs. Instead, Motorola's engineering talent will focus on ways to improve Android, and, as Wired recently pointed out, could then dole these improvements to other Android OEMs. In other words, despite Rubin's talk of a "firewall" between Motorola and Android, Motorola would become a de facto Android development organ. (There's already a precedent for this in Motorola's licensing of 3LM security technology to other Android handset makers; this would just make the sharing more explicit.)

"This is a big strategic 'think project' and 'do project,''' said Jackson. "We don't know exactly what it's going to be. We have a pretty good idea of what it isn't going to be: It isn't going to be the old Motorola."

This would be especially beneficial to any company working with Google on its "lead" Nexus devices. According to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal, Google will expand its Nexus program from one OEM to as many as five hardware partners for the next iteration of Android, dubbed Jelly Bean, and will sell the devices unlocked through its online Google Play store. Implicit in all of this is a greater degree of Google control over how Android develops, which some have called for in a platform that has a great deal of fragmentation (or "differentiation," as Google Chairman Eric Schmidt put it earlier this year).

But would Android OEMs accept entreaties from Google? They're already paying Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) an effective tax on patent licensing. Most of them have margins that are thin or nonexistent. "It's certainly likely other manufacturers will need to weigh and balance moving forward with a Nexus brand as opposed to an exclusive brand" of their own, said Informa Telecoms & Media analyst Andy Castonguay.

I'm not sure Android OEMs will bite. Will they--especially OEMs not named Samsung Electronics--want to dilute their brand and flagship products with a Nexus device? Some, like Huawei and ZTE, probably feel they could use the greater brand visibility a Nexus device would afford. Others, like HTC, want their own brands to be strong and clearly defined. I'm just not sure Google's imperative to cozy up to Android licensees--if for no other reason than to assuage the concerns over favoritism to Motorola--will be reciprocated. "On the one hand this mitigates the OEM's complaints about preferred access," Jackson said. "On the other hand, it just reinforces the homogenization of OEMs."

Google has spent $12.5 billion to buy a hardware company. What it does with it is anyone's guess. But the future of its Android business rests upon it. --Phil

Mallinson: Doubling spectrum capacity is not enough

22 May 2012, 9:50 am

If mobile broadband growth is to continue at current triple-digit percentage rates, there will need to be much more than the doubling of current spectrum allocations, as, for example, slated for the upcoming UK auctions. With mobile broadband network traffic doubling every year and already dwarfing voice traffic, capacity growth must increase at a corresponding rate amounting to a 30-fold increase over five years. Improving radio technology, increasing cell site density (including small cells and Wi-Fi offload) and substantial amounts of additional spectrum are the three compounding supply factors that must all contribute to the required increase in network capacity.

Displacing incumbent spectrum holders

Cellular is a latecomer to the world of radio spectrum usage. It is in the arduous position of needing other users to become much more spectrum-efficient and relinquish most of their spectrum holdings. For example, despite demand for many more broadcast TV channels, increasingly in HD, exponential growth in mobile broadband requires that mobile operators obtain access to additional spectrum including some from broadcast and other frequency bands.

Modest progress is being made. For example, the original 850 MHz ("cellular") and 1900 MHz ("PCS") bands in the United States are being supplemented with the gradual commissioning of spectrum in the 1700 MHz ("AWS") and 700 MHz ("digital dividend") bands since 2008 and 2010, respectively. The Federal Communication Commission's national broadband plan sets goals for the United States to free up an additional 500MHz within 10 years and 300 MHz within 5 years. Whereas that will fall short of satisfying the world's leader in LTE, smartphones and tablet usage, the spectrum positions for UK operators are similarly constrained. These currently hold licensed spectrum in only three bands with a total of 300 MHz, as illustrated below. AT&T, for example, with a total of 82 MHz pled that it was significantly spectrum-constrained in justification of its proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA.

UK Mobile Operator Spectrum Holdings

	MHz
Spectrum band	Vodafone	O2	Everything Everywhere	Three	Totals
900 MHz	2x17.4	2x17.4	0	0	69.6
1800 MHz	2x5.8	2x5.8	2x45	0	113.2
2100 MHz	2x14.8	2x10	2x20	2x14.6	118.8
Totals	76	66.4	130	29.2	301.6

Cellular represents only approximately 4 percent of a total of 7,500 MHz assigned in the UK, including allocations stipulated at an international level for maritime and aviation use. The majority of spectrum is assigned to defence, fixed/satellite, aeronautical/maritime and broadcasting, as shown in the next chart. Most of these allocations predate cellular's relatively brief 30-year history with highly-efficient geographic spectrum reuse, and before widespread exploitation of Information Theory according to Shannon's theorem, with digital communications since the 1990s, and massively increased and maximised information flows per Hz of radio spectrum occupied.

Overall UK Spectrum Allocations

Source: UK Parliament's Culture, Media and Sport Committee

In the UK and elsewhere in Europe, the 800 MHz spectrum (with excellent propagation that can provide wide network coverage), is being supplemented with 2.6 GHz band spectrum. The combined UK auction will deliver an additional 250 MHz of spectrum. The 800 MHz band "digital dividend" spectrum has been freed up as a result of the UK digital switchover of television broadcasting.

Spectrum crunch

Network capacity must at least keep pace with traffic growth if adequate service levels are to be maintained. If data traffic, doubling or more every year, as observed by Cisco and others, continues for the next five years, this will correspond to over 30 times more traffic over five years.

There are diminishing returns on what can be achieved in the radio link with so many sophisticated technologies such as advanced modulation schemes, interference cancellation and MIMO already being implemented. Substantially increasing the number of cell sites and connecting them with broadband backhaul is no mean feat either, with planning approval challenges and major costs in civil works.

That means that several times more spectrum than is currently licensed will be required in service within the next five years, and several times more than that by 2020 if demand growth rates can continue to be satiated. Increasing unlicensed spectrum for short-range access and offload, including Wi-Fi, will help relieve congestion in hotpots, but mobile users want ubiquitous connectivity that can only be provided by full-coverage mobile networks.

The spectrum shortage puts into question whether or not current data growth rates can be sustained beyond the next few years at most. Mobile operators are still in the process of deploying existing allocations such as AWS and 700 MHz in the United States, and refarming 900 MHz bands from 2G to 3G technology to increase data capacity in Europe. New allocations will also soon be used up at current growth rates.

Pricing to throttle growth

In the absence of sufficient spectrum, user demand will be curtailed through pricing. In disagreement with the FCC, AT&T believes its inability to complete the proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA (due to resistance by the FCC and Department of Justice) is forcing it to set prices at levels that will limit demand growth below the levels it could have accommodated had been able to combine the spectrum assets of both companies.

Last year Cisco forecast a 26-fold increase in global mobile traffic growth between 2010 and 2015. After reporting that global mobile data traffic grew 133 per cent in 2011, Cisco expects annual growth rates to taper off to 90 per cent in 2013 and 78 percent in 2014, with a total 18-fold increase from 2011 to 2016. Ericsson expects only a 10-fold mobile data traffic increase between 2011 and 2016.

With sufficient supply of data network capacity I see no reason why demand growth should slow so soon. The smartphone revolution only began in earnest with introduction of the iPhone 3G in 2008. Following the heady days of fixed broadband Internet growth with fibre, DSL and cable modem deployments around the millennium, annual traffic increases of 100 per cent persisted throughout the tech sector collapse and ensuing economic slowdown in the early 2000s. User demand was driven by plummeting prices per megabyte consumed. Insufficient spectrum is a major bottleneck to cellular broadband growth. Its scarcity will result in high spectrum costs that will be passed onto end-users and moderate their consumption.

Keith Mallinson is a leading industry expert, analyst and consultant. Solving business problems in wireless and mobile communications, he founded consulting firm WiseHarbor in 2007. WiseHarbor is publishing an annual update to its Extended Mobile Broadband Forecast in May 2011. The new forecast will include network equipment, devices and carrier services to 2025. Further details are available at: http://www.wiseharbor.com/forecast.html. Find WiseHarbor on Twitter @WiseWarbor.

Zynga's mobile chief dishes on OMGPOP, the freemium model and more

22 May 2012, 8:28 am

Zynga is one of the top players in mobile gaming, with its "With Friends" and "-Ville" series regularly topping the list of most downloaded apps for the App Store and Google Play. The social gaming giant shows no signs of slowing down and has gobbled up a slew of companies, including OMGPOP for a reported $180 million earlier this year. At the head of Zynga's mobile business is Senior Vice President Travis Boatman, who joined the company last year shortly before Zynga's IPO. Boatman isn't new to the mobile scene, having previously worked with Jamdat before it was acquired by Electronic Arts. Boatman talked with FierceMobileContent Associate Editor Sandhya Raman about Zynga's growing mobile presence, the company's recent acquisitions, and how the purchase of OMGPOP will impact the company. Hot Seat

Verizon hires Loop Capital to help with planned 700 MHz spectrum sale

22 May 2012, 8:24 am

Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) said it hired investment bank Loop Capital Markets to help it manage the proposed sale of its 700 MHz Lower A and B Block licenses. Verizon has agreed to sell the 700 MHz spectrum if it receives regulatory approval for its $3.9 billion purchase of nationwide AWS spectrum from a group of cable companies.

Loop Capital will work with Stephens Inc. to assist in the sale. Verizon said that the two companies "will reach out to a wide range of potential bidders, including minority-owned and female-owned businesses."

Last week the FCC pressed Verizon for more details about the proposed sale. In a letter to John Scott, Verizon Wireless' general counsel, Rick Kaplan, the chief of the FCC's wireless bureau, asked pointed questions about why Verizon has now chosen to potentially give up the 700 MHz spectrum it spent billions of dollars on in 2008. In the letter, Kaplan noted that Verizon's Lower A and B Block spectrum covers around 175 million POPs, but that as of January 2012 Verizon had not deployed the spectrum (Verizon's existing LTE network, using 700 MHz Upper C Block spectrum, covers two-thirds of the U.S population).

Kaplan noted that Verizon's Lower A and B Block licenses have buildout requirements that mandate coverage to 35 percent of the licensed geographic areas by mid-2013. "What steps to date, if any, has Verizon Wireless taken to deploy mobile services using the Lower 700 MHz A of B block licenses (either or both)?" Kaplan asked. "On what timetable has Verizon Wireless been planning to deploy mobile service in these Lower 700 MHz blocks?" Kaplan also asked for Verizon's assessment of the challenges of deploying Lower 700 MHz A Block spectrum.

For more:
- see this release
- see this Bloomberg article
- see this Reuters article

Related Articles:
FCC presses Verizon for details on proposed 700 MHz spectrum sale
T-Mobile, RCA join forces to stop Verizon's cable deals
U.S. Cellular interested in buying Verizon's 700 MHz spectrum
T-Mobile's Ray: We're not interested in Verizon's 700 MHz spectrum
Analysis: AT&T, MetroPCS might purchase Verizon's 700 MHz spectrum
Verizon: We'll sell 700 MHz spectrum to get cable companies' AWS spectrum

Sprint to start shipping HTC Evo 4G LTE Thursday despite customs woes

22 May 2012, 8:07 am

Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) said on Thursday it will start shipping the HTC Evo 4G LTE smartphone to customers who pre-ordered the device online. The device has been held up at a U.S. Customs inspection due to a patent dispute between HTC and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL).

HTC Evo 4G LTE for Sprint

"We will provide details on the full national launch as soon as possible," Sprint said in a statement on its website. "Thank you to everyone who has been patient while waiting for their HTC Evo 4G LTE. We will continue to update this post as additional details are available."

HTC said on Sunday that some of its phone models were making their way through the customs inspection process. "Each imported HTC model must be reviewed by customs and will be released once customs officials have completed the inspection," HTC said in a statement on Sunday. "Some models have gone through inspection and been released to our carriers customers. We don't have the status of each specific device model at this time, but we are working closely with customs. We remain confident that this issue will be resolved soon."

HTC acknowledged last week that U.S. customs officials were reviewing two of its new flagship devices, the One X for AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) and the Evo 4G LTE for Sprint, to ensure that the devices comply with an exclusion order issued in December by the U.S. International Trade Commission. The ITC ruled then that HTC had violated an Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) patent that covers the ability to convert clicking on phone numbers and email addresses into actionable links on smartphones. HTC said it was developing a workaround to the patent for its phones.

The phones will be critical to helping HTC regain momentum in the U.S. market. The One X, in particular, is part of HTC's new flagship One line and the Evo 4G LTE is the successor to the highly popular Evo 4G, which works on Clearwire's (NASDAQ:CLWR) mobile WiMAX network.

For more:
- see this Sprint post
- see this AllThingsD article
- see this GigaOM article
- see this Dow Jones Newswires article (sub. req.)

Related Articles:
HTC's One X and Evo 4G LTE get held up at customs
Sprint: We won't have any problem marketing LTE
Sprint to deploy LTE in iDEN spectrum in 2014
Sprint builds on HTC Evo success with LTE version featuring HD voice
Sprint to keep smartphone data unlimited on LTE, for the same price as 3G

T-Mobile's Humm: We don't need to make a deal with another carrier

22 May 2012, 7:46 am

T-Mobile USA CEO Philipp Humm said the nation's No. 4 carrier does not need to make a deal with another operator and that it is on the right path for growth, echoing comments made last week by Timotheus Höttges, the CFO of parent company Deutsche Telekom.

Humm

"We are pretty sizable company; we are profitable and we are on the right path to growth. ... That's really our main point of view, to strengthen our own business and come back to growth," Humm said in an interview with the Seattle Times. "Beyond that we will always look at opportunities to gain additional scale or additional spectrum or strengthen capital structure in the U.S. market. Those are always things we will be looking into."

There has been a flurry of speculation that DT might try to merge T-Mobile with prepaid player MetroPCS (NYSE:PCS), which some analysts have dismissed as nonsensical. In the interview, Humm did indicate he thinks some industry consolidation is coming, but declined to be more specific. He also said that if more spectrum is added to the market, it will remain competitive on its own. "Overall we are in the infrastructure business. Infrastructure business always leads to a certain consolidation as a matter of principle," he said. "Based on today's model you would expect some sort of consolidation in the years to come."

However, he said if government regulators add "lots and lots of spectrum into the market, the barriers of entry for new people to come into the market would be lowered and you would have new competition."

The T-Mobile chief was also asked about the latest round of restructuring at the company, which will lead to a net loss of 350 jobs, in addition to the 1,900 T-Mobile cut earlier this year when it consolidated its call centers. Humm said the cuts are meant to make T-Mobile more agile and to allow it to focus on the B2B market, where it will be adding 1,000 more jobs.

Interestingly, Humm said T-Mobile would have had to do the reorganization regardless of whether AT&T's (NYSE:T) now-failed $39 billion acquisition of the company had gone through.

Humm also said that T-Mobile and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) have worked well together so far to sell Microsoft's Windows Phone smartphones, which have been struggling to gain traction in the marketplace. "I think we have a very good relationship with Microsoft, and we discovered that, in particular, for customers who are new to smartphones, they really enjoy the simplicity of the Microsoft [user interface], so they like the design and the ease of it," he said, adding, "We are so far quite pleased and I think Microsoft, if you talk to them, [is] quite pleased with T-Mobile."

For more:
- see this Seattle Times article

Related Articles:
T-Mobile isn't jumping on the shared-data plan bandwagon
T-Mobile clarifies restructuring plans, will cut only 350 jobs
T-Mobile plans 900 more job cuts
DT CFO: T-Mobile USA can stand alone
T-Mobile to axe 1,900 jobs, close seven call centers
Report: Deutsche Telekom may try to merge T-Mobile with MetroPCS
T-Mobile takes aim at AT&T's iPhone in new ad campaign

Google completes Motorola deal; Woodside replaces Jha as CEO

22 May 2012, 7:29 am

Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) officially closed its $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility (NYSE:MMI), making the Android smartphone maker a part of its business in the biggest acquisition in Google's history. As expected, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha stepped down and will be replaced by Google executive Dennis Woodside, who formerly ran Google's advertising sales business in the Americas before taking on the job of overseeing the acquisition in the second half of last year.

Woodside

Under the deal, Motorola will remain a licensee of Google's Android operating system and Google has pledged that the platform will remain open. Analysts have speculated that Google might favor Motorola over other Android makers, but Google has consistently said that will not be the case.

Google will obtain 17,000 wireless patents--including in 2G, 3G and LTE technologies--through its acquisition of Motorola and hopes to use those patents to shield other Android licensees. The deal's close had been expected following approval from Chinese regulators over the weekend.

Woodside said in a statement that Motorola's new aim is simple: "to focus Motorola Mobility's remarkable talent on fewer, bigger bets, and create wonderful devices that are used by people around the world."

Motorola spokeswoman Jennifer Erickson confirmed to FierceWireless that while many Motorola executives will be joining the new management team, two key Motorola executives will be leaving the company. Christy Wyatt, Motorola's senior vice president for enterprise, who was formerly the company's corporate vice president of software and services product management, will be leaving. Additionally, Alain Mutricy, Motorola's senior vice president of portfolio and product management, will also be stepping down. Erickson did not comment on the executives' future plans.

"It's a well known fact that people tend to overestimate the impact technology will have in the short term, but underestimate its significance in the longer term. Many users coming online today may never use a desktop machine, and the impact of that transition will be profound--as will the ability to just tap and pay with your phone," Google CEO Larry Page wrote in a company blog post. "That's why it's a great time to be in the mobile business, and why I'm confident Dennis and the team at Motorola will be creating the next generation of mobile devices that will improve lives for years to come."

Interestingly, according to Bloomberg Google also recently acquired the industrial design firm, Mike and Maaike, that worked on the first Google Nexus phone. The acquisition is a possible indication that Google plans to invest further in its new hardware business.

Jha came to Motorola as co-CEO in 2008 from Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) and quickly decided to transition the company's fading handset business to Google's Android platform. Motorola shot back into prominence thanks in large part to its partnership with Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) on the original Droid smartphone, and has enjoyed modest success with Android since 2009. However, the company was never able to break out from the pack of numerous Android vendors and achieve strong financial success.

Last year Jha maneuvered Google into raising its bid price 33 percent before Google eventually settled on the $12.5 billion price tag, according to a regulatory filing. According to a filing in April with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Jha collected total compensation of $47.1 million in 2011, up from $13 million in 2010, mainly through higher amounts of stock and stock options.

For more:
- see this release
- see this Google blog post
- see this Reuters article
- see this Bloomberg article
- see this The Verge article
- see this IntoMobile article

Sprint ditches 5 GB hotspot plan; Verizon offers GSM roaming on 4 Android phones

22 May 2012, 7:28 am

Quick news from around the Web.

@FierceWireless: RT @wired: Here's why Google's 'flagship phone' strategy is due for a reboot with Android 5.0. Article | Follow@FierceWireless

> Sprint Nextel will discontinue its 5 GB mobile hotspot plan. Article

> Verizon Wireless plans to add global GSM roaming to four Android phones. Article

> ZTE acknowledged a technical security flaw in its Score M smartphone, but said it is working on a patch to fix the issue. Article

> Gemalto said its business could double thanks to NFC chips. Article

> A former Department of Justice official will head the FCC's Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau. Article

> Apple is seeking support for its new campus. Article

> The International Trade Commission sided with Apple and Research In Motion against Kodak. Article

> Tekelec said it expanded the functionality of its Diameter Signaling Router (DSR) to act as the "secure interconnection point for OTT applications such as social networking, video streaming and multimedia communications running over operators' mobile networks." Release

> Samsung's Galaxy Ace 2 and Galaxy Beam are reportedly using ST-Ericsson's NovaThor chips. Article

> Ceragon won a $ million microwave backhaul deal from the the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority. Release

Mobile Content News

> Microsoft is discontinuing its legacy Windows Marketplace for Mobile today. Article

> Sidecar brings "smart calling" to smartphones. Article

> Seven years after YouTube launched, users now upload 72 hours of new video content to the site every minute of the day, up from 48 hours per minute in May 2011. Article

Mobile Developer News

> Artificial intelligence in mobile apps holds promise. Industry Voices

> Facebook's HTML5 strorefront could put pressure on Mozilla's Marketplace. Editor's Corner

And finally... Samsung accuses Apple's witness in patent trial of being an "iSheep." Article

Managing wireless network capacity

22 May 2012, 6:30 am

Wireless operators are facing a daunting challenge--they have a finite amount of spectrum and a subscriber base with a growing appetite for mobile data. At the CTIA Wireless 2012 conference earlier this month in New Orleans, wireless operators spoke often and with increasing intensity about the need for more spectrum to accommodate this growing data demand.

Although the FCC is working on freeing up spectrum through incentive auctions and rules that will allow mobile satellite spectrum to be used for terrestrial use, it will still take time for new spectrum to be made available for wireless operators.

Likewise the National Telecommunications Industry Association in March announced that it had found 95 MHz of prime spectrum in the 1755-1850 MHz band, which the agency said could be repurposed for commercial wireless use and shared with carriers. But it will also likely take years for this spectrum to be cleared for commercial use.

In the meantime, operators are desperately searching for technology solutions that can make the most of their existing network capacity. Small cells offer some relief for capacity issues. These low power mobile network nodes can help balance the network and eliminate coverage gaps. Earlier this month a Sprint Nextel executive said the carrier now counts 600,000 femtocells in its network--a dramatic jump from the 250,000 femtocells Sprint said it had deployed as of March of 2011.

But Sprint isn't alone. Speaking at the FierceWireless Path to 4G conference earlier this month, AT&T Lab's (NYSE:T) Senior Vice President of Network Technology Kris Rinne said that AT&T will begin deploying small cells in earnest later this year based on the needs of high-density areas. "AT&T has been an advocate of small cells for several years, and we've spent a lot of time with our vendors working on a strategy for deployment," she said.

Likewise, Wi-Fi offloading offers immediate relief but operators need to be careful to make sure the user experience moving between the cellular network and the Wi-Fi network is seamless and secure. In February, the Wireless Broadband Alliance announced that it had completed the first round of its Next-Generation Hotspot effort and that more features would be coming. The company also recently teamed with the GSMA to align on roaming.

Despite these developments, none of these solutions is likely to make the capacity problem go away. Experts say there is never going to be enough spectrum to handle the growing demand.

FierceWireless took a closer look at the technologies and pricing innovations that operators are using to help stretch the capacity of their existing networks and ensure customers get the best possible data experience. Check out our "Managing Wireless Network Capacity" ebook here. --Sue

Lowenstein's View: The 10 most important questions in wireless

22 May 2012, 6:30 am

We are at a unique moment in the wireless industry's trajectory. On the one hand, wireless is growing like gangbusters, globally, across a range of metrics. It is at the center of the latest technology boom, taking in a growing share of venture capital dollars and driving a wave of M&A and IPO activity. On the other hand, there are important segments of the industry that are not healthy. Look at the U.S. operator landscape outside of AT&T and Verizon Wireless, the OEM players outside Apple and Samsung, infrastructure companies outside Ericsson and Huawei, or the 85 percent of apps that aren't making money. In thinking about this period of structural change in mobile, here are ten questions that I believe will have significant bearing on the next phase of this industry.

1. How many operators should we have?

A year after AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA surfaced and was subsequently killed by the regulators, the operator landscape is less healthy. Subsidies, the economics of wireless data, a shortage of spectrum, and a dilution of capital have contributed to this situation. A more optimal structure, in my view, would be three national, well-capitalized operators, with "real" 4G networks, plus one vibrant wholesale network, all with sufficient spectrum to support 5 GB average usage per subscriber per month, circa 2015-17.

2. How much spectrum do we really need for wireless?

Once you get a taste of LTE, you want to do the same thing over a mobile network that you can do on home broadband. Problem is, wireless economics are different than fixed network economics, as reflected by the operators' conservative LTE pricing. I believe we need the key stakeholders--regulators, operators, and content providers--to get in a room and rigorously examine the fundamental question about expected consumption (per person? device? household?), the price we expect users to pay for it, and business model options (who pays for/subsidizes that consumption). Then we'll have a better idea of who gets how much spectrum and at what price.

3. Do we want video/rich media to be consumed over mobile networks?

The concept of TV Everywhere is tantalizing. Except that current usage-based pricing plans discourage consumption of video over mobile networks. The industry must tackle the question of whether, and how, we want rich media delivered to mobile devices. Consumers should be prepared to pay a modest, event-driven "premium" to view video over mobile (similar to the HD surcharge on iTunes). We also need creative business models, whether advertiser-supported content or programming that incorporates the network cost (a la Kindle), with some revenue share for the service providers.

4. Will there be a viable third OS, and who will it be?

There are a lot of industry constituencies pushing for a third OS "ecosystem," but the market has not spoken yet. I believe a vibrant third OS is important for the industry's competitive balance. A fourth OS, however, is not viable. Which means, choose one between Microsoft and Research In Motion's BlackBerry. One scenario is that Nokia/Microsoft absorbs key elements of BlackBerry (BES infrastructure, security, NOC, patents) as part of their "enterprise" strategy. Or that one of the major enterprise players (HP, Oracle, Dell, IBM) makes a play for all or part of RIM.

5. What is the future role of the operator?

Competitive differentiation has tilted back toward network capability and pricing. Larger operators with influence and scale are making a play for exclusive content, and/or are aligning themselves with content partners (i.e., VZW-cable). I also think there's still a significant playing field for operators in the enterprise, M2M/connected devices, and cloud services. And in the consumer space, perhaps it's not all bad to be the "pipe."

6. What to do about subsidies?

The industry's Kool-Aid has turned into its nicotine. Struggling under the weight of subsidies, operators have taken an airline-esque approach of late, with higher early termination fees, device upgrade fees, and other tactics. Longer-term thinking is needed, however. Operators will have to get more creative than the current punitive approach, offering a greater range of handset and service pricing options to break the subsidy/contract cycle. We also need a greater selection of lower priced devices, including from Apple. As we move more toward cloud-based services, a "not as smart," Chrome-type phone, might be a viable option for some users.

7. How big a deal is substitution?

Social networks and over-the-top (OTT) services such as iMessage and WhatsApp pose a real threat to text messaging. And as LTE becomes more widely deployed, voice and video from OTT players could result in a segment of subscribers ditching mobile voice plans. I believe that over time, the voice/text/data plan structure will erode, in favor of a "network access plan," shared across devices and family members, that can be used for any combination of voice, messaging, and data services. With IMS, there are important new opportunities for the operators to revisit "voice" and offer a suite of value-added services.

8. How will M-commerce play out?

The energy involved in chasing the M-Wallet opportunity is staggering. But the mobile payments space is overly fragmented, the ecosystem has not yet come together, and the real consumer benefits have yet to be demonstrated, at least in countries with a sophisticated consumer financial infrastructure. So for the time being, we're stuck in the "this is the year of" mode for mobile payments. I don't think things will be that different a year or two from now. A key question is whether there is something truly disruptive, to act as a catalyst.

9. How do we reach the next generation of smartphone subs?

Smartphone penetration in the U.S. now exceeds 50 percent. Getting the next 20-30 percent is going to be a lot harder. In today's family plan structure, each additional smartphone subscriber means a $30-$40/month commitment, with the average household's wireless bill pushing $200. Unless we see some creative pricing--family share for data, multi-device plans, session pricing, and just plain cheaper handsets and data plans--growth will level off.

10. What is wireless, anyway?

Perhaps this is more of a philosophical question, but I think the question of "wireless" or "mobile" is going to eventually disappear. Phone-tablet-computer is becoming a Venn diagram of a category. What really matters is providing the ability to effectively access or deliver content, to/from any one of a number of "screens," for a given context (stationary/mobile, home/office/car), in a manner that is economically viable to the content/service provider and the consumer. Deltas between fixed and mobile networks, PCs and phones, web and apps, continue to shrink.

Mark Lowenstein, a leading industry analyst, consultant, and commentator, is Managing Director of Mobile Ecosystem. Click here to subscribe to his free Lens on Wireless monthly newsletter, or follow him on Twitter at @marklowenstein.

Spectrum Valuation: Critical Strategic, Technical And Commercial Factors For Operators And Regulators

15 March 2012, 10:00 pm

Wireless Telecommunication Services in New Zealand

13 November 2011, 10:00 pm

Introduction Wireless Telecommunication Services in New Zealand industry profile provides top-line qualitative and quantitative summary information including: market share, market size (value and volume 2006-10, and forecast to 2015). The profile also contains descriptions of the leading players including key financial metrics and analysis of competitive pressures within the market. Essential resource for top-line data and analysis covering the New Zealand wireless telecommunication services market. Includes market size data, textual and graphical analysis of market growth trends, leading companies and macroeconomic information. Highlights The wireless telecommunications services market is defined here as including cellular (mobile) phones, pagers and any other wireless or cellular telecommunication service. Revenues are based on payments to operators of all of these services for subscriptions and usage. Market volumes represent total numbers of subscribers. Market shares in this report are in terms of subscriber volumes. Any currency conversions used in the creation of this report were calculated using constant 2010 annual average exchange rates. The New Zealand wireless telecommunication services market had total revenues of $1.8 billion in 2010, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.7% between 2006 and 2010. Market consumption volumes increased with a CAGR of 7.1% between 2006 and 2010, to reach a total of 5.1

Latin American Mobile Services Markets Outlook II; 2010

12 October 2011, 10:00 pm

This half-year tracker covers the state of the Latin American mobile services markets, examining the industry landscape, mobile technology update, major highlights of the year gone, drivers and restraints for growth, future trends, regulatory issues and MVNO developments in the region. In addition, an in-depth analysis of the competitive situation including mobile operators' market shares is performed, along with detailed profiles of the key operators in the industry. The base year is 2010 with forecasts running through 2016. The market is further divided into subsegments including prepaid, postpaid and 2G, 3G, and 4G technologies. Detailed analysis of the markets of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela is included.

Telefónica Smells the Mobile Banking Coffee

31 January 2011, 10:00 pm

Success with mobile banking in Latin America means partnerships with banks because they control the regulatory agenda. But it also means partnerships with industry groups that decrease the cost of customer acquisition.

New Zealand (Country Regulation Overview)

17 January 2011, 10:00 pm

Introduction New Zealand has emerged from a period of dramatic regulatory reform that began in 2006. New access arrangements for broadband services and infrastructure are now in place, and the functional separation of the incumbent TNZ has been completed. This high level of activity and intervention is in stark contrast to the light-handed and stable regime that preceded it. Features and benefits This report provides a comprehensive overview of the regulatory framework and current developments in New Zealand. We offer an extensive overview of the (fixed and mobile) retail and wholesale obligations, digital strategies, and overall regulatory framework. Highlights The government promotion of FTTH investment could generate a new wave of change in the next two years. It has announced that it will contribute $1.01bn (NZ$1.35bn) to the construction of a fiber access network, as well as set up a government-backed investment vehicle for further development of the network. A selection process is under way. It is still not clear how this program will affect Telecom New Zealand’s existing fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) program, and whether this will disrupt current investment in DSLAMs by TNZ’s competitors. In our view, there are likely to be many obstacles on the road to a fiber environment that will challenge policy-makers. Your

Bandwidth-intensive Applications for Home/Office Environments: ICT

30 November 2010, 10:00 pm

This report addresses technologies and markets for home/office (“local”) distribution of bandwidth-intensive signals. Related applications that require QoS support and demand the rate of transmission from several Mb/s and up to several Gb/s became typical for current HDV, IPTV and similar signals distribution. These applications are opening the multi-billion market for manufacturers of related ICT devices; they also intend to satisfy the growing users’ demand for home/office interconnects. Two major types of communications channels in the converged LAN/PAN environment are: Wireless, and Wired. Both compressed and uncompressed transmission of HDV and similar signals is considered. This report reflects dynamics of LAN/PAN markets and technologies for “local” distribution of bandwidth-intensive signals with an emphasis on recent advances; and, particular, it analyzes: WPAN - UWB, Visible Light Communication (VLC), and 60 GHz radio and competing technologies; PAN - HomePlug, HPNA-ITU, MoCA, HDBaseT, DiiVA and DisplayPort. UWB WPAN. The UWB industry is suffering from a severe downturn. Several companies went out of business; other changed their profiles or merged. This is a result of: Competition Relatively high cost of this technology Uncertainty in the standards direction Unstable regulatory climate.

Colombia: Country Regulation Overview

28 November 2010, 10:00 pm

Introduction Unlike other South & Central American countries, the liberalization of the telecoms market in Colombia preceded privatization, and state and local government enterprises still exist. The fixed incumbent (Telecom Colombia), for example, was partially privatized only in 2006. Features and benefits This report provides a comprehensive overview of the regulatory framework and current developments in Colombia. We offer an extensive overview of the (fixed and mobile) retail and wholesale obligations as well as the national digital strategy plan. Highlights After regulating the pricing for ducts and masts, the CRC expects that by the first half of 2011 it will have a framework for accessing infrastructure in sectors other than the telecoms sector for the provision of telecoms services.On the broadband front, the two digital strategy plans (ICT Plan and Vive Digital) should start initiatives ranging from mobile banking projects to the rollout of fiber to reach 700 municipalities. Your key questions answered What are the details of the current obligations imposed at the retail and wholesale level for fixed and mobile services in Colombia? What are the recent regulatory developments in Colombia?

Sweden (Country Regulation Overview)

17 November 2010, 10:00 pm

During 2009, Sweden saw revenue growth in mobile and data services, while fixed service revenues declined. The country has one of Europe’s most advanced broadband markets with among the highest penetration rates and connection speeds. In order to tackle the increasing demand for mobile data and mobile broadband as well as higher fixed broadband capacity, the Post-och Telestyrelsen (PTS), the national regulator, has taken a number of recent measures to free up spectrum and stimulate competition in broadband access. In 2009, the PTS completed allocation of additional spectrum in the 3.7GHz band and plans to allocate 800MHZ spectrum in 2011. It has also launched consulting on awarding licenses in the 10.5GHz, 2,010MHz, and 3.5GHz spectrum bands. All the licenses to be awarded are expected to be technology-neutral, which will enable the operators to choose the most cost-efficient technology and will allow them to launch services with a shorter time to market. This can help the operators to cut down the costs which could be translated into lower prices for the end user. In addition to its focus on the mobile data market, the PTS made some key decisions in 2009 to develop fixed-line wholesale broadband markets in Sweden. It has finalized

Denmark (country regulation overview)

9 November 2010, 10:00 pm

The Danish government and the regulator, the National IT and Telecom Agency (NITA), are focusing on increasing broadband adoption in Denmark and have set a target of 100% broadband coverage at speeds of 100Mbps by 2020. In line with this objective, the NITA has already allocated spectrum in the 2.5GHz band and plans to allocate 450-470MHz spectrum in 2010, primarily for mobile broadband purposes. The NITA is also evaluating the options of digital dividend and frequency re-farming in the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands. These service- and technology-neutral frequencies decrease the necessity for upgrading the technologies frequently. We anticipate that this will help operators reduce costs, thereby encouraging investments in mobile broadband and value-added services. Furthermore, we believe that the introduction of LTE technology using the 2.5GHz band will enable service providers to launch higher-speed mobile broadband services, and help Denmark maintain its lead in terms of broadband penetration within the EU region. In addition to its focus on the mobile data market, the NITA took some key decisions in the past year to develop fixed-line wholesale broadband markets in Denmark. It has obligated the incumbent, TDC, to provide access to cable ducts and optical fiber, and also offer broadband services over

The status of mobile termination regulation in the EU15

8 November 2010, 10:00 pm

Slowly but surely, a revolution is taking place in the way that mobile termination rates (MTRs) are determined in Europe. Starting with Ofcom (in the UK) and the BIPT (in Belgium), a number of NRAs have proposed to change the methodology for how they calculate the charges to fall in line with the European Commission (EC) Recommendation aimed at harmonizing these charges across Europe. In this report we provide a detailed analysis of how current MTRs were determined across the EU15 and look at how NRAs are taking the Recommendation into consideration as they undertake new market analyses.

Greece (country regulation overview)

26 October 2010, 10:00 pm

Greece is one of the most highly regulated telecoms markets in the European Union. It was quick to adopt the European Commission’s regulatory framework in contrast to more developed nations such as Germany. In Greece, the first round of market analysis commenced in 2004 and by 2008 the regulator, the National Telecommunications & Post Commission (EETT), had published the market decisions for all the markets. In 2009 the EETT also completed the second round of market analysis for LLU, wholesale broadband access, and mobile termination services. This proactive approach has enabled a number of alternative service providers to tap the potential present in the broadband market and to offer bundled services to cater for the growing demand for multi-play services. To bridge the broadband divide, the government is planning to roll out a national fiber broadband project in partnership with private parties with the aim to provide a bandwidth up to 100Mbps to approximately 2 million households and enterprises. Progress with rollout is likely to have been impacted by the recent economic downturn. Similar to other EU countries, the Greek mobile market is also highly penetrated, with a market penetration of 125% at the end of 2009. Additionally the subscriber base

Mobile network sharing: a post-recession reality

13 September 2010, 10:00 pm

Mobile network sharing - whether it is sharing tower sites or radio access network (RAN) components - is not a new concept in the industry. Despite the challenges associated, its merit as a cost-effective way to deploy or operate a mobile network has been evident for years. As operators look for ways to cut costs following the recession, they are showing increased interest in some form of network sharing, and as interest increases, the scale of announced network sharing deals is becoming larger. This report updates Ovum’s previous report on network sharing, and explores how the concept is gradually changing the structure of the industry.

Mobile network sharing: a post-recession reality

13 September 2010, 10:00 pm

European Mobile Regulatory Issues (On Demand)

6 September 2010, 10:00 pm

Publication Overview European Mobile Regulatory Issues (On Demand) report covers developments in Europe’s mobile data market, providing key analyses on emerging technologies and the growing consumer use of services. Key topics included are - Voice roaming Data roaming Mobile termination rates Network neutrality The countries covered in this report include: Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine , and the United Kingdom. This is an “On Demand” publication which is produced once an order and payment has been received. This publication will be available within a maximum of 5 business days, of your order and payment confirmation.

South Asia Wireless Outlook 2010

11 August 2010, 10:00 pm

The South Asian region’s large population of 1.47 billion still offers a huge room for growth, and hence, immense opportunity for local as well as regional service providers. The region's wireless market is likely to witness a lot of activities as new participants and new technologies, especially 3G, enter and significantly influence market dynamics. This report discusses the four South Asian markets, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, giving an in-depth analysis of these mobile markets including their political and economic updates, market and technology trends, operator market shares, mobile revenues, key regulatory issues, and so on.

Mexico (country regulation overview)

5 August 2010, 10:00 pm

Fixed-line penetration in Mexico has remained around 17-18% since 2005. Despite growing competition, the fixed market is still dominated by the incumbent, Telmex. A positive development in terms of competition was the designation of Telmex as a dominant operator in the fixed market by the Mexican anti-trust authority (the CFC) in 2009. This decision allows Cofetel, the Mexican NRA, to impose on Telmex regulations specific to dominant operators such as interconnection obligations, which it had avoided in the past. The enforcement of interconnection rates continues to be one of Mexico’s main issues. Despite the recent progress with the release of the new interconnection plan in February 2009 and the dominance designation, the format of interconnection charges still remains to be decided. In the mobile market, the four mobile operators have broadly maintained their market shares in the last two years. The auction of the 1.9GHz band has finally been completed and the process of auctioning the 1.7-2.1GHz band for 3G use has been initiated: both auctions were in the pipeline since 2008. Cofetel should ensure it does not take as long auctioning the 700MHz and 2.5GHz bands, which have entered its agenda for the 2010-2011 period, given the

Wireless email Patent Lawsuits: Survival of the fittest?

31 July 2010, 10:00 pm

Mark Csernica comments on a Market Watch article of July 9. NTP Inc, a patent holding company that won a massive settlement in litigation over the Blackberry email system, announced it is suing Apple, Google, Motorola, HTC, LG Electronics and Microsoft over a number of patents related to wireless email.

2010 Southeast Asia Wireless Outlook

8 July 2010, 10:00 pm

This study examines mobile communications in the Southeast Asian market group and its individual countries; Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, in detail. It presents and compares summaries of 2009 regional and country market developments and updates forecasts of key market metrics for the years 2010 to 2015.

Spain (country regulation overview)

30 June 2010, 10:00 pm

2009 and the first half of 2010 saw plenty of activity from the CMT, the Spanish national regulator, which finalized its second-round market analysis of markets 4, 5, and 6 and the former markets 7, 10, and 14, initiated in 2008. As a result of these analyses, the CMT has relaxed the regulation withdrawing all the previous obligations imposed on Telefonica with regards to the former market 10 (the wholesale market for transit services in the fixed public telephone network) and on the previous market 7 (retail market for the minimum set of leased lines) - a sign of healthy competition in these markets. As a result of the conclusion of the market 4 analysis, the CMT approved the first regulated physical infrastructure reference offer (MARco) from Telefonica in November 2009. In the same month, the Spanish government also approved a law that will allow the 800MHz band to be used to provide mobile broadband services. Moreover, as a result of a consultation initiated in October 2009, the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade (MITYC) announced that it would extend the scope of the current universal service obligation (USO) to incorporate broadband access at a minimum speed of 1Mbps

Portugal (country regulation overview)

16 March 2010, 10:00 pm

During late 2009 and early 2010, ANACOM had either completed or initiated the market review of four out of the seven relevant markets. This was an important development since the majority of the markets hadn’t been reviewed since 2005. In the mobile market, new rules were implemented for number portability to improve the receiving operator’s accountability towards the donor operator and end users, and a new mobile termination rate (MTR) glidepath was proposed. Portugal continues to have an impressive mobile penetration (above the European average), and mobile broadband penetration during 2008 was already one of the highest in Europe, having experienced almost 60% growth during 2008-09. The fixed market is still dominated by the incumbent, PT, despite a small decrease in PT’s market share. Proposed changes to the local loop unbundling (LLU) reference offer should have a positive outcome for alternative operators since they reinforce transparency, reduce the times for repair, and touch other sensitive issues such as compensation for non-compliance. On the broadband front, besides the approval of the markets 4 and 5 review by the EC in the first quarter of 2009, the planning of a framework in 2011 for the digital dividend and the recent auction of the frequencies

Telecoms in 2020: regulation

23 December 2009, 10:00 pm

Some of the biggest challenges ever to face regulators and policy-makers will take place in the next decade. The decisions taken will affect the competitive landscape for many years to come as operators make significant investments and seek regulatory clarity. Engagement with all stakeholders will continue be crucial to the success of well-designed regulatory policy. The challenge will be in making sure this takes place even where regulators may lack resources or be constrained by a lack of independence.

Southern African Mobile Communications Market

28 October 2009, 10:00 pm

The southern African mobile communications research service considers the dynamics and regulatory environment of mobile communications in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The four markets share more than their geographic proximity, and many of the market challenges are the same. Nonetheless, each of the four markets is at a different stage of development in terms of mobile penetration and network technology. The mobile operators’ pricing structures, value propositions and branding reveal different strategic thrusts, which are informed by their respective market position and share, as well as the mobile teledensity in each country. 2008 market sizes form the basis of revenue forecasts to 2015.

The status of mobile termination regulation in Europe in 2009

9 July 2009, 10:00 pm

As all EU countries (including the two most recent member states) have now conducted at least the first round of market analysis, here we provide a detailed analysis of the status of mobile termination.

The case for 'bill and keep' for termination in Europe is not yet proven

7 April 2009, 10:00 pm

This paper reviews some of the opposing views on the regulation of mobile termination rates (MTRs) in EU Member States and explores the argument, put forward by some respondents to the European Regulators Group's consultation in 2008, that a transition to a bill and keep (BAK) regime for mobile call termination would stop market distortion and eventually benefit both the mobile industry and European consumers. Please note: this is delivered as a PowerPoint Presentation.

Mobile Saturates, Forcing Changes on Latin America’s Regulatory Agenda

31 August 2008, 10:00 pm

Latin American regulators are adjusting policy as mobile penetration reaches saturation across the region. Number portability, universal access, new entrants and spectrum availability are critical regulatory issues looking forward.

Linksys E4200 Dual-Band N Router - $159.99

17 May 2012, 6:23 am

The Linksys E4200 Maximum Performance Dual-Band N Router offers ultra fast speed to connect your computers and other Wi-Fi devices.

17 May 2012, 6:23 am

The demands on organizations' wireless networks - such as increased connection counts, bandwidth consumption, need for seamless roaming and extende...

Amped Wireless Wireless-N 600mW Range Extender - $119.99

17 May 2012, 6:23 am

Enjoy extended Internet access in your house with the Amped Wireless SR10000 High Power Wireless-N Range Extender.

Netgear WNA1100-100ENS Wireless N USB Adapter - $7.99

17 May 2012, 6:23 am

The Netgear WNA1100-100ENS USB Adapter is designed to deliver reliable high-speed connectivity to wireless networks.

D-Link DIR-645 Whole Home Router - $89.99

17 May 2012, 6:23 am

Eliminate wireless dead spots and unleash comprehensive whole-home coverage with the D-Link DIR645 1000 Whole Home Router.

Linksys E2500 Advanced Dual-Band N Router - $99.99

17 May 2012, 6:23 am

The Linksys E2500 Advanced Dual-Band N Router offers fast speed to connect your computers, wireless printers, game consoles, and other Wi-Fi devices.

D-Link DIR-655 Xtreme Wireless Router - $79.99

17 May 2012, 6:23 am

Powered by Xtreme N technology and equipped with three external antennas, this router provides superior wireless coverage for larger homes and offices

Netgear N900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router - $179.99

17 May 2012, 6:23 am

The Netgear WNDR4500-100NAS N900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router delivers the ultimate in WiFi performance and range.

Hawking HWREN1 Hi-Gain Wireless Range Extender - $59.99

17 May 2012, 6:23 am

Whether its an area in your home that has limited or office, the Hawking HWREN1 effectively doubles the range of your entire wireless network.

TRENDnet TEW-649UB Mini Wireless N Speed USB Adapt - $34.99

17 May 2012, 6:23 am

Enjoy proven wireless n speed and reliability in an ultra compact design that is slightly larger than a US penny.

ASUS Eee PC 10.1" Atom 320GB HDD Netbook - $279.99

17 May 2012, 6:24 am

This lightweight, compact netbook is perfect for keeping up with your everyday demands.

Acer 11.6" AMD Dual-Core 320GB Netbook - $299.99

17 May 2012, 6:24 am

No need to look any further for the perfect netbook, the Acer Aspire One AO722-0473 LU.SFT02.171 Netbook has it all!

Acer Aspire AMD Dual-Core 4GB, 11.6" Black Netbook - $369.99

17 May 2012, 6:24 am

With its 4GB of DDR3 memory, the Acer Aspire AO722-0825 LU.SFT02.299 Netbook gives you a more responsive netbook.

HP 10.1" Atom 320GB HDD Netbook - $368.99

17 May 2012, 6:24 am

Enjoy flexible Internet connectivity, an integrated 0.3MP webcam for video chatting and a 6-cell lithium-ion battery for 9hrs of mobility.

Acer Aspire Dual-Core 11.6" Blue Netbook - $349.99

17 May 2012, 6:24 am

Experience faster system performance for smooth multitasking and outstanding visuals with the Acer Aspire AO722-0667 LU.SFU02.061 Netbook.

ASUS 10.1" Atom 320GB HDD Black Netbook - $319.99

17 May 2012, 6:24 am

This slim and lightweight Netbook with a 10.1" WSVGA display provides you the power to handle everyday computing with ease.

Acer Aspire Dual-Core 11.6" Red Netbook - $349.99

17 May 2012, 6:24 am

The Acer Aspire AO722-0472 LU.SG302.034 Netbook is powered by the AMD Dual-Core C-60 Accelerated 1.0GHz Processor.

ASUS Eee PC Touch T101MT-BU37-BK Netbook - $598.74

17 May 2012, 6:24 am

The ASUS Eee PC T101MT-BU37-BK Netbook is a light-computing solution for entertainment and communication on the go.

Acer Aspire One AO722-0473 11.6" Black Netbook - $349.99

17 May 2012, 6:24 am

No need to look any further for the perfect netbook, the Acer Aspire One AO722-0473 LU.SFT02.171 Netbook has it all!

HP 10.1" Atom 320GB HDD Netbook - $449.99

17 May 2012, 6:24 am

Its Intel Atom Dual-Core processor and 2GB of DDR3 memory provide power and speed to ensure fast, smooth system performance.

Mobile Network Operators – retool, rethink & reinvent

4 May 2012, 5:14 pm

Some time back I had an opportunity to speak with a technology pioneer, who helped introduce the best multi-media device – the iPhone on AT&T. We went into the technical details of the experiences, the paradigm shift that never happened and the impending “data tsunami” that is happening as we speak. [...]

Optimizing Mobile Web

15 February 2012, 7:51 pm

Not all apps on our smartphones are created equal, just like how not all network technologies work the same. Some perform great and some not as much, but do we know how each one differs from the other? The other day I was discussing mobile applications with my wife who is a mobile [...]

Extending Coverage: Distributed Antenna Systems

28 January 2012, 9:40 am

With Super Bowl XLVI around the corner, as a wireless engineer I always wait with bated for the performance of the network. How many calls did we drop? What was the congestion and customer satisfaction? How did we fare against other operators? Well these and more questions will always be on my mind as I [...]

Wireless Churn, Metrics and Big Data

19 January 2012, 1:11 pm

Churn has a simple definition for a wireless operator – it is the number of net deactivations (i.e. gross adds minus net adds) divided by the average number of the subscriptions during the year. Mobile telecommunication market has changed from a rapidly growing market, into a state of saturation and fierce competition. The focus of [...]

Evolving Trends in Wireless Network Optimization

15 January 2012, 7:37 pm

The long standing objective of any wireless network operator has always been Optimization of network performance, maximizing efficiency and thereby providing the highest customer satisfaction. Today’s wireless networks have come a long way from providing just voice services to customers, to delivering high speed content rich data applications to their wireless handsets in addition to [...]

LTE Connect Cars – the new social medium

29 December 2011, 12:51 pm

via Like most guys I love my car (after my gadgets & my Triumph) and like most of you I drool at the prospect of getting a car that will talk to me and connect all the pieces together. As a child, the first car that caught my imagination was Herbie (the wonderful little Bug), [...]

Connected world: a changing wireless paradigm

15 December 2011, 6:26 pm

Inherently we the humans always want to get connected by phone, email, social media, Television, radio with the rest of the world. Things are changing fast now it’s about connected devices, appliances, automobiles, transport systems and even the plants. Anything can be connected will be connected. Anything can have a chipset will have a chipset. When [...]

Defining Mobile User Experience – QOE & QOS

10 December 2011, 5:12 pm

I am not an early adopter of technology, though I am one of the gears that drive the engine of change for wireless technology. But I read most of my news, books, email, Youtube – 80% of the time today on my Cellphone or iPad (love Flipboard & Zite!) which runs on my wireless carrier. [...]

Unlicensed Spectrum and Wireless Networks

17 November 2011, 6:15 pm

A recent media article stating that Steve Jobs wanted to build an unlicensed network for the iPhone peaked my interest on speaking about unlicensed spectrum and the way it has been carved out by the FCC. I have always been against licensed spectrum making wireless expensive. The recent auctions both AWS and 700MHz have shown [...]

Capacity Crunch – stitching networks together!

10 November 2011, 8:53 pm

via Having seen the evolution of wireless from voice-centric to data-centric I can truly say that the spotlight now lies on data. And who would have thought a few years ago that the tipping point would come from apple. Apple products have done to wireless ecosystem what the warm temperatures of waters in Gulf of Mexico do [...]

Google snags the webOS Enyo team, HP says open source plans are still on schedule

24 May 2012, 11:53 pm

At one time the Enyo app framework was supposed to help webOS run faster and on a wider variety of devices, but as HP continues to struggle, reports have surfaced from The Verge and AllThingsD that much of the team behind it, including leader Matthew McNulty, has been hired away by Google. Numbering a half dozen or so, the immediate danger is the effect this might have on HP's efforts to open source webOS, but in a statement the company indicated it remains on track and will stick to the roadmap it announced in January. Less clear is what these employees might end up working on for Google, although Enyo's focus on web apps and HTML5 suggests the possibility they'll end up working on ChromeOS projects.

Google snags the webOS Enyo team, HP says open source plans are still on schedule originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 02:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | The Verge, AllThingsD | Email this | Comments

Sony ST26i benchmarks reveal Android 4.0, 4-inch FWVGA display and lackluster performance

24 May 2012, 10:33 pm

Rumors of the Sony ST26i smartphone have been swirling for a while now, but up until recently, we've had nothing to sink our teeth into. Thankfully, we've now come across an OpenGL benchmark test and system profile for the yet-to-be-announced handset, and while this one seems destined for emerging markets and budget-minded consumers, the ST26i will come with just enough niceties to hold its head high. First and foremost, the system profile reveals Ice Cream Sandwich on the handset, and even better, it'll include a 4-inch, 854 x 480 display -- none of that HVGA crap here. To keep costs low, sacrifices had to be made: the phone will include a Qualcomm MSM7627A SoC, which includes a pedestrian 800MHz CPU and an Adreno 200 GPU. Curiously, the ST26i was previously rumored to contain an ST-Ericsson U8500 chip with a dual-core 1GHz CPU, which leaves open the possibility that we may see different configurations based on markets. Still, if Sony is able to exercise some restraint with its custom skin, the ST26i could shape up to be a very nice handset.

Sony ST26i benchmarks reveal Android 4.0, 4-inch FWVGA display and lackluster performance originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 01:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Ubergizmo | GLBenchmark, IT168 | Email this | Comments

X Prize adopts NASA guidelines for protecting lunar heritage sites, Buzz Aldrin punch averted

24 May 2012, 9:19 pm

NASA hopes that one small step by Google's Lunar X Prize will eventually lead to a giant leap in protecting historical sites on the moon. The X Prize Foundation announced that it will adopt guidelines released by the space agency last year to help preserve lunar heritage sites. The move comes at a crucial time as a new space race increases the possibility of an imminent moon landing, according to NASA. Google's Lunar X Prize alone currently has 26 contestants worldwide vying to land a robot on the lunar surface by 2015. NASA stressed that their recommendations aren't law and "do not represent mandatory U.S. or international requirements." Examples include approach and landing guidelines to minimize disturbance, contamination and degradation of Apollo mission sites. That certainly sounds more reasonable than, say, plopping some dude in a spacesuit at a lunar outpost to shoot trespassers with a plasma shotgun while yelling, "Get off my property!" In the meantime, feel free to mosey on over to the PR after the break.

Continue reading X Prize adopts NASA guidelines for protecting lunar heritage sites, Buzz Aldrin punch averted

X Prize adopts NASA guidelines for protecting lunar heritage sites, Buzz Aldrin punch averted originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 00:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Digital Journal | Google Lunar X Prize | Email this | Comments

Intel funnels $40 million into global network of research laboratories

24 May 2012, 8:04 pm

Like any tech company worth its weight in silicon, Intel puts plenty of cash into research, often partnering with outside labs and schools that are less concerned with turning every project into a multi-billion dollar product. After throwing $30 million at Carnegie Mellon last year to open two new labs, Chipzilla is investing $40 million more in a global network of university research centers. Over the next five years that money will be rolled out to what the company is calling, Intel Collaborative Research Institutes (ICRI). The ICRI are based on the same premise as Intel's Science and Technology Centers, like those opened at Mellon, except with a global reach. Two existing labs, the Intel Visual Computing Institute at Saarland University and the Intel-NTU Connected Context Computing Center at National Taiwan University are being rolled into the program. In addition, three new centers are being opened up, including ICRIs for Sustainable Connected Cities in the United Kingdom, Secure Computing at the Technische Universität Darmstadt and Computational Intelligence at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. For more info on what sort or work they'll be doing at the various labs check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Intel funnels $40 million into global network of research laboratories

Intel funnels $40 million into global network of research laboratories originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 23:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Nissan announces e-NV200 all-electric van, production slated for 2013

24 May 2012, 7:22 pm

So, Chrysler's electric postal van never really took off -- perhaps a few too many mailmen refused to give up those roomy Grumman LLVs -- but now Nissan is giving the electric van concept a go. Yesterday the company announced the e-NV200 compact van (previously teased as a concept), which will go into production in 2013. The van will be Nissan's second all-electric vehicle, following the 2010 Leaf. The e-NV200's design is quite similar to that of the NV200 van, but it swaps taxi-cab yellow for the Leaf's shade of robin's egg blue. Nissan says it's putting $126 million into producing the new model, but so far it's keeping mum on other details. Head past the break for the full press release

Continue reading Nissan announces e-NV200 all-electric van, production slated for 2013

Nissan announces e-NV200 all-electric van, production slated for 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 22:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Autoblog | | Email this | Comments

Samsung's GSM-only dual-SIM Galaxy Ace Duos kicks off its world tour in Russia next month

24 May 2012, 6:38 pm

While Samsung's Galaxy Ace Duos has already burst onto the scene in India pulling double duty on GSM and CDMA networks, the company today announced its dual-SIM GSM-only cousin will begin shipping in June in Russia, before rolling out to Europe and other regions later. Running Android 2.3 on an 832MHz processor and flashing a 3.5-inch HVGA screen, that dual-SIM capability is the highlight, with Samsung's "Dual SIM always on" feature that forwards calls from the phone number on SIM 2, even if the user is on a call through SIM 1. Bill Bellamy and all others in need of such features can check the press release after the break for a few more details, or the gallery below to get a look from a few more angles of this son of the original Galaxy Ace.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos

Continue reading Samsung's GSM-only dual-SIM Galaxy Ace Duos kicks off its world tour in Russia next month

Samsung's GSM-only dual-SIM Galaxy Ace Duos kicks off its world tour in Russia next month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 21:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

NVIDIA touts 30 Tegra 3 smartphones set for this year, teases next-gen Grey SoC with on-board LTE

24 May 2012, 6:14 pm

We're nearly halfway through 2012, but for NVIDIA, it seems the best is yet to come. The company's GM, Mike Rayfield, announced today that 30 smartphones with Tegra 3 chips are now slated for availability this year, which is double the success that the company had with its Tegra 2 platform during 2011. Perhaps more interesting, Rayfield also let it be known that the Grey platform -- not due for arrival until next year -- will be the first of NVIDIA's system-on-chip designs to include a built-in LTE radio. Specifically, we can expect it to include the Icera 500, a next-gen LTE modem that's set to supersede both the Icera 410 and 450 designs. The Icera 500 will initially debut as a standalone unit, but will later be integrated into the Grey platform. All things considered, perhaps its 2013 that NVIDIA should be most excited about.

NVIDIA touts 30 Tegra 3 smartphones set for this year, teases next-gen Grey SoC with on-board LTE originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 21:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | The Verge | Email this | Comments

ASUS Transformer Pad TF300TL hits the FCC with AT&T-friendly LTE

24 May 2012, 5:51 pm

ASUS isn't known for offering its tablets to North American carriers with 3G or 4G; an FCC filing for a cellular-capable Transformer Pad TF300 could be a clue at a break in the WiFi-only trend. Along with the usual wireless, a TF300TL variant of the Android 4.0 slate has stopped by the agency with the 850MHz and 1,900MHz frequencies needed for HSPA 3G as well as, best of all, 700MHz and 1,700MHz support for LTE-based 4G. All four are what we'd look for in an AT&T-oriented tablet, so don't be surprised if Ma Bell carries a 4G Transformer Pad before long. All but the 700MHz band would be handy for Canadian networks as well. There's no surefire evidence of when the tablet might make a more formal appearance, nor hints of whether or not it will keep the quad-core Tegra 3, although the slight spin on the regular TF300 formula could keep the wait short.

ASUS Transformer Pad TF300TL hits the FCC with AT&T-friendly LTE originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 20:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Liliputing | FCC | Email this | Comments

Google adds copyright takedowns to Transparency Reports, 1.2 million a month and growing

24 May 2012, 5:24 pm

Google has been publishing what it's dubbed Transparency Reports for some time now -- detailing things like government requests to remove content from search results or requests for users' information -- and it's now added another big chunk of data to them in the interest of full disclosure. Starting today, you can see the number of removal requests it receives from companies over copyright and piracy concerns. As you can imagine, there's a lot -- over 1.2 million in the past month alone, a number that Google notes is increasing at a substantial rate. Among those asking for takedowns, Microsoft is by far the leader, filing well over half a million requests all by itself in the past month (the film and music industries are also, of course, well represented). You can pour through all the results yourself at the source link below.

Google adds copyright takedowns to Transparency Reports, 1.2 million a month and growing originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 20:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink GigaOm | Google Transparency Report | Email this | Comments

HTC One X for AT&T gets unofficial bootloader unlock

24 May 2012, 5:02 pm

No thanks to AT&T, owners of the carrier-branded HTC One X can now unlock their phone's bootloader on the HTCdev website. The process works by altering the handset's identifier, which causes the One X to appear as a Rogers unit on HTC's servers. While the instructions should be quite simple for those with the proper knowhow, they require knowledge and proper configuration of ADB, use of a hex editor and a rooted handset. Many users have already reported success with this method, but keep in mind that AT&T might not smile on the trickery if you ever need to seek warranty repair. Naturally, all of this frustration could've been easily avoided had Ma Bell simply considered the needs of power users in the first place, but until the day comes when the carrier rights its ways, just know that eager hackers have a tendency to come out on top.

[Thanks, Akash]

HTC One X for AT&T gets unofficial bootloader unlock originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 20:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | xda-developers | Email this | Comments

Samsung Galaxy S III shows in Best Buy Canada leak due June 20th, maple syrup uncorked to celebrate

24 May 2012, 4:45 pm

Jitters have persisted that the Canadian release of the Galaxy S III might face the customary weeks-long delays that those north of the border are used to. If we go by what looks to be an escaped Best Buy Canada flyer graphic, Samsung's Android 4.0 beast should be going up for pre-orders soon -- MobileSyrup hears May 30th -- with launches on at least Bell, Rogers, Telus and a Bell-owned Virgin Mobile around June 20th. We know that Samsung has publicly promised a US release in June, so there's a real chance that we could be seeing a simultaneous North American appearance that brings everyone together in TouchWiz harmony. There's still some big questions left open even if we're seeing an accurate snapshot, such as when Mobilicity, Wind and other LTE-less carriers will get their units as well as whether or not the LTE versions use Snapdragons instead of the Exynos 4 Quad.

[Thanks, Imdad]

Samsung Galaxy S III shows in Best Buy Canada leak due June 20th, maple syrup uncorked to celebrate originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 19:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | MobileSyrup | Email this | Comments

Tweetbot 2.4 brings keyword mute filters, offline favorite and read later support

24 May 2012, 4:21 pm

Tweetbot just got the update treatment, enabling a handful of features aimed at optimizing the way you interact with Twitter, both online and off. These added gems include an option to mute certain keywords ('cereal' may be a good start), location-based keyword searches, along with offline favorite and read later support (for booting links to apps like Instapaper or Pocket, for offline viewing). Most other functionality remains unchanged, as does the $2.99 price tag. You'll find the full list of updates after the break, with download links just below.

Continue reading Tweetbot 2.4 brings keyword mute filters, offline favorite and read later support

Tweetbot 2.4 brings keyword mute filters, offline favorite and read later support originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 19:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Next Web | Tweetbot (iPhone), Twitter (iPad) | Email this | Comments

RIM patent application puts pressure on sensitive touchscreens for a possible unlock alternative

24 May 2012, 3:59 pm

RIM's been busy on the patent application front lately, filing off concepts for anything from smartphone docks to rotating keypads -- even flirting with potential forays into forensics peripherals. Perhaps sensing the crushing need to differentiate its ailing BlackBerry brand, Waterloo's taken to the USPTO with a doc submitted last November that could do just that. The pressure-sensitive input scheme and touchscreen interface described therein would respond to a user-set pattern of force by granting access to a handheld device's features and applications. Sure sounds a heckuva lot like a new password protection implementation, but that's just our humble take. What it actually is, where it goes from this legal limbo and whether or not it ever winds up in BB 10 tech is truly up in the air. What you can count on, though, is a continued flood of in-process IP procurement from a company close to the edge.

RIM patent application puts pressure on sensitive touchscreens for a possible unlock alternative originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 18:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | USPTO | Email this | Comments

Slide shows Dell Latitude 10 tablet running Windows 8

24 May 2012, 3:38 pm

Rumors of a Dell Peju tablet shipping with Windows 8 made the rounds last year, but they died down when the mystery device turned out to be the Windows 7-powered Latitude ST. Time to reignite the hype: NeoWin got its hands on a slide that shows a Dell Latitude 10 slate running Windows 8. The tablet is listed as having a 10.1-inch screen, which isn't to say that other form factors could be in the works. Other listed specs include a dual-core Intel Atom processor, 2GB of RAM, up to a 128GB SSD and a fingerprint reader. NeoWin has word that the Latitude 10 will get six to eight hours of battery life with the base battery and up to 12 hours with the larger one. The tablet looks quite similar to the Latitude ST, but then again we're going off of one slide here.

Slide shows Dell Latitude 10 tablet running Windows 8 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 18:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Next Web | NeoWin | Email this | Comments

BBM staying exclusive to BlackBerry, says WSJ source

24 May 2012, 3:18 pm

Been looking forward to porting your BBM addiction to iOS or Android in hopes of finally kicking that Crackberry to the curb? Take a seat -- it looks like RIM's private messaging service isn't going anywhere. According to a Wall Street Journal source, the firm's new CEO has shut down rumors of a BlackBerry Messenger port. "It was not up for discussion," the WSJ was told. According to a person "familiar with the matter," CEO Thorsten Heins decided that RIM shouldn't be pursuing licensing deals. Heins' apparent house cleaning might be a deal breaker for BlackBerry veterans looking to jump ship, requiring users to stick with RIM to maintain their dwindling BBM contact lists. Bummer? Sure is, but at least your pals don't need a security clearance to ping you.

BBM staying exclusive to BlackBerry, says WSJ source originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 18:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink MobileSyrup | Wall Street Journal | Email this | Comments

Microsoft pulling free development tools for Windows 8 desktop apps, only lets you ride the Metro for free (update: confirmed)

24 May 2012, 3:07 pm

Microsoft has instituted a big change with its free Visual Studio 11 Express suite that's leaving some current- and soon-to-be Windows 8 developers up in arms: it's pulling support for creating anything but Metro-native apps. After 11 becomes the norm, desktop developers will need to either cling to Visual Studio 2010 for dear life or fork over the $500 for Visual Studio 11 Professional. Programmers won't have the option of backdoor coding, either, with both the compiler and toolchain being pulled from Windows' framework. The situation doesn't represent the end of the world for some developers -- more established pros don't balk at a $500 price, and third-party tools will likely live on -- but it sets a much higher price of entry for desktop apps developed through the official route, especially if you want to write games using XNA. We've reached out to Microsoft for a response, but for now we'd suggest setting aside five Benjamins if Start screen tiles and app charms aren't your cups of tea.

Update: We've confirmed with a Microsoft spokesperson that it's true you'll need Professional if you want to write desktop apps using Visual Studio. It's equally correct, though, that third-party developer kits will keep building desktop apps as long as they have their own compilers and related tools. Students can get Professional for free if they're in the Dreamspark program.

Microsoft pulling free development tools for Windows 8 desktop apps, only lets you ride the Metro for free (update: confirmed) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 18:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Ars Technica | Visual Studio Blog | Email this | Comments

Broadcast TV networks, Dish Network file lawsuits over new Auto Hop ad skipping feature

24 May 2012, 2:42 pm

Dish Network shocked us just a couple of weeks ago by upgrading its new Hopper DVRs with "Auto Hop" ad skipping that targeted prime time programming on broadcast TV captured via its PrimeTime Anytime feature, and predictably, the networks aren't happy. After several executives took shots at the service during upfronts for the new fall programming in the past few weeks, Fox has filed suit in US District Court, while Dish Network responded with its own request for a court order specifying that it does not infringe on the TV network's copyrights. Just in the last few minutes, the New York Times reports NBC (Update: Add CBS to the list as well, THR has copies of the complaints from Dish and Fox.) has filed a lawsuit against Dish Network as well, and it likely won't be the last one to do so. ReplayTV folded under similar legal pressure, but clearly Dish Network thinks it has a workable solution and now it's going to be up to the courts to decide who wins.

Continue reading Broadcast TV networks, Dish Network file lawsuits over new Auto Hop ad skipping feature

Broadcast TV networks, Dish Network file lawsuits over new Auto Hop ad skipping feature originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 17:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Hollywood Reporter, Reuters, New York Times | Email this | Comments

Facebook Camera hands-on

24 May 2012, 2:27 pm

Facebook has kept itself rather busy in the last month or so with such tasks as going public and purchasing popular photo-sharing app Instagram, but that doesn't mean it stopped working on other projects in the meantime. This realization is apparent with the launch of Facebook Camera, a photo-centric application that chooses to remain separated from the company's general mobile representation. It's still connected with the social network, of course, but it brings a fresh user interface and some light Photoshop-esque features to the table: filters, cropping, zoom, twist and so on. We had the opportunity to grab the new app and take it for a spin on an iPhone, so check out the gallery and continue below for our first impressions.

Gallery: Facebook Camera hands-on

Continue reading Facebook Camera hands-on

Facebook Camera hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 17:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Intel posts x86-friendly Android 4.0 image, lets you feel the need for speed

24 May 2012, 2:08 pm

Android developers are all too familiar with not-so-hot emulator performance, so it's a relief that there's now an system image in a native x86 for testing. While you'll still likely want to test on ARM, the x86 image will both help ferret out bugs specific to Intel's architecture as well as provide a much faster experience debugging apps now that the ARM-to-Intel translation isn't needed on top of running a whole second operating system. It's not perfectly up to date, running on Android 4.0.3, but it's close enough that the environment will mimic much of what users see -- and a big help if you're jumping into writing specifically for Intel devices. If speed is of the essence, or you're not keen on importing a Lava Xolo X900, you just need to update the SDK Manager to start testing with an Intel-flavored green robot.

Intel posts x86-friendly Android 4.0 image, lets you feel the need for speed originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 17:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Android Central | Romain Guy (Twitter) | Email this | Comments

Bump app for Android and iOS adds desktop photo sharing

24 May 2012, 1:47 pm

Bump has managed to garner quite a following among iPhone and Android users, but they've so far only been able to transfer files between two mobile devices, not between their phone and their home computer. The company's managed to find a workaround of sorts to that limitation though, and has today rolled out a new feature that will let you send photos (and only photos) from your phone to your desktop. To do so, you'll first have to update the Bump app on your phone and then head to the Bump website, at which point you can simply tap the spacebar to transfer your photos (with your phone if you want to keep the whole "bump" motif going). As you can probably surmise, that means photos are transferred to Bump's website and not directly to your computer, but that does have the added benefit of making the photos a bit easier to share on your social network of choice.

Bump app for Android and iOS adds desktop photo sharing originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 16:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Yahoo! News / Mashabale | Bump | Email this | Comments

The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET!

24 May 2012, 1:30 pm

It's unseasonably gray and rainy out there today in New York City -- all the more reason to come on inside and join in on the podcasting action. Find cover and follow along after the break.

Continue reading The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET!

The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Visualized: ThreadWatch tracks daily workflow on a Mac, turns the data into eye candy

24 May 2012, 1:16 pm

Sure, time tracking comes in handy when trying to make your workflow as efficient as possible. Perhaps you're looking for a more visual indication of how your time is spent on that MacBook Pro. That's where ThreadWatch comes in handy. Thanks to developer Alex Milde, you can visually analyze your daily task habits on a Mac. After a rather quick and painless app download, the tech monitors software being used on the desktop, taking notes on their individual memory and CPU consumption. The collected info is placed in a text file that you'll then upload to ThreadWatch to create the graphical splendor you see above. Each color indicates a different application and you won't have to worry about having your tracked data catalogued. To take the kit for a spin, hit the source link below to start monitoring your procrastination... er, work sessions.

Visualized: ThreadWatch tracks daily workflow on a Mac, turns the data into eye candy originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 16:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Information Aesthetics | ThreadWatch | Email this | Comments