mobility

Google free WiFi in their city

2006-08-16T13:26:00.000-07:00

It happened again - swiftly and without much digs "After a beta period chock-full of Skype use among the nerd-elite, Google has finally opened up their free WiFi network t o the 72,000 residents of Mountain View, CA. Speculation still abounds in regards to Google's eventual plans for world domination via municipal WiFi, but for now they claim their main reasons are to inspire other network providers, and so they can work on interoperability with WiFi devices. Google is a bit ahead of schedule with the network, which cost them $1 million to build, and covers 12 square miles with 380 light pole-mounted transceivers. Bandwidth tops out at 1 megabit per second, and Google is prepped to add more capacity if Mountain View types end up being heavy Google Video users. Google says their early launch was spurred by the positive feedback they received during the beta, and that they've been inundated with requests to join. There's no telling yet how Google's Mountain View network will compare to the relatively massive Google/Earthlink plans in San Francisco, especially since they're probably hoping to make a bit of cash back on the latter, but for now Google is at least requiring a Google ID to join the party in their hometown of Mountain View."

Google's wifi phone service - what is the bigger picture?

2006-05-16T09:26:00.000-07:00

And all our prophecies fall in place!

Google announced it's partnership with Nokia for wi-fi phone service. A threat to cellular service, as we'd predicted last year, will leverage VoIP for making cheap calls using Google Talk (VoIM).

We will have to wait till end of this year for the rollout.

I have some concern about the limitations. An initial service using nokia's tablet costing $360 will be only accessible between users of Google Talk on either end. A user based in SF area needs a wi-fi hotspot and atleast one device in the communication channel.

Secondly, as a connected consumer, I have to use another GSM phone either locally (without hotspots or non-wifi phone end users), or, if trotting outside SF. And, what about the impending WiMax technoglogy or even HSPA that will conquer most of the wifi issues? The mobile operators will likely address ubiquity and device/billing management issues.

Consumers are sick of carrying multiple phones and paying the hefty amounts for phone calls. Although, convergence was sought in UMA phones, nothing much is being said or done about it. There are issues about connectivity and telco's egotistical views. Why would anyone surpass their infrastructure they build painstakinly over years. Though most of them succumbed to MVNO and VoIP deals worldwide(eg. Hutch's deal with skype in Europe was openly chided by other telcos). Having said that, wonder why Nokia didn't use UMA technology for addressing the bigger picture or are they saving it a for another experiment?

Skype which is already tasting success in UK, for example, is also planning a similar service somtime later in the US.

Amidst all these developments, a community wi-fi with astronomical speed of 600kbps was recently unveiled in Austin, Texas. Now, don't we need wi-fi phone service to complement this resource?

Skype, want to give it a try?

wireless this week

2006-05-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

"The US National Security Agency was forced to confess that it had been trying to log every telephone call in the United States, creating the biggest database in world history with the assistance of AT&T, Verizon, MCI, Sprint-Nextel and essentially everyone else but without getting a warrant. Whether or not this was actually illegal, as opposed to merely terrifying, remains to be seen.

But those concerned that the spooks are eavesdropping on them do have an option short of retiring to a bunker in the woods with a machine gun and five years' stock of biscuits. They can cancel their current service and take their trade to Qwest Communications or T-Mobile USA, both of whom refused to turn in their customers without a warrant.

T-Mobile's UK division, meanwhile, was trying its best to prevent any outbreak of public sympathy that the affair might have triggered. This week, the carrier announced its HSDPA datacards were going on sale, for £58 plus £40 a month for unlimited data service and access to T-Mobile WLAN hotspots. It sounds a cracking deal, but sadly, no! The carrier is threatening to cut off anyone caught using VoIP, supposedly because it is concerned that the VoIP will not be good enough. "It's not yet of a consistent or high enough level of quality to offer a good customer experience on the T-Mobile network," said a minion.

That's right, it's all for your own good and NOTHING WHATEVER to do with dishing the competition. Funny, then, that competitor 3UK is actively encouraging mobile Skype, and that when T-Mobile itself switched on its OFDM-FLASH whizzynet in Slovakia senior execs promised there would be no port-blocking.

O2 was faced with that prospect this week, as its contract to supply 3 with the GPRS stepdown from their 3G network was not renewed. Under the national roaming contract, when a 3 subscriber stepped out of UMTS coverage, their gadget would move "seamlessly" onto the O2 network. It brought in a reliable £100m a year, but now Orange is to latch onto it after outbidding O2 in an auction (presumably a Dutch auction, but you never know). Orange has 99 per cent population coverage in the UK, compared to some 88 per cent for 3, so it's clear there's money in it.

O2 that was begat of BT is planning to get a fixed-line service. And, forsooth, BT is speaking of mobiles.But whatever O2 does about it, strange to tell, its traffic will be travelling over the same copper wires that once belonged to O2 in the days of BT Cellnet and now belong to BT."

More money of spectrum is in the works.

global convergence

2006-04-23T22:24:00.000-07:00

Analogy for 'ww paralysis' is lack of globalization. Be global or get wiped out.

Is there any better way to operate than connect with 6 billion minds at any one point of time? Is it the www, a glocal mindset, convergence or is it just me??

It is all of the above..YES, next couple of decades see officeless organizations ---- one economy, hundred billion men and a single device! No, not a computer/TV/mobile...something fresh. Let the minds think....

g' night and goo(d) glo...

cross-border mobility

2006-04-23T22:07:00.001-07:00

When 60 minds from a headcount of 6 billion formulate a message to mobilise economies and propagate globalization, the end product is.....6 billion minds!

.....I need a copy now.

hutch catapults skype!

2006-02-20T15:55:00.000-08:00

While UMTS providers continue to offer their wireless internet service over smartphones, VoIP provider (skype) has already carved it's little space for cheap broadband calls. The high-speed 3G networks realize this with an open-mind and opt for a symbiotic existence, just like how operators acquiesce to the MVNO's segmented markets.
Hutchison's '3' announced partnership with Skype recently. Although controversial for several operators (such as Vodafone, who owns even powerful high-speed HSPA network), this ready-to-cannibalize-mobile-plan offers a new streak for integrating VoIP over 3G network.

and what were those UMA providers talking about last week - end of VoIP??

I got to make a choice now - 3G phone(with VoIP), UMA phone, a wi-fi handset or plain CDMA?

stay tuned GSMers

2006-02-13T15:10:00.000-08:00

(source - 3GSM Congress)

The first day at 3GSM saw it's first day today. Due to failing communications channel on the first day (as reported by Rueters), the news flash was limited to a few events - HSDPA developments, MS's venture with Voda that threatens Blackberry's push e-mail, VoIP dominant strategies et cetera.
More news and announcements to be made this week by the biggest and hottest mobile companies. I can't get much of it on telecoms site or even technorati.

The next 3 days will also include the conspicuous operator issues, MVNOs and dual mode 3G/Wi-fi handsets - This should help the impending 50 MVNOs in Americas and atleast the VoIP companies who have such mobility plans. It interests me how the competing platforms that I talked about earlier are now collaborating. And also, how 3G migrates successfully to upgrades with HSPA that most infrastructure vendors claim is ready for installations.
Wonder how HSDPA has taken a front seat compared to the other sibling w-CDMA that got dumped today by Chinese. Its' superiority is displayed with the HEDGE-compatible phones/powerbooks that were announced last month. (4G>HEDGE>HSDPA>EDGE>3G> 2.5G)

Performance + Speed + Quality = Instant Adoption!

It still raises questions how the networks will perform, price, handset issues, battery life, cross-service discounts, rate plans and bill accuracy. Nonetheless, cornucopia of data, mobile internet, video and m-VoIP attract a giant pool of enthusiasts.

3GSM kickstarts in Spain

2006-02-12T23:36:00.000-08:00

It is a cold morning at 9am in Barcelona. The exhibitors are awaiting visitors in their perfect backdrop displays, high-tech gadgets and immaculately dressed representatives. (um....nostalgic:)
3GSM Congress begins right now in Barcelona.... 50K people this year and over 900 companies in telecommunications world. The hot topics are handsets, MVNOs and migration to 4G. There is a lot to be explored and spoken about in this year.

I subscribed to alerts from Informa group today, until I discovered Helio and Xero!! These two new MVNOs were launched in less than a week's difference, one of which is XERO Mobile in LA. It has raised $300mn from European investors. Now, we are talking...

Why can't Austin be telecom savvy?

2006-02-08T17:34:00.000-08:00

The sad part is that only semiconductor, realty or such industries take top priority. Wait, no, top companies are in a completely different domain. With the constriction in the mobile market, CLECs and other operators and replacement of 'uncool' landline phones there is still very little or no effort towards attracting service providers such as MVNOs or 3G/wi-fi phone SPs here. How many people call from wi-fi handsets in Austin? Why would Google choose San Franciso over Austin?
People in other states, think that Austin is not a cool mobile market, because they have been bitten here in the past - a company called Mobiluem started and shut down immediately the facility here. Fate of Hillcast or such others was the same and the rest are selling blackberries or other such suches. Broadwing filed for bankruptcy.

People, that was years ago, the telecom industry is challenged now. We need to bring back the telecom buzz in Austin, by organizations such as AWA, ATC, MOMO to talk about more than mobile internet and SMS/MMS. We must invite speakers and decision makers from Operators and forthcoming MVNOs. I am quite convinced that we can make the change and there are several

From a different perspective, the sleeping telecom market in a smaller, economical and tech savvy city diverges interests from a potential investors, service provider, telecom software vendor and wireless telephony aficionados elsewhere.

We need a start. For example, if google sets-up a wifi-mobility service here, things will change dramatically. Or perhaps an MVNO?

how smart is MS smartphone?

2006-02-06T14:01:00.000-08:00

Carriers both GSM and CDMA have launched smartphone services for their users - Cingular (2125) and T-mobile(SDA) rolled out their non-touch screen windows-enabled smartphones in the US market while MS plans more than 3 types designed for customers of different profiles. Thats really ambitious, expensive and time-consuming, but MS wants to play the market, while Motorola's Q smartphone awaits a launch with Verizon. Atlast CDMA segment is blessed with good devices - Smartphones with Palm and now Moto!

Microsoft's 'Photon' is still under covers after alerting the market about their convergent plans. PocketPC, PDA, Mobile device - all in one. Hmmm... I do admire the concept of wireless convergence, but I prefer the 'agility of fingers' than a boring stylus and ofcourse the ease of my Apple for docs, spreads, detailed e-mails, presentations and the works. I can't imagine how sleek the device would look on the photon OS (i completely dread the look of giant I-PAQs).

'Rundo' by MS, a new cool device leverages the bluetooth GPS antenna is targetted at runners, skiers and other out-door people who can keep a track of their workout, sync with along with a map of say the mountain/lake that you ran at. MS is asking partners such as HTC to build cool devices.

This is a clear MS's competitive strategy when compared to most of the other handset or any smartphone vendor. Let us see how people adopt these smartphones and would they prefer it over any like Symbian, Linux(popular outside the US), Palm Treo or RIM's blackberry! Will price alone be a deciding factor?

Here is a tid-bit from a user - I used 'I-mate' Smartphone 2002 two years ago. It was compatible in GSM environment in Europe and Asia. I was a happy customer, got my GPRS, and MMS set-up with the Hutch operator in India. The easy-to-use UI, decent screen size, cool apps(yes, 2 years ago I liked the idea over Mobile IM), mobile internet, voice capability and PDA capability was satisfying. Though, it needed another $100 for the attachable camera(moderate output), it did give me more than satisfactory results connecting, transferring heavy data(most of which was missing in it), photos, recordings and sync features.
Only if I could re-use it in the US for calling purposes than simply connecting it to my laptop for browsing, it wouldn't have been given away. I still cherish the images and the voice clips (some are even 10 minutes of excellent voice quality) over my i-Tunes. I tried to sync it with i-Pod too, but somehow it never plays on it. Well, it was a big give-away for me:( Given a choice over Blackberry, I would still opt for a smartphone. If Microsoft has better features - you bet I will grab it, only if the prices don't hurt!

Note -The first smartphone was called Simon designed by IBM in 1992 and shown as a concept product at COMDEX. It was released to the public in 1993 and sold by BellSouth. Besides a mobile phone, it also contained a calendar, address book, world clock, calculator, note pad, e-mail, and games. Customers could also use a stylus to write directly on its screen to create facsimiles and memos.

Apple's MVNO -fake/real?

2006-01-31T16:41:00.000-08:00

Apple is in news even after slipping into the second best brand after google. Today, to my chagrin, I discovered an outlandish display on samsung cellphone called 'apple me' as it's MVNO plan. It had an i-tunes gift card crafted into the SIM kit. Everyone spat 'fake-fake'....i believe them...Do you? check this apple mobile on flickr

my comments in the end of the blogger page too:)

nokia's image flipflops!

2006-01-30T17:43:00.000-08:00

just bought it yesterday - not sure if it was a great move. Cingular here sells it at a good rate, but the WAP (isn't that archaic?) based service is completely abominable-i think it is for teenagers-can u believe it has this long antenna and DJ feature to compose music - I mean what was nokia thinking??
It further alleviated my pain, when I read this review on GSMArena from the SMS capital of the world- Phillipines, ofcourse:(

Cell phone makers, you can't simply allure a customer with a fancy camera and MMS.

google mvno is already functional!!

2006-01-27T15:30:00.000-08:00

with 'Google MVNO' in mind, wi-fi seems to me like a subset of this larger picture. Google logo on the handsets, google content, ads, google voice, google buying telco networks, infrastructure and agreements with service providers....isn't all this a part of their MVNO game?
Perhaps we are deluding ourselves, because they have already an MVNO functional!

So, euphemistically, their 'wi-fi network' will mint $$ (carved out from handset, telco and users) for wireless broadband on wifi handsets. Just that users also pay a monthly fee and additional handset charges, obviously, when telco is armtwisted by the handset vendor and when device makers themselves have a search engine squeezing out on functionality, brand equity and services. I remember Motorola became such a sucker for letting google engrave it's logo on the new handset.
Talking about Wi-fi again, it is less can't fully comepete with 3G or Wi-MAX. So I don't see it as more useful than a 3G handset-it is like oxygen and also covers all the multi-media and access needs and additionally, is loyal to the operators revenue strategy.God save telcos. This is surely a big issue for new MVNOs. Perhaps a good reason, why Google chose to plunge into the unknown telecom world that become a parasite for cellular operators.

Getting back to main topic, see what i read on skype wi-fi,......

A UK company that has created wireless hotspots in stations, coffee shops and hotels around the UK is planning to launch city-wide wi-fi this spring. The Cloud will bring wireless broadband to nine cities including London, Manchester and Birmingham. Hundreds of hotzones will be rolled out across the cities, giving access to the internet for anyone using a wi-fi enabled computer or mobile phone. More cities are expected to be announced during 2006.
.....
"Providing ubiquitous wireless broadband access, over a network that is available to millions of wi-fi devices, and will be available to the new generation of wi-fi phones, gaming devices and other applications will have a major impact on the way people communicate, work and play in city centres," said George Polk, chief executive of The Cloud.

The hotzones will rival existing mobile phone networks. Around 25 mobile phone handsets currently have wi-fi chips installed. Pressing a button on the phone allows users to bypass their own mobile phone network to connect to the internet and make cheap broadband phone calls.

3G/wi-fi 'swap' cellphones/laptops

2006-01-26T16:16:00.000-08:00

Its happening! wi-fi migrates from laptops to mobiles and 3G does the opposite. This is quite a phenomenon in the telecom world!

3G and wi-fi duke it out in dominance? The battle, for sure, in olden days was strictly between TDMA and CDMA. Now telecom professionals are deluding themselves with wi-fi getting into the voice domain and being a part and parcel of telecommunications, or say, the 'GSM family'. Let us all agree for once that wi-fi, being more local/hot-spot oriented, is less ubiquitous than 3G. This standard is not only high speed, but facilitates universal mobillity and uses a totally different technology.
Cingluar launched wi-fi handsets and with google spent on hotspots in SFrancisco. But this only fulfils local needs. Having said that, hey, they still have a very focussed strategy and address both mobile and laptop users. They don't talk too much about it openly and I still am not sure if they will connect through mobile Google talk/SMS or Google Voice just like they did in IM. How? users with wi-fi handsets connect from google service to download geopositioned info in the city. Voice changes the equation, now that it is being coupled with wi-fi.

3G has had a not-so-bad-taste in the other continents fighting for a shift from 2.5G standard. The services were available after a few painful years and licensing/regulatory issues- it still has it's well-deserved brownie points in Europe. I will not deliberately bring up Japan, because that nation's telecom business is inimitable and, yes, a decade ahead of us! They were talking 4G three years ago, while their teens downloaded movies on handsets in less than a minute. Need more obscurity?? CDMA is proliferating in India after having over 50 million GSM users. They compete with GSM/3G operators, while Americans are starting in the reverse order.

Getting back to 3G/wi-fi and general wireless solutions. Our generous laptop-makers after having leveraged wi-fi chips in their laptops(intel) want to get into 3G and UMTS. Dell's announcement to embed Voda's HSDPA chips in thier laptops shows that they do think outside-the-box, especially when 3G is booming in Europe and Asia. Did they realize the US PC/laptop users contrast with European numbers? This ubiquity compared to wi-fi's hotspot-orientation will be fruitful 'back home' for Dell than in Europe, where handheld users beat out Americans:)

google mvno

2006-01-24T16:40:00.000-08:00

I can't wait to see google's MVNO rollout, which would make perfect sense for such a universal brand. ESPN awaits, Virgin tried, but google may conquer and so can Apple!

Some people on mkwireless have to say this. Interesting!

If "google mvno" is a bad idea, then ESPN or any other MVNO model is worse a) because their core business focus is not telecommunications, atleast not ESPN when compared to google launching wireless internet and google mobile. (i am using it already). The foundation of an MVNO is a great brand than their core business. If Walmart or Mcdonald's can think of it - why not google?

You got to have a perfect brand name, focussed customer base, great content(ads in case of google is a pure reveune model to leverage their gargantuan content business), compatible devices, radically different service idea, distribution and collaboration with of telcos.
Let me give you an example - Shell Mobile launched it's MVNO in the highly evolving telecom market in Hong Kong. They had a focussed target market 'the motorists in HK' and used GPS handsets.

The MVNO game is quintessentially a symbiotic relationship between these two entities and, telcos, even though possessive about their brands, need not be threatened by an MVNO. T-Mobile is not limiting itself to Virgin, it has sold bulk minutes to yahoo and plans the same for google. I can't see ESPN or Virgin thriving without agreements in place with an operator. They wouldn't stand 'Virtual' if they were MOs and not MVNOs:)

ubiquity in satellite-based telephony

2006-01-23T15:39:00.000-08:00

Just check up mkwireless podcast about MSV (mobile satellite venture's) plans to roll-out sat telephony by 2009-2010 on this continent.

MSV's planned satellite telephony will surely make some ripples in the mobility world. It may make business sense to launch affordable handsets, however I strongly believe that dual-featured phones, which offers the customer to use 'a single phone' for any network standards- GSM or satellite systems or a combination of CDMA with satellite coverage*. A good example of this - Thuraya satellite systems. They not only address the coverage issue, but they enable mobile users over 210 countries (covers a gargantuan number of 2.3 bn people - phew!!) to switch to Satellite mode in their regular GSM handset without having to carry multiple phones. So, in other words, when they are out of their GSM coverage, the same handset connects to Thuraya's service. BTW, Boeing helped them launch this in 2000.
If MSV brings in big operators and mobile companies into this arrangement, life will be so much simpler for a Ohio-based farmer or a field-insurance agent in El-Paso.

*The mobility problem in this continent is that unlike ubiquitous GSM in the rest of the world, there are over three “largely incompatible” digital wireless technologies being used: GSM/GPRS, CDMA and iDEN. Then of course, to make matters worse, there is Wi-Max believed to compete with the rest and largely with 3G sibling under GSM family :)

iKnowWare for Anytime, Anywhere

2005-11-30T17:49:00.000-08:00

iKnowWare, a Texan company integrates any enterprise by leveraging mobile and internet technology. From architects to salesperson to management - all in sync with their mobile gadgets. Get rid of that heavy inconvenient laptop and grab a one-stop-shop mobile!

What a relief to simplify the complexity of company's communication channels? This is 30 days up and running or it's free.

CRM vendors??...knock...knock

mobile penetration

2005-06-12T19:25:00.000-07:00

The mobile operators (MO) worldwide are struggling to grab a bigger pie of the telecom market by a cornucopia of mobile services such as multi-media packages, streamlining their networks, pricing, and indeed meticulous collaborations. We have seen the results.

Analysts have predicted that mobile penetration will cannibalize the landline growth rate tremendously. Infact, it already has been doing that over last few years. Mobile users (like myself) are cutting the cord and leveraging on the anytime/anywhere, user-friendly wireless devices. The ease and fecundity of a mobile service as opposed to the good old landline is self-explanatory. The mobile-2-mobile rates are lower than landline-2-mobile, or any such permutations. Why would a smart, discerning user choose a less feasible proposition and end-up paying steep federal taxes? Have the CLECs, ILECs or the regular telecom operators planned it well?
A projected $110 billion market for the period 2006-07 in North America assures promising mobile growth. The mobile penetration will double by next year to 200 million. Asia-pacific has over a billion mobile users, with the third largest economy, India adding 14 million mobile users within 29 days recently. The 80-network operated economy will witness over 200 million GSM users by 2007; it excludes the CDMA penetration. All that sounds good, but whats the game-plan?
Cut-throat competition and savvier customers engage the service providers in consolidation and a focussed retention strategy to begin with, but a healthier ecosystem can only help customers from getting confused or debilitate their m-cap. Essentially, the ecosystem would consist of a synergy between the service provider and the vendor, who continously educate the customers and offer the desired services. The best technology, 3G/4G roll-outs and immaculately designed services may fail, if the end-user is not satiated. I will discuss this from a different perspective later....

I love SMS

2004-01-28T15:30:00.000-08:00

Fact1 - GSM companies are still growing in the US, while GSM users are over a billion
Fact2- most primitive CDMA/TDMA handsets were basic gadgets for voice and are now rolling out great user interface and functionalities.
Fact3- people are just not accustomed to text messaging.
Fact4- SMS is an addictive disorder that grows at 170% a year in and attracts more revenue than voice in Europe, APAC region.
Fact5- Unsurprisingly, American SMS market still lies untapped by virtue of PC & instant messaging. Hence the bigger trade off between SMS and e-mail/instant messaging is the gadget size, price, service cost and portability.

I believe that there is no need to re-invent the wheel. Ideally, I would either adopt, cross-license, partner or buy technology from other continents. The SMS based mobile apps (which you refer to social messaging) essentially are already generating whopping revenues in areas like mobile-banking, ticketing, gaming, ringtones, dating, voting, shopping et cetera. Austin investors and group companies need to explore this before explicitly dismissing the thought of content management/delivery over SMS/MMS.

On a different subject, Service companies like Banks and Insurance companies are adopting web/wireless channels in their core business models to avoid complexities. Pardon my rhetoric- why wouldn't an Insurer need integrated tech investment, wherein leads, reports, claims processing,commissions, customer database, calculators, all are processed anytime/anywhere without minimum manual intervention?

a thang called project!

2001-08-15T22:35:00.000-07:00

So you get to face the real world today! Its your first show at Sumitomo Corp..
Hai...wakarimasen!
I am a bit nervous...thats allright....

The summit at Osaka completely drained me. I could happily sit through three hours of well-delivered presentations to five companies successively, but when i got caught up with those two gentlemen from Daiwa Jin, my energy-level waivered...Water, water!
Soon, we were off for a quick shot of sake and a sumptuous meal. Devotedly surviving on noodle-soup for the last 7 days?? it came as a shock to most of my peers back home. Well,sushi wasn't my cup of tea...atleast till washed the unfamiliar entree' with loads of sake smiling meekly at the J-Phone director....my mind had built up gross images of the revolting salmonella story my colleague recited an hour ago...I survived for the next meal.

....They wanted to see the interface for almost all the products. No need for NDA now....Two hours, three oriental men...interested, influential and most of all patient enough for non-nihon-jins from a fledgling unknown outfit. It mattered.
Splendid, you did a great job! I told you my project will work...I am sure Tsani San would love this venture. Just keep your fingers crossed!
Ok, I am hungry now...Need a quick bite before the next meeting...