| This week's sponsor is Globalstar. | 
| Webinar: Globalstar's New "Wi-Fi" Super Highway
Tuesday, January 22nd, 11:00 am EST/ 8:00 am PST
This webinar will discuss the innovative technology, public benefits, and regulatory outlook of providing a new 22 MHz channel under the existing 802.11 IEEE standard. Join to learn technical aspects of TLPS deployment and the outlook for near-term relief from the FCC. Register Now! |
Today's Top Stories
1. Rumor Mill: T-Mobile brings unlimited data to prepaid
2. Franken's location privacy bill to return in 2013
3. ABI: 91M LTE handsets shipped in 2012
4. Alvarion powers pay-per-use Wi-Fi in Alaskan oil camps
5. SkyCross says VersiTune LTE Antenna supports carrier aggregation Also Noted: Spotlight On... AT&T Unite mobile hotspot includes touch-screen display
KPN to roll out LTE in the Netherlands next month; Verizon supplies DAS to AmericasMart and much more... Industry Voices: Khan: U.S. needs a private public safety LTE network  CES 2013: Complete coverage
The Consumer Electronics Show, held in Las Vegas, is the biggest electronics trade show in the United States. And it's no surprise that mobile technology has taken a central role at the event during the past several years. And this year looks to be no exception. Mobile heavyweights Qualcomm, Samsung, Verizon and others are scheduled to make major appearances. As in past years, Fierce will be out in force at this year's CES. Phil Goldstein, Sue Marek and Mike Dano will be on the ground during the show covering all the major news. Stay tuned to this page for complete coverage of this year's Consumer Electronics Show. CES mini site
Follow us   
| This week's sponsor is Aricent. | 
| Webinar: Capitalizing SON – How to Implement SON for LTE to reduce OPEX and Increase Revenue
Tuesday, January 29th, 11am ET / 8am PT LTE is the fastest growing communication technology of all time. In this webinar our experts will discuss how Network Equipment Manufacturers can leverage the concept of Self Organizing Networks (SON) to not only manage highly complex LTE networks but also reduce operational expenditures and enhance customer satisfaction. Register Today! |
| Sponsor: AT&T and RACO Wireless FierceLive! Webinars > Globalstar's New Wi-Fi Super Highway - Tuesday, January 22nd, 11:00am EST/8:00 am PST
> Capitalizing SON – How to Implement SON for LTE to reduce OPEX and Increase Revenue - Tuesday, January 29th, 11am ET / 8am PT
Events > Mobile Today and Tomorrow at Mobile World Congress - February 25, 2013 - Barcelona, Spain
> IWCE - March 11-15 - Exhibits: March 13-14 - Las Vegas Convention Center
> Fierce Innovation Awards 2012 Live Announcement of this Year's Winners - Now Available On-Demand
Marketplace > Brief: Secure Android Capability
> Whitepaper: New Research on LTE Usage in Korea, Japan, and the U.S.
Jobs > Public Safety DAS Engineer - Houston, TX - Connectivity Wireless Solutions
> Field Technician I Job - Portland, OR, USA – Yoh
> FSO Telecom Field Technician I Job - New Orleans, LA, USA – Yoh
> Telecommunications Field Technician Job - Spokane, WA, USA – Yoh
> Telecommunications Project Controls Analyst Job - Bellevue, WA, USA – Yoh
> Need a job? Need to hire? Visit FierceWirelessJobs
* Post a classified ad: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here | Today's Top News 1. Rumor Mill: T-Mobile brings unlimited data to prepaid
T-Mobile USA reportedly will launch an unlimited talk, text and data option for prepaid customers this week, replacing an existing plan that has a 5 GB data cap. According to the blog TmoNews, the $70 Unlimited no-contract plan will launch on Jan. 9. The comparable existing $70 prepaid plan offers unlimited talk and text but limits users to 5 GB. TmoNews quoted an unreleased T-Mobile document that says the new plan is "perfect for video chat, streaming music/movies/TV and playing online games." The plan could be announced by T-Mobile USA at a major two-hour press conference the company has scheduled during the Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas. The meeting, slated for Jan. 8 at 5:30 p.m. in Las Vegas, is also expected to address the operator's efforts to acquire no-contract carrier MetroPCS (NYSE:PCS) and T-Mobile's ongoing network modernization initiative, which will include the rollout of LTE over AWS 1.7/2.1 GHz frequencies this year. On Sept. 5, 2012, T-Mobile reversed gears, switching from promoting tiered data plans to offering Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plans for its postpaid customers. T-Mobile is not the only carrier taking a fresh look at unlimited prepaid service. Last week, Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) confirmed it will launch a Sprint-branded prepaid service Jan. 25 that will offer unlimited talk, text and data on feature phones and smartphones. The carrier also said it will not throttle or otherwise limit the data usage on its new prepaid plan, even though later this month Sprint's existing Boost Mobile sub-brand will begin throttling the data speeds of customers who exceed 2.5 GB of data usage per month. Sprint's Virgin Mobile USA sub-brand initiated a similar throttling effort last year. Sprint has long offered unlimited, unthrottled data to its postpaid subscribers under its Simply Everything plans T-Mobile USA last month confirmed to FierceWireless that it is testing a new prepaid brand, GoSmart Mobile, in "select markets." According to TmoNews, GoSmart Mobile would charge $45 for unlimited voice, texting and "high-speed" Web service, which would be limited to "3G" service, meaning it probably would not cover T-Mobile's 4G-branded HSPA+ service or its impending LTE rollout. The two leading U.S. mobile operators have eliminated unlimited plans from their current lineups, though they each have grandfathered in customers who signed up for unlimited plans previously. During the recent holidays, Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) launched a double data promotion that will increase the data allotment on its $80 prepaid smartphone plan from 1 GB per month to 2 GB. The promotion is only available to new customers who purchase 3G CDMA smartphones (it doesn't cover LTE phones) and runs through Jan. 31. Read more:
- see this TmoNews article
- see this androidcentral article Related articles:
Confirmed: Sprint As You Go unlimited prepaid launching Jan. 25, without speed throttling
Rumor Mill: Sprint to launch Sprint-branded prepaid service
Sprint's Boost Mobile to start smartphone throttling in January
Confirmed: T-Mobile testing GoSmart Mobile prepaid brand for possible nationwide launch in 2013
Rumor Mill: T-Mobile planning GoSmart Mobile prepaid service
Verizon moves double data promotion to prepaid: $80 plan now includes 2 GB
Is unlimited data making a comeback? Read more about: Sprint, Verizon
back to top |
2. Franken's location privacy bill to return in 2013
Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) intends to reintroduce his location privacy protection bill to the full Senate this year, presenting a challenge to developers and applications that leverage wireless network tracking methodologies, which provide information on smartphone users' precise movements. Franken's bill was approved last month by the Senate Judiciary Committee, and a spokesman for the senator told the New York Times that Franken expects to bring the bill before the new Congress. Part of the impetus for The Location Protection Act of 2012--also known as the Stalking Apps Bill--is the concern that mobile customers may not realize when they download particular apps that their whereabouts are being tracked in order to enable the app to work. In addition, the senator's website says his bill "raises awareness and helps investigations of GPS stalking" and "makes it a crime to intentionally operate a stalking application to facilitate stalking." The site also states that Franken's bill is endorsed by nearly every national domestic violence and consumer group in the country. Wile the focus of Franken's bill is GPS-related tracking, it would likely impact even more precise tracking methodologies, such as Wi-Fi-based tracking, which can be used indoors to track shoppers within a store. The bill would almost certainly have a chilling effect on mobile advertising efforts, which aim to deliver digital promotions to the smartphones of people nearing or entering a given store. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) has argued that Franken's bill would render many apps useless and could drive free ad-supported apps to become fee-based. Franken proposes to require app developers to obtain explicit one-time consent from users before recording the locations of their mobile devices rather than allowing apps to automatically begin tracking users' movements. His bill also requires disclosure of the advertising networks or other third parties with which apps share consumers' locations. "People don't think about how they broadcast their locations all the time when they carry their phones. The law is just starting to catch up and think about how to treat this," Marcia Hofmann, a senior staff lawyer at the Electronic Frontier Foundation told the New York Times, whose editorial board published a column last month in support of the bill. The issue of who owns and/or controls consumer data property rights has risen in other areas as well. The Supreme Court last January found that the government's use of GPS, which is used to power many smartphone location apps, for warrantless tracking of a suspect's car for nearly a month violated Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure. Ironically, though federal legislators such as Franken have grown concerned about the improper use of tracking technologies in mobile phones, federal regulators' rules may have been a significant driver in making such tracking possible. The FCC in 1999 issued E911 rules designed to promote the rapid deployment of Automatic Location Identification (ALI)-capable technology for wireless 911 calls. The rules calls for network-based solutions to ensure location accuracy of 100 meters for 67 percent of calls and 300 meters for 95 percent of calls, while handset-based solutions were required to deliver location accuracy of 50 meters for 67 percent of calls and 150 meters for 95 percent of calls. For more:
- see this New York Times article and this column (sub req.) Related articles:
Foursquare updates privacy policy, requires users to share full names
Report: Apple, foursquare in talks to share local data
The stalking apps bill raises questions all developers should answer
California sues Delta Airlines over mobile app privacy violations
AT&T rivals Groupon with 'AT&T Alerts,' location-based, personalized deals alerts
Verizon Selects uses subscribers' location, usage data for opt-in ad program Read more about: stalking, Gps, Al Franken
back to top |
3. ABI: 91M LTE handsets shipped in 2012
In the not-so-distant past, mobile operators would roll out next-generation networks only to find them drastically underutilized due to a dearth of compatible end-user equipment. This time around, as LTE is being deployed, LTE-capable handsets and other devices can readily be found, but that still does not mean customers are upgrading their services to LTE. According to ABI Research, when 3G handsets came into the market in 2003 and 2004, there was close to a 1:1 correlation between a 3G handset sold and a subscription upgraded from 2G to 3G. "That is not happening with every LTE handset sale," said Jake Saunders, ABI vice president of forecasting. Nonetheless, he said there is valuable LTE handset seeding going on within the marketplace, even if customers are still using their LTE devices for 3G services. "New sign-ups and conversion of 3G subscribers with LTE-capable handsets should gather pace in 2013 and 2014. By 2017 we are anticipating 785 LTE million subscribers, up from 58 million at the end of 2012--generating $14 billion in annual service revenues," said Phil Solis, ABI research director. ABI cited Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 5 and Samsung's Galaxy smartphones as providing a significant boost in LTE handset shipments during 2012. By year-end 2012, ABI estimates 91 million LTE-capable handsets shipped, with 95 percent of that total attributed to the North American and Asia-Pacific markets that pioneered LTE rollouts. Shipments of LTE USB-dongles in 2012 reached 6 million units, and 3.35 million media tablets shipped with LTE, said ABI. The firm added that the majority of media tablet purchasers are proving price sensitive and happy to settle for Wi-Fi-only. For more:
- see this ABI release Related articles:
Apple still restricting iPhone 5 to approved LTE networks
Report: LTE subs to climb from 114M in 2013 to 258M in 2014
Report: Half of all mobile connections will be 3G/4G by 2017
ABI: LTE subs surpass WiMAX in U.S., South Korea, Japan
Verizon helps U.S. rule global LTE market with half of all connections Read more about: 3G, Galaxy
back to top |
4. Alvarion powers pay-per-use Wi-Fi in Alaskan oil camps
Ice-road truckers and other workers across Alaska's North Slope are gaining broadband connectivity via Alvarion's Wi-Fi network equipment, which is being deployed by Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative (ASTAC), a member-owned telephone utility cooperative. "Wireless broadband is critical to the well-being and morale of remote workers and residents in the rural communities we serve. Alvarion's solution has changed the way we deliver Internet services," said Jens Laipenieks, ASTAC manager of sales and business development. The operator is using Alvarion's carrier-grade Wi-Fi base stations, which operate in the 2.4 and 5 GHz unlicensed band, to deliver pay-per-use Internet service at petroleum industry exploration and production camps located in the Deadhorse-Prudhoe Bay region. Wi-Fi is particularly well suited to these roving camps, which are not good candidates for traditional fixed-line solutions. "In a region of Alaska that truckers can only access in the winter via ice roads, providing reliable solutions plays a critical role in helping the workers and business to communicate and thrive," said Chris Daniels, Alvarion vice president of sales, North America. Using Alvarion's equipment, ASTAC is also exploring new service capabilities such as managed services and Wi-Fi offloading for its business and consumer customers. ASTAC also provides local and long distance calling, Internet access, wireless voice and data services and 700 MHz licensed spectrum, providing reliable connectivity off the wired network. Alvarion was a pioneer in the WiMAX space, but the vendor's fortunes reversed with the slowdown in large deployments of WiMAX as wireless operators such as Clearwire (NASDAQ:CLWR) turn their attentions to LTE, meaning rosy predictions of a WiMAX chip being embedded in every mobile communications device are unlikely to ever come to fruition. To broaden its product portfolio, Alvarion acquired Wi-Fi vendor Wavion in 2011. In May 2012, Hezi Lapid, Alvarion's president and CEO, said the company was exploring a variety of options for its WiMAX business. Alvarion's board last month approved a reverse split of the company's ordinary shares in a ratio of 1:10, to be affected automatically on April 1, 2013. The reverse split is intended to increase the per-share trading price of Alvarion's ordinary shares to satisfy the $1 minimum bid price requirement for continued listing on the NASDAQ Global Market. For more:
- see this Alvarion release Related articles:
WiMAX maintains momentum in Africa, Middle East
Alvarion may ditch WiMAX due to plummeting revenues
Alvarion reports Q3 loss, adds Wi-Fi into its service offering
Alvarion swings a profit in the second quarter thanks to higher sales, restructuring Read more about: Alvarion
back to top |
5. SkyCross says VersiTune LTE Antenna supports carrier aggregation
Antenna developer SkyCross announced that unnamed major handset manufacturers will begin deploying its VersiTune-LTE Antenna, which supports operators' carrier-aggregation requirements, later this year. SkyCross claims the product is the first commercially available active-tuning antenna that supports LTE and carrier aggregation. Carrier aggregation is a feature of LTE Advanced technology and enables an operator to bond non-contiguous spectrum into a single, wider channel. "To date, customers have been hesitant to integrate actively tuned antennas due to questions about market need versus performance and cost. With LTE and carrier aggregation coming upon us, the time has come to move to actively tuned solutions," said Ben Naskar, SkyCross CEO and chairman. LTE-Advanced enables a maximum bandwidth of 100 MHz by aggregating up to five component carriers, and operators around the world are eyeing carrier aggregation as a way to improve their data offerings. SK Telecom will aggregate 850MHz and 1.8GHz from the second half of 2013 and expects to offer up to 2X faster maximum data rates, Byun Jae-woan, SK Telecom's CTO and head of technology, recently told FierceBroadbandWireless. Kris Rinne, AT&T Labs' executive vice president of network technologies, also told FierceBroadbandWireless that AT&T expects to test carrier aggregation during 2013 with an eye toward combining its 700 MHz and AWS spectrum. SkyCross' VersiTune technology is designed to actively tune an antenna from frequency band to frequency band, enabling multiple bands to be satisfied by a single structure. "A single tunable SkyCross antenna can integrate multiple signal feeds and behave like multiple antennas, eliminating cost and space while preserving performance," said the company. Its VersiTune product offers broader performance across 12 or more operating frequency bands, with optimized MIMO performance for LTE in smartphones, tablets and USB modems in one-quarter the size of conventional antennas, said SkyCross. The ability to support 12 or more bands could also help handset manufacturers come closer to creating a true LTE worldphone, a vision that is far from fruition given that more than 40 spectrum bands have been targeted for LTE deployments in markets worldwide. Most device manufacturers intend to serve regional LTE bands or target the most widely deployed LTE bands, such as 1800 MHz, which the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) recently confirmed is the most widely used band for LTE systems deployments worldwide. SkyCross also announced that it has relocated its headquarters from Viera, Fla., to Fremont, Calif, so it can be closer to Silicon Valley and the company's sales and manufacturing facilities in Asia. SkyCross' Florida offices will become an R&D facility. SkyCross also has full-design and manufacturing facilities in Suwon, Korea; Taoyuan, Taiwan; and Shenzhen and Shanghai, China. Investors in SkyCross ross include DoCoMo Capital, TL Ventures, Investor Growth Capital, Gabriel Venture Partners, Intel Capital and individual investors. For more:
- see this SkyCross release and this release Related articles:
SK Telecom CTO dishes on small cells, LTE-Advanced and RCS
Analyst: AT&T to launch LTE Advanced in second half of 2013
AT&T's Rinne talks about carrier aggregation trials, small cells and more
The 10 top VC firms in the wireless industry in 2011 Read more about: LTE-Advanced
back to top |
Also Noted SPOTLIGHT ON... AT&T Unite mobile hotspot includes touch-screen display AT&T said it will carry a new LTE-enabled mobile hotspot from Sierra Wireless that is branded the AT&T Unite and features 2.4" touch-screen display. The device can connect up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices, including a guest hotspot for one-time users. Customers can manage connected devices, change network and device settings as well as block unwanted devices from joining the network, all directly from the touch-screen display. AT&T did not release pricing for the AT&T Unite. In November, the operator introduced the Novatel Wireless MiFi Liberate, also an LTE mobile hotspot with a touch-screen and the capability of connecting 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices. That device sells for $49.99. Under terms of AT&T's shared-data plans, customers who have a smartphone can add a mobile hotspot device to a Mobile Share plan for an additional $20 a month. For more information, see this AT&T release. Quick news from around the Web. > KPN to roll out LTE in the Netherlands next month. Article > Dish Network, the meanest company in America. Article > Belkin's WeMo Light Switch launching this summer, will feature Android compatibility. Release > Qualcomm unveils StreamBoost to optimize Home Wi-Fi networks. Release > Verizon supplies DAS to AmericasMart. Release And finally…Cat tries to smuggle cell phone into prison. Article
Khan: U.S. needs a private public safety LTE network
 | | Tahir Khan | The failure of commercial cellular carrier networks that was evident during Hurricane Sandy clearly indicates the imminent need for a dedicated private public safety LTE network in the U.S. For the most part, public safety LMR (Land Mobile Radio) systems remained operational, mainly because LMR RF towers have been hardened to endure such conditions; generators can provide backup power when the commercial electric grid is down, and devices can communicate without any interaction with the infrastructure if an RF tower loses connectivity. While the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) has repeatedly advocated leveraging commercial cellular networks in the past to quickly facilitate the deployment of a private public safety LTE network across the nation, the risks associated with relying on commercial infrastructure alone in certain geographic localities by far outweigh the short term financial benefits. Commercial networks do not meet the availability and resiliency requirements for public safety operations, and a single glitch in communications can result in the loss of human lives. Thus, public safety agencies worldwide are echoing demands for the deployment of... continued Read the full column on the Web Read more about: Signals and Systems Telecom
back to top |
> Globalstar's New Wi-Fi Super Highway - Tuesday, January 22nd, 11:00am EST/8:00 am PST This webinar will discuss the innovative technology, public benefits, and regulatory outlook of providing a new 22 MHz channel under the existing 802.11 IEEE standard. Join to learn technical aspects of TLPS deployment and the outlook for near-term relief from the FCC. Register Now! > Capitalizing SON – How to Implement SON for LTE to reduce OPEX and Increase Revenue - Tuesday, January 29th, 11am ET / 8am PT LTE is the fastest growing communication technology of all time. In this webinar our experts will discuss how Network Equipment Manufacturers can leverage the concept of Self Organizing Networks (SON) to not only manage highly complex LTE networks but also reduce operational expenditures and enhance customer satisfaction. Register Today!
| > Mobile Today and Tomorrow at Mobile World Congress - February 25, 2013 - Barcelona, Spain Worldview session for professionals involved in every aspect of mobility who need to know about the transition to next-generation mobile technology, devices, and applications. More information at www.andrewseybold.com > IWCE - March 11-15 - Exhibits: March 13-14 - Las Vegas Convention Center IWCE connects the working world to mobile voice, video and data solutions. Join 7,500 technology buyers and 330 of the top manufacturers in communications technology, and influential industry leaders presenting on next-generation networks, spectrum, regulatory, infrastructure and interoperability. Click here for more info. > Fierce Innovation Awards 2012 Live Announcement of this Year's Winners - Now Available On-Demand Please join Jason Nelson, Publisher of FierceWireless, FierceTelecom, and FierceCable as we announce the winners of the Fierce Innovation Awards 2012. Click here to RSVP today.
| > Brief: Secure Android Capability Securing mobile devices is crucial because the same capabilities that increase our social interactions and business effectiveness can be subverted and used for unintended uses. Download this Brief to explore how Wind River has combined extensive experience with our capabilities in secure certified embedded systems to develop an advanced security strategy that also ensures compatibility with the commercial Android development model. > Whitepaper: New Research on LTE Usage in Korea, Japan, and the U.S. Mobidia and Informa share their latest analysis of mobile data usage on LTE networks. Identified trends include increased mobile data usage, decreased Wi-Fi usage, and a decrease in unlimited plans. Download this paper to understand more about how mobile subscribers are using LTE networks
| > Public Safety DAS Engineer - Houston, TX - Connectivity Wireless Solutions Connectivity Wireless Solutions delivers best in class consulting, engineering, project management, installation, and staffing services to wireless carrier and enterprise customers. The Public Safety DAS Engineer is tasked with collecting and analyzing RF data typically with tools such as test phones and needs analysis equipment such as ZK Celltest and spectrum analyzers. Learn More! > Field Technician I Job - Portland, OR, USA – Yoh Yoh has a contract opportunity for a Field Technician I to join our client in Portland, OR. Responsibilities include developing proficiency in primary skills of customer relations, basic electricity, basic electronics, basic telephony, radio principles for CDMA and iDEN, and basic principles of digital transmission, fiber communication, data communication, telephony terminology, industry standards, and on-line network control/maintenance systems. Two to five (2-5) years of basic microwave experience required...Learn more. > FSO Telecom Field Technician I Job - New Orleans, LA, USA – Yoh Yoh has a contract opportunity for a FSO Telecom Field Technician to join our client in Knoxville, TN. Responsibilties include developing proficiency in primary skills of customer relations, basic electricity, basic electronics, basic telephony, radio principles for CDMA and iDEN, and basic principles of digital transmission, fiber communication, data communication, telephony terminology, industry standards, and on-line network control / maintenance systems. Travel required...Learn more. > Telecommunications Field Technician Job - Spokane, WA, USA – Yoh Yoh has a six (6) plus month contract opportunity for a Telecommunications Field Technician to join our client in Spokane, WA. This role requires reliable transportation, and successful background, driving record and drug test prior to employment. Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs. is required...Learn more. > Telecommunications Project Controls Analyst Job - Bellevue, WA, USA – Yoh Yoh has a five (5) plus month contract opportunity for a Telecommunications Core Project Controls Analyst to join our client Bellevue, WA. Resonsonibilties include to assist with Core Network Order Fulfillment (CNOF) by working directly with Supply Chain, Warehouse, Shipping and Procurement departments, as well as Ericsson organizations. Candidate must have five (5) plus years of relevant experience...Learn more. > Need a job? Need to hire? Visit FierceWirelessJobs | |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Keep a civil tongue.