An Ignoble Experiment

2. AT&T's LTE network impaired by salon's fluorescent light

The inclusion of Nokia (NYSE:NOK) Solutions and Networks as one of the project vendors for Sprint's (NYSE:S) Spark initiative represents a tremendous win for the infrastructure vendor, which secured an LTE partnership with its second Tier 1 U.S. operator and now has TD-LTE contracts on every continent.

As part of its Spark initiative, Sprint will deploy TD-LTE equipment in its 2.5 GHz band from vendors Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE:ALU), Samsung and NSN, but none from long-time partner Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC), which won a seven-year network management deal from Sprint in 2009 and is a primary vendor on the carrier's Network Vision upgrade project. The other two Network Vision vendors are Alcatel-Lucent and Samsung.

Corker (Source: NSN)

"We've been working a long time with Sprint in terms of defining their requirements for the network, how we can maximize the utilization of spectrum assets they have in the 2.5 GHz space. It's been a long process," Rick Corker, president of North America for NSN, told FierceWirelessTech.

He noted that NSN will supply Sprint with LTE Advanced-ready Flexi Multiradio 10 base stations, plus its NetAct 8 network management platform as well as project management and network optimization services.

Until now, NSN's most notable LTE win in the United States was for the T-Mobile US (NYSE:TMUS) FDD LTE network.

Sprint Spark combines numerous technologies, including carrier aggregation and 8x8 MIMO, to achieve better LTE performance. The initiative will employ the operator's FDD LTE network in its 800 MHz and 1.9 GHz spectrum and its planned TD-LTE network in its 2.5 GHz spectrum and will rely upon end-user devices that actively shift from one band to another, depending upon the speed needed for whatever application is in use. By employing intra-band carrier aggregation in the 2.5 GHz band, Sprint expects to enable peak downlink speeds reaching at least 50-60 Mbps in that band.

During a lab demo this week at its innovation center in Burlingame, Calif., Sprint achieved 1.3 Gbps on a single cell using 60 MHz of spectrum, Corker said. "The really important thing here is the amount of throughput we can generate on a single cell site. That will allow higher data speeds to a larger number of subscribers," he added.

Sprint said 100 million people will have access to all three of its spectrum bands by year-end 2014, and the carrier intends to roll out Spark across some 100 large U.S. cities during the next three years. The first markets with limited availability of Sprint Spark are Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Tampa.

FierceWirelessTech asked Sprint spokeswoman Kelly Schlageter whether it would be correct to assume that Alcatel-Lucent and Samsung will place their own 2.5 GHz radio heads on the Network Vision sites they have built out, while NSN will place its 2.5 GHz radio heads on Network Vision sites built out by Ericsson. "We haven't announced which vendors have which markets," she replied.

According to Corker, "This is an overlay technology on top of Sprint's Network Vision deployment, so it's feasible that they could deploy NSN technology on any site at the end of the day."

The HTC One max, LG G2, Samsung Galaxy Mega and Samsung Galaxy S4 mini will be Sprint's first tri-band phones with active multi-band handoff capability. However, Schlageter noted that "none of the handsets supports carrier aggregation today."

Years ago, NSN was slated to supply WiMAX equipment to Sprint and Clearwire but lost the gig upon shifting its focus toward LTE. However, NSN has been supplying subscriber data management and other core platforms to Sprint for quite awhile and has some legacy CDMA business with the carrier. NSN also inherited some of Clearwire's WiMAX business via the acquisition of Motorola's WiMAX assets.

For more:
- see this Sprint release
- see this GigaOM article
- see this PCMag article

Read more about: Ericsson, Rick Corker
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By Tammy Parker

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3. Gowex's shared Wi-Fi hotspot model employs social networking, advertising

AT&T's (NYSE:T) cellular network has faced myriad challenges over the years, such as the overwhelming capacity crunch that hit when Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) first iPhone rolled out. But the latest threat to AT&T's network is particularly illuminating, because the problem is being caused by a common fluorescent light fixture.

The fixture is located inside the Perfect Cuts Salon in a San Antonio, Texas, strip mall. By simply flicking the salon's lights on and off, AT&T representatives were able to confirm that the salon's interior fluorescent lighting was the source of interference impacting a neighboring AT&T cell site.

An FCC agent subsequently visited Perfect Cuts in July, according to a citation and order adopted Oct. 25 by the commission. The agent used a spectrum analyzer and handheld antenna to reconfirm that the salon's overhead light fixture emanates a stray signal at 705 MHz, causing interference to AT&T's Band Class 17 LTE network.

The salon's owner, Ronald Bethany, refused to allow the FCC agent to conduct any further on/off testing of the fluorescent lighting, however.

Bethany contacted General Electric, the light fixture's manufacturer, which said it would replace the problematic lighting. However, when Bethany asked for cash instead so he could handle the replacement and installation himself, GE would not comply.

According to the FCC agent, Bethany said that since the lighting was not causing him any problems, he saw no reason to repair or replace the fixture unless he is paid to do so.

However, it appears the light fixture has led to a serious legal predicament for Bethany, who was cited by the FCC for causing radio interference via an "incidental radiator." If the situation remains unresolved, the FCC may fine Bethany up to $16,000 for each violation or each day of a continuing violation, and up to $112,500 for any single act or failure to act. The commission could also seize the offending light fixture, and Bethany could ultimately face jail time.

CommLawBlog noted that this type of incidental interference is not unique to AT&T or this particular light fixture. Other light fixtures and even a well pump have recently being fingered for causing cellular network interference.

In addition, FM radio stations operating in the 88-108 MHz band have interfered with wireless networks using high-gain LTE antenna systems and high gain LTE receivers in the 700 MHz band. While that might seem unlikely, CommLawBlog explained last summer that "stations operating anywhere from 88.1 MHz to 100.5 MHz will generate 8th harmonics somewhere in the 700 MHz wireless band," with those signals potentially interfering with LTE networks using that band.

For more:
- see this FCC document (PDF)
- see this CommLawBlog article

Read more about: AT&T, Perfect Cuts
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By Tammy Parker

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4. Intel ships multimode LTE modem, unveils LTE module

Madrid-based Gowex, which offers free municipal Wi-Fi service in some 80 cities worldwide, launched what it is calling a new social Wi-Fi network in New York City, which the company hopes will lead to more partnerships with mobile and fixed broadband providers.

Gomez

Dubbed We2 and launching on Dec. 15 in partnership with the New York City Economic Development, Gowex said the program aims to turn private hotspots--such as those found in shops and restaurants--into public hotspots that can easily be accessed for free by users registered on the We2 network. The We2 network will also include access to Gowex's hotspots in cities worldwide.

Globally, private Wi-Fi has been estimated to offer 30 times more capacity than all of the world's cellular networks, said Carlos Gomez Vendrell, CEO of We2. "We have created a new business unit and technology that enables us to capture all of that potential together with partners like cities and operators. We're intending to capture all of that private Wi-Fi, not only in residential segments, but also at retail sites," he told FierceWirelessTech.

The company's We2 application "will enable everybody to seamlessly roam on this new network that we are creating as well as on the rest of the Gowex network," Gomez said.

As part of its New York initiative, Gowex is also deploying We2-equipped Wi-Fi networks across several key corridors within Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx, adding to the more than 2,000 outdoor access points the company already operates in the city.

The social networking aspect of Gowex's plan stems from letting users accessing its We2 network through the We2 App to see other We2 users on the network and engage in peer-to-peer communications.

Further, small- and medium-size merchants can leverage the system to offer discounts and other promotions to visitors using their private Wi-Fi networks, but only if those visitors have opted in to receive such information. Merchants will also be able to leverage an app that lets them know more about visitors to their location, such as their product interests, in order to push more localized and personalized advertising, Gomez said.

The standard Gowex public-private partnership business model has been based upon building out free, municipal Wi-Fi networks via deals with cities. Monetization is achieved via payments from cities, roaming charges assessed to fixed, mobile and wireless carriers when their customers use Gowex's hotspots for data offloading, as well as through advertising and fees for premium use.

Gowex hopes We2 opens the door to more strategic alliances with telcos seeking product differentiation, cost savings and new revenue streams from facilitating advertising and communications activities between retailers and customers. The company, which was founded in 1998, already has roaming deals with large telcos such as AT&T (NYSE:T) and Deutsche Telekom.

Gowex also said it will expand its business model to 300 cities before 2020.

The idea of sharing excess capacity on private Wi-Fi networks is quickly catching on. Fon, another Madrid-based company that encourages users to share their Wi-Fi router signal with others in exchange for free access to other Fon hotspots around the world, announced its U.S. launch last week. Cable operator Comcast is also offering home Wi-Fi gateways that can broadcast a second signal to create neighborhood hotspots that extend its Xfinity Wi-Fi network.

For more:
- see this Gowex release

By Tammy Parker

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5. AT&T, Cisco and others to demo live Next Generation Hotspot Wi-Fi network

"Intel Inside" now extends to multimode LTE modems aimed at tablets and smartphones as the vendor makes an impressive play for a part of the chip market currently owned by Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM).

Intel's M.2 LTE module. (Photo courtesy of Intel)

Intel's XXM 7160 LTE modem is already being used in the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 in Asia and Europe, and the company also announced its PCIe M.2 LTE wireless data modules will ship in 2014 tablets and Ultrabooks from various manufacturers.

Intel introduced an LTE-only modem chip last year, but the 7160 is a tremendous leap forward. Not only does the new chip provide 2G/3G/LTE voice and data, but it also supports 15 LTE bands for global roaming. Further, it is voice-over LTE (VoLTE) capable.

The chip is the latest effort by Intel to break into the mobile market, and leverages the company's purchase of Infineon's wireless chipset unit for around $1.4 billion in cash in 2010.

The only other chipmaker currently offering a multimode LTE-capable chip is Qualcomm. The San Diego company's RF360 front end solution, a system-level approach that addresses cellular radio frequency band fragmentation and enables a single, global LTE design for mobile devices, was announced in February at the 2013 Mobile World Congress. However, GigaOm noted that rivals such as Broadcom, MediaTek, Marvell and Nvidia are working on similar multimode products.

By unveiling a line of PCIe M.2 LTE modules, Intel is making it easier for device manufacturers to add wireless connectivity to their product designs. The M.2 modules also support up to 15 LTE frequency bands and include support for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) based on the Intel CG1960 GNSS solution.

The company also unveiled an integrated radio frequency (RF) transceiver module, the Intel SMARTi m4G, which was developed in cooperation with Murata. Intel contends the module's design enables a reduction in overall component count of more than 40 components as well as reduces the required PCB area by 20 percent.

"As LTE networks expand at a rapid pace, 4G connectivity will be an expected ingredient in devices from phones to tablets as well as laptops," said Hermann Eul, vice president and general manager of Intel's Mobile and Communications Group.

The chipmaker has its eye on the emerging LTE Advanced market as well, promising that its forthcoming XMM 8260 modem chip, slated for introduction in 2014, will add features such as carrier aggregation and faster speeds. The 8260 will also support both TD-LTE and TD-SCDMA, making it suitable for use in China wireless market.

For more:
- see this Intel release
- see this AllThingsD article
- see this VentureBeat article
- see this GigaOM article

Read more about: LTE, Samsugn Galaxy Tab
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By Tammy Parker

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SPOTLIGHT ON... Apple iOS apps may be fooled, redirected via public Wi-Fi

The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) said the world's first live, public Next Generation Hotspot (NGH) network will debut next month during the Wi-Fi Global Congress in Beijing. The network will be hosted by Cisco and China Mobile.

During the congress, slated for Nov. 18-21, a total of 13 service providers will demonstrate NGH capabilities using the network. Among them will be hosting provider China Mobile, AT&T (NYSE:T), Boingo, Fon, Time Warner Cable and Towerstream.

"After 18 months of successful technical trials encompassing the entire NGH ecosystem, including devices, network infrastructure and operator back-ends, we are now able to demonstrate that this technology is commercially ready," said Shrikant Shenwai, WBA CEO.

During the congress, Passpoint-certified devices from multiple manufacturers will be available for attendees to try out, and end-to-end seamless roaming will be demonstrated by several participating WBA member operators via the host operator China Mobile and its local roaming hub Aicent.

"A Next Generation Hotspot brings the Wi-Fi user experience on par with cellular in terms of seamless authentication and roaming. This demonstration, involving numerous service providers, represents a true industry milestone in the adoption of Hot Spot 2.0," said Bob Friday, CTO of enterprise mobility at Cisco.

The WBA said it expects public NGH deployments to continue throughout 2013 and beyond.

For more:
- see this WBA release

Read more about: China Mobile, NGH, roaming
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Also Noted

Combining public Wi-Fi networks with Apple iOS apps can result in a dangerous mix, given a coding issue uncovered by an Israeli startup. Skycure discovered a vulnerability it dubbed an HTTP Request Hijacking, according to Network World. The flaw could be used by an attacker to send a malicious link or fake news to a news application on an iPhone or iPad. The roots of such an attack would start via a man-in-the-middle attack over a public Wi-Fi network, in which the hacker accesses HTTP traffic between the app and the server that receives its requests and sends back data. By using what is called a 301 redirection, an attacker could steer queries from the app to the attacker's own server. There are so many iOS apps vulnerable to this type of attack that Skycure decided it would be easier to go public with its findings than to try and inform all of the relevant app developers. The good news is that the flaw does not impact the more secure HTTPS protocol. For more, see this article.

More wireless tech new from across the Web.

> Bandwidth optimization company Centri completed a $13 million Series C round of financing. Release

> Anite was appointed to lead the radio channel modelling task group within the METIS 5G project. Release

> The Cloud will offer free Wi-Fi at NewRiver Retail's UK shopping malls. Article

> Thurman, N.Y., will get a TV white space network. Release

> Comcast is preparing to offer out-of-home streaming to mobile devices. Article

> Be-Bound's app can use the SMS transport layer for wireless data. Article

> Aptilo is enabling location-based Wi-Fi service with social media logins for Peru's Digital Way. Release

> Telstra and Ericsson tested the first live LTE-Broadcast network in Australia. Article

> Carriers do not expect major capex savings from SDN. Article

> The FCC adopted technical service rules for FirstNet's 700 MHz spectrum. Release

> Range Networks development kit lets students and developers set up a cellular network in minutes. Release

And finally… Car service Uber teamed up with meme blog Cheezburger to deliver kittens for temporary play dates. Article

Madden: Indoor small cells - a new opportunity for competition

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