Editor’s Note: The RCR Wireless News Time Machine is a way to take advantage of our extensive history in covering the wireless space to fire up the DeLorean and take a trip back in time to re-visit some of the more interesting headlines from this week in history. Enjoy the ride!
WiMAX development leaves plenty of wiggle room: Trial markets heat up as proponents betting on take off in cities, overseas
As WiMAX service edges closer to rollout here, the technology is advancing on a number of fronts, both in overseas trials and deployments as well as interest from venture-capital companies. Dr. Mohammad Shakouri, board member and vice president of marketing for the WiMAX Forum, noted that progress is being made in both allocation of spectrum as well as certification of products, with the forum working on a mobile WiMAX standard as well. He noted that countries are taking different approaches to deployments depending on whether they need to expand broadband access or are relying on the technology to open up new revenue streams. … Read More
Martin’s 700 MHz draft ignites debate on public safety, open access
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin could face trouble securing support from the agency’s two Democrats for a key component of his 700 MHz plan, but the draft rule could entice Verizon Wireless to become more serious about a possible partnership with public safety. I’m a big believer in open access,” said Michael Copps, one of the FCC’s two Democrats, according to the Associated Press. A Copps aide confirmed the commissioner’s statement. “And to me that means wholesale as well as device and application freedom.” … Read More
Open access: Questions and consequences
Conceptually, at least, few things could be more appealing to mobile consumers than open wireless access. Richard Whitt, Google Inc.’s telecom and media counsel, painted a picture of a veritable mobile utopia on the company’s blog last week as Google and its allies lobbied the FCC to adopt new rules for the highly coveted 700 MHz band. In a kind of consumers’ manifesto, Whitt argued that winning bidders should be forced to allow open access to content and applications as well as unrestricted devices on the airwaves. … Read More
More than ever, handset makers in race for profitability, market share, mind share
Like a crash by leading contenders in the Tour de France, any stumble by a leading handset vendor creates an opening for competitors. Nokia Corp., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications apparently have instantly gobbled up the market share ceded by Motorola Inc. in the second quarter. Samsung and Sony Ericsson posted impressive gains in handset ship volumes last week as they carefully expand market share. Nokia is due to report on its expected share gains and financial numbers this Thursday. LG Electronics Co. and Motorola also report official numbers on Thursday. … Read More
Exploiting iPhone’s Achilles’ heels: In other words, don’t panic, but find fun in phones
“Serenity now!” yelled the character George Costanza in one episode of the 1990s sitcom, “Seinfeld.”
Costanza’s anguished cry underscored the unbridgeable gap between his desperate need for serenity and the angst that gripped his soul. A roughly analogous gap may yawn between the public serenity of incumbent handset vendors and network operators and their private musings over how to react to Apple Inc.’s and AT&T’s iPhone launch. That everyone needs to react, and swiftly-while projecting serenity-is accepted by most. … Read More
2 large network players make moves in femtocells
Femtocells, or access point base stations, are making some big waves in the wireless industry this month. Shortly after ABI Research released a positive report on the outlook for femtocells, Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia Siemens Networks each announced new partnerships and detailed plans for their approaches to a femtocell solution. Femtocells – small, stand-alone units that can be deployed inbuilding and even in-home, have gained the interest of carriers as a means to increase network coverage. ABI Research predicts femtocell shipments to surpass 36 million by 2012, bringing the installed base to 70 million femtocells serving more than 150 million users. … Read More
Carriers shun porn on deck, experiment with PG-13 offerings
More than three years after the wireless industry launched an effort to establish a ratings system for mobile content, carriers are finally beginning to restrict access to the edgy stuff. Whether such efforts will help fuel data revenues, though, remains to be seen. CTIA in early 2004 began working with tier-one carriers to create guidelines for mature content on operator decks in an effort to stave off potential federal intervention. The industry eventually agreed on a system that divided videos and other content into two categories-essentially labeling it as G or NC-17-and vowed not to offer restricted carrier-controlled content until carriers independently developed ways to effectively block restricted offerings. … Read More
T-Mobile USA, Cinci Bell embrace Wi-Fi connection
Two U.S. carriers have unveiled converged Wi-Fi/cellular products that use Unlicensed Mobile Access technology and offer customers the chance to stretch their wireless minutes and improve in-home coverage by relying on Wi-Fi for voice calls. Regional telco Cincinnati Bell was the first to come into the market with its CB Home Run product, offered within its service footprint in the greater Dayton and greater Cincinnati areas. T-Mobile USA Inc. recently entered the arena with the national launch of its HotSpot@Home service, which previously had been in a trial phase in the Seattle market. … Read More
Apple grabs mind share, growth questioned
Powered by brand equity and brilliant media manipulation, Apple Inc. has parachuted into the handset business. Look out below! The company’s first foray into mobile handsets has captured so much attention-the proverbial “mind share” in tech-speak-that incumbent handset vendors must respond to the challenge, according to two leading analysts. Those responses are likely to take myriad directions, from fast-follower tactics to grander, hardware-and-content strategies, the analysts said. But those who suggest that the iPhone is nothing but good for the industry ignore its challenges at their peril. … Read More
Sprint Nextel boots unhappy customers
Sprint Nextel Corp. is cutting loose subscribers who eat up its customer service resources, despite several quarters of struggling to hold onto users. However, the carrier is adamant that “the vast majority of our customer base is not affected” and that only a “very small percentage” of subscribers with apparently irresolvable service issues were involved, according to Sprint Nextel spokeswoman Roni Singleton. According to a letter received and posted by a subscriber on SprintUsers.com, the company explained that during the past year, the customer had made frequent calls related to billing and other account information. … Read More
