Even Faster Wireless Broadband: Ericsson Demos 56 Mbps Network

by Om Malik

Wireless broadband keeps getting faster and faster. Ericsson, a Sweden-based telecom equipment maker todayshowed off a new technology that boosts High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) speeds to 56 Mbps. HSPA is part of the technology migration path for today’s 3G networks to what are generically termed 3.5G networks. The company had previously showed off a wireless broadband network with peak downlink speeds of 42 Mbps at the recent Mobile World Conference in Barcelona. Today’s HSPA networks can support speeds of up to 21Mbps.

The new peak downlink data rates of 56 Mbps were achieved through a combination of multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) and multicarrier HSPA technology. Ericsson is showing off the technology at CTIA in Las Vegas. HSPA multicarrier technology with MIMO, which is currently being standardized, is scheduled for commercial deployment in 2010. By the end of 2009, Ericsson will support commercial deployment of multicarrier technology with speeds up to 42 Mbps.

According to Ericsson:

Today’s commercial HSPA devices can make use of only one 5MHz channel at a time. With the introduction of multi-carrier consumer devices, data from two or more 5MHz channels can be received simultaneously by one consumer. The data stream is split over the used channels in the radio base station to get higher speeds. With MIMO, a base station can send data twice as fast via two different antenna paths on the same frequency to a single consumer.

In other words, it’s possible to see even faster broadband on wireless networks. Ericsson thinks that in the very near future, networks could run as fast as 84 Mbps. Of course, since all these are peak download rates, what you and I are actually going to get in terms of speed is a whole different ball of wax. That depends on the amount of bandwidth available on the backhaul networks.

CTIA 2009 Preview: Verizon's LTE Party

Verizon Wireless will undoubtedly bask in the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) limelight at this week's CTIA Wireless 2009 show now that the U.S. operator has selected equipment suppliers and announced deployment schedules for it ambitious proto-4G mobile broadband network.

Verizon's CTIA team should certainly take the opportunity to celebrate in Las Vegas this week because the hard part of the LTE process -- the network rollout, the nail-biting wait for devices, the pressure to meet the aggressive 2010 launch date communicated to the market, and the decision about whether to confuse the general public by using "4G" in its marketing -- lies ahead. (See LTE Phones Will Lag Behind Networks and MWC 2009: Verizon Picks LTE Vendors.)

Expect CTIA chatter about LTE to revolve around: the kind of embedded devices Verizon wants; the operator's Evolved Packet Core (EPC) architecture strategy; future support for voice services; hand-off issues between CDMA and LTE; and the operator's 4G backhaul strategy.

And, hopefully, Verizon will provide further details about what it plans to do with its LTE network and what the actual average peak data rates are likely to be. (See Operators Face LTE Deployment Dilemma.)

But Verizon won't be the only operator talking up LTE this week.

"Now that Verizon has selected LTE, all the other North American operators in its orbit are looking to do likewise," says Gabriel Brown, senior analyst at Heavy Reading.

U.S. cable operator Cox Communications Inc. announced this week that Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. will supply a 3G CDMA network that, eventually, will be upgraded to LTE. The deal is an important win for Huawei in the U.S., where the Chinese vendor has been seeking a notable reference customer for some years. Cox is now looking for a second supplier for its mobile broadband network. (See Cox, Huawei Make Wireless Connection , BCI Gets Busy With Cox's 3G Buildout , and Cox Hires Wireless Ops Guru.)

MetroPCS Inc. (NYSE: PCS) has also entered the U.S. "4G" race and has talked about plans to deploy LTE in 2010. (See MetroPCS Chooses LTE for 4G Wireless Network.)

And AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) revealed at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last month that it has accelerated its LTE deployment plans by a year with a network rollout slated for 2011. While AT&T said it'll upgrade its 3G network to 7.2 Mbit/s HSDPA and plans to implement 21 Mbit/s HSPA later this year, the operator may shed more light on its 4G ambitions this week too. (See Nextera Picks NexTone.)

Vendors love LTE too
It won't be just the service providers talking up LTE this week. Verizon's vendors -- Alcatel-Lucent(NYSE: ALU) and Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC) for radio access, AlcaLu and Nokia Siemens Networksfor IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), and Starent Networks Corp. (Nasdaq: STAR) for evolved packet core -- will be showing off their wares.

Meanwhile, Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT) and Nortel Networks Ltd. (NYSE/Toronto: NT) will also put their LTE offerings on display. (See Moto Shows Off LTE.)

Nortel will wheel out its LTE demo with LG Electronics Inc. (London: LGLD; Korea: 6657.KS) , and the Canadian vendor, currently in the midst of a major reorganization, is also developing trial femtocell systems for LTE. (See Nortel Keeps LTE Dream Alive, No Femtos in Verizon's First LTE Rollout, Nortel Files for Bankruptcy Protection, and Nortel Appoints EMEA Administrator.)

Here's a snapshot of the LTE news for the week so far:

• AlcaLu Converges in RAN
• AT4 Tests LTE RF
• Forum Preps LTE Device Tests
• Camiant Sprinkles In LTE
• Tecore Touts 4G Upgrade
• Genband Joins VoLGA
• Starent Adds Smarts to LTE Core

Field Tests Show New DSL Extension System from CTDI Provides Telecom Industry’s Greatest Extended DSL Reach for Rural Areas

XCel-4e system’s unique rural DSL extension capabilities align with goals of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s $7.2 billion Broadband Initiative.

WEST CHESTER, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Independent field tests recently conducted in four states have demonstrated that the XCel-4e DSL extension system from Communications Test Design, Inc. (CTDI) provides greater extended DSL reach for rural areas than any competitive extension product at comparable speeds. The new XCel-4e optimally addresses demand for broadband Internet access by delivering 8 Mbps DSL service to remote users, including subscribers located more than 100 kilofeet (kft) from a DSLAM. The tests were conducted over a five-month period in California, Illinois, Nebraska and New Mexico.

The XCel-4e’s capabilities make it ideal for inclusion in rural DSL extension projects for which $7.2 billion in federal funding is being made available as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed by President Barack Obama on February 17, 2009. The Act’s Broadband Initiative, aimed at providing ubiquitous broadband throughout the country, will provide grants to competitive local exchange carriers, independent telephone companies, power utilities and other organizations.

XCel-4e Service & Cost Benefits: The XCel-4e system transparently extends existing central office or remote DSLAM-based ADSL2+. Each XCel-4e system accepts four ADSL2+ subscriber lines from the DSLAM. These four lines are then carried on a single copper pair at a standard rate of 8 Mbps. Using line-powered repeaters, providers can reach four customers per system at a distance of more than 100 kft from the DSLAM*. As opposed to passive repeaters which simply amplify the signal, the XCel-4e fully terminates and regenerates the signal, allowing it to be repeated multiple times. For loops longer than roughly 75 kft, CTDI offers an express powered repeater to deliver ubiquitous broadband access targeted at 8 Mbps per user for all subscribers, regardless of location.

The XCel-4e is a cost effective addition to any rural broadband DSL extension system, requiring no fiber, less equipment, including less cable and fewer structures for CPE equipment, and less installation manpower.

“The recent field tests demonstrate that the XCel-4e is an exceptionally robust broadband DSL extension product,” said Brian Parsons, Director of CTDI’s Products Division. “Carriers that are considering submitting grant applications and proposals for the stimulus package’s Broadband Initiative may find the XCel-4e to be a perfect fit for their broadband expansion plans. CTDI has already invested its time and resources into understanding the Broadband Initiative, and our goal is to partner with our customers any way we can to expedite the grant-writing and application process.”

For more information about the XCel-4e, results of the field tests or the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s Broadband Initiative, visit www.ctdi.com or call (610) 793-8587.

* Rates and distance depend on the wire gauge.

About CTDI: A premier Telecommunications service company headquartered in West Chester, PA., CTDI has provided groundbreaking maintenance and product service solutions to the global telecommunications industry since 1975. Today, CTDI offers the most comprehensive Service Portfolio in the industry that includes: Wireline Repair & Logistics, Wireless Repair & Logistics, Engineering and Installation services, Global Supply Chain solutions and Product Engineering & Manufacturing. Today, CTDI services Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and Carriers from 39 international strategic repair and logistics locations supported by an experienced team of over 3,500 telecommunications professionals. CTDI feels we are the best in the industry at what we do and has a company-wide commitment to achieving service excellence. CTDI has also developed a world-class suite of telecom products through focused engineering and strategic acquisitions, including the SwitchMAX, Phoenix Wireless, Verilink, GoDigital, AccessNode, and eLuminant product families. For more information, visit www.ctdi.com.

[Ars]Microsoft: broadband stimulus should help schools, hospitals

The Microsoft corporation has weighed in on how the government should spend its billions in broadband stimulus money. The software giant says that the stimulus cash should be used to extend fiber networks to critical public institutions.

"With less than $7 billion in recovery funds available, we believe it is impossible to blanket the nation with the broadband capacity that our local governments, anchor institutions, businesses and residents ultimately require," Craig Mundie, Microsoft's Chief Research and Strategy Officer wrote to the Federal Communications Commission on March 25. "The question therefore becomes one of how to maximize the near- and long-term return on taxpayers’ investment in broadband."

The answer: "Connecting schools, libraries and hospitals will generate the quickest, most impactful and most equitable distribution of social benefits." 
Of course, a cynic might note that this strategy would also help maximize Microsoft's ability to distribute software. "The Internet can carry increasingly effective educational tools," Mundie's letter added, "be they lectures from the nation’s best teacher-trainers or from leading experts in basic math, science, reading and special education - or be they new educational applications that enable students to interact with multimedia information (such as [Microsoft's] WorldWide Telescope) or interact with fellow students from faraway geographies."


But to be fair, most of the industry filings that the FCC has received on how to spend this broadband dough take a similar tone of enlightened self-interest.
The laws of economics

As Ars has reported, earlier this month the FCC in tandem with the Department of Agriculture released a call for comments on the development of a broadband strategy for rural America. Microsoft's filing responds to that invitation. The American Recovery and Investment Act offers 2.5 billion in grants and loans flowing from the USDA, and another 4.7 billion in broadband funding distributed through the Department of Commerce's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (comments for the BTOP proceeding can be found here; Julian Sanchez's overview here). As Microsoft's remarks suggest, it all probably comes to a little less than 7 billion after expenditures for items like a national broadband map are factored in. 

The FCC document asks for a whole lot of advice on how to promote interagency harmony and encourage local/state government participation. But the majority of commercial responders to this call don't have much to say about any of that. They want rural broadband policy or the stimulus package structured so that they get a share of the relevant expanding markets. 

It thus should come as no surprise that Qualcomm recommends that a rural strategy boost mobile broadband. "The laws of economics cannot be repealed," the company told the FCC on March 25. "It is far more cost effective to provide mobile broadband in rural areas, as compared to any fixed or wireline solution." Meanwhile the American Cable Association says that its members should be able to apply for grants and loans. A rural broadband strategy should streamline the application process for small and middle size cabled operators who provide or can provide ISP services, ACA suggests, and weigh the awards system in favor of them as well. "Federal agencies should give consideration to existing broadband providers," the trade group urges.

The American Petroleum Institute asks the FCC to let its member outfits build their own broadband networks in rural areas. APA complains that these companies can't compete with carriers in license auctions, and are often required to vacate spectrum to make room for new commercial providers whose services sometimes don't even extend to the remote regions they tap for oil and natural gas. 

"The Commission should takes all steps necessary to create an exclusive, private, broadband spectrum allocation," APA concludes. "A private broadband allocation will kick-start the economy, create jobs, [and] promote employment of U.S. workers beyond the traditional city centers."

And the Satellite Industry Association wants rules for the USDA's Rural Utilities Services' broadband loan program changed to include satellite service providers. "The existing restriction that limits funding eligibility to rural areas only (as defined by the USDA) turns a distinct operational advantage - satellite’s unique ubiquity and cost-effective service delivery - into an unjustified disadvantage," SIA protests. 
Demand stimulation

Then there's Connected Nation, a southeastern based non-profit dedicated to encouraging broadband use. CN has come under fire from media reform groups, who charge that its broadband mapping proposals would privatize the process. But the outfit's 15 page filing in this proceeding makes some reasonable comments—among them that the challenge in rural areas isn't just broadband deployment, it's about "demand stimulation" (as we've reported, a Pew study indicates that two thirds of Americans without broadband appear to not to want it).

"Stated simply, the business case for broadband deployment is difficult in many rural areas where computer ownership and computer use skills are low," the group delicately explains. So the problem is as much about bringing people to the technology as bringing the technology to them. Verizon's comments seems in sync with this approach. At its Thursday, March 26 meeting with the FCC, its execs stressed a "demand side" approach to broadband deployment to encourage broadband adoption. 

It's unclear from Verizon's statement what exactly that means. Connected Nation says it runs "hundreds of community-based organizations which include projects that, for example, offer computer training and educate rural business leaders about the value that broadband can bring to their businesses." The Recovery Act reserves $200 million for boosting public computer centers at community colleges and libraries, but doesn't say anything about encouraging people to go to those places and get educated about high speed Internet computing.

March 25 was the last day for filings on the FCC's rural broadband proceeding. But in this very redundant process, the agency will next solicit comments on how to develop a national broadband strategy—that invitation to be unleashed at its upcoming Open Commission meeting, scheduled for Wednesday April 8.

Verizon Rents Out Its Fiber for LTE Backhaul

Stacey Higginbotham

We’ve noted that Verizon plans to use its fiber network for backhaul for its future Long Term Evolution network, and today it says that it will also rent out capacity on that fiber network to other wireless carriers as well. As our readers are quick to point out, backhaul is the elephant in the room when we talk about fast wireless data, because no matter how much capacity and speed can be theoretically delivered over the air, there’s still the matter of connecting a cell site back to the Internet.

With a T-1 connection or some other setups, reaching LTE’s theoretical speeds of 150 Mbps down is beyond ridiculous — and even the more realistic speeds of 10 Mbps down are unlikely. This makes backhaul the kink in the hose that can slow data speeds for wireless networks to a trickle. Fiber to a cell site is one option, and since Verizon is spending billions building out its FiOS network, it may as well rent out capacity to others and make some money off its $19 billion investment.

Verizon will offer access to its fiber networks through its Verizon Partner Solutions business. There are three options: Switched Ethernet Service, an all-Ethernet option, and an Ethernet over SONET choice. Verizon says that in each case data from the cell site is converted immediately to packetized data for transport to mobile telephone switching offices for distribution over appropriate networks.

3rd generation iPhone details trickle out

by Peter Ha on March 23, 2009

Let us all for a moment believe that last week’srumor of new iPhone hardware is true. With that in mind, let’s all settle in for the latest batch of rumors regarding the new hotness from Apple according to the Boy Genius. BGR’s sources within AT&T have revealed a slew of tasty morsels about the upcoming handset announcement.

First and foremost is the announcement date, which shouldn’t come as a surprise anymore – mid-June. AT&T and Apple have been working on a U-Verse app that will allow you to control your home DVR. The new iPhone will be much faster than previous generations with talk of wicked fast HSDPA. This next bit is a bit out there, but we’ll let you decide.

They said customers shouldn’t need to choose from AT&T’s high-end devices because of features, they should choose based on preferences. The gap in capability should be filled with the new iPhone. Ok, bets on slide out QWERTY, autofocus camera, video sharing, blah blah?

And on a completely unrelated note, AT&T will begin selling a $99 3G netbook this summer, but it won’t be packing Windows.

Cable demands “white space” revision

By Brian Santo
CedMagazine.com - March 20, 2009

The cable industry continues to fight against the FCC’s plan to permit use of white space – the unused spectrum between broadcast TV channels – for new wireless services and devices.

The NCTA said it hired Carl T. Jones Corp. (“CTJ”) to conduct two field studies, the results of which, the NCTA says, “make definitively clear that cable operations will be subjected to harmful interference from white spaces devices as specified in the new rules.”

The NCTA has filed documents charging that the FCC, when it approved the white spaces scheme, simply failed to adequately consider potential interference with existing and potential cable products.

The NCTA, in particularly blunt language, accuses the commission  of “virtually ignoring significant evidence in the record of direct pickup (“DPU”) interference that could affect not only video, but potentially even cable broadband and VoIP.

The association includes in its 144-page document engineering evidence to back up its claims.

The NCTA also asserts the FCC’s measures to prevent potential interference problems in cable headends “are inadequate and some provisions need further clarification.”

The NCTA said it is not seeking absolute protection from interference, but rather is recommending that the FCC re-evaluate and lower the maximum allowable power output of wireless devices that would be used with white space services.

Broadband Stimulus Awards: Lots of Questions, Lots of Contenders, Little Time

Posted by Carl Weinschenk Mar 20, 2009 6:38:29 PM

The telecommunications industry is weighing in on the broadband element of the stimulus, and its attitude was not hard to predict.

 

The telcos, as reported in this Reuters piece, are asking that the awarding of the stimulus money not be larded up with anything so silly as speed requirements. According to the piece, industry groups Comptel and The Wireless Communications Association "urged regulators not to mandate a super-faster Internet speed as a criterion for winning money."

The rationale is that setting too high a bar may render projects unprofitable. In other words, the industry gladly will take the money, but they don't want to actually be held to any standard. Others quoted in the story make the painfully obvious point that it is precisely this kind of market-driven approach that landed the United States behind scores of other nations in the quality of its broadband network.

The point is that those charged with setting and enforcing the ground rules will have their hands full with this and other types of nonsense. The early signs are that the government is being savvy. The Tricky Task of Giving Away $7.2 Billion, whose company was represented at one of several informational meetings the feds are running. The best news is that matching elements of the grants and the ability to use parts of the stimulus funds as loan guarantees to secure even more funding may make the final total greater than the $7.2 billion figure being thrown around to date. Sharer said that the government seems be open minded and to not be taking a paternalistic attitude. Still, this is a mammoth undertaking and there will be no shortage of self-serving  advice and bad suggestions.

 

A lot of the basics are not yet in place. For instance, the government in some cases may have to decide between “shovel-ready” projects – those that are ready to go and will provide jobs more quickly -- and those that conform more closely to the administration’s ideology. Of course, these goals often will not be in conflict. In some cases, however, they will be. The dangers are exacerbated by the fact – Concerns Raised by Broadband Element of Economic Recovery Plan – that dealing with cutting edge, quickly evolving technology such as telecommunications is not the government's strong suit. While Sharer’s position that the feds are being open-minded – a thought being echoed elsewhere – is a good sign, there still is a large possibility for missteps.

Anyone who thinks this is going to be easy should read this piece in BroadbandCensus. The subject is a roundtable sponsored by the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Agricultures' Rural Utilities Service (RUS) on the definition of broadband. The writer offers little commentary but provides, in staccato fashion, the views of eight people who spoke at the meeting. The definitions go from the definitive to the fuzzy. Mark Lloyd, the vice president of strategic initiatives at the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, said that “definitions should focus on hard speeds.” However, Piggah Communication Consulting principal Stagg Newman backed a definition that seemed much more dependent on a series of variables. The takeaway is that if folks can't agree on something as fundamental as this, they may not agree on much of anything.

A taste of what is to come – or, more precisely, what already is happening – can be found in this DSL Reports piece that discusses just a few of the companies angling for funds. Cable operators suggest that they could push Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification 3.0 (DOCSIS 3.0) into more rural areas, IBM is pushing broadband over powerline (BPL), Qwest says that it can provide advanced digital subscriber line (DSL) to 95 percent of its customers for $1 billion, and two companies -- AlphaStar International and Computers & Tele-Comm – say they can combine satellite and WiMax to cover the lion’s share of the country. The piece links to a Telecompetitor story on the latter initiative.

The bottom line is that the government has two jobs: Decide the conceptual guidelines around the stimulus and pick the best projects that fall within those rules. There will be no shortage of options on both counts.

SmartQ introduces HDTV Player, lets it explain itself

from Engadget by Darren Murph

Generally speaking, SmartQ has stuck to what it's best at -- mediocre portable media players -- without deviating an inch. Finally, someone at the company conjured up enough courage to take a risk, and we think the outcome is pretty decent. The simply titled and not-at-all-confusing HDTV Player is the firm's very first set-top-box, which aims to play back a litany of high-definition files on one's HDTV. As predicted, the box offers up an HDMI 1.3 port for getting all that lovely 720p+ content onto your screen, and there's also a pair of USB 2.0 ports for connecting external HDDs and the like. Beyond that, details are astonishingly sparse, but we get the feeling it'll be quite some time (read: forever) before this thing floats far from the shores of Asia.

AT&T Can't Cover 3G iPhone Demand At SXSW

By Jack McCarthy, ChannelWeb
9:20 PM EDT Mon. Mar. 16, 2009

The South By Southwest Music Festival in Austin is getting to be a well known and well liked gathering for music, independent film and interactive technology, including its Interactive Web Awards. But the rush of 3G iPhone users at the festival quickly overwhelmed AT&T (NYSE:T)'s networks over the weekend, outraging festival goers at the "unprecedented" the tech failure.

An embarrased AT&T had to act fast to try to remedy the situation, with spokesman Seth Bloom sending this message Sunday to GigaOm:

"To accommodate unprecedented demand for mobile data and voice applications at SXSW, we are actively working this afternoon to add capacity to our cell sites serving downtown Austin. These efforts are ongoing, but we anticipate that customers should see improved network performance this evening and for the remainder of the event. We will continue to monitor network performance throughout the event, and will do everything possible to maximize network performance throughout. We apologize to customers who were inconvenienced during this surge in local network demand."

The carrier said it was acting quickly to restore capacity to its network in downtown Austin and promised to get service restored as soon as possible.

While festival goers wait for service, at least they can check out the music and films.

Is Apple Feeling The Netbook Impact?

The Channel Wire

March 16, 2009

Whether you love netbooks or love to hate them, their impact on the laptop PC market is undeniable, particularly when it comes to pricing.

Even Apple, it seems, is not entirely immune.

Research firm NPD Group released its latest sales figures, which among other things showed pricing on laptops of both the PC and Mac variety dropped in February. The average selling price of Mac laptops fell roughly 7 percent to $1,512, according to NPD.

While that pales in comparison to the gigantic dip in the average selling price of Windows-based laptops--down 22 percent to $560, where netbooks are more clearly having an impact--a drop is still a drop.

I have to believe that the combined factors of a struggling economy and the buzzworthiness of low-cost Windows-based netbooks will make it increasingly difficult for Apple to keep its laptop prices from slumping. No doubt, diehard Mac users will remain as such and will willingly plunk down the extra dough for Apple products. But for all those "independents" and all of the current PC users who might be Mac-curious, it's not so easy to justify spending $1,000 more for Apple's cool factor when netbooks are forcing laptop PC prices down, down, down.

Apple sales also are not invulnerable. NPD says unit sales of Macbook laptops dropped 7 percent in February, while Windows-based laptops, including netbooks, grew 36 percent. Even if netbooks are excluded, unit sales of Windows laptops still grew 16 percent, Reuters reported.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been widely quoted as saying the company doesn't know how to make a sub-$500 computer "that's not a piece of junk," which seemingly indicates that netbooks are not on Apple's horizon. Of course that hasn't stopped rumors that the company is looking to jump on the netbook bandwagon with a lighter, cheaper notebook (as opposed to the lighter, pricier MacBook Air, which starts at $1,799).

Whatever Jobs' plans, one thing seems certain: The emergence of the netbook has turned laptop pricing on its head, a trend that not even Apple can ignore.

Judge dismisses Broadcom patent lawsuit against Qualcomm, Broadcom keeps on suing

from Engadget by Donald Melanson

Symbian remains most dominant mobile OS in the world

Symbian remains most dominant mobile OS in the world

by Jeremy Kessel on March 13, 2009

According to Gartner’s final 2008 “Worldwide: Smartphone Sales to End Users by Operating System” stats, reigning mobile OS champ, Symbian, remains on top of the world with a whopping 52.4% majority market share. Although that number is down over 11% from 2007, Symbian still maintains a healthy 35.8% lead over its nearest competitor, Research In Motion. (chart after the break)

Of the 6 major mobile operating systems (Symbian, RIM, WinMo, Mac OSX, Linux, and Palm OS) included in the data, 3 platforms - Symbian, WinMo, and Linux - all lost some of their respective market share over the past year, while RIM and OSX each experienced growth of over 5%. Palm managed a meager fraction of an increase (.4%), but there’s no denying that things will get more interesting once they let the Pre (Web OS) out of the bag.

[via CNET]

Hong Kong - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband

Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, takes pride in the way it has built one of the most sophisticated telecommunications markets in the world. Hong Kong’s regulator, the OFTA, has played a major role in developing the telecom sector. The island has put in place substantial infrastructure which supports one of the world’s highest penetrations of mobile phones and telephone services. 

By early 2009, the territory had more than 3.7 million fixed telephone lines in service, giving 100% fixed line household penetration rate and 53% fixed line population penetration rate, among the highest in Asia as well as in the world. As a result of open competition in the local FTNS market and government’s withdrawal of its mandatory Type II interconnection policy, over 80% of residential households are able to enjoy an alternative choice of local fixed network operators. Furthermore, PCCW has a universal service obligation to provide a continuous basic service, including the provision of public switched voice telephone services anywhere in Hong Kong in a reasonable period of time. 

Hong Kong has moved quickly in providing over 75% of all households with access to broadband connectivity. This has been accompanied by rapid growth in the Internet market. Broadband Internet subscriptions had well and truly surpassed dial-up subscriptions by end-2005. There were in excess of 5.2 million Internet users in the territory, gaining either dial-up or broadband access going into 2009. The number of broadband subscribers represented about 67% of the total Internet subscriber base, supported by a large number of ISPs. By end-2008, according to OFTA, Hong Kong had 1.92 million broadband subscribers and 935,000 dial-up subscribers. Broadband ARPU levels were increasing, as operators benefited from lower churn and higher revenue due to good quality content. 

Going into 2009 there were over 11 million mobile subscribers, representing an impressive penetration of close to 160%. This included over 2.9 million 2.5G and 3G subscribers. This penetration level puts Hong Kong in a tussle with Macau for first place in the Asian mobile market (both now well ahead of previous leader, Taiwan). This is remarkable considering that Hong Kong not only has the highest density of fixed telephone lines in the region but also that local calls on the fixed network are free. An ongoing price war cut mobile phone air-time rates to levels where operators became increasingly reliant on provision of non-voice value-added services to maintain margins. This, in turn, made 2.5G and 3G services of considerable importance. 

Key highlights:

• According to an OFTA benchmark survey released in October 2008, Hong Kong has the world’s most affordable prices for mobile and fixed-line voice services. In a study that compared Hong Kong with Singapore and six OECD economies, Hong Kong consumers were found to enjoy the lowest mobile and fixed-line services in all key categories. Hong Kong mobile prices were the lowest in the three categories of low, medium and high-usage and were roughly a third of the average.
• After being awarded 15-year CDMA2000 licence in the 850MHz band in 2007, PCCW started providing CDMA2000 services in late 2008, predominantly to users roaming from the Chinese mainland.
• In a densely packed market with over 2 million TV households, PCCW ended 2008 with nearly 930,000 video subscribers in Hong Kong with a paying base of 670,000. That passed i-Cable, which closed 2008 with around 890,000 video subscribers. Besides losing its historic market share edge, i-Cable may start shedding subscribers during 2009.
• In May 2008, Apple added Hong Kong and Macau as the two new markets to sell its popular multimedia gadget. Hong Kong was the first market in Greater China and also one of the four Asia markets, along with Australia, Japan and New Zealand, to launch the newest version of the iPhone.
• PCCW effectively became a private company in February 2009 after minority shareholders approved the buyout plan. The vote ended a tumultuous era in which Li, the son of Hong Kong’s richest man, acquired the city’s biggest telco at the height of the dotcom bubble. Li and China Unicom were to pay around HK$16.2 billion (US$2.2 billion) for the remaining 52% stake in PCCW and take the company private, subject to High Court approval.
• 3G subscriptions continue to grow in a competitive market and consisted of nearly 25% of total mobile subscribers going into 2009.
• Fibre deployments continue to expand while DSL subscriptions started to drop off at end-2008. The extensive fibre infrastructure in Hong Kong has allowed IPTV services to reach over 40% of households.

Internet, broadband, and telecoms statistics for Hong Kong - 2002; 2008
Sector 2002 2008
Internet (million)
Internet users 3.30 5.25
Internet subscribers 2.37 2.86
Broadband (million)
DSL subscribers 0.49 1.07
Total subscribers 0.99 1.92
Subscribers to telecoms services (million)
Fixed telephones 3.84 3.73
Mobile phones 6.21 11.50
2.5G 0.17 0.18
3G - 2.75
(Source: BuddeComm based on OFTA, ITU, Point Topic data)

For those needing high level objective analysis on Hong Kong, this report is essential reading and gives further information on:

• OFTA’s hike in the fixed to mobile interconnection charge (FMIC) from HK4.36 to HK5.45 cents per minute which caused PCCW to lift interconnection fees by 25%.
• OFTA’s decision to auction additional GSM mobile frequencies in the 1800MHz spectrum band to existing network operators by mid-2009. The six spectrum concessions will expire on 29 September 2021, in line with existing GSM network operating licences.
• OFTA’s expansion of the portion of its radio spectrum devoted to wireless broadband in the 2.3GHz, 2.5GHz and 2.6GHz bands as auctioned off in January 2009. Licences will be valid for a period of 15 years under the converged Unified Carrier regulatory framework. OFTA placed no conditions on the use of the spectrum issued as part of a new Broadband Wireless Access license. The spectrum blocks though are most suitable for the currently popular version of 4G, a FDD version of LTE, which requires paired spectrum.
• MVNO Trident Telecom’s suspension of its service after being unable to strike a deal with a network operator. The interconnection agreement with PCCW Mobile ended and its mobile service was shut down. Trident expected service to resume in early 2009.
• The expectation that Hong Kong’s broadcasters and telecommunications operators will compete fiercely for mobile TV spectrum in the 2009 government auction. Hong Kong’s Commerce & Economic Development Bureau will sell off spectrum for mobile television services in mid-2009 and expects services to launch in 2010.

Hong Kong has a sophisticated telecommunications infrastructure. The report covers trends and developments in telecommunications, mobile, Internet, broadband, and converging media including VoIP and IPTV developments. Subjects include:

• Market and industry analyses, trends and developments;
• Facts, figures and statistics;
• Industry and regulatory issues;
• Infrastructure;
• Major players, revenues, subscribers, ARPU;
• Internet, VoIP, IPTV;
• Mobile voice and data markets;
• Broadband (FttH, DSL, cable TV, wireless);
• Convergence and digital media.

Data in this report is the latest available at the time of preparation and may not be for the current year.

Wireless Broadband Versus Mobile Broadband

If you are among the millions of professionals around the work at home, either on a full-time or part-time basis - then it is a must for you to have a high-speed connection at home.

Fortunately, there are a lot of Internet connectivity options that you can take advantage of today.  Previously, using dial-up modem to connect to the Internet did not have a lot to offer in terms of speed. Also, if you are already using the phone line to connect to the Internet, you will not be able to use your landline phone unless you have a dedicated line.

Now, as the demand for high-speed Internet connection has increased, more and more types of broadband Internet connection are being introduced to subscribers.

A Brief Definition of Broadband and Its Advantages

Before making the distinction between the different types of broadband, let us first take a look at what broadband is all about.

In layman's term, broadband refers to any type of high-speed Internet connection which should be about 10 times faster than the traditional dial-up modem speed.  One of the primary advantages of having broadband connection is that you are connected on a 24/7 basis - unlike with dial-up Internet connections.

Another benefit of choosing broadband over dial-up Internet access is that the former allows you to have an optimal browsing experience. From the loading of the pages, to sending instant messages to sharing, downloading or uploading of files - they will all be performed in a more efficient and speedy manner.

Now that you have an idea about broadband Internet connection, here is a quick list of the types of broadband connections that you can have:

- Cable

- Wireless

- Satellite

- Mobile

- ADSL or Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line

- SDSL or Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line

- LLU or Local Loop Unbundling

Here, we will focus on two of the most common types of broadband Internet connection: wireless and broadband.

All about Wireless Broadband

This type of broadband Internet connection is used in rural areas in the UK where other forms of broadband connection are not available.

If you have a wireless broadband connection , a small antenna will be installed outside of your home. The Internet connection works in a way which is similar to how your television set receives signals from the TV station.

No telephone lines are required - and the broadband antenna is connected to your computer.

How about Mobile Broadband?

On the other hand, mobile broadband can be simply defined as Internet access on the go. Much like checking your e-mail using your mobile phone, mobile broadband allows you to connect to the Internet using your laptop computer.

As long as you have a laptop computer and a network-activated broadband dongle - you can get connected even while you are on the go.

Dell unveils the Studio One 19 all-in-one desktop

by Matt Burns on March 12, 2009

The new Dell Studio One is, well, sex defined. There is no doubt where the designers got the inspiration but they surpassed anything out of Cupertino with this all-in-one. The computer will be available in a bevy of colors when it launches later this month in Japan and in the US sometime in the Spring.

Thankfully, Dell has backed up the good looks with quality specs. CPU options will include Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad Core and either nVidia GeForce 9200 or 9400 GPU option. Plus, the hard drive can be up to 750GB, 4GB of memory, along with optional wireless, webcam, and Blu-ray slot loading drive. Prices will start out at $699 could skyrocket up as you start adding all the optional wares including a touchscreen. Didja hear that, an optional touchscreen. iMac, what?

Dell’s Studio One 19 All-in-One System Fits Anywhere in the Home

• Combining the Latest Computing Experience with Contemporary Look
• Beautiful Design and Innovative Features Take Shared Computing to New Level

ROUND ROCK, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dell today announced the Studio One 19, a beautiful all-in-one computer that looks just as good in the living room as it does the kitchen. The optional touch capability provides the optimal experience for moms and their kids as they peruse photos from Spring Break and other family events. The Studio One 19 is ideal for the shared computing experience, especially in family areas where people can effortlessly view and move photos, manage music and review home work.

“The new Studio One 19 is as nice to look at as it is functional,” said Alex Gruzen, senior vice president of Dell’s Consumer products. “More and more people are making the kitchen the center of their entertainment and computing experience and the Studio One 19 is the ideal system for that need. The Studio One 19 is about lifestyle and design and is very affordable for the family.”

The Studio One 19 is made with beautiful aluminum, glass and fabric that make a style statement that people will want on display in their home rather than hidden. A single power cord means a much neater computing environment and experience. The Studio One 19 comes in several colors, including Solid Pure White, Tuscan Red, Navy Blue, Powder Pink and Charcoal.

The Studio One 19 will be available on March 19 in select Japan retail outlets including Bic Camera and Yodobashi Camera and on dell.com in Japan on March 23. The system will launch in many other countries later this spring. Starting price for the Studio One 19 is $699.

Innovative Software from Dell

• Easy multi-touch photo editing, slideshow creation, playlist compilation, notes, and even web browsing.
• Unleash creativity with You Paint finger painting software.
• Record videos and upload directly to YouTube with the touch of a finger.
• Flick to Flickr – Upload photos to Flickr to share with family and friends.
• Create a musical masterpiece with the multi-touch percussion center.

†Software is optional and works with multi-touch configurations only.

Power & performance:

• Intel® Celeron, Dual Core Celeron, Pentium Dual Core, Core 2 Duo, and Core 2 Quad Core Processor options
• Choice of nVidia GeForce 9200 or GeForce 9400 integrated graphics^[i]
• Up to 4GB^[ii] dual channel memory
• Up to 750GB^[iii] HDD
• Slot load Optical drive
• 7-in-1 media card reader, six USB ports
• Optional integrated wireless, web camera, Blu-ray Disc™
• Optional multi-touch capability
• Optional facial recognition security (with webcam)

Wintek to supply touch panels for Apple netbook, says paper

Yvonne Yu, DIGITIMES, Taipei [Monday 9 March 2009]

Taiwan-based Wintek will supply touch panels for Apple's new netbook, and shipments will start in the third quarter this year, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report.

Wintek revealed that it is currently working with Apple to develop some new products, but it said it does not know what applications the new products are for. Wintek added that no shipment schedule has been worked out yet, but shipments are likely to begin in the second half of the year.

Quanta Computer will be the maker of Apple's new netbook, the Commerical Times report said.

Wintek has reported that its consolidated revenues for February totaled NT$1.81 billion (US$52 million), representing a 25.69% increase from NT$1.44 billion in January, but a 21.65% decrease from NT$2.31 billion for the same month in 2008.

The increase was mainly contributed by rush orders from handset clients who were stocking inventories after the Lunar New Year holidays in January, market sources said, adding that sales were also helped by the fact that there were more working days in February than in January.

Wintek's accumulated consolidated revenues from January to February were NT$3.25 billion, down 38.79% on year.

In 2008, Broadband Growth Slowed

Broadband growth and net new additions in 2008 declined sharply, according to a report by Durham, N.H.-based Leichtman Research Group. For 2008, big telephone and cable companies added a total of 5.4 million new subscribers vs. 8.5 million in 2007 and 10.4 million in 2006. The large carriers accounted for a total of 67.7 million subscribers. The cable companies ended the year with 36.9 million broadband subscribers, after adding 3.2 million broadband subscribers in 2008.

The slowdown has continued in the first quarter of 2009 as well. With net new additions slowing down, cable operators are looking to up-sell higher speed packages and impose bone-headed metered broadband packages. Comcast recently boosted speeds on its offerings in the San Francisco Bay Area and started offering a super-pricey 50 Mbps service.

DSL Line Combiner - 2-Wire

DSL Line Combiner

For DSL subscribers with "splittered" service, meaning DSL and telephone service are terminated into the home on separate lines, the 2Wire DSL Line Combiner merges the DSL and your home telephone service into a single line. DSL subscribers with a HomePortal or an OfficePortal are then able to take advantage of home phoneline networking, using the phone jacks in their home to network additional devices. 2Wire DSL Line Combiners also serves as a DSL phoneline filter to ensure optimized DSL connections and "total isolation" of analog noise, interference, and modem errors.

Technical Specifications

• Complies with Full Rate G.dmt (G.992.1) and G.lite (G992.2) ADSL.
• Complies with the final T1/E1 specification.
• No degradation in telephone line quality.
• Agency Compliance and Certifications for FCC part 68/UL 1950/ CSA .

Embarq Files for Universal Femtocell Patent

from GigaOM by Stacey Higginbotham

 An alert reader sent me a link to a patent filed yesterday by Embarq, the wireline carrier currently trying to merge with CenturyTel. The patent is for a “universal femto cell,” and the gist of the patent is to create a femtocell that will work with any carrier. A femtocell is like a mini cell tower in the home that provides a better signal and routes the cellular traffic over the home’s wired broadband network.

Sprint and Verizon have femotcell products, and AT&T’s is coming. What’s interesting about this patent is that it attempts to take the femotcell out of carriers’ hands and place it in the realm of the wireline provider. After all, they do control the backhaul for these mini cell towers. However, tuning the universal femotcell to a carrier’s network could require approval from the carrier in order for the device to be recognized by the network — issues that relate more to business models than patentable technology.

In the case of Embarq — or any other wireline carrier that doesn’t have a wireless business — getting a universal femtocell would be a way to capture revenue from providing better cellular service inside people’s homes. And with people cutting the cord, wireline carriers need all the help they can get.

Of course, this is merely a patent filing. It’s not granted, and until I get more details from Embarq, I have no idea what it plans to do. Stay tuned.