Wireless Federation

Motorola has announced it’s acquisition of AirDefense, maker of wireless LAN (local area network) security solutions.

The acquisition will complement Motorola’s existing portfolio and its “all-wireless enterprise vision,” Motorola’s Enterprise Mobility business President Kathy Paladino said in a statement.

AirDefense, founded seven years ago, produces a wireless intrusion prevention system, designed to monitor wireless networks for rogue traffic and conduct incident analysis, forensics and remote troubleshooting, according to the company’s website.

News of the deal comes on the same day as Motorola announced it was reorganizing its non-handset business into three units.

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According to sources, Some of the biggest achievers selected for Communication Awards 2007:  

Allen Timpany, CEO, Vanco
 VNO pioneer. Now every value-added reseller wants to be the “next Vanco”.
 
Arun Sarin, Chief Executive Officer, Vodafone Group
 His deals with Google and eBay “started the Mobile Internet”. That’ll be the one regularly used by 6% of mobile owners, then.

Ben Verwaayen, CEO, BT
 Split local access and services in UK as an example for all the other EU countries. Then took over the broadband revolution. But has he reached the crest of the New Wave?

Bill Gates, Founder and Chairman, Microsoft Corp
 He may be adrift in online adland, but his company’s Communications Server has brought the LAN to life.
 
Carl Henrik Svanberg, CEO, Ericsson
 Has kept the strategy clear and built a leadership position in wireless into a total communications offer whilst others have dug themselves deeper into their problems.

Cesar Alierta, President, Telefonica
 Last of the great global Telco heroes? No blockbuster deals last year though.
 
Chua Sock Koong, CEO, SingTel
 SingTel veteran Chua is in the regional hotseat; tasked with making sense of the company’s expansionist strategy across Southeast Asia to Australia.

Dayanidhi Maran, Telecom Minister, India
 Revolutionised the Indian telecom scenario with liberalised policies, promoting Foreign Direct Investments and providing clear strategies for mobile and broadband expansion.

Dr. Saad Al Barrak, Deputy chairman and managing director, MTC
 MTC Group’s champion has transformed the Kuwaiti operator into a regional investment player. Can he take his 3×3x3 strategy global?

Ed Whitacre, Chairman and CEO, AT&T
 Retiring after driving telecom consolidation, with the integration of SBC, Cingular and AT&T. Now going after Telecom Italia and the iPhone.

Helmut Leopold, Head of Platform and Technology Management, Telekom Austria AG
 Put Engerwitzdorf on Europe’s IPTV map. Leads development of IPTV and IP-driven multimedia services at Telekom Austria, as well as president of the Broadband Services Forum (BSF). .

Ildar Zhuravlev, Partner, Ernst & Young
 He is one of the most influential persons in the Russian telecom sector. He provides consulting services to 18 of top 20 major Russian telcos. At least he isn’t being called a revolutionary.

Ivar Plahte, CEO, OnRelay
 ”Defining the next era of [mobile] PBX.” Cisco, Nortel, IBM, Verizon, and others are following his lead, some say.

John Chambers, CEO, Cisco Systems
 He’s putting Cisco on Second Life. That’s how determined he is to win this award again.
 
John Legere, CEO, Global Crossing
 Two years ago a $24 billion accounting ‘fresh start’ helped bring GX back to life. Now it is a model for how to use IT to speed up your telecoms services delivery.

John Pluthero, Executive Chairman , Cable & Wireless
 He’s “blown the whistle on the telecoms industry” for its lack of  customer care, apparently.And he knows how to reinvigorate a demoralised company.

Josep A. Aliagas, CEO, Arena Mobile
 This content aggregator is currently working in 60 countries and with 110 mobile operators as well as worldwide Media Groups including Shanghai Media Group in the mobile TV area in China. China is potentially the biggest revenue generator in the industry and Arena Mobile is the leading company in China.

Larry Page, Co-founder, Google
 Telcos are running a bit less scared now Google is concentrating on TV and radio advertisers. 
 
N Srinath, CEO, VSNL
 ”The CEO of the last year”, according to one nomination. He has “single-handedly” changed VSNL from an incumbent niche operator to a multinational telecom player, according to another. He must have a little help, though.

Niklas Zennstrom, Co-founder, Joost TV
 Since he sold Skype to eBay, the IP telephony service has reached 150 million users, reducing the price paid from $68 million to $23 million - per subscriber.

Patricia Russo, CEO, Alcatel-Lucent
 Running a combination “too big, too exotic and too powerful to be ignored.”
 
Phuthuma Nhleko, President & CEO, MTN Group
 Phuthuma has revolutionalised telecoms in Africa and the Middle East by providing telecoms to 21 countries in MEA.

Sol Trujillo, CEO, Telstra
 ”Creating a Telstra that is more adaptable to market needs.” Really? The “only real ass-kicker and visionary in the industry”. That’s more like it!

Steve Jobs, CEO, Apple
 He seems to understand consumers better than most. The iPhone has raised expections high this time.
 
Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman - Bharti Group, Bharti Airtel
 A “Telecoms Tsar”- in India? No, he’s “a revolutionary”. He can’t be both.
 
Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner, EU
 She has upset mobile operators, NextGen network builders and even outsourcing associations, so she must be doing something right.
 

Mobile Marketing represents the next frontier in marketing and probably the last major untapped ad medium. If 2005 was the year of Social Networking, 2006 the year of Video and 2007 was the year of Mobile TV, 2008 will be the year of Mobile Marketing. According to Wireless Federation study ‘’2008 will see over US$ 2bn worldwide spent on mobile advertising and advertising and expect it to grow to US$ 15bn by 2011′’ 

 '’ONE in two Australians want to access the internet over their mobile phone, while more than a third want to view live television'’ according to Himanshu Johar, Wireless Federation’s Senior Analyst

Internet access was the most popular form of content, desired by 52 per cent of respondents, followed by live TV (37 per cent) and TV clips (31 per cent). While half those surveyed wanted to use their phone to watch the news and check the weather, the most popular content was entertainment news, nominated by 58 per cent.

According to the global study Anytime, Anyplace by media agency Universal McCann, Australians have been slow to use the full suite of mobile phone applications.

The study found that only 33 per cent of Australians had used their phone to surf the mobile internet, send messages and emails or take photographs.

That ranked far behind the leading nation, Japan (47 per cent) and a number of other European and Asian markets, including China (43 per cent), India (34 per cent) and well behind the global average of 37 per cent.

But the study, which was conducted among 10,000 people who had a mobile phone and broadband access in 21 markets, found the US was last, with just one in five Americans engaging in complex mobile phone use.

The mobile is the world’s biggest portable media and computing platform. By 2011, 3.3 billion people are expected to be connected, according to data from the Wireless Federation, with the use driven by growth in Asia, Latin America and Africa.

“These people are really content-hungry,” Universal McCann Insight director Natalie Pidgeon said. “They like to have their scanner on 24/7.

“But the content they’re looking at on their mobile is quite perishable. They don’t want to keep it. Laptops are more about content they can keep: TV series, films and music. It’s the collectable content.”

3G-enabled mobile phones are the most in-demand device globally, with more than 40 per cent of respondents saying they planned to purchase one, followed by a video-capable iPod (39 per cent) and a wireless laptop. In Australia, penetration is higher than the global average of about 20 per cent.

But the study found people expected content to be device-neutral, or able to be viewed on a number of platforms.

“About the only thing they don’t want to transfer content to is a gaming console,” Ms Pidgeon said. “That seems to be for games only.”

The study also found phone users welcomed advertising as long as they had opted to receive it and they received something of value in return.

Two-thirds of respondents globally found branded content was an acceptable form of advertising.

Ads that appear in the middle of video clips were the least acceptable format. 

And Hutchison’s 3 Mobile launched the 20-minute-long cricket show The Pitch, which it is billing as the first in-house telco-made-for-mobile program.

Mira Bashi, 3’s general manager of content and services, said the show, which is available as part of 3’s paid cricket packages, would help develop new media habits.

“I think consumers will sit down and watch it and look forward to it at the end of the day,” she said

 Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News Mobile Advertising

Armenia’s Public Services Regulation Commission (PSRC) is expected to reject a proposal from national fixed line incumbent operator ArmenTel, now owned by Russian wireless heavyweight Vimpelcom, to impose a significant price rise on the cost of voice telephony services. In May ArmenTel submitted a formal request to the PSRC asking for permission to raise voice telephony tariffs which it says have remained the same for several years despite ongoing rising operational costs. ArmenTel is requesting a near doubling of the current AMD1,100 (USD3) it charges customers per month on a call plan giving them up to six hours worth of inclusive local calls. In addition, the operator is requesting a cut in the six-hour limit and permission to raise the per minute cost of subsequent calls made by users exceeding their limit, from AMD5 to AMD9 per minute. However, a spokesperson for the PSRC, Shiraz Kirakosian, said that it had reviewed ArmenTel’s proposal but would most likely decline it officially (on Friday) citing a belief that the operator had underestimated its profit margins, as the reason. Nevertheless, the PSRC is said to be keen to continue discussions to find a satisfactory compromise.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

Motorola Inc. and Vietnam Datacommunications Company (VDC), a company within the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) has signed an agreement to commence a technical and commercial WiMAX trial in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the nation’s two largest citiesIt is anticipated that the deployment of Motorola’s wi4 WiMAX will allow VDC to reach a wider subscriber base, help meet the demand for broadband, as well as roll out IP services such as VoIP without the need for wired infrastructure.

The year long trial is expected to begin in October 2007. Phase one will cover an urban area in Hanoi and the second phase will cover a similar urban area in Ho Chi Minh City.

“Using WiMAX for wireless broadband access is key to a market such as Vietnam where wired broadband penetration is low,” said Jay Andersen, vice president for sales, South and East Asia, Home and Networks Mobility, Motorola. “It has the potential to enable the country to leap frog current wired technologies so that a larger population in Vietnam’s rapidly growing market can be connected quickly and affordably.”

“We see a future where wireless broadband can truly enhance the way of life in Vietnam and add its people to the knowledge economy,” said Pham Long Tran, Chairman, VNPT Group. “Adopting an open standard like WiMAX is the best way to serve our customers and future subscribers.”

“We are proud to be part of VNPT¡¯s first mobile WiMAX trial in Vietnam,” said David Knapp, general director, Motorola Vietnam. “This marks a true milestone for this maturing country and demonstrates the foresight and dedication of VNPT to improving the nation’s infrastructure.”

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

picoChip has added Systems4Silicon as an approved design center for its picoArray multi-core DSP. Systems4Silicon has a highly experienced team, capable of supporting customers with PHY, MIMO, PA linearization and RF design issues for advanced air interfaces applications, and already has considerable real-world experience with picoChip technology.

“Systems4Silicon is experienced in interpreting complex systems such as HSPA and WiMAX 802.16e. Their understanding of these standards, together with comprehensive knowledge of our architecture enables Systems4Silicon to offer clear time-to-market advantages to our customers,” said Guillaume d’Eyssautier, CEO and President at picoChip. “We are pleased to have them onboard to support the growing picoChip customer base.”

“We are delighted to be recognized by picoChip as an authorized design centre,” commented, Dr. Paul Turner, Director of Engineering at Systems4Silicon. “These are exciting times. The performance of the picoArray opens up a new world of design opportunities for advanced wireless applications. Our deep understanding of optimal system partitioning and detailed knowledge of signal processing positions us well to support manufacturers looking to develop the next-generation of wireless systems.”

Systems4Silicon has significant expertise in researching and commercialising the newest wireless technologies. The team have worked on technologies for WCDMA (including HSDPA/HSUPA), WiMAX and 802.11n WiFi. Two areas of particular expertise are MIMO and PA linearization with adaptive predistortion (DPD)¡ªboth critical for the most sophisticated air-interfaces such as 16m and LTE.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

NextWave Wireless Inc. have announced that Inquam Broadband GmbH, a majority-owned NextWave subsidiary, has completed its purchase of a 65 percent controlling interest in WiMAX Telecom AG.

Based in Zurich, Switzerland, WiMAX Telecom AG has obtained nationwide wireless broadband spectrum concessions in Austria and Slovakia, and a major spectrum concession in Croatia. The company currently operates WiMAX networks in Austria and Slovakia and provides wireless broadband service to 8,500 customers.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

India’s total subscriber base (wireline and wireless) crossed the 200 million mark in March.

Total number of subscribers increased to 205.86 million in the quarter ending March 2007 from 189.92 million in the quarter ending December 2006, an increase of 8.39%. Overall growth for the year (March 2006 to March 2007) was 46.71%. Tele-density reached 18.23 (17.16).

The subscriber base for wireless services has increased to 165.11 million (149.62 million) and that of Wireline service to 40.75 million (40.30 million).

The number of Public Call Offices (PCO) in the country increased to 5.55 million (5.30 million), a growth of 4.72%.

The rural wireline subscriber base increased to 12.56 million (12.48 million), a growth of 0.64%. The rural wireless subscriber base is 33.14 million.

The number of Village Public Telephones (VPT) in the country has increased to 5.64 lakh (5.57 lakh) a growth of 1.26%. An unusual trend in Arpus has also emerged, with Arpus in GSM falling and CDMA rising.

The all-India blended ARPU (Average Revenue Per User per month) for GSM services declined by 5.69% to Rs 298 (Rs 316).

ARPUs for GSM postpaid services declined by 3% to Rs 613 (Rs 632), while ARPUs for GSM prepaid declined by 4.58% to Rs 250 (Rs 262).

The All-India blended ARPU (per month) for CDMA services is Rs 202 (Rs 196), a growth of 3.06%.

Monthly ARPU for CDMA Postpaid segment declined to Rs 447 (Rs 456) and for prepaid segment increased to Rs 168 (Rs 159). The internet subscriber base was 9.27 million (8.58 million), an increase of 8.03%. There are 31.30 million Internet subscribers accessing Internet through mobile handset (GSM/ CDMA). BSNL continued to hold its top position with a market share of 45.21% followed by MTNL with 19.01%.

The number of Broadband subscribers (with a download speed of 256 Kbps or more) was 2.34 million with a growth rate of 13.88%. The ARPU for dial-up Internet subscribers was Rs 200, while minutes of usage (MoU) for dial-up access per subscriber/month was 180 minutes.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

Unsolicited calls and promotional SMS are a complete nuisance.

However,if all goes as planned, they shouldn’t bother you any more. Making unwanted intrusions into customers’ privacy is illegal in most developed countries. While such a law is being put in place in India, are marketers ready to respect the privacy of their customers?

In March 2007, the Supreme Court of India sent notices to the Central government, phone operators and other marketers to ban unsolicited calls. Subsequently, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) took a step in April to provide relief from get-a-loan, buy-a-policy and other sales calls on personal mobiles. Under TRAI’s new guidelines, the National Informatics Centre is working on a central do not call (DNC) list on a national level. Mobile phone subscribers can easily register themselves on the national DNC list. TRAI is also working on opt-in and opt-out frameworks for the customer.

THe Mobile indsutry in India does not have a self-regulatory framework in place, as a result of which the government has come down hard to establish the DNC framework. (Not to say that a self-regulating body’s existence would have stopped the government from introducing the DNC)

The concept of having an ‘unsubscribe’ element in a promotional message, as in e-mail promotions, is still alien to Indian marketers. Each marketing message or voice call must have a provision to hear the receiver’s consent to proceed.

Vinod Thadani, business director, GroupM, is of the opinion that It will be a Herculean task (to build a database), but once done, it’ll be free of spam. Targeting a small, effective and interested list of opt-in subscribers who are genuinely interested in the brand will be a better strategy.

Mobile marketing should ideally invite people to participate with the brand. This means giving the subscriber something in return. This is where paidvertising could help. Subscribers would welcome applications such as games, ringtones, ring-back tones, greetings or m-cards featuring brands, if they are made available free of cost OR just plain simple CASH. A service in the offing is YouMint.com which proposes to offer free content to its subscribers and also offers CASH in return for receiving targetted Advertisements on SMS. Marketers need to approach consumers subtly, and if a chord is struck between the brand and the consumer, then it can become a win-win situation.