AT&T launches three new services and devices (USA)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A trio of new services has been launched by AT&T bringing smart-phone like features to low-cost phones. Address books from a personal e-mail account to their phone can now be easily synced by the users and they can send photos to the cloud on devices that cost between $20 and $40.
The aim behind the launch of the new services is to train consumers to spend more on monthly data plans and to become more dependent on using their phone for more than calling. The three exclusive services include- AT&T Address Book, Next Generation Messaging and AT&T Mobile Share.
AT&T has also announced four new devices in the category of devices quick messaging,†which is their most popular and fastest category of devices. Samsung Strive, Samsung Sunburst and Pantech Link and Pantach Pursuit are the three new devices. Samsung Strive which is arriving on March 21 will be the first phone with AT&T’s new services.
AT&T completes network trial (USA)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Successful completion of a live network environment field trial of 100-Gigabit backbone network technology has been announced by telco AT&T. new Cisco CRS-3 Carrier Routing System was field tested by AT&T during the trial.
Ixia’s K2†100 Gigabit traffic generator and analyzer along with the Opnext 100 Gigabit CFP client side modules has also been used AT&T. A single-carrier 100G transmission with real-time coherent processing on a 900-km long-haul transport link between Louisiana and Florida has been demonstrated in the trial.
The deployment of 4G network technology was completed by AT&T in 2008 in its US IP backbone network. A team was led by the company in 2008 and 2009 that completed two lab trials of 100G technology, expected to be ready for commercial deployment over the next few years.
Wavelength, real-time, coherent 127G PM-QPSK modem was demonstrated by Opnext during the trials. Opnext’s fully IEEE 802.3ba standards-compliant CFP MSA client optical modules which are fully interoperable with 100 GbE interfaces on IP routers were also included in te demonstration.
AT&T locks Motorola Backflip to avoid non-market apps (USA)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: In order to prevent subscribers from installing non-market apps from unknown sources, the new Android-powered Motorola Backflip smartphone has been locked by telecom operator, AT&T. In the previous Android devices from rival U.S. operators, support for non-market apps as a default option was available.
Earlier, instead of releasing the Backflip with Google’s own search tool, AT&T released it with Yahoo as its default mobile search engine, thus breaking away from Android convention. Google was installed as a default search engine in most and if not all previous Android devices launched in the U.S.
However, Motorola earlier offered Chinese consumers the option to select Baidu as their primary search service.
AT&T goes ‘Green,’ aims to save environment (USA)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: It’s time for the mobile world to go green and after Sprint, AT&T has joined the league to save environment. New standards will be adopted by the operator for its packaging and handset designs with a mission to reduce waste, encourage recycling and reduce its carbon footprint.
Both AT&T and the manufacturers have started working on different methods that could reduce the amount of packaging that goes into its handset boxes, besides reducing the size of the boxes themselves. It has been estimated that 60% less paper and 30% less plastic will be used in its packaging by switching materials from plastic to recycled paper.
Newer and stricter standards are required to be adopted by handset makers to reduce packaging, use non-petroleum based inks and use recycled materials for in-box documentation. AT&T also believes that the GSMA Universal Charging Solution will be complied by majority of new devices, mandating a more energy-efficient charger for new devices. GSMA has already restricted the use of lead, mercury, and other hazardous materials used in electronic equipment and AT&T believes these changes will have a positive impact on the environment.
U.S. mobile operators defend early termination fees
www.WirelessFederation.com/news The use of early termination fees has been defended by U.S. mobile operators in a letter sent to the Federal Communications Commission earlier this week explaining how they are informing consumers about their policies.
Each of the four major wireless carriers, AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel, and T-Mobile USA, along with Google were asked by the FCC in January to detail how they inform customers of their fees in statements on corporate Web sites, in brochures and sales scripts, and in monthly bills. AT&T defended its use of early termination fees (ETFs) by stating that without them, consumers would have to pay more up front for phones.
According to Robert Quinn, AT&T’s senior vice president for federal regulatory affairs, while the vast majority of AT&T’s subscribers choose term commitments and discounted or free handsets, AT&T has millions of month to month and prepaid subscribers.
4G to be only slightly faster than current 3G
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Massive costs, soaring consumer demand for data and the logistical nightmare of setting up tens of thousands of new cell sites- all these factors are going to lower the speed of 4G technology.
3G technology offers speeds of up to 2 megabits per second and broadband delivers 5 megabits per second to the average U.S. household. On the contrary, 4G will generate speeds of at least 100 megabits per second but the road to get there will be tough.
About 10,000 cell sites will have to be installed by the carriers to fully deploy a 4G network and this will cost hundreds and thousands of dollars. The two largest U.S. carriers, Verizon Wireless and AT&T have both announced plans to unveil 4G networks in the next two years based on a new technology called Long Term Evolution (LTE).
The No. 3 wireless carrier, Sprint Nextel claims to have a 4G network in place based on a different technology called WiMAX.
AT&T to open R&D centers with Alca-Lu and Ericsson
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: AT&T Innovation Centers has been planned to be launched by the mobile operator for the development of next-generation devices, applications and equipment with an aim to expand the capabilities of mobile and wired broadband. Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson has also announced to participate in the AT&T Innovation Centers.
The R&D facilities is planned to be opened in at least three locations later this year, namely two locations in the US and one international facility, enabling AT&T scientists and engineers to work directly with device makers, application developers and network equipment providers.
This will accelerate development of an ecosystem of mobile and wired broadband services and capabilities for consumers and business users. Each of the AT&T Innovation Centers will include dedicated facilities and staff focused on application and service development, prototyping, equipment testing and demonstration of emerging capabilities.
Sprint to launch its first 4G smartphone this year (USA)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The current 4G leader, Sprint has announced to introduce its first smartphone before mid-year with an aim to make the greater speed a reality for many businesses over the coming year.
Sprint’s 4G networks reaches about 30 million people in 27 markets and with the addition of Houston, New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Washington by the end of the year; it will expand the footprint to include 120 million people.
Sprint’s 4G WiMAX network has already been launched in 2008 but there have been no handsets to use on it. Apart from Sprint, several other USA carriers has also announced their entry into 4G services with Verizon announcing the introduction of its 4G network later this year using a competing technology called LTE.
AT&T is expected to launch its own LTE network sometime in 2011. Undoubtedly, Sprint’s rush to deliver 4G ahead of its competitors explains its choice of network technology.
AT&T plans LTE network tests (USA)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Three development facilities would be opened by USA telco, AT&T to test network equipment and mobile devices for its next generation of high-speed wireless services. Announcement for a similar offer had been made by Verizon Wireless a year ago.
Boost up of wireless Web access speeds by building new networks based on a technology known as Long Term Evolution (LTE) is the aim of both the telecom operators. It has been reported earlier that that Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson would supply network equipment for AT&T’s LTE service and that the company is waiting until next year to offer LTE service.
According to AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel, the company was setting up two of the development centers in the United States and another outside the country to be closer to technology developers, and it is not ready to announce the location of any of the facilities, or how many people or how much money would be involved in the project.
