USA Plans to Release 115 Mhz of Radio Spectrum
The US Commerce Department has announced through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) that USA is planning to release 115 MHz of radio spectrum for use in wireless broadband service within the next five year plans.
Earlier this year, President Obama committed to make available 500 megahertz of Federal and nonfederal spectrum over the next 10 years. The NTIA has now undertaken a fast-track review to identify some reallocation opportunities that exist in the next five years and to make a down payment on the overall goal.
According to Secretary Gary Locke, the country has identified the first steps for unlocking a significant amount of the spectrum needed to reach the President’s 10-year goal. In implementing this initiative, the Obama administration is seeking to catalyze innovation and private sector investment. This complex undertaking is critical to enhance America’s economic competitiveness at home and abroad and promises to improve our quality of life.
In addition, Secretary Locke and NTIA have also established a plan and timetable for identifying spectrum that can be made available for wireless broadband over the next 10 years, working in collaboration with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and other Federal government agencies.
NTIA released two complementary reports detailing the effort to nearly double commercial wireless spectrum: a Ten-Year Plan and Timetable, as well as a Fast Track Evaluation identifying the 115 megahertz of spectrum to be made available within five years.
Loxley partners MPG for wireless broadband service on TOT (Thailand)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: In order to enhance the operation of its mobile virtual network, Loxley announced its partnership with UK-based Mobile Partners Group (MPG). MPG will provide 3G-2.1GHz wireless broadband service on TOT’s network in greater Bangkok.
Established in 2006, MPG’s purpose was to simplify mobile-service set-ups with selected partners. At present, it also enables brand names or companies that want to enter the mobile business as either an SP (service provider) or MVNO (mobile virtual network operator).
Loxley, 365 Communication, Samart I-Mobile (SIM), IEC and M Consultant were selected by TOT to provide 3G-service on an MVNO basis for its Bangkok network.
Loxley is investing Bt40 million on related systems and will run the service under i-KooL 3G brand. The company aims to lure about 30,000 customers as well as break even within 18 months.
According to executive vice president of Loxley, Suroj Lamsam, Loxley’s 3G services would enhance its close-circuit TV system management, existing IT solutions on fleet management, as well as electricity including water-meter management. All these services are offered to state and private enterprises.
Mobile technologies can boost SMEs
Small businesses in this country are struggling to get to grips with advanced new mobile technologies, despite the advantages they offer, according to the latest findings of the Mobility 2006 research project.
This was among the key conclusions of a study conducted by World Wide Worx as part of its Mobility 2006 project, backed by FNB, Virgin mobile and Verizon Business. In the first phase of the project, entitled: “The impact of mobile technology on SMEs in SA 2006″, 1 152 SMEs were interviewed on their deployment and usage of mobile technologies. The findings reveal that SMEs are at a great disadvantage to large corporates in their ability to make new mobile technologies work for them.
More than half of SMEs, or 53% of respondents, felt they were advanced in their usage of common mobile technologies, like laptops and cellular phones. However, less than a fifth – only 17% of respondents – believed they were advanced in their usage of more complex technologies, like wireless networking and mobile broadband technology.
“We have only seen the start of the adoption of cellphone banking services by SMEs. The challenge will be for banks to design and offer services to SMEs that will give them access to the same services and functionality that big corporates currently have, but at an affordable cost,” says Len Pienaar, CEO of FNB Mobile and Transact Solutions.
Underlining the findings of the SME phase of the research, it was found that only 17% of SMEs who use mobile technologies were using wireless broadband services like 3G and MyWireless, and most respondents did not intend to change their connectivity habits in the next year.
“This emphasises a phenomenon we have come across in related research, which shows that SMEs are resistant to change and require a strong educational approach in any effort to sell new technology to them,” says World Wide Worx MD, Arthur Goldstuck.
It is expected that the next phase of the study, on corporate use of mobile technologies, will show that large organisations are dramatically more advanced in their use of mobile technologies. Preliminary data suggests that they are able to leverage these technologies to give themselves a competitive advantage over those who are at only a basic level of use.
These findings will be further explored at the Mobility 2006 conference in Johannesburg on September 14, which will also see the release of research into consumer usage of mobile technologies in SA, he adds.
“Corporate SA is embracing mobile and wireless technologies at a rapidly increasing pace, but small business is being left behind as the options become too complex and the choice too bewildering,” says Goldstuck, who will present the core findings of the SME and corporate phases of Mobility 2006. “We will address the key question of how the technology can be leveraged to ensure the benefit flows through to all.”
“As we have seen with consumers, whatever mobile service is offered to SMEs, it has to be easy to register for and simple to use,” concludes Pienaar.
Source- http://www.mybroadband.co.za
