Turkcell's Tone & Win, The World's First Ring Back Tone Advertising Platform, Growing Rapidly With Over 200,000 Members
Since the launch of Turkcell's Tone & Win (TonlaKazan) in May 2008 as the world's first RingBackTone (RBT) advertising platform, this loyalty program for subscribers has grown to over 200,000 members, boasting an unconventional, unique and innovative media channel for advertisers to garner brand recognition. Using the Tone & Win platform, Turkcell members select branded content and let their callers listen to a branded RingBackTone instead of a regular ring tone.
Turkcell Business Development Chief Executive Officer Cenk Serdar said, "The Tone & Win platform not only integrates a rewarding loyalty program for our customers with an unconventional new media channel for brands, it also has reached over 200,000 members since its launch, creating more than six million monthly impression in six months. Additionally, the platform is decreasing the churn rates of Turkcell subscribers who are Tone & Win members by giving free text and minutes in return for sending sms/mms ads daily. This new ad-funded business model shows great promise and the potential to surpass other models in mobile marketing."
Turkcell subscribers win airtime or credit depending on the amount of time their callers listen to their RBT advertisement music. On average, a Tone & Win subscriber wins 65 units / 20 minutes monthly, while this number can reach up to 150 units / 40 minutes for some subscribers whose incoming voice call traffic is above average. While during the beta period only a limited amount of members were able to register for Tone & Win, it is now available to all Turkcell subscribers. It is possible to become a member of Tone & Win through Web, Wap and SMS channels. Members select the advertisement music of the brand of their choice as the RBT content they want their social community to listen to.
Fifty different brands have launched 72 campaigns using the Tone & Win platform with a minimum of two weeks duration since May 7, 2008, including Coca Cola, Unilever, P&G, Nestle, Warner Bros and major national Turkish brands such as Garanti, Akbank, Digiturk, Arcelik. At the end of each Tone & Win campaign, Turkcell offers brands exclusive reports containing members' demographics, socioeconomic status, total impressions and total branded RBT seconds listened to by callers.
An example of a successful targeted advertising campaign created through Tone & Win was the November 2008 launch by Warner Bros of a James Bond 007 Quantum Of Solace branded RBT. Only those Tone & Win members who were between the ages of 13-54, male, and living in the 26 Turkish cities where the movie launched, could select this jingle for their social community.
Tone&Win has been shortlisted in GSMA Global Mobile Awards 09' in "Best Mobile Advertising Service" category while Rob Conway, CEO of the GSMA commented "To have been nominated from such a high quality field of more than 450 companies that entered is a tremendous achievement, and we await the announcement of the winners at the next month's Global Mobile Awards evening in Barcelona with great interest.Tone & Win was developed with "4play Digital Workshop," Turkcell's business partner that provides innovative products and ideas.
"Cost Per Listening" pricing model for advertisers
Tone & Win's performance-based pricing model, Cost Per Listening (CPL), charges the brand according to the amount of advertising that has been listened to, thereby providing a completely measurable channel opportunity.
http://www.tonlakazan.com
28 Oca 2009
27 Oca 2009
Solectek Announces a Successful Large Cell WiMAX Deployment with High Desert Internet Services
Solectek Announces a Successful Large Cell WiMAX Deployment with High Desert Internet Services
Solectek Corporation, a manufacturer of broadband wireless equipment, announced a successful fixed WiMAX deployment with High Desert Internet Services (HDIS). Based in Reno, NV, HDIS has been serving the Northern Nevada region with broadband wireless services for 6 years and recently decided a switch to WiMAX infrastructure operating in the 3.65 GHz licensed frequency band.
“This customer experience validates our approach to WiMAX system design, which is to provide maximum coverage area per base station. We are pleased to see our customers taking full advantage of the system’s capabilities,” said Dr. Eric Lee, CEO of Solectek Corporation. “Solectek’s SkyWay-Max system has a much larger coverage area than any other WiMAX system we have tested and has been performing beyond expectations.” says Doug Dawson, President of HDIS.
In addition, Solectek’s SkyWay-Max system is proving its outdoor reliability over inclement winter weather that HDIS recently experienced. Their WiMAX service remained uninterrupted when a violent winter storm in which sustained winds of 100-120 MPH with peaks of 140 MPH were recorded over a 5 hour period in the service area.
Satisfied with their first phases of deployment, HDIS is now rapidly expanding service to other sites and locations. HDIS’s technical team feels confident that they can rely upon the Solectek WiMAX system to execute their business expansion model.
Solectek’s SkyWay-Max WiMAX system features the industry’s most powerful base station and CPEs. Its all-in-one outdoor base station is easy to configure via remote management software provided at no cost to customers. The SkyWay-Max system has the best price/performance ratio in the fixed WiMAX market today.
Solectek Corporation, a manufacturer of broadband wireless equipment, announced a successful fixed WiMAX deployment with High Desert Internet Services (HDIS). Based in Reno, NV, HDIS has been serving the Northern Nevada region with broadband wireless services for 6 years and recently decided a switch to WiMAX infrastructure operating in the 3.65 GHz licensed frequency band.
“This customer experience validates our approach to WiMAX system design, which is to provide maximum coverage area per base station. We are pleased to see our customers taking full advantage of the system’s capabilities,” said Dr. Eric Lee, CEO of Solectek Corporation. “Solectek’s SkyWay-Max system has a much larger coverage area than any other WiMAX system we have tested and has been performing beyond expectations.” says Doug Dawson, President of HDIS.
In addition, Solectek’s SkyWay-Max system is proving its outdoor reliability over inclement winter weather that HDIS recently experienced. Their WiMAX service remained uninterrupted when a violent winter storm in which sustained winds of 100-120 MPH with peaks of 140 MPH were recorded over a 5 hour period in the service area.
Satisfied with their first phases of deployment, HDIS is now rapidly expanding service to other sites and locations. HDIS’s technical team feels confident that they can rely upon the Solectek WiMAX system to execute their business expansion model.
Solectek’s SkyWay-Max WiMAX system features the industry’s most powerful base station and CPEs. Its all-in-one outdoor base station is easy to configure via remote management software provided at no cost to customers. The SkyWay-Max system has the best price/performance ratio in the fixed WiMAX market today.
26 Oca 2009
iPhone Nano rumour
iPhone Nano rumour
According to IdealsChina “iPhone Nano is the same height as the just release Nano but wider and thicker and with the same iPhone 3G contours. It has 3 sensors, camera, mirror screen but no 3G. Production will start on the 20th with 60,000 to 80,000/day pieces coming off the assembly line. Steve Jobs will be announcing it during the January MacWorld Show and you will find it in the stores shortly afterwards.”AT&T 3G MicroCell network extender revealed
AT&T 3G MicroCell network extender revealed
by Chris Davies
There’s an unusually high quantity of femtocell news this morning, as hot on the heels of the Verizon Wireless Network Extender comes word of the AT&T 3G MicroCell.
Yet to be officially announced by the carrier, but revealed in their online setup page, the 3G MicroCell will work with up to four AT&T cellphones simultaneously - though they must all be 3G devices - using your broadband connection to carry voice and data traffic in areas of poor cellular network coverage.
The AT&T 3G MicroCell itself is made by Cisco, and is presumably one of the fruits of the company’s January 2008 investment in femtocell specialist ip.access. As with the Sprint and Verizon femtocells, AT&T’s will allow you to select which handsets will work with the 3G MicroCell, and cover a 5,000 square foot area. Like Sprint’s AIRAVE, it will also seemingly offer a service plan, though whether it’s mandatory or optional is not yet clear:
“Unlimited nationwide calling: With the 3G MicroCell, you have the option of unlimited minutes in the home or on any 3G MicroCell with a 3G MicroCell service plan”
The phrasing would suggest that unlimited calling can be subscribed to, but that without it use of the 3G MicroCell will count against a user’s normal cellphone plan inclusive minutes. Use will only be permitted within AT&T service areas, as the femtocell has a GPS puck that prevents it being set up abroad.
No word on pricing or availability, but given the new page on AT&T’s own site it looks imminent.
by Chris Davies
There’s an unusually high quantity of femtocell news this morning, as hot on the heels of the Verizon Wireless Network Extender comes word of the AT&T 3G MicroCell.
Yet to be officially announced by the carrier, but revealed in their online setup page, the 3G MicroCell will work with up to four AT&T cellphones simultaneously - though they must all be 3G devices - using your broadband connection to carry voice and data traffic in areas of poor cellular network coverage.
The AT&T 3G MicroCell itself is made by Cisco, and is presumably one of the fruits of the company’s January 2008 investment in femtocell specialist ip.access. As with the Sprint and Verizon femtocells, AT&T’s will allow you to select which handsets will work with the 3G MicroCell, and cover a 5,000 square foot area. Like Sprint’s AIRAVE, it will also seemingly offer a service plan, though whether it’s mandatory or optional is not yet clear:
“Unlimited nationwide calling: With the 3G MicroCell, you have the option of unlimited minutes in the home or on any 3G MicroCell with a 3G MicroCell service plan”
The phrasing would suggest that unlimited calling can be subscribed to, but that without it use of the 3G MicroCell will count against a user’s normal cellphone plan inclusive minutes. Use will only be permitted within AT&T service areas, as the femtocell has a GPS puck that prevents it being set up abroad.
No word on pricing or availability, but given the new page on AT&T’s own site it looks imminent.
Verizon Introduces Its First Femtocell: the Network Extender
Verizon Introduces Its First Femtocell: the Network Extender
by Ed Hardy
Verizon Wireless has just begun offering the Network Extender, an accessory that acts as a personal cell phone tower, allowing the user to make calls in locations where the general cellular coverage does not reach.
The hardware is $250, and there is no additional charge for using it, but it does require access to a DSL or cable modem connection to the Internet. This is because the Network Extender essentially turns a standard Verizon phone into a VoIP device, where all calls go over the user's Internet connection.
If the customer has a data plan on their smartphone, they will still be able to access the Internet on the mobile device when connected to the Network Extender, but Verizon warns that that data transfer will be slower than EV-DO connections.
To learn more, or to purchase this accessory, visit Verizon's website.
Again, unlike typical VoIP setup, the Network Extender doesn't require a special phone, as it uses Verizon's standard wireless technologies. This carrier promises 100% compatibility.
Rise of the Femtocells
The Network Extender is part of a class of accessories called femtocells, and Verizon isn't the only U.S. carrier interested in them. Another is AT&T, who isn't quite as far along, but is planning a significant trial of this technology later this year.
The carriers are embracing this idea because it saves them money. Instead of them having to invest in additional hardware to extend their coverage into hard-to-reach places, it can get its customers to pay for the necessary equipment.
by Ed Hardy
Verizon Wireless has just begun offering the Network Extender, an accessory that acts as a personal cell phone tower, allowing the user to make calls in locations where the general cellular coverage does not reach.
The hardware is $250, and there is no additional charge for using it, but it does require access to a DSL or cable modem connection to the Internet. This is because the Network Extender essentially turns a standard Verizon phone into a VoIP device, where all calls go over the user's Internet connection.
If the customer has a data plan on their smartphone, they will still be able to access the Internet on the mobile device when connected to the Network Extender, but Verizon warns that that data transfer will be slower than EV-DO connections.
To learn more, or to purchase this accessory, visit Verizon's website.
Again, unlike typical VoIP setup, the Network Extender doesn't require a special phone, as it uses Verizon's standard wireless technologies. This carrier promises 100% compatibility.
Rise of the Femtocells
The Network Extender is part of a class of accessories called femtocells, and Verizon isn't the only U.S. carrier interested in them. Another is AT&T, who isn't quite as far along, but is planning a significant trial of this technology later this year.
The carriers are embracing this idea because it saves them money. Instead of them having to invest in additional hardware to extend their coverage into hard-to-reach places, it can get its customers to pay for the necessary equipment.
Nokia stops N810 WiMax Edition Internet Tablet
Nokia stops N810 WiMax Edition Internet Tablet
Less than a year after being publicly unveiled, Nokia is stopping production of its spunky N810 WiMax Edition Internet tablet, probably because there's not as much WiMax penetration as would be needed. The N810 without WiMax is still being produced.
You can still find them on the Web, however. I've used an N810 WiMax Edition and it's a good little device. It's compatible with Clearwire's WiMax system and fits somewhere between an iPhone and a Netbook in an interesting niche that might explode this year.
There are rumors that both Microsoft and Apple are working on similar devices (Microsoft's based on the Surface technology; Apple's a blown-up version of the iPod Touch), but it's still too early to say that such devices--if they ever exist--will use WiMax.
If they do, we could see another WiMax tablet from Nokia, but we're not making any bets yet.
Less than a year after being publicly unveiled, Nokia is stopping production of its spunky N810 WiMax Edition Internet tablet, probably because there's not as much WiMax penetration as would be needed. The N810 without WiMax is still being produced.
You can still find them on the Web, however. I've used an N810 WiMax Edition and it's a good little device. It's compatible with Clearwire's WiMax system and fits somewhere between an iPhone and a Netbook in an interesting niche that might explode this year.
There are rumors that both Microsoft and Apple are working on similar devices (Microsoft's based on the Surface technology; Apple's a blown-up version of the iPod Touch), but it's still too early to say that such devices--if they ever exist--will use WiMax.
If they do, we could see another WiMax tablet from Nokia, but we're not making any bets yet.
WiMAX Forum launches Global Roaming Program
WiMAX Forum launches Global Roaming Program
By Marin Perez
The WiMax Forum has introduced a global roaming program that enables operators and vendors to get the information to create WiMax roaming services.
This is an important step for the 4G technology, as it potentially enables WiMax subscribers to get service while moving outside of their home network's geographical coverage area. It also enables device manufacturers to create products that can utilize multiple WiMax networks from different providers.
"Member companies have yet another tool to facilitate the advancement of their WiMax technology innovations and make 4G a seamless experience for customers," said John Dubois, global roaming director of WiMax Forum, in a statement. "We are already beginning to see how WiMax technology will drastically improve the next generation of broadband applications and services, and this roaming readiness program is another example of how the WiMax ecosystem is working to extend the availability of services to subscribers."
With a theoretical speed of 75 Mbps downlink speed, WiMax blows the current 3G networks out of the water. WiMax also has a time-to-market advantage over other 4G competitors, as Sprint already has live networks in Baltimore and Portland, Ore.
But most of the large telecoms around the globe like Vodafone and AT&T are backing Long-Term Evolution technology for the next mobile broadband network. The LTE standard is still being finalized and networks are expected to be rolled out in 2010 or earlier.
While many businesses are still implementing 3G connections for their mobile workers, WiMax and LTE could represent a substantial productivity boost. But the looming 4G battle may make enterprises wary about what technology to adopt. InformationWeek broke down the positives and negatives of the next generation of mobile broadband, and the report can be found here (PDF).
By Marin Perez
The WiMax Forum has introduced a global roaming program that enables operators and vendors to get the information to create WiMax roaming services.
This is an important step for the 4G technology, as it potentially enables WiMax subscribers to get service while moving outside of their home network's geographical coverage area. It also enables device manufacturers to create products that can utilize multiple WiMax networks from different providers.
"Member companies have yet another tool to facilitate the advancement of their WiMax technology innovations and make 4G a seamless experience for customers," said John Dubois, global roaming director of WiMax Forum, in a statement. "We are already beginning to see how WiMax technology will drastically improve the next generation of broadband applications and services, and this roaming readiness program is another example of how the WiMax ecosystem is working to extend the availability of services to subscribers."
With a theoretical speed of 75 Mbps downlink speed, WiMax blows the current 3G networks out of the water. WiMax also has a time-to-market advantage over other 4G competitors, as Sprint already has live networks in Baltimore and Portland, Ore.
But most of the large telecoms around the globe like Vodafone and AT&T are backing Long-Term Evolution technology for the next mobile broadband network. The LTE standard is still being finalized and networks are expected to be rolled out in 2010 or earlier.
While many businesses are still implementing 3G connections for their mobile workers, WiMax and LTE could represent a substantial productivity boost. But the looming 4G battle may make enterprises wary about what technology to adopt. InformationWeek broke down the positives and negatives of the next generation of mobile broadband, and the report can be found here (PDF).
23 Oca 2009
Turkcell submitted an offer to acquire Macedonian Cosmofon
Turkcell submitted an offer to acquire Macedonian Cosmofon
Turkish mobile operator Turkcell has submitted a non-binding offer to acquire Macedonian mobile operator Cosmofon from Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation's (OTE) of Greece, Reuters reports citing Koray Ozturkler, a senior Turkcell official, as saying. Other firms thought to be interested in purchasing the operator include Telekom Austria Telekom Slovenije and Turkish fixed line operator Turk Telekom.
The Greek parent is looking to offload the company for between EUR250-EUR300 million (USD336-USD402 million), following Deutsche Telekom (DT’s) acquisition of a strategic stake in the Greek incumbent. The German giant also controls T-Mobile Macedonia and FYROM competition authorities recently ruled that as Cosmofon and T-Mobile collectively control more than 90% of the domestic mobile market, DT must sell one of them to avoid a monopoly situation arising. The search for a new owner began after the Macedonian Competition Agency released a document stating that the agreement between DT and OTE creates a monopoly on the mobile telephony market.
Turkish mobile operator Turkcell has submitted a non-binding offer to acquire Macedonian mobile operator Cosmofon from Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation's (OTE) of Greece, Reuters reports citing Koray Ozturkler, a senior Turkcell official, as saying. Other firms thought to be interested in purchasing the operator include Telekom Austria Telekom Slovenije and Turkish fixed line operator Turk Telekom.
The Greek parent is looking to offload the company for between EUR250-EUR300 million (USD336-USD402 million), following Deutsche Telekom (DT’s) acquisition of a strategic stake in the Greek incumbent. The German giant also controls T-Mobile Macedonia and FYROM competition authorities recently ruled that as Cosmofon and T-Mobile collectively control more than 90% of the domestic mobile market, DT must sell one of them to avoid a monopoly situation arising. The search for a new owner began after the Macedonian Competition Agency released a document stating that the agreement between DT and OTE creates a monopoly on the mobile telephony market.
Microsoft may cut up to 5000 jobs, Seagate to cut 2950 jobs, Intel to close five plants
Microsoft may cut up to 5000 jobs, Seagate to cut 2950 jobs, Intel to close five plants
Microsoft Corp. on Thursday reported an 11% drop in fiscal second-quarter profit and said it may cut up to 5,000 jobs as demand weakened for its Windows software. The Redmond, Wash.-based company also said it would cease giving per-share forecasts for the rest of 2009 because of the uncertainty caused by a slumping U.S. and global economy. In the final three months of 2008, meanwhile, Microsoft said earnings fell to $4.17 billion, from $4.71 billion in the year-earlier quarter. Revenue edged up slightly to $16.63 billion from $16.4 billion from a year ago.
Intel Corp., the world’s largest maker of computer processors, said yesterday that it will close five older plants. Seagate Technology, the biggest maker of hard-disk drives, announced plans this month to trim 2,950 positions, or 6 percent of its global workforce.
Microsoft Corp. on Thursday reported an 11% drop in fiscal second-quarter profit and said it may cut up to 5,000 jobs as demand weakened for its Windows software. The Redmond, Wash.-based company also said it would cease giving per-share forecasts for the rest of 2009 because of the uncertainty caused by a slumping U.S. and global economy. In the final three months of 2008, meanwhile, Microsoft said earnings fell to $4.17 billion, from $4.71 billion in the year-earlier quarter. Revenue edged up slightly to $16.63 billion from $16.4 billion from a year ago.
Intel Corp., the world’s largest maker of computer processors, said yesterday that it will close five older plants. Seagate Technology, the biggest maker of hard-disk drives, announced plans this month to trim 2,950 positions, or 6 percent of its global workforce.
19 Oca 2009
BSNL's WiMax rollout will begin from Ahmedabad
BSNL's WiMax rollout will begin from Ahmedabad
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), the country's largest public sector telecom company, will roll out worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMax) services beginning with Ahmedabad anytime this month, a company source told DNA Money. BSNL will spend Rs 1,600 crore on the deployment of WiMax, which enables wireless transmission of data. In 2007, the company pilot-tested the technology in eight cities across India. Though these tests were conducted in cities, BSNL would focus on deploying WiMax in rural areas, sources said. It has set a target of bringing 25,000 villages under the service within a year.
Information released by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) shows that BSNL received spectrum in the 2.5-MHz band in three circles. In the first phase, it will roll out mobile WiMax technology, for which it has partnered with SOMA Networks, in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
However, one problem could be that the telecom company is deploying WiMax on frequency division duplex (FDD) mode that does not conform to international standards for the technology. FDD and time division duplex (TDD) are two different modes of downlinking and uplinking data in wireless transmissions. WiMax uses TDD, which is compatible with its equipment. Device-makers and solution firms also support that mode.
Besides, the deployment of the technology may be delayed due to DoT's dilly-dallying over the auction of Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) spectrum, on which WiMax works.
The finance ministry wants the reserve price for 3G and BWA spectrum doubled and the proposal is now with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). However, a Trai official denied receiving any such proposal from the finance ministry. Despite these, the government has set an ambitious target of 20 million broadband subscribers by 2010.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), the country's largest public sector telecom company, will roll out worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMax) services beginning with Ahmedabad anytime this month, a company source told DNA Money. BSNL will spend Rs 1,600 crore on the deployment of WiMax, which enables wireless transmission of data. In 2007, the company pilot-tested the technology in eight cities across India. Though these tests were conducted in cities, BSNL would focus on deploying WiMax in rural areas, sources said. It has set a target of bringing 25,000 villages under the service within a year.
Information released by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) shows that BSNL received spectrum in the 2.5-MHz band in three circles. In the first phase, it will roll out mobile WiMax technology, for which it has partnered with SOMA Networks, in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
However, one problem could be that the telecom company is deploying WiMax on frequency division duplex (FDD) mode that does not conform to international standards for the technology. FDD and time division duplex (TDD) are two different modes of downlinking and uplinking data in wireless transmissions. WiMax uses TDD, which is compatible with its equipment. Device-makers and solution firms also support that mode.
Besides, the deployment of the technology may be delayed due to DoT's dilly-dallying over the auction of Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) spectrum, on which WiMax works.
The finance ministry wants the reserve price for 3G and BWA spectrum doubled and the proposal is now with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). However, a Trai official denied receiving any such proposal from the finance ministry. Despite these, the government has set an ambitious target of 20 million broadband subscribers by 2010.
Google Fires Up SAAS Reseller Program for GAPE
Google Fires Up SAAS Reseller Program for GAPE
By Clint Boulton
Google announces a reseller program to help its Google Apps Premier Edition gain more traction among enterprise applications users. In March, companies will be able to sell Google's messaging and collaboration applications, including Google Docs, Google Sites and Gmail, directly to businesses, setting their own rates and billing them directly. The SAAS effort signals that Google's cloud computing efforts are maturing as alternatives to on-premises software from Microsoft, IBM and others.
Google Jan. 14 launched a reseller program to let technology providers sell and support its Google Apps Premier Edition suite of collaboration applications to other businesses, a sign that the cloud computing ecosystem is maturing in the enterprise.
The GAPE reseller program has actually been live for several quarters for 50 pilot partners, including IT company SADA Systems and technology solutions provider Revevol. But with more than 1 million businesses using Google applications, the search and SAAS (software as a service) vendor decided it was time to roll out the program for the business world at large. For $50 per user, per year, GAPE includes Google Docs word processing, spreadsheet and presentation applications, Gmail, the Google Sites wiki, and Google Video for businesses applications. Google hosts these applications on its servers to save customers the costs and time associated with purchasing, configuring and maintaining hardware and software infrastructure.
Hundreds of thousands of businesses use GAPE as a complement or outright alternative to productivity software from Microsoft and IBM, which resides on users' computers or company servers. The reseller program is an attempt to help Google extend its purview in SAAS, where Salesforce.com and thousands of nascent companies are looking to find their niche. Stephen Cho, director of Google Apps Channels, told eWEEK that Google plans to serve resellers of any size, from small IT shops to the largest global systems integrators, offering U.S. resellers a 20 percent discount on GAPE.
This means resellers will have to pay Google $40 for every user they serve, but because resellers can set their own terms and bill customers directly, they can charge what they want above the $40 to make money.
Similar discounts will be offered to resellers in other geographies. Cho, who said Google looked at external vendors as well as its own Postini security applications reseller program as a model for the new program, explained:
We just simply reached a point where we felt the product was sufficiently ready, the customer demand was officially there and we continued to hear more and more from partners who were working with us from the services side that they were ready to ramp up and engage with us.
With training and support from Google, resellers will do their own marketing and product promotion, set their customers up and get them running on Google Apps.
Resellers may also bundle additional services and support with Google Apps, including user education and training and synchronization tools for e-mail and data migration, desktop and mobile clients, and interoperability.
To help with this, Google has created a portal for resellers that hosts business and technical information and online discussion groups. There are reseller tools for setting up business customers and provisioning and managing end users, as well as REST-based APIs to help resellers integrate with their intended customers.
By Clint Boulton
Google announces a reseller program to help its Google Apps Premier Edition gain more traction among enterprise applications users. In March, companies will be able to sell Google's messaging and collaboration applications, including Google Docs, Google Sites and Gmail, directly to businesses, setting their own rates and billing them directly. The SAAS effort signals that Google's cloud computing efforts are maturing as alternatives to on-premises software from Microsoft, IBM and others.
Google Jan. 14 launched a reseller program to let technology providers sell and support its Google Apps Premier Edition suite of collaboration applications to other businesses, a sign that the cloud computing ecosystem is maturing in the enterprise.
The GAPE reseller program has actually been live for several quarters for 50 pilot partners, including IT company SADA Systems and technology solutions provider Revevol. But with more than 1 million businesses using Google applications, the search and SAAS (software as a service) vendor decided it was time to roll out the program for the business world at large. For $50 per user, per year, GAPE includes Google Docs word processing, spreadsheet and presentation applications, Gmail, the Google Sites wiki, and Google Video for businesses applications. Google hosts these applications on its servers to save customers the costs and time associated with purchasing, configuring and maintaining hardware and software infrastructure.
Hundreds of thousands of businesses use GAPE as a complement or outright alternative to productivity software from Microsoft and IBM, which resides on users' computers or company servers. The reseller program is an attempt to help Google extend its purview in SAAS, where Salesforce.com and thousands of nascent companies are looking to find their niche. Stephen Cho, director of Google Apps Channels, told eWEEK that Google plans to serve resellers of any size, from small IT shops to the largest global systems integrators, offering U.S. resellers a 20 percent discount on GAPE.
This means resellers will have to pay Google $40 for every user they serve, but because resellers can set their own terms and bill customers directly, they can charge what they want above the $40 to make money.
Similar discounts will be offered to resellers in other geographies. Cho, who said Google looked at external vendors as well as its own Postini security applications reseller program as a model for the new program, explained:
We just simply reached a point where we felt the product was sufficiently ready, the customer demand was officially there and we continued to hear more and more from partners who were working with us from the services side that they were ready to ramp up and engage with us.
With training and support from Google, resellers will do their own marketing and product promotion, set their customers up and get them running on Google Apps.
Resellers may also bundle additional services and support with Google Apps, including user education and training and synchronization tools for e-mail and data migration, desktop and mobile clients, and interoperability.
To help with this, Google has created a portal for resellers that hosts business and technical information and online discussion groups. There are reseller tools for setting up business customers and provisioning and managing end users, as well as REST-based APIs to help resellers integrate with their intended customers.
Nortel Netaş president Müjdat Altay: Turkey can become telecom hub
Nortel Netaş president Müjdat Altay: Turkey can become telecom hub
Nortel Netaş, Turkey’s largest private telecommunications technology group, plans to grow by investing in cutting-edge technology and R&D projects, a senior company official has said.
C. Müjdat Altay, president of İstanbul-based Nortel Netaş Telecommunication Co., told Let’s Talk Business that Turkey could become a strategic hub in the region’s telecommunication infrastructure. He also explained how the company has diversified its market portfolio and minimized risk exposure during the crisis. Altay said Nortel Netaş will grow by bringing the latest technological developments to the Turkish market, such as cutting-edge VoIP, multimedia, fiber optic, and next-generation wired and wireless solutions.
“We have already drawn up our contingency plans and prepared to manage the crisis,” Altay said. “Nortel Netaş serves different sectors ranging from big clients, like Türk Telekom, mobile carriers and defense establishments, to small and medium-size enterprises.” The company posted $115.8 million in total sales in 2007. Its results for the third quarter of 2008 -- the most recent publicly available figures -- totaled $98.9 million. “This shows our total turnover for the last year will easily exceed the 2007 figure,” Altay said.
The company also expects to keep its lead in exporting software products in Turkey; those sales had reached $52.8 million as of the third quarter in 2008. Employing more than 1,000 engineers, Nortel Netaş commands one of the largest R&D departments in the country, certainly the biggest in the communication sector. “We do not apply for patents for our software solutions, which at times run over 50 million lines of programming language,” he said, adding that the company does not want to reveal commercial secrets and coding in its applications. The strategy is in line with major software companies that shy away from filing patents most of the time to keep its coding secret.
It is no surprise that Nortel Netaş’s top man feels passionate about R&D as he is an engineer by education and has invested 33 years of his career in the company. “I think Turkey has caught an important opportunity at this juncture to turn itself a nation with a significant lead in R&D,” he said. He mentioned that conditions for R&D are ripe and that Turkey has all it needs to become an important player in the world’s scientific and technological advancement.
“You simply can’t succeed in trying to move the country into the top 10 economies of the world if you do not invest in R&D,” he said. Altay believes Turkey has a qualified and talented pool of young engineers to support this strategy.
“If you look at the number of students who compete on university entrance exams every year, you would see the top 10,000 students out of 1.2 million applicants choose engineering as their major,” he said, adding that “the case in Europe and the US is not the same.”
Altay also pointed out that the aging population in the West created an advantage for the Turkish economy. “What Turkey can do is create businesses that serve the needs of other countries, especially European clients,” he noted. “What is more, you do not need to move people to other countries because of the rapid development in the fields of technology and communication. You can easily provide services to international clients right here in Turkey.”
In fact, Nortel Netaş seems to have done just that. Seeing an opportunity in the new government plan to support R&D and provide incentives for the long run in 2004, the company decided to expand its R&D staff from 200 to more than 1,000. “We are expecting to grow into a team of 1,500 engineers by 2011 provided that market conditions justify such an expansion,” Altay said.
Solutions for Turkish military
A majority of the shares in Nortel Netaş -- 53 percent -- is owned by global giant Nortel Networks, North America’s largest telephone maker, which delivers communication services to hundreds of millions around the world. The second major shareholder is the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation, with a 15 percent share. The rest of the shares are traded on the İstanbul Stock Exchange (İMKB). It is no surprise that Nortel Netaş has played a significant role in the modernization of the Turkish defense communication network through systems locally designed and produced to meet the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). “We have 130 engineers dedicated to producing high-tech solutions for the Turkish military, such as ruggedized communication equipment,” Altay said.
Nortel has been active in Turkey since 1967, when it was first established as a joint venture between Turkish PTT (now partially privatized) and Northern Electric Company Limited (Nortel Networks Corp.) of Canada with the aim of supplying Turkey with locally manufactured telecommunications equipment. With more than 30,000 business customers, Nortel Netaş is the leading provider for communication infrastructure in the country. Its major clients are Türk Telekom (switching and data network equipment) and mobile operators. The service also includes end-to-end broadband, VoIP, multimedia services and applications, and wireless broadband services.
Building on its 40 years in the Turkish market, Nortel decided to establish a Global Operations Center of Excellence in Istanbul, one of two such centers in the world. The center, which became operational in April 2007, provides technical and operational support for more than 30 Nortel customer networks in more than 65 countries with mobile, converged, metro Ethernet and optical networks. “We are very strong in VOIP technology,” Altay said. “We work in coordination with other centers in India, China, Europe and the US.”
Turkey:Technology-producing country
Altay strongly believes that Turkey needs to be a technology-producing country rather than a transferring one. “Otherwise you always stay one step behind your competitors,” he stressed. He also said Nortel Netaş has contributed a great deal to Turkey’s technological development and will continue to do so. “We have created a synergy in our workforce here, and sometimes our engineers stay late at night to continue their work even though nobody asked them to do so,” he added. As he climbed the corporate ladder from an entry level position as an engineer to become the top man, he knows almost everyone in management on a first-name basis and is familiar with operations in every department.
Altay calls his young workforce “global engineers” and describes them as “very dedicated.” “The company no longer places job ads asking for experienced engineers,” he said. “Where else will they get the experience they need?” He also stressed that Nortel Netaş needs fresh minds that can think outside the box and be creative. The company provides training for its new hires and runs a master’s program with the İstanbul-based Yeditepe University to attract young graduates. “We provided 13,000 hours of training last year,” he said, stressing that education is key.
The Nortel Netaş president also believes Turkey can be a major hub in telecommunication in its region. “The infrastructure is much better compared with that of its neighbors,” he said. “We also have the technology and manpower to accomplish it.” Just as Turkey is a natural gas and energy corridor between East and West, it can also be a corridor that links the world’s communications, he noted.
Stressing that Turkey’s location is crucial, Altay said that “the only place that makes sense in laying out fiber lines between Asia/Middle East and the Europe/Mediterranean basin is Turkey.” He pointed out that current bandwidth can’t fully accommodate satellite technology and that fiber optic lines are necessary to expand communication and provide better performance.
Altay hopes the success of Nortel Netaş will lure other technology firms to develop and invest in R&D programs in Turkey. “It seems like we finally have a long-term R&D policy in place in Turkey that transcends governments,” he said.
“Here we are producing world-class technology and can compete with many international companies.”
Nortel has recently scored major deals recently in the Turkish market. Yapi Merkezi, a Turkish construction company, selected Nortel Netaş to supply the telecommunications solution for the Polatlı to Konya section of the Turkish high-speed railway project. The contract, valued at 4 million euros, will provide a fast, reliable and safe transportation infrastructure to ensure the convenience, safety and comfort of rail passengers across Turkey. Turk Telekom has also selected a Nortel IP Powered Business communications solution to unlock opportunities for new service revenue by providing carrier-grade voice and multimedia services to businesses and consumers throughout Turkey.
Nortel Netaş’s top man dismissed claims and rumors about Nortel, its majority stake holder, and said 90 percent of reports and coverage are based on rumors. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Nortel has been seeking bankruptcy protection and has been looking for ways to secure a loan from the Canadian government. “We base our analysis on public statements released by Nortel, and we do not see any problem with the parent company,” he said. The Nortel spokesman said last month that the company had no debt maturing until 2011 and was preserving and strengthening its cash position. Speculation arose after Nortel posted a $3.4 billion loss in the last quarter.
Radio mechanic became top man in Nortel Netaş
C. Müjdat Altay had decided to be engineer when he was a kid. “I was fixing old Philips tube radios that used to go bad all the time,” he said. Soon after, he started to repair radios in his neighborhood. He recalls he was fascinated with the operation and the layout of those tube-powered old radio and amplifiers. He is a graduate of İstanbul Technical University, where he studied in the electronic and communication department. “I guess the communication side outweighed the electronic side,” he said, pointing to his 33-year R&D career in the communications field.
He established his own business with two of his friends after graduation, and they started to manufacture relays and switches for automated door lights in a makeshift apartment workshop. “We used to sell them to electric shop owners one by one,” he recalled. He later completed his graduate studies at Boğaziçi University in İstanbul and landed a job as an R&D engineer with Nortel Netaş in 1981. He climbed the corporate ladder to become general manager in 2004. He likes to read, listen to classical music and play tennis. He has very strict policy at the dinner table: No TV. “At first the kids complained, but now they like listening music while we are having supper and enjoy family conversation,” he said.
Turkey's R&D industry
Turkey’s gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) totaled $4.3 billion in 2008. In terms of percentage, GERD accounted 0.70 percent of the country’s GDP in 2006. Turkey ranked 25th in terms of R&D spending for 2008, according to the 2008 Global R&D Report issued by US-based monthly magazine R&D. Turkey received 6,188 patent applications in 2007, 70 percent of which came from foreign applicants.
Nortel Netaş President Müjdat Altay believes government needs to subsidize R&D until spending for it reaches 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). “It needs to be a long-term policy, going well over 10 to 20 years,” he said.
“At 1 percent of GDP, we can talk about an R&D culture in Turkey. At 2 percent, we can safely say it is in line with world standards.” He also said the only subsidy allowed for governments under the guidelines issued by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the global economy today is to provide funding for R&D. Altay believes Turkey can play an important role for its immediate geographic area if it succeeds in this R&D policy.
A new R&D law came into effect as of April 1 in Turkey and introduced incentives and support for investors in R&D activities, through tax incentives and land allocations. According to the new law, incentives will be granted regardless of sector or industry until 2024 for companies that employ at least 50 staff members in their R&D departments. The law also covers companies that have no production plant here but would like to establish an R&D facility in Turkey. The state guarantees an 80 percent reduction in personal income tax for people who are employed in R&D, plus the employer gets a 50 percent break on social security payments for five years. Companies can deduct all R&D expenses from taxes.
Nortel Netaş, Turkey’s largest private telecommunications technology group, plans to grow by investing in cutting-edge technology and R&D projects, a senior company official has said.
C. Müjdat Altay, president of İstanbul-based Nortel Netaş Telecommunication Co., told Let’s Talk Business that Turkey could become a strategic hub in the region’s telecommunication infrastructure. He also explained how the company has diversified its market portfolio and minimized risk exposure during the crisis. Altay said Nortel Netaş will grow by bringing the latest technological developments to the Turkish market, such as cutting-edge VoIP, multimedia, fiber optic, and next-generation wired and wireless solutions.
“We have already drawn up our contingency plans and prepared to manage the crisis,” Altay said. “Nortel Netaş serves different sectors ranging from big clients, like Türk Telekom, mobile carriers and defense establishments, to small and medium-size enterprises.” The company posted $115.8 million in total sales in 2007. Its results for the third quarter of 2008 -- the most recent publicly available figures -- totaled $98.9 million. “This shows our total turnover for the last year will easily exceed the 2007 figure,” Altay said.
The company also expects to keep its lead in exporting software products in Turkey; those sales had reached $52.8 million as of the third quarter in 2008. Employing more than 1,000 engineers, Nortel Netaş commands one of the largest R&D departments in the country, certainly the biggest in the communication sector. “We do not apply for patents for our software solutions, which at times run over 50 million lines of programming language,” he said, adding that the company does not want to reveal commercial secrets and coding in its applications. The strategy is in line with major software companies that shy away from filing patents most of the time to keep its coding secret.
It is no surprise that Nortel Netaş’s top man feels passionate about R&D as he is an engineer by education and has invested 33 years of his career in the company. “I think Turkey has caught an important opportunity at this juncture to turn itself a nation with a significant lead in R&D,” he said. He mentioned that conditions for R&D are ripe and that Turkey has all it needs to become an important player in the world’s scientific and technological advancement.
“You simply can’t succeed in trying to move the country into the top 10 economies of the world if you do not invest in R&D,” he said. Altay believes Turkey has a qualified and talented pool of young engineers to support this strategy.
“If you look at the number of students who compete on university entrance exams every year, you would see the top 10,000 students out of 1.2 million applicants choose engineering as their major,” he said, adding that “the case in Europe and the US is not the same.”
Altay also pointed out that the aging population in the West created an advantage for the Turkish economy. “What Turkey can do is create businesses that serve the needs of other countries, especially European clients,” he noted. “What is more, you do not need to move people to other countries because of the rapid development in the fields of technology and communication. You can easily provide services to international clients right here in Turkey.”
In fact, Nortel Netaş seems to have done just that. Seeing an opportunity in the new government plan to support R&D and provide incentives for the long run in 2004, the company decided to expand its R&D staff from 200 to more than 1,000. “We are expecting to grow into a team of 1,500 engineers by 2011 provided that market conditions justify such an expansion,” Altay said.
Solutions for Turkish military
A majority of the shares in Nortel Netaş -- 53 percent -- is owned by global giant Nortel Networks, North America’s largest telephone maker, which delivers communication services to hundreds of millions around the world. The second major shareholder is the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation, with a 15 percent share. The rest of the shares are traded on the İstanbul Stock Exchange (İMKB). It is no surprise that Nortel Netaş has played a significant role in the modernization of the Turkish defense communication network through systems locally designed and produced to meet the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). “We have 130 engineers dedicated to producing high-tech solutions for the Turkish military, such as ruggedized communication equipment,” Altay said.
Nortel has been active in Turkey since 1967, when it was first established as a joint venture between Turkish PTT (now partially privatized) and Northern Electric Company Limited (Nortel Networks Corp.) of Canada with the aim of supplying Turkey with locally manufactured telecommunications equipment. With more than 30,000 business customers, Nortel Netaş is the leading provider for communication infrastructure in the country. Its major clients are Türk Telekom (switching and data network equipment) and mobile operators. The service also includes end-to-end broadband, VoIP, multimedia services and applications, and wireless broadband services.
Building on its 40 years in the Turkish market, Nortel decided to establish a Global Operations Center of Excellence in Istanbul, one of two such centers in the world. The center, which became operational in April 2007, provides technical and operational support for more than 30 Nortel customer networks in more than 65 countries with mobile, converged, metro Ethernet and optical networks. “We are very strong in VOIP technology,” Altay said. “We work in coordination with other centers in India, China, Europe and the US.”
Turkey:Technology-producing country
Altay strongly believes that Turkey needs to be a technology-producing country rather than a transferring one. “Otherwise you always stay one step behind your competitors,” he stressed. He also said Nortel Netaş has contributed a great deal to Turkey’s technological development and will continue to do so. “We have created a synergy in our workforce here, and sometimes our engineers stay late at night to continue their work even though nobody asked them to do so,” he added. As he climbed the corporate ladder from an entry level position as an engineer to become the top man, he knows almost everyone in management on a first-name basis and is familiar with operations in every department.
Altay calls his young workforce “global engineers” and describes them as “very dedicated.” “The company no longer places job ads asking for experienced engineers,” he said. “Where else will they get the experience they need?” He also stressed that Nortel Netaş needs fresh minds that can think outside the box and be creative. The company provides training for its new hires and runs a master’s program with the İstanbul-based Yeditepe University to attract young graduates. “We provided 13,000 hours of training last year,” he said, stressing that education is key.
The Nortel Netaş president also believes Turkey can be a major hub in telecommunication in its region. “The infrastructure is much better compared with that of its neighbors,” he said. “We also have the technology and manpower to accomplish it.” Just as Turkey is a natural gas and energy corridor between East and West, it can also be a corridor that links the world’s communications, he noted.
Stressing that Turkey’s location is crucial, Altay said that “the only place that makes sense in laying out fiber lines between Asia/Middle East and the Europe/Mediterranean basin is Turkey.” He pointed out that current bandwidth can’t fully accommodate satellite technology and that fiber optic lines are necessary to expand communication and provide better performance.
Altay hopes the success of Nortel Netaş will lure other technology firms to develop and invest in R&D programs in Turkey. “It seems like we finally have a long-term R&D policy in place in Turkey that transcends governments,” he said.
“Here we are producing world-class technology and can compete with many international companies.”
Nortel has recently scored major deals recently in the Turkish market. Yapi Merkezi, a Turkish construction company, selected Nortel Netaş to supply the telecommunications solution for the Polatlı to Konya section of the Turkish high-speed railway project. The contract, valued at 4 million euros, will provide a fast, reliable and safe transportation infrastructure to ensure the convenience, safety and comfort of rail passengers across Turkey. Turk Telekom has also selected a Nortel IP Powered Business communications solution to unlock opportunities for new service revenue by providing carrier-grade voice and multimedia services to businesses and consumers throughout Turkey.
Nortel Netaş’s top man dismissed claims and rumors about Nortel, its majority stake holder, and said 90 percent of reports and coverage are based on rumors. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Nortel has been seeking bankruptcy protection and has been looking for ways to secure a loan from the Canadian government. “We base our analysis on public statements released by Nortel, and we do not see any problem with the parent company,” he said. The Nortel spokesman said last month that the company had no debt maturing until 2011 and was preserving and strengthening its cash position. Speculation arose after Nortel posted a $3.4 billion loss in the last quarter.
Radio mechanic became top man in Nortel Netaş
C. Müjdat Altay had decided to be engineer when he was a kid. “I was fixing old Philips tube radios that used to go bad all the time,” he said. Soon after, he started to repair radios in his neighborhood. He recalls he was fascinated with the operation and the layout of those tube-powered old radio and amplifiers. He is a graduate of İstanbul Technical University, where he studied in the electronic and communication department. “I guess the communication side outweighed the electronic side,” he said, pointing to his 33-year R&D career in the communications field.
He established his own business with two of his friends after graduation, and they started to manufacture relays and switches for automated door lights in a makeshift apartment workshop. “We used to sell them to electric shop owners one by one,” he recalled. He later completed his graduate studies at Boğaziçi University in İstanbul and landed a job as an R&D engineer with Nortel Netaş in 1981. He climbed the corporate ladder to become general manager in 2004. He likes to read, listen to classical music and play tennis. He has very strict policy at the dinner table: No TV. “At first the kids complained, but now they like listening music while we are having supper and enjoy family conversation,” he said.
Turkey's R&D industry
Turkey’s gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) totaled $4.3 billion in 2008. In terms of percentage, GERD accounted 0.70 percent of the country’s GDP in 2006. Turkey ranked 25th in terms of R&D spending for 2008, according to the 2008 Global R&D Report issued by US-based monthly magazine R&D. Turkey received 6,188 patent applications in 2007, 70 percent of which came from foreign applicants.
Nortel Netaş President Müjdat Altay believes government needs to subsidize R&D until spending for it reaches 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). “It needs to be a long-term policy, going well over 10 to 20 years,” he said.
“At 1 percent of GDP, we can talk about an R&D culture in Turkey. At 2 percent, we can safely say it is in line with world standards.” He also said the only subsidy allowed for governments under the guidelines issued by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the global economy today is to provide funding for R&D. Altay believes Turkey can play an important role for its immediate geographic area if it succeeds in this R&D policy.
A new R&D law came into effect as of April 1 in Turkey and introduced incentives and support for investors in R&D activities, through tax incentives and land allocations. According to the new law, incentives will be granted regardless of sector or industry until 2024 for companies that employ at least 50 staff members in their R&D departments. The law also covers companies that have no production plant here but would like to establish an R&D facility in Turkey. The state guarantees an 80 percent reduction in personal income tax for people who are employed in R&D, plus the employer gets a 50 percent break on social security payments for five years. Companies can deduct all R&D expenses from taxes.
Cisco launches full 802.11n Aironet 1140 Series Access Point
Cisco launches full 802.11n Aironet 1140 Series Access Point
Cisco has announced Aironet 1140 Series Access Point , which is supposedly the industry’s first next-generation wireless access point that gives full 802.11n cost-effective performance.
The series is available worldwide with a list price of $1,299 while the 10-unit Eco-Pack is available for a list price of $12,990.
The Aironet 1140 Series Access Point is a Wi-Fi certified 802.11n draft 2.0 access point which has been designed to be a solution for high-quality voice and video rich media across wireless networks combination that delivers a performance great by nine times and throughput than prior 802.11a/g-based wireless networks. Cisco will be using beam forming for enhanced throughput for existing 802.11a/g devices.
It ensures security with performance and employs the standard 802.3af Power over Ethernet. The key features of this access point are that it easily integrates into any enterprise network and offers low total cost of ownership and investment protection.
It is the only dual-radio platform and has built-in security features using standard PoE. It can be ordered in a new Eco-Pack which is a 10-access point bulk pack which packaging that is reduced by 50 percent packaging.
Incorporated in is the Cisco M-Drive Technology with features of Cisco Unified Wireless Network and Cisco’s RF superiority. The technology improves the wireless coverage and capacity, optimizes device connections and simplifies wireless management, it claims.
Also bundled along with the Cisco Aironet 1140 series will be ClientLink feature which will be introduced in the first half of this year as a part of Cisco SMARTnet support agreements.
Cisco has announced Aironet 1140 Series Access Point , which is supposedly the industry’s first next-generation wireless access point that gives full 802.11n cost-effective performance.
The series is available worldwide with a list price of $1,299 while the 10-unit Eco-Pack is available for a list price of $12,990.
The Aironet 1140 Series Access Point is a Wi-Fi certified 802.11n draft 2.0 access point which has been designed to be a solution for high-quality voice and video rich media across wireless networks combination that delivers a performance great by nine times and throughput than prior 802.11a/g-based wireless networks. Cisco will be using beam forming for enhanced throughput for existing 802.11a/g devices.
It ensures security with performance and employs the standard 802.3af Power over Ethernet. The key features of this access point are that it easily integrates into any enterprise network and offers low total cost of ownership and investment protection.
It is the only dual-radio platform and has built-in security features using standard PoE. It can be ordered in a new Eco-Pack which is a 10-access point bulk pack which packaging that is reduced by 50 percent packaging.
Incorporated in is the Cisco M-Drive Technology with features of Cisco Unified Wireless Network and Cisco’s RF superiority. The technology improves the wireless coverage and capacity, optimizes device connections and simplifies wireless management, it claims.
Also bundled along with the Cisco Aironet 1140 series will be ClientLink feature which will be introduced in the first half of this year as a part of Cisco SMARTnet support agreements.
Clearwire portable WiMAX WiFi router imminent
Clearwire portable WiMAX WiFi router imminent
Clearwire are preparing to launch a portable WiFi router compatible with a Motorola WiMax USB stick modem, intended for sharing a WiMAX connection with more than one user. The router, seen here in prototype form, was demonstrated at the official Clear launch in Portland, Oregon, yesterday.
Although a WiMAX router has been announced by ZyXel, it will require a separate subscription to a USB modem for an individual device. With this Clearwire router, the same USB modem could be used for mobile surfing as well as home internet connection. Clearwire are apparently keen to promote devices such as these, which will share out a single connection, rather than seeing them as a bandwidth threat.
According to Scott Richardson, Clearwire’s strategy officer, the router will cost in the region of $125 and be available “soon”, possibly even as quickly as February 2009. The final product will also be smaller than this prototype, more “like a hockey puck”.
Clearwire are preparing to launch a portable WiFi router compatible with a Motorola WiMax USB stick modem, intended for sharing a WiMAX connection with more than one user. The router, seen here in prototype form, was demonstrated at the official Clear launch in Portland, Oregon, yesterday.
Although a WiMAX router has been announced by ZyXel, it will require a separate subscription to a USB modem for an individual device. With this Clearwire router, the same USB modem could be used for mobile surfing as well as home internet connection. Clearwire are apparently keen to promote devices such as these, which will share out a single connection, rather than seeing them as a bandwidth threat.
According to Scott Richardson, Clearwire’s strategy officer, the router will cost in the region of $125 and be available “soon”, possibly even as quickly as February 2009. The final product will also be smaller than this prototype, more “like a hockey puck”.
18 Oca 2009
G722 wideband codec patent expired in 2008
Voice over IP Featured Article
By Susan J. Campbell
Consumers tend to have a mixed reaction to new technologies. While we often want to be the first on board with the cutting edge, we only want to risk so much in the event that the latest technology is a fad or does not work as well as promised. When Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) was first introduced, it was met with some interesting reactions as consumers were leery of leaving their traditional landlines behind.
Much has changed since the early years of VoIP and it has now become an accepted communication channel within the enterprise and the home. Now, VoIP providers are rolling out support for wideband business phone systems and those subscribers with the right equipment can enjoy the clearest phone calls ever available.
In a recent VendorGuru.com piece, author Joe Taylor, Jr. examines how this new wave of hardware compatible with the G.722 audio format allows VoIP services to improve the quality of speakerphones and conference call systems. The enhanced audio allows solo callers to experience greater presence and clarity.
The technology advancements have applications within the call center and other enterprise as call center agents and other corporate users can rely on new tools to increase productivity while also building stronger rapport with callers over clear connections.
The G.722 codec was originally designed as a solution for high-end videoconferencing solution as it made conferencing more effective through the capture of more of the high-end frequencies bouncing around larger spaces. This method can enhance the clarity of most participants in group settings.
Broadband Internet bandwidth is now catching up to the needs of the G.722 codec, which is helping to drive wider adoption of the standard. Audio compression was supported by an algorithm that was protected by a patent until 2008.
When this patent expired, products and VoIP services flooded the market to support this format. Without the need to add royalty payments into their pricing systems, providers can now offer business phone systems based on the standard for roughly the same price as a PCM-based VoIP system.
In order to extract the maximum value from the system, key decision makers must replace their existing systems completely or choose a new system that maintains backwards compatibility with older equipment. Consulting with VoIP providers enables an organization to determine if making the switch now makes fiscal sense or if they should wait a couple of quarters for the emergence of less expensive equipment.
While G.722-based business phone systems can deliver significant quality enhancements to calls, this quality is still determined by the strength of the VoIP providers’ landline bridge connections. In fact, calls from wideband VoIP systems must still be converted for basic voice lines. Experts in the industry still promise that the quality and clarity of wideband calls entering analog conversion can still improve the voice presence of outbound calls.
By Susan J. Campbell
Consumers tend to have a mixed reaction to new technologies. While we often want to be the first on board with the cutting edge, we only want to risk so much in the event that the latest technology is a fad or does not work as well as promised. When Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) was first introduced, it was met with some interesting reactions as consumers were leery of leaving their traditional landlines behind.
Much has changed since the early years of VoIP and it has now become an accepted communication channel within the enterprise and the home. Now, VoIP providers are rolling out support for wideband business phone systems and those subscribers with the right equipment can enjoy the clearest phone calls ever available.
In a recent VendorGuru.com piece, author Joe Taylor, Jr. examines how this new wave of hardware compatible with the G.722 audio format allows VoIP services to improve the quality of speakerphones and conference call systems. The enhanced audio allows solo callers to experience greater presence and clarity.
The technology advancements have applications within the call center and other enterprise as call center agents and other corporate users can rely on new tools to increase productivity while also building stronger rapport with callers over clear connections.
The G.722 codec was originally designed as a solution for high-end videoconferencing solution as it made conferencing more effective through the capture of more of the high-end frequencies bouncing around larger spaces. This method can enhance the clarity of most participants in group settings.
Broadband Internet bandwidth is now catching up to the needs of the G.722 codec, which is helping to drive wider adoption of the standard. Audio compression was supported by an algorithm that was protected by a patent until 2008.
When this patent expired, products and VoIP services flooded the market to support this format. Without the need to add royalty payments into their pricing systems, providers can now offer business phone systems based on the standard for roughly the same price as a PCM-based VoIP system.
In order to extract the maximum value from the system, key decision makers must replace their existing systems completely or choose a new system that maintains backwards compatibility with older equipment. Consulting with VoIP providers enables an organization to determine if making the switch now makes fiscal sense or if they should wait a couple of quarters for the emergence of less expensive equipment.
While G.722-based business phone systems can deliver significant quality enhancements to calls, this quality is still determined by the strength of the VoIP providers’ landline bridge connections. In fact, calls from wideband VoIP systems must still be converted for basic voice lines. Experts in the industry still promise that the quality and clarity of wideband calls entering analog conversion can still improve the voice presence of outbound calls.
The 2009 VoIP Surge Theory
The 2009 VoIP Surge Theory
Don Witt, President of cyLogistics, theorizes that the stock market meltdown and slowing economy will actually spur faster VoIP growth in an article he penned for TMCnet.
He writes, "More and more executives will be under the gun to cut costs. There are a number of ways to cut costs but one way to cut costs tends to jump out at you -- the PHONE BILL. This will force many companies to take the digital/VoIP plunge. As a result, VoIP sales will increase significantly over the next year or two.
"He adds, "The stock market crash has effectively pulled in the VoIP growth curve by 6-12 months or more! As identified in the Post-Melt Down chart, VoIP sales may increase by 200-300% over previous forecasts. Thus, next year's VoIP growth can be expected to jump from 4% to 8% or 12% or more next year.
"Of course theories, and pretty chart graphs can be made to make anything look good. Is the VoIP industry truly headed towards faster growth in this economic climate? I tend to agree with Don. There are indications that not only enterprises, but also municipalities and schools are deploying VoIP to save on costs.
In fact, I recently came across one town right here in Connecticut (Enfield), which recently deployed VoIP, resulting in dramatic savings -- and not just in phone charges, but also in ongoing maintenance costs. According to the article, "Previously the schools and the town each had its own independent tech support team. Today a staff of three network support employees manages a network consisting of more than 29 remote locations and over 4,000 networked devices." Obviously, VoIP isn't just about saving on long-distance charges. A consolidated voice & data network in Enfield, CT has resulted in reduced support costs and lower TCO as well.
While one example doesn't make it the rule, I do think companies, municipalities, etc. are looking to cut costs and VoIP is one sure-fire way to do just that.
Don Witt, President of cyLogistics, theorizes that the stock market meltdown and slowing economy will actually spur faster VoIP growth in an article he penned for TMCnet.
He writes, "More and more executives will be under the gun to cut costs. There are a number of ways to cut costs but one way to cut costs tends to jump out at you -- the PHONE BILL. This will force many companies to take the digital/VoIP plunge. As a result, VoIP sales will increase significantly over the next year or two.
"He adds, "The stock market crash has effectively pulled in the VoIP growth curve by 6-12 months or more! As identified in the Post-Melt Down chart, VoIP sales may increase by 200-300% over previous forecasts. Thus, next year's VoIP growth can be expected to jump from 4% to 8% or 12% or more next year.
"Of course theories, and pretty chart graphs can be made to make anything look good. Is the VoIP industry truly headed towards faster growth in this economic climate? I tend to agree with Don. There are indications that not only enterprises, but also municipalities and schools are deploying VoIP to save on costs.
In fact, I recently came across one town right here in Connecticut (Enfield), which recently deployed VoIP, resulting in dramatic savings -- and not just in phone charges, but also in ongoing maintenance costs. According to the article, "Previously the schools and the town each had its own independent tech support team. Today a staff of three network support employees manages a network consisting of more than 29 remote locations and over 4,000 networked devices." Obviously, VoIP isn't just about saving on long-distance charges. A consolidated voice & data network in Enfield, CT has resulted in reduced support costs and lower TCO as well.
While one example doesn't make it the rule, I do think companies, municipalities, etc. are looking to cut costs and VoIP is one sure-fire way to do just that.
Viliv X70 Atom Communication MID with Optional WiMAX
Will UMPCs and MIDs be as big as netbooks? The X70 Atom Communication MID from Viliv seems to suggest that ultra-portable computing does not end with netbooks. This mobile Internet device boasts a 7-inch WSVGA touch screen, a 1.33GHz Atom Z520 CPU, 1GB RAM, your choice of 8GB/16GB SSD and 30GB/60GB HDD, Bluetooth, HSDPA, WiMAX and SiRF Star III GPS chipset. It’s got all connectivity covered and probably won’t come cheap.
Will UMPCs and MIDs be as big as netbooks? The X70 Atom Communication MID from Viliv seems to suggest that ultra-portable computing does not end with netbooks. This mobile Internet device boasts a 7-inch WSVGA touch screen, a 1.33GHz Atom Z520 CPU, 1GB RAM, your choice of 8GB/16GB SSD and 30GB/60GB HDD, Bluetooth, HSDPA, WiMAX and SiRF Star III GPS chipset. It’s got all connectivity covered and probably won’t come cheap.
15 Oca 2009
Ericsson & Huawei to build LTE network for Telia Sonera
Ericsson & Huawei to build LTE network for Telia Sonera
By Mikael Ricknäs
Swedish operator TeliaSonera will launch mobile services based on LTE (Long Term Evolution) during 2010, it said on Thursday. A roll-out in Stockholm and Oslo is under way using equipment from Ericsson and Huawei. Both companies say the deal is their first commercial contract for an LTE network. TeliaSonera's goal is to be one of the first operators in the world to launch LTE-based services, according to a statement.
The move to LTE will increase the speed in mobile networks, but to exactly what remains to be seen. "You will have a speed up to about 100Mbps in the beginning, and the average capacity in a network will increase by a factor of 10 compared to today's HSPA [High Speed Packet Access] networks," said Mikael Bäckström, president of Ericsson Nordic and Baltics.
What kind of speeds users end up with also has to do with, for example, how many base stations operators end up installing, Bäckström said. Applications will include downloading HDTV, without having to wait an eternity, according to Bäckström.
At first networks will be accessed using modems, either external USB (Universal Serial Bus) modems or those built into laptops. Then it will take another six to 12 months before the first mobile phones are launched, which means they won't be available until 2011, according to Geoff Blaber, an analyst at CCS Insight.
TeliaSonera isn't the only operator showing an interest in LTE. More than 18 operators globally have announced LTE deployment plans, and the tough economy does not seem to have dampened their enthusiasm, according to ABI Research. The operator with the most aggressive roll-out plans seems to be Verizon Wireless. At the end of 2008 the operator said it expected an LTE service to launch somewhere in the U.S. by the end of this year. Most operators are far from that aggressive. Many are looking at a 2011-2012 timeframe, according to ABI Research. An important next step for the technology will be the completion of the first version of the LTE standard. That will happen during the first quarter, Bäckström said.
By Mikael Ricknäs
Swedish operator TeliaSonera will launch mobile services based on LTE (Long Term Evolution) during 2010, it said on Thursday. A roll-out in Stockholm and Oslo is under way using equipment from Ericsson and Huawei. Both companies say the deal is their first commercial contract for an LTE network. TeliaSonera's goal is to be one of the first operators in the world to launch LTE-based services, according to a statement.
The move to LTE will increase the speed in mobile networks, but to exactly what remains to be seen. "You will have a speed up to about 100Mbps in the beginning, and the average capacity in a network will increase by a factor of 10 compared to today's HSPA [High Speed Packet Access] networks," said Mikael Bäckström, president of Ericsson Nordic and Baltics.
What kind of speeds users end up with also has to do with, for example, how many base stations operators end up installing, Bäckström said. Applications will include downloading HDTV, without having to wait an eternity, according to Bäckström.
At first networks will be accessed using modems, either external USB (Universal Serial Bus) modems or those built into laptops. Then it will take another six to 12 months before the first mobile phones are launched, which means they won't be available until 2011, according to Geoff Blaber, an analyst at CCS Insight.
TeliaSonera isn't the only operator showing an interest in LTE. More than 18 operators globally have announced LTE deployment plans, and the tough economy does not seem to have dampened their enthusiasm, according to ABI Research. The operator with the most aggressive roll-out plans seems to be Verizon Wireless. At the end of 2008 the operator said it expected an LTE service to launch somewhere in the U.S. by the end of this year. Most operators are far from that aggressive. Many are looking at a 2011-2012 timeframe, according to ABI Research. An important next step for the technology will be the completion of the first version of the LTE standard. That will happen during the first quarter, Bäckström said.
EKING M1 MID: WiMAX, GPS, HSDPA and full QWERTY
EKING M1 MID: WiMAX, GPS, HSDPA and full QWERTY
Chinese firm EKING are apparently preparing to sell the M1 MID - previously advertized as the Wibrain M1 MID - complete with 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 processor, WiFi b/g, Bluetooth and GPS. The Mobile Internet Device, spotted in its new incarnation by Pocketables, is believed to have a 4.8-inch touchscreen display running at 1024 x 600; it doesn’t skimp on connectivity options either, with EKING giving it WiMAX, HSDPA and a digital TV tuner.
While full details are relatively scarce, piecing together what EKING suggest and what Wibrain previously revealed would indicate that the M1 has 1GB of RAM and an unspecified amount of solid-state storage. It measures 7.6 x 3.2 x 1.1 inches and weighs in at 1.2 pounds.Other specs include a 1.3-megapixel webcam and a broad choice of input methods that includes not only the touchscreen but a touchpad, full QWERTY keyboard and mouse, as well as handwriting recognition. No pricing or availability details have been suggested
Chinese firm EKING are apparently preparing to sell the M1 MID - previously advertized as the Wibrain M1 MID - complete with 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 processor, WiFi b/g, Bluetooth and GPS. The Mobile Internet Device, spotted in its new incarnation by Pocketables, is believed to have a 4.8-inch touchscreen display running at 1024 x 600; it doesn’t skimp on connectivity options either, with EKING giving it WiMAX, HSDPA and a digital TV tuner.
While full details are relatively scarce, piecing together what EKING suggest and what Wibrain previously revealed would indicate that the M1 has 1GB of RAM and an unspecified amount of solid-state storage. It measures 7.6 x 3.2 x 1.1 inches and weighs in at 1.2 pounds.Other specs include a 1.3-megapixel webcam and a broad choice of input methods that includes not only the touchscreen but a touchpad, full QWERTY keyboard and mouse, as well as handwriting recognition. No pricing or availability details have been suggested
13 Oca 2009
Verizon Wireless completes Alltel purchase, becomes No. 1
Verizon Wireless completes Alltel purchase, becomes No. 1
by Alana Semuels
Verizon Wireless will become the nation's largest wireless provider today with a whopping 83.7 million customers as it completes its acquisition of Alltel. That means about 28% of people in the U.S. are Verizon customers. It also means that yes, Verizon, we can hear you now.
Verizon said in a release today that it would keep using the Alltel brand for the next few months and that it would begin rebranding in the second quarter. Sadly, that probably means slapping Verizon names on the Alltel properties, rather than some strange combination such as AllVerizon, Veritel or Allizon. Too bad they don't want to use an anagram of Verizon Alltel: the best one we could find was Viral Tell Zone, which seems fitting for a wireless company.
The merger was announced in June, when Verizon said it would pay $5.9 billion for Alltel and acquire even more billions worth of debt to add 13 million customers. It took months to clear regulatory hurdles, but the deal received Federal Communications Commission approval in November and Federal Trade Commission approval this month. The FCC had also cleared a merger between Sprint and Clearwire that was completed last week.
Under the terms of the deal, Verizon has to divest overlapping properties in 105 markets. Many of those are in rural areas in South Dakota, Kansas and Montana.
by Alana Semuels
Verizon Wireless will become the nation's largest wireless provider today with a whopping 83.7 million customers as it completes its acquisition of Alltel. That means about 28% of people in the U.S. are Verizon customers. It also means that yes, Verizon, we can hear you now.
Verizon said in a release today that it would keep using the Alltel brand for the next few months and that it would begin rebranding in the second quarter. Sadly, that probably means slapping Verizon names on the Alltel properties, rather than some strange combination such as AllVerizon, Veritel or Allizon. Too bad they don't want to use an anagram of Verizon Alltel: the best one we could find was Viral Tell Zone, which seems fitting for a wireless company.
The merger was announced in June, when Verizon said it would pay $5.9 billion for Alltel and acquire even more billions worth of debt to add 13 million customers. It took months to clear regulatory hurdles, but the deal received Federal Communications Commission approval in November and Federal Trade Commission approval this month. The FCC had also cleared a merger between Sprint and Clearwire that was completed last week.
Under the terms of the deal, Verizon has to divest overlapping properties in 105 markets. Many of those are in rural areas in South Dakota, Kansas and Montana.
Intel: 'We Still Believe in WiMax'
Intel: 'We Still Believe in WiMax'
by Dan Jones
2009 International CES -- Intel Corp. is making it clear that its support for mobile WiMax technology is still strong, despite announcing a fourth quarter write-down related to its investment in wireless broadband operator Clearwire LLC.
The chipmaker has put plenty of marketing money and muscle behind 802.16e WiMax technology in recent years and is the largest single investor in the "new" Clearwire deal that closed at the end of November. Intel provided $1.6 billion of the $3.2 billion that is being pumped into the funding of Clearwire's WiMax plans.
The chipmaker said Thursday that it plans to take a $950 million non-cash charge in its fourth quarter because Clearwire's stock value has fallen below $5, off from a 52-week high of $18.26, according to Yahoo Finance. Investors Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Cable Inc. are expecting similar, but lesser, charges due to their investments in Clearwire.
Even so, here at CES, Intel is still showing confidence -- at least outwardly -- in WiMax's prospects, as you might expect given the silicon giant's instrumental role in pushing WiMax in the wireless world.
"Economic conditions notwithstanding, we still believe in WiMax and think it is the preferred 4G solution," Julie Coppernoll, director of marketing for the WiMax Program Office at Intel, tells Unstrung.
Many of the more traditional cellular infrastructure vendors and carriers have, of course, gone the other way and are backing Long-Term Evolution (LTE) as the future for so-called 4G communications.
But WiMax, as Intel has said before, is here now and ready to go. Clearwire and Sprint Nextel Corp. have the technology up and running in Baltimore and Portland, Ore., and plan to launch a number of other markets this year. LTE deployments from Verizon Wireless are expected late 2009 at the earliest and will likely continue at least through 2012.
"Even in this economy, WiMax is a less expensive solution," Coppernoll claims, citing the "WiFi model" that Intel, Clearwire and Sprint are offering with pay-as-you-go connections as opposed to monthly contracts.
Intel is also expecting the first wave of laptops with its embedded WiMax/WiFi "Echo Peak" chipset to arrive this quarter. Unstrung has seen it working WiMax laptops from AsusTek Computer Inc. and Dell Inc. at the show. Intel is expecting eight OEMs in all to deliver WiMax-enabled laptops.
Some will arrive "earlier in Q1, rather than later," Coppernoll states.
Intel is hoping that the embedded WiMax, along with Clearwire's easy payment terms, will encourage users to upgrade to WiMax laptops even if they don't intend to use WiMax full time.
"It makes sense for me to consider it, even if I'm just an occasional user," suggests Coppernoll.
Of course, it would help to have WiMax available in more than two U.S. cities. Some analysts predict the next market launch will come late in the second quarter. No word yet on which city will get unwired, but Clearwire has previously named Vegas as a 2009 rollout candidate.
by Dan Jones
2009 International CES -- Intel Corp. is making it clear that its support for mobile WiMax technology is still strong, despite announcing a fourth quarter write-down related to its investment in wireless broadband operator Clearwire LLC.
The chipmaker has put plenty of marketing money and muscle behind 802.16e WiMax technology in recent years and is the largest single investor in the "new" Clearwire deal that closed at the end of November. Intel provided $1.6 billion of the $3.2 billion that is being pumped into the funding of Clearwire's WiMax plans.
The chipmaker said Thursday that it plans to take a $950 million non-cash charge in its fourth quarter because Clearwire's stock value has fallen below $5, off from a 52-week high of $18.26, according to Yahoo Finance. Investors Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Cable Inc. are expecting similar, but lesser, charges due to their investments in Clearwire.
Even so, here at CES, Intel is still showing confidence -- at least outwardly -- in WiMax's prospects, as you might expect given the silicon giant's instrumental role in pushing WiMax in the wireless world.
"Economic conditions notwithstanding, we still believe in WiMax and think it is the preferred 4G solution," Julie Coppernoll, director of marketing for the WiMax Program Office at Intel, tells Unstrung.
Many of the more traditional cellular infrastructure vendors and carriers have, of course, gone the other way and are backing Long-Term Evolution (LTE) as the future for so-called 4G communications.
But WiMax, as Intel has said before, is here now and ready to go. Clearwire and Sprint Nextel Corp. have the technology up and running in Baltimore and Portland, Ore., and plan to launch a number of other markets this year. LTE deployments from Verizon Wireless are expected late 2009 at the earliest and will likely continue at least through 2012.
"Even in this economy, WiMax is a less expensive solution," Coppernoll claims, citing the "WiFi model" that Intel, Clearwire and Sprint are offering with pay-as-you-go connections as opposed to monthly contracts.
Intel is also expecting the first wave of laptops with its embedded WiMax/WiFi "Echo Peak" chipset to arrive this quarter. Unstrung has seen it working WiMax laptops from AsusTek Computer Inc. and Dell Inc. at the show. Intel is expecting eight OEMs in all to deliver WiMax-enabled laptops.
Some will arrive "earlier in Q1, rather than later," Coppernoll states.
Intel is hoping that the embedded WiMax, along with Clearwire's easy payment terms, will encourage users to upgrade to WiMax laptops even if they don't intend to use WiMax full time.
"It makes sense for me to consider it, even if I'm just an occasional user," suggests Coppernoll.
Of course, it would help to have WiMax available in more than two U.S. cities. Some analysts predict the next market launch will come late in the second quarter. No word yet on which city will get unwired, but Clearwire has previously named Vegas as a 2009 rollout candidate.
China Mobile’s 3G Android-based Ophone to be launched soon
China Mobile’s 3G Android-based Ophone to be launched soon
It looks like the Android-based and 5-megapixel snapping Lenovo Ophone is ready for primetime, as according to a report from Reuters, China Mobile is said to be planning the launch of the same within the first quarter of this year. Which is in the next couple of months.
The Ophone is, of course, based on the open-source Android OS. It’s going to be one of the first “high-end” Android phones to be ever released, sporting a very sleek and simplistic design, with support for China Mobile’s TD-SCDMA technology.
Reuters’ sources was quoted as saying, “The product is in the final testing stage at the moment.” And I’m sure you know exactly what that means.
It looks like the Android-based and 5-megapixel snapping Lenovo Ophone is ready for primetime, as according to a report from Reuters, China Mobile is said to be planning the launch of the same within the first quarter of this year. Which is in the next couple of months.
The Ophone is, of course, based on the open-source Android OS. It’s going to be one of the first “high-end” Android phones to be ever released, sporting a very sleek and simplistic design, with support for China Mobile’s TD-SCDMA technology.
Reuters’ sources was quoted as saying, “The product is in the final testing stage at the moment.” And I’m sure you know exactly what that means.
Verizon to Go All-VoIP In 7 Years
Verizon to Go All-VoIP In 7 Years
by Richard Martin
Watching its landline business continue to decline, Verizon will shift entirely to VoIP-based calling by 2016, chief marketing officer John Stratton told the Los Angeles Times at CES in Las Vegas.
“The company will start offering Internet calling to its FiOS Web and TV customers in the coming months, starting in Maryland,” Stratton told the newspaper.
Like chief rival AT&T, Verizon is losing traditional voice business to upstart VoIP providers, like Vonage, and to the major cable providers who’ve done an effective job at bundling voice service in “triple-play” packages with TV and Internet access. Verizon lost 3.7 million lines in the third quarter of 2008 compared to the same period a year ago.
Shares in both Verizon and AT&T tumbled sharply last week when a Bernstein Research analyst report downgraded the stocks. Verizon’s stock price lost more than 7 percent in one day.
What’s just as interesting as the VoIP-migration plan is Stratton’s comments on Verizon’s shifting view of its basic business model: “Increasingly, we are in the business of selling, basically, data connectivity," Stratton said.
by Richard Martin
Watching its landline business continue to decline, Verizon will shift entirely to VoIP-based calling by 2016, chief marketing officer John Stratton told the Los Angeles Times at CES in Las Vegas.
“The company will start offering Internet calling to its FiOS Web and TV customers in the coming months, starting in Maryland,” Stratton told the newspaper.
Like chief rival AT&T, Verizon is losing traditional voice business to upstart VoIP providers, like Vonage, and to the major cable providers who’ve done an effective job at bundling voice service in “triple-play” packages with TV and Internet access. Verizon lost 3.7 million lines in the third quarter of 2008 compared to the same period a year ago.
Shares in both Verizon and AT&T tumbled sharply last week when a Bernstein Research analyst report downgraded the stocks. Verizon’s stock price lost more than 7 percent in one day.
What’s just as interesting as the VoIP-migration plan is Stratton’s comments on Verizon’s shifting view of its basic business model: “Increasingly, we are in the business of selling, basically, data connectivity," Stratton said.
Orange opens UK Technocentre
Orange opens UK Technocentre
Orange has opened a UK 'Technocentre' to develop new services for its customers.
France Telecom Group chief exeutive and chairman Didier Lombard said: “At Orange, we believe innovation drives sustainable growth. It is at the heart of how we operate as a company and how we create new products for our customers.
"We established the Orange Technocentre model over two years ago, combining experts in the areas of research, engineering and marketing to breathe new life into innovation and make Orange a driving force in the market.
"Today, we are pleased to bring this successful approach to Britain, establishing the second major Technocentre hub which can draw on the Orange Labs network and meet the Group’s innovation needs globally and locally.”
The Orange Technocentre will comprise 80 staff which will work across existing Orange offices in the UK including marketeers, engineers and researchers who will work with Orange’s consumer arm. The Technocentre will be part of its innovation chain Orange Labs network that operate around the world.
Recent technology that has been developed by the network’s Technocentres include Home 3D-TV, life-size video-calling screens, IP telephony, the world’s-first electronic newspaper, and text-to-voice services. Orange and France Telecom have around 8,500 registered patents.
Orange UK chief executive Tom Alexander (pictured) said: “Since joining Orange earlier this year, I’ve been amazed by what the Group can deliver to all corners of the globe. We’re now harnessing that potential and making sure that it works directly for the business – and ultimately our customers.”
“These are the guys who are moving quickly, in small teams to develop new and exciting services for our customers before any one else does.”
Orange has opened a UK 'Technocentre' to develop new services for its customers.
France Telecom Group chief exeutive and chairman Didier Lombard said: “At Orange, we believe innovation drives sustainable growth. It is at the heart of how we operate as a company and how we create new products for our customers.
"We established the Orange Technocentre model over two years ago, combining experts in the areas of research, engineering and marketing to breathe new life into innovation and make Orange a driving force in the market.
"Today, we are pleased to bring this successful approach to Britain, establishing the second major Technocentre hub which can draw on the Orange Labs network and meet the Group’s innovation needs globally and locally.”
The Orange Technocentre will comprise 80 staff which will work across existing Orange offices in the UK including marketeers, engineers and researchers who will work with Orange’s consumer arm. The Technocentre will be part of its innovation chain Orange Labs network that operate around the world.
Recent technology that has been developed by the network’s Technocentres include Home 3D-TV, life-size video-calling screens, IP telephony, the world’s-first electronic newspaper, and text-to-voice services. Orange and France Telecom have around 8,500 registered patents.
Orange UK chief executive Tom Alexander (pictured) said: “Since joining Orange earlier this year, I’ve been amazed by what the Group can deliver to all corners of the globe. We’re now harnessing that potential and making sure that it works directly for the business – and ultimately our customers.”
“These are the guys who are moving quickly, in small teams to develop new and exciting services for our customers before any one else does.”
VoIP User Connects 14 Million BT Customers To iNUM
VoIP User Connects 14 Million BT Customers To iNUM
VoipUser.org, the largest open-source VoIP network, has today announced the interconnection of British Telecom 0870 range numbers to the VoIP peering iNUM network.
"VoIP remains restricted by the lack of interconnection between networks," said Dean Elwood, founder of VoIP User. "By interconnecting to the BT 0870 range, we have enabled cross-network calling for 14 million users which is free of charge at off-peak times. What we have achieved today is the extension of our service into a new network of over a million VoIP users".
British Telecom Plc, the UK's largest telecom provider, announced that from 16th January 2009 it will make 0870 numbers free to call to subscribers on their Anytime call plan.
John Peter, managing Director of BT's Consumer Business, said in a Press Release on Thursday "All of our 14 million Anytime customers have free calls included in their package and now all 14 million have free calls to 0870 at times that fit with their calling plan, which is something not offered by any of our competitors."
Ian Plain, of technical consultancy cyber-cottage.co.uk, who architected the system for VoIP User, said "we created a mapping service for the 0870 iNUM interconnect. The system is accessed by users dialling 08700 68 58 48 from a BT landline and entering an iNUM number to contact. Details can also be stored meaning that the caller only ever has to enter the iNUM number to contact once."
Tjardick van der Kraan, co-founder of VoIP User, said "The value add for customers of our services is the ability to call iNUM +883 range numbers, the so-called 'Earth Area Code', free of charge at off-peak times from a BT landline. This effectively connects British Telecom customers to Worldwide iNUM VoIP customers with no per minute charge."
The iNUM Peering Network, run by Belgium based Voxbone S.A. operates using a standards based mechanism for traffic exchange between telecommunications networks.
Traditional dial codes are tied to a particular country or city. iNUM numbers avoid this limitation and users can therefore keep their number wherever they go in the world, being reachable on the same number for life.
VoipUser.org, the largest open-source VoIP network, has today announced the interconnection of British Telecom 0870 range numbers to the VoIP peering iNUM network.
"VoIP remains restricted by the lack of interconnection between networks," said Dean Elwood, founder of VoIP User. "By interconnecting to the BT 0870 range, we have enabled cross-network calling for 14 million users which is free of charge at off-peak times. What we have achieved today is the extension of our service into a new network of over a million VoIP users".
British Telecom Plc, the UK's largest telecom provider, announced that from 16th January 2009 it will make 0870 numbers free to call to subscribers on their Anytime call plan.
John Peter, managing Director of BT's Consumer Business, said in a Press Release on Thursday "All of our 14 million Anytime customers have free calls included in their package and now all 14 million have free calls to 0870 at times that fit with their calling plan, which is something not offered by any of our competitors."
Ian Plain, of technical consultancy cyber-cottage.co.uk, who architected the system for VoIP User, said "we created a mapping service for the 0870 iNUM interconnect. The system is accessed by users dialling 08700 68 58 48 from a BT landline and entering an iNUM number to contact. Details can also be stored meaning that the caller only ever has to enter the iNUM number to contact once."
Tjardick van der Kraan, co-founder of VoIP User, said "The value add for customers of our services is the ability to call iNUM +883 range numbers, the so-called 'Earth Area Code', free of charge at off-peak times from a BT landline. This effectively connects British Telecom customers to Worldwide iNUM VoIP customers with no per minute charge."
The iNUM Peering Network, run by Belgium based Voxbone S.A. operates using a standards based mechanism for traffic exchange between telecommunications networks.
Traditional dial codes are tied to a particular country or city. iNUM numbers avoid this limitation and users can therefore keep their number wherever they go in the world, being reachable on the same number for life.
8 Oca 2009
Payoffs, tradeoffs in Verizon-Microsoft search deal
Payoffs, tradeoffs in Verizon-Microsoft search deal
By W. David Gardner
Verizon Wireless has selected Microsoft as its official mobile search engine, but the burning question is which company is the winner and which is the loser?
Announced by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer during his keynote Wednesday at CES, Verizon is going to get a -rumored $500 million from- Microsoft for the five-year deal. However, the wireless carrier is also getting a search engine that has been steadily dropping in consumer usage -- about 9% versus Google's 63%. Google and Microsoft had been in intensive negotiations with Verizon for months over the wireless search engine deal.
"Both side need something," said search engine expert Stephen Arnold Thursday in an interview. "My hunch is that Microsoft paid Verizon and negotiated a sliding payback deal that's primarily ad-related. They'll never tell us. It's a very high stakes bet (for both companies.)" The companies have declined to provide financial terms of the agreement.
Arnold said the Achilles heel of the deal could be Microsoft's mapping technologies, which he regards as inferior to Google's. "Microsoft doesn't have the same advanced mapping services as Google," said Arnold, who has written several books and reports on online search technologies.
Microsoft has been improving its Live Search capabilities Ballmer said during the Verizon announcement. Verizon Wireless customers will be able to use voice commands and typed queries to get relevant search results including maps, traffic information, directions, and information on local businesses and movie theaters.
"Microsoft will manage search and display advertising on Verizon Wireless' Mobile Web service, creating a one-stop integrated way for advertisers and ad agencies to reach mobile consumers," Verizon said in a release.
Verizon, which is owned jointly by Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group, had been in intense negotiations with Google for months and much of their discussions centered on future -- often very distant future -- considerations. A key issue was how to split revenues from searches conducted by consumers, who, although they don't use their mobile phone search functions much today, are expected to do so in rapidly growing numbers in the future. Market research firm Marketer has predicted that mobile search ads will account for $1.5 billion by 2012, for instance.
Verizon said its subscribers will be able to access Microsoft Live Search via a device's home screen. The service on new Verizon phones is scheduled to get underway during the first half of this year. Verizon already features Microsoft Windows Mobile Operating System software on some of its phones.
As for Google, Verizon has butted heads with the search engine colossus recently. Verizon never joined Google's Open Handset Alliance, which is producing Android handsets that compete with Verizon mobile phones. Verizon has thrown in its lot with the competing Linux Mobile (LIMO) Foundation. Verizon and Google also squabbled over last year's 700 MHz auction after Google bid up spectrum prices that Verizon had to pay for.
Microsoft and Verizon are proclaiming their new deal as a win-win situation, but their competitors think it could turn out to be a lose-lose situation.
By W. David Gardner
Verizon Wireless has selected Microsoft as its official mobile search engine, but the burning question is which company is the winner and which is the loser?
Announced by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer during his keynote Wednesday at CES, Verizon is going to get a -rumored $500 million from- Microsoft for the five-year deal. However, the wireless carrier is also getting a search engine that has been steadily dropping in consumer usage -- about 9% versus Google's 63%. Google and Microsoft had been in intensive negotiations with Verizon for months over the wireless search engine deal.
"Both side need something," said search engine expert Stephen Arnold Thursday in an interview. "My hunch is that Microsoft paid Verizon and negotiated a sliding payback deal that's primarily ad-related. They'll never tell us. It's a very high stakes bet (for both companies.)" The companies have declined to provide financial terms of the agreement.
Arnold said the Achilles heel of the deal could be Microsoft's mapping technologies, which he regards as inferior to Google's. "Microsoft doesn't have the same advanced mapping services as Google," said Arnold, who has written several books and reports on online search technologies.
Microsoft has been improving its Live Search capabilities Ballmer said during the Verizon announcement. Verizon Wireless customers will be able to use voice commands and typed queries to get relevant search results including maps, traffic information, directions, and information on local businesses and movie theaters.
"Microsoft will manage search and display advertising on Verizon Wireless' Mobile Web service, creating a one-stop integrated way for advertisers and ad agencies to reach mobile consumers," Verizon said in a release.
Verizon, which is owned jointly by Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group, had been in intense negotiations with Google for months and much of their discussions centered on future -- often very distant future -- considerations. A key issue was how to split revenues from searches conducted by consumers, who, although they don't use their mobile phone search functions much today, are expected to do so in rapidly growing numbers in the future. Market research firm Marketer has predicted that mobile search ads will account for $1.5 billion by 2012, for instance.
Verizon said its subscribers will be able to access Microsoft Live Search via a device's home screen. The service on new Verizon phones is scheduled to get underway during the first half of this year. Verizon already features Microsoft Windows Mobile Operating System software on some of its phones.
As for Google, Verizon has butted heads with the search engine colossus recently. Verizon never joined Google's Open Handset Alliance, which is producing Android handsets that compete with Verizon mobile phones. Verizon has thrown in its lot with the competing Linux Mobile (LIMO) Foundation. Verizon and Google also squabbled over last year's 700 MHz auction after Google bid up spectrum prices that Verizon had to pay for.
Microsoft and Verizon are proclaiming their new deal as a win-win situation, but their competitors think it could turn out to be a lose-lose situation.
Verizon's Open Development Initiative? So Far It's A Joke
Verizon's Open Development Initiative? So Far It's A Joke
by Karl Bode
Late in 2007, Verizon made a big deal about "opening up" their wireless network. The announcement got a huge amount of kudos from the press, the news wires filling with talk about how Verizon had turned a corner and embraced the new, open wireless paradigm (either voluntarily or by force). In reality, Verizon Wireless executives were never going to fully embrace being a "dumb pipe" provider, but for some reason, they were given the benefit of the doubt.
It's now 2009, and Verizon's open access initiative is by and large a no show. Verizon Wireless says they've certified 29 wireless devices that can run on its network sold by independent vendors, but none of them are consumer devices, and many aren't commercially available. Sure, it's great that the nation's prison system can connect the "Behavioral Intervention offender tracking wireless anklet" to Verizon's EVDO network, but that's not exactly what people had in mind."This is a transformation point in the 20-year history of mass market wireless devices – one which we believe will set the table for the next level of innovation and growth," said Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam in a 2007 press release. "We will allow customers to connect any device that meets our minimum technical standards, and be activated on our network," said McAdam. "We do not expect this to be a difficult or lengthy process, since we will only be testing network connectivity." Did we mention that was late 2007?Buried in McAdam's comments -- but ignored by the press -- was his statement that "Verizon Wireless is not changing our successful retail model," but rather "adding an additional retail option for customers looking for a different wireless experience." In other words, Verizon was saying they'd keep their primary focus on crippled handsets, while making freedom and choice a luxury tier. A luxury tier that will all but certainly come with costly metered billing to counter any revenue lost from users wandering off of the Verizon reservation.But even that has yet to materialize.For now, the best we're getting is glacial progress and lip service. For those not impressed by EVDO-capable prison anklets, Verizon attempted to wow attendees at CES by announcing they might, sometime, be making their EVDO network open to competitors of the Amazon Kindle. Tony Lewis, who's in charge of Verizon's certification system, did note this week that real consumer devices (like oh, smartphones) are taking longer than expected:
Lewis said consumer electronics devices were taking longer to get to the certification stage because they tended to include multiple features and as a result were more complicated than single-purpose data devices such as trackers.
Sure, shaking off decades of telco-think, creating a functional testing process, testing devices and opening the network takes time. But you get the distinct impression Verizon Wireless is stalling, terrified of the monsters (mobile VoIP, non-Verizon content) on the other side of the open network door. What wireless industry exec would be in a hurry to cannibalize revenues made from services like SMS/MMS, ringtones, media and voice?
Here's a crazy theory: Verizon's Open Development Initiative is 90% public relations, designed to stall change, not usher it forward.
When regulators (and Google) began pressuring Verizon in 2007 about truly opening up their networks during the 700Mhz spectrum disputes, Verizon took an existing plan to open their EVDO network up to the industrial sector, and dressed it up as revolutionary. The un-critical technology press helped sell it.The resulting stage show got regulators off of Verizon's back, while providing oodles of positive press lauding Verizon for being a progressive company, despite them never having accomplished anything of note. We've yet to see a third party truly open smartphone released under this program. More importantly, -- we've yet to see the bandwidth pricing model or the restrictions Verizon is planning to apply to it.Yes, it's probably inevitable that Verizon is going to have to truly open up their network fully. But for now, open access absolutely terrifies mobile carriers, who see it as utterly apocalyptic. When it comes to truly allowing any device and application on their mobile networks, have absolutely no doubt that carriers like Verizon Wireless will have to be dragged, kicking and screaming.
by Karl Bode
Late in 2007, Verizon made a big deal about "opening up" their wireless network. The announcement got a huge amount of kudos from the press, the news wires filling with talk about how Verizon had turned a corner and embraced the new, open wireless paradigm (either voluntarily or by force). In reality, Verizon Wireless executives were never going to fully embrace being a "dumb pipe" provider, but for some reason, they were given the benefit of the doubt.
It's now 2009, and Verizon's open access initiative is by and large a no show. Verizon Wireless says they've certified 29 wireless devices that can run on its network sold by independent vendors, but none of them are consumer devices, and many aren't commercially available. Sure, it's great that the nation's prison system can connect the "Behavioral Intervention offender tracking wireless anklet" to Verizon's EVDO network, but that's not exactly what people had in mind."This is a transformation point in the 20-year history of mass market wireless devices – one which we believe will set the table for the next level of innovation and growth," said Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam in a 2007 press release. "We will allow customers to connect any device that meets our minimum technical standards, and be activated on our network," said McAdam. "We do not expect this to be a difficult or lengthy process, since we will only be testing network connectivity." Did we mention that was late 2007?Buried in McAdam's comments -- but ignored by the press -- was his statement that "Verizon Wireless is not changing our successful retail model," but rather "adding an additional retail option for customers looking for a different wireless experience." In other words, Verizon was saying they'd keep their primary focus on crippled handsets, while making freedom and choice a luxury tier. A luxury tier that will all but certainly come with costly metered billing to counter any revenue lost from users wandering off of the Verizon reservation.But even that has yet to materialize.For now, the best we're getting is glacial progress and lip service. For those not impressed by EVDO-capable prison anklets, Verizon attempted to wow attendees at CES by announcing they might, sometime, be making their EVDO network open to competitors of the Amazon Kindle. Tony Lewis, who's in charge of Verizon's certification system, did note this week that real consumer devices (like oh, smartphones) are taking longer than expected:
Lewis said consumer electronics devices were taking longer to get to the certification stage because they tended to include multiple features and as a result were more complicated than single-purpose data devices such as trackers.
Sure, shaking off decades of telco-think, creating a functional testing process, testing devices and opening the network takes time. But you get the distinct impression Verizon Wireless is stalling, terrified of the monsters (mobile VoIP, non-Verizon content) on the other side of the open network door. What wireless industry exec would be in a hurry to cannibalize revenues made from services like SMS/MMS, ringtones, media and voice?
Here's a crazy theory: Verizon's Open Development Initiative is 90% public relations, designed to stall change, not usher it forward.
When regulators (and Google) began pressuring Verizon in 2007 about truly opening up their networks during the 700Mhz spectrum disputes, Verizon took an existing plan to open their EVDO network up to the industrial sector, and dressed it up as revolutionary. The un-critical technology press helped sell it.The resulting stage show got regulators off of Verizon's back, while providing oodles of positive press lauding Verizon for being a progressive company, despite them never having accomplished anything of note. We've yet to see a third party truly open smartphone released under this program. More importantly, -- we've yet to see the bandwidth pricing model or the restrictions Verizon is planning to apply to it.Yes, it's probably inevitable that Verizon is going to have to truly open up their network fully. But for now, open access absolutely terrifies mobile carriers, who see it as utterly apocalyptic. When it comes to truly allowing any device and application on their mobile networks, have absolutely no doubt that carriers like Verizon Wireless will have to be dragged, kicking and screaming.
Skype makes mobile push at CES with Android, Java phones
Skype makes mobile push at CES with Android, Java phones
By Sinead Carew
Skype, which has helped legions of consumers lower their long-distance phone bills with computer-based calling, is making a big push into the mobile sector, announcing a deal with Google Inc's Android phones on Thursday.
As cash-strapped consumers and businesses look for ways to cut costs in a weak economy, Skype is expanding its software for making cheap calls to about 100 cell-phone models, including handsets powered by the Android mobile operating system.
Most mobile carriers have yet to allow Skype, a unit of eBay Inc, on their phones for fear of losing revenue if subscribers were to make calls over the Web instead of on their regular voice service.
However, that is changing as the popularity of Skype has grown, Chief Operating Officer Scott Durchslag said. Wireless operator 3 UK, owned by Hutchison Whampoa, reported a strong adoption for its mobile Skype service.
"The operators thought in the past we were something just shy of Satan," Durchslag told Reuters in an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. "Now we have carriers coming to us."
The company, which has 370 million users, said its Skype Lite software would also support phones using Java software and devices running on Microsoft Corp's Windows Mobile operating system.
While Skype promises to give customers cheap mobile calls to overseas contacts and domestic landline phones, users will need to pay their service provider for local air time as well as their Internet service charges for mobile Skype calls.
Durchslag said the weak economy was helping rather than hurting Skype, as consumers look for cheaper options. Even business customers who have been slower adopters of Skype are now seeing it as a way to cut costs.
"We've never seen things better," Durchslag said, adding that businesses now represent about 30 percent of Skype's minutes used, compared with 20 percent earlier in 2008.
"We're getting calls from businesses that never would have called us before," he said, citing as an example the head of a large team at network equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc whose group used Skype to communicate.
Durchslag said that while other companies were laying off workers, Skype, which is adding more than 30 million users a month, is hiring aggressively to keep up with its rapid growth.
With an aim to move beyond the desktop computer and the cell phone, Durchslag also said he had begun working with television manufacturers on having Skype in Internet-connected digital TVs as early as in a year's time.
"TVs have a very long development cycle so that's something you'd probably see more likely into the end of 2009 or the beginning of 2010, if everything goes perfectly," he said, but declined to name manufacturer partners.
Meanwhile, Skype said its mobile service would be available in 10 countries: the United States, Britain, Poland, Brazil, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Australia and New Zealand.
It can be downloaded from the Android software application marketplace for Android phones including G1, the first model on the market made by HTC Corp and sold by Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile.
Skype also announced a Beta version of software for mobile Internet devices, a type of scaled-down computer that is light and small enough to be suitable for surfing the Web on the go.
Customers using this version would be able to make free Skype-to-Skype calls to anywhere in the world and lower-cost calls to mobile phones and landlines.
By Sinead Carew
Skype, which has helped legions of consumers lower their long-distance phone bills with computer-based calling, is making a big push into the mobile sector, announcing a deal with Google Inc's Android phones on Thursday.
As cash-strapped consumers and businesses look for ways to cut costs in a weak economy, Skype is expanding its software for making cheap calls to about 100 cell-phone models, including handsets powered by the Android mobile operating system.
Most mobile carriers have yet to allow Skype, a unit of eBay Inc, on their phones for fear of losing revenue if subscribers were to make calls over the Web instead of on their regular voice service.
However, that is changing as the popularity of Skype has grown, Chief Operating Officer Scott Durchslag said. Wireless operator 3 UK, owned by Hutchison Whampoa, reported a strong adoption for its mobile Skype service.
"The operators thought in the past we were something just shy of Satan," Durchslag told Reuters in an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. "Now we have carriers coming to us."
The company, which has 370 million users, said its Skype Lite software would also support phones using Java software and devices running on Microsoft Corp's Windows Mobile operating system.
While Skype promises to give customers cheap mobile calls to overseas contacts and domestic landline phones, users will need to pay their service provider for local air time as well as their Internet service charges for mobile Skype calls.
Durchslag said the weak economy was helping rather than hurting Skype, as consumers look for cheaper options. Even business customers who have been slower adopters of Skype are now seeing it as a way to cut costs.
"We've never seen things better," Durchslag said, adding that businesses now represent about 30 percent of Skype's minutes used, compared with 20 percent earlier in 2008.
"We're getting calls from businesses that never would have called us before," he said, citing as an example the head of a large team at network equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc whose group used Skype to communicate.
Durchslag said that while other companies were laying off workers, Skype, which is adding more than 30 million users a month, is hiring aggressively to keep up with its rapid growth.
With an aim to move beyond the desktop computer and the cell phone, Durchslag also said he had begun working with television manufacturers on having Skype in Internet-connected digital TVs as early as in a year's time.
"TVs have a very long development cycle so that's something you'd probably see more likely into the end of 2009 or the beginning of 2010, if everything goes perfectly," he said, but declined to name manufacturer partners.
Meanwhile, Skype said its mobile service would be available in 10 countries: the United States, Britain, Poland, Brazil, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Australia and New Zealand.
It can be downloaded from the Android software application marketplace for Android phones including G1, the first model on the market made by HTC Corp and sold by Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile.
Skype also announced a Beta version of software for mobile Internet devices, a type of scaled-down computer that is light and small enough to be suitable for surfing the Web on the go.
Customers using this version would be able to make free Skype-to-Skype calls to anywhere in the world and lower-cost calls to mobile phones and landlines.
Obama Team Asks Congress to Postpone Digital TV Switch
Obama Team Asks Congress to Postpone Digital TV Switch
By Kim Hart
President-elect Barack Obama's transition team today asked key members of Congress to consider delaying the nation's switch to digital television scheduled for Feb. 17, sayin
In a letter sent to Capitol Hill this afternoon, and obtained by The Washington Post, the transition team said congressional action is needed. The action would be the "first step" toward helping consumers get ready for the transition to digital television. It also called funds provided to support the conversion "woefully inadequate."
The request for a delay comes 41 days before the government-mandated switch to all-digital broadcasts, which requires the nation's full-powered television stations to permanently shut off the traditional analog signals they have used for more than half a century. Analog television sets that rely on "rabbit ear" or rooftop antennas to receive broadcasts will not work unless they are upgraded with a converter box. Consumers who have digital TV sets, or who subscribe to cable or satellite service, will not lose programming.
Preparations for the switch to digital television have been rocky, causing lawmakers and consumer advocates to seriously worry that television watchers, particularly low-income, rural and elderly Americans who rely most heavily on over-the-air signals, will lose access to their main source of news and entertainment. This week, federal officials said the program to distribute $40 coupons to consumers to help defray the cost of converter boxes has run out of money, so consumers who need the coupons may not receive them in time for the transition.
"With coupons unavailable, support and education insufficient, and the most vulnerable Americans exposed, I urge you to consider a change to the legislatively-mandated analog cutoff date," John Podesta, co-chair of the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team wrote in the letter, which was sent to leaders of the Senate and House Commerce committees.
The government-mandated switch to digital television will free up wireless airwaves for public safety agencies and other advanced mobile services. An auction of those analog airwaves raised $19 billion for the government last year. Congress allocated $1.34 billion to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to distribute converter box coupons.
By early February, projections suggest the number of consumers on the waiting list to get a coupon could climb to 5 million, increasing by hundreds of thousands every day, the letter to Congress said.
Yesterday, Consumers Union urged Congress to delay the transition "until a plan is in place to minimize the number of consumers who will lose TV signals."
Lawmakers are looking for ways to make sure consumers who need coupons get them in time. "But with the date looming, moving the date back certainly warrants further discussion and may be a wise choice," Daniel Reilly, a spokesman for Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of the House subcommittee on telecommunications and the Internet, said yesterday. Consumers Union also questioned the ability of the Federal Communications Commission's call centers to handle a flood of calls from confused television-watchers on Feb. 17.
6 Oca 2009
Yargıtay baz istasyonlarının şehir dışına taşınmasına hükmetti
Baz istasyonları şehir dışına taşınacak
Yargıtay, baz istasyonlarının uzun zaman diliminde insan sağlığında zarara neden olacağına karar vererek istasyonların yerleşim yerlerinden uzak bir yere taşınmasına hükmetti.
Ankara’da bir kişi, oturduğu caddede bulunan binadaki baz istasyonunun, insan sağlığını olumsuz yönde etkileyeceği iddiasıyla baz istasyonunun kaldırılması için Ankara 24. Asliye Hukuk Mahkemesi’nde dava açtı. Baz istasyonunun ait olduğu GSM şirketinin avukatları, istasyonun sertifikalı ve yönetmeliklerde belirtilen değerlere uygun olarak kurulup işletildiğini savunarak davanın reddini istedi.
Mahkeme, yapılan keşif ve ölçümlerde baz istasyonunun davacıya ait yerlere 20-25 metre arasında uzaklıkta bulunduğunun ve alan şiddetinin cihaz için öngörülen limit değerlerin altında olduğunun tespit edildiğine işaret ederek, davayı reddetti.Davacının kararı temyiz etmesi üzerine dosyayı görüşen Yargıtay 4. Hukuk Dairesi, yerel mahkemenin kararını bozdu. Daire, baz istasyonunun yaydığı radyasyonun referans değerlerinin altında olsa bile meskun alanlarda yarattığı radyasyondan dolayı, bu alanlarda uzun süreli radyasyona maruz kalacak insanların sağlığının olumsuz yönde etkileneceğine karar verdi.Dava konusu baz istasyonunun uzun zaman diliminde zarar doğurabileceği ifade edilen kararda, “Çevredekiler için gelecek ve uzun zaman diliminde büyük endişe, psikolojik yapısında tedirginlik ve ümitsizlik yaratarak, kişilerin çalışmasını ve sağlık değerlerini olumsuz etkileyecek ve zararlı sonuç doğuracaktır. Bir istasyon, yönetmeliğe uygun çalıştırılsa dahi zarar veriyorsa, yönetmeliğe uygun olduğundan söz edilerek zarar verenin sorumluluktan kurtulması mümkün değildir” denildi.Daire, yargıcın yönetmeliğe değil, yasaya, genel hukuk kurallarına ve bu bağlamda sorumluluk hukukunun ilkelerine göre karar vermek zorunda olduğuna işaret ederek, baz istasyonunun yerleşim yerlerinden daha uzak ve uygun bir yere taşınmasının gerekli olduğuna hükmetti.Yargıtay 4. Hukuk Dairesi, Ankara 24. Asliye Hukuk Mahkemesi’nin kararını bozarak, davacının zarar gördüğünün kabul edilerek, baz istasyonun kaldırılmasına karar verilmesi gerektiğini belirtti.Yerel mahkeme, ilk kararında direnirse dava dosyası Yargıtay Hukuk Genel Kurulunda görüşülerek karara bağlanacak.
Yargıtay, baz istasyonlarının uzun zaman diliminde insan sağlığında zarara neden olacağına karar vererek istasyonların yerleşim yerlerinden uzak bir yere taşınmasına hükmetti.
Ankara’da bir kişi, oturduğu caddede bulunan binadaki baz istasyonunun, insan sağlığını olumsuz yönde etkileyeceği iddiasıyla baz istasyonunun kaldırılması için Ankara 24. Asliye Hukuk Mahkemesi’nde dava açtı. Baz istasyonunun ait olduğu GSM şirketinin avukatları, istasyonun sertifikalı ve yönetmeliklerde belirtilen değerlere uygun olarak kurulup işletildiğini savunarak davanın reddini istedi.
Mahkeme, yapılan keşif ve ölçümlerde baz istasyonunun davacıya ait yerlere 20-25 metre arasında uzaklıkta bulunduğunun ve alan şiddetinin cihaz için öngörülen limit değerlerin altında olduğunun tespit edildiğine işaret ederek, davayı reddetti.Davacının kararı temyiz etmesi üzerine dosyayı görüşen Yargıtay 4. Hukuk Dairesi, yerel mahkemenin kararını bozdu. Daire, baz istasyonunun yaydığı radyasyonun referans değerlerinin altında olsa bile meskun alanlarda yarattığı radyasyondan dolayı, bu alanlarda uzun süreli radyasyona maruz kalacak insanların sağlığının olumsuz yönde etkileneceğine karar verdi.Dava konusu baz istasyonunun uzun zaman diliminde zarar doğurabileceği ifade edilen kararda, “Çevredekiler için gelecek ve uzun zaman diliminde büyük endişe, psikolojik yapısında tedirginlik ve ümitsizlik yaratarak, kişilerin çalışmasını ve sağlık değerlerini olumsuz etkileyecek ve zararlı sonuç doğuracaktır. Bir istasyon, yönetmeliğe uygun çalıştırılsa dahi zarar veriyorsa, yönetmeliğe uygun olduğundan söz edilerek zarar verenin sorumluluktan kurtulması mümkün değildir” denildi.Daire, yargıcın yönetmeliğe değil, yasaya, genel hukuk kurallarına ve bu bağlamda sorumluluk hukukunun ilkelerine göre karar vermek zorunda olduğuna işaret ederek, baz istasyonunun yerleşim yerlerinden daha uzak ve uygun bir yere taşınmasının gerekli olduğuna hükmetti.Yargıtay 4. Hukuk Dairesi, Ankara 24. Asliye Hukuk Mahkemesi’nin kararını bozarak, davacının zarar gördüğünün kabul edilerek, baz istasyonun kaldırılmasına karar verilmesi gerektiğini belirtti.Yerel mahkeme, ilk kararında direnirse dava dosyası Yargıtay Hukuk Genel Kurulunda görüşülerek karara bağlanacak.
Tata Teleservices to launch GSM service
Tata Teleservices to launch GSM service
by Keshav Seth
Leading telecom operator TATA Teleservices has decided to start Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) services by the end of this financial year. The company is already providing CDMA based services in various telecom circles of country.
Tata Teleservices is now planning to spend $2 billion to expand its subscriber base in the GSM market. It may be recalled that its major competitor Rcom has already launched GSM services in 11,000 towns of country few days back.
TATA Teleservices Managing Director, Anil Sardana said, "We will shortly announce our GSM launch. We have got spectrum in 13 circles service areas and rest we expect to add by month-end, baring one or two. We have already got spectrum (2G) for most of the circles and will roll out the services by the end of this year hopefully."
TATA has received spectrum to operate in 13 telecom circles and more are expected within few months. The company maintains a subscriber base of 31 million customers by the end of November 2008. It is the second largest CDMA services provider in the country.
by Keshav Seth
Leading telecom operator TATA Teleservices has decided to start Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) services by the end of this financial year. The company is already providing CDMA based services in various telecom circles of country.
Tata Teleservices is now planning to spend $2 billion to expand its subscriber base in the GSM market. It may be recalled that its major competitor Rcom has already launched GSM services in 11,000 towns of country few days back.
TATA Teleservices Managing Director, Anil Sardana said, "We will shortly announce our GSM launch. We have got spectrum in 13 circles service areas and rest we expect to add by month-end, baring one or two. We have already got spectrum (2G) for most of the circles and will roll out the services by the end of this year hopefully."
TATA has received spectrum to operate in 13 telecom circles and more are expected within few months. The company maintains a subscriber base of 31 million customers by the end of November 2008. It is the second largest CDMA services provider in the country.
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