Sprint Nextel Hires Wireless Veteran Bob Johnson To Head CDMA Business (USA) May 13, 2009
Posted by aikservices in AT&T, CDMA, McCaw Cellular, Mobile, North America, Sprint Nextel, USA.Tags: AT&T, CDMA, McCaw Cellular, Mobile, North America, Sprint Nextel, USA
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Sprint Nextel has appointed Bob Johnson to the position of president of its CDMA business unit, which continues to lose subscribers despite having a strong restructuring plan in place. Johnson replaces Keith Cowan, who was serving as interim president of Sprint’s CDMA business unit. Cowan will now be president of Spring’s strategy and corporate development, and lead the company’s overall strategic planning.Johnson, 55, will be in charge of Sprint’s postpaid consumer marketing and sales, including acquisition, growth and marketing, as well as the more than 11,000 retail locations. Johnson most recently served as COO of Sotto Wireless, a Bellevue, Wash.-based company he co-founded. The company focused on offering wireless phones as a replacement for landline phones for small businesses. The company shut down earlier this year after it failed to get enough traction. Before that, he served 16 years as a key executive at AT&T Wireless, including as EVP of the company’s marketing, sales and customer service functions. Prior to joining AT&T, Johnson worked at McCaw Cellular Communications. Johnson will start on May 20, and will likely be easily confused with another Bob Johnson, who currently serves as Chief Service Officer.
HSDPA Launched in Georgia February 3, 2009
Posted by aikservices in CDMA, Geocell, Georgia, GSM, HSDPA, MagtiCom, Mobitel, WiMAX.Tags: CDMA, Geocell, Georgia, GSM, HSDPA, MagtiCom, Mobitel, WiMAX
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Georgian mobile network operator, MagtiCom says that it has launched a HSDPA upgrade across its entire network. The upgrade will permit mobile data downloads with speeds of up to 14.4 Mb/s.The firm announced new tariffs for the service, with rates running from US$3 for 20MB worth of downloads per month to US$60 for 15GB of downloads.Last November, the firm soft-launched a WiMAX network with coverage in the main cities of Tbilisi, Batumi, Telavi, Gori, Rustavi, Akhaltsikhe, Kutaisi, Ozurgeti, Oni, Poti. Coverage is being expanded thoughout the rest of this year.
MagtiCom is the second largest of the three GSM network operators in the country and according to figures from the Mobile World, they ended last September with just over 1.15 million customers and a market share of 40%. Market leader is Geocell with just under 1.5 million customers, and the smallest is new entrant, Mobitel. There is also a small CDMA operator, Iberiatel with 67,000 subscribers.
LIME and Digicel accuse each other of line blocking (Jamaica) January 9, 2009
Posted by aikservices in Cable & Wireless, CDMA, Claro, Digicel, GSM, Jamaica, Lime, Mobile, Telecom, Wireless.Tags: Cable & Wireless, Claro, Digicel, Jamaica, Lime, Mobile, Telecom, Wireless
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Jamaican cellcos LIME and Digicel yesterday accused each other of call blocking; LIME, the new brand name for Cable & Wireless, issued a statement yesterday claiming that Digicel had blocked calls from LIME customers across the Caribbean who were calling Digicel Jamaica customers. In reposte, Digicel countered that its customers had almost simultaneously begun complaining that they were blocked from calling LIME landlines. Claro, Jamaica’s other wireless provider, said it was unaffected. Telecoms regulator Office of Utilities Regulations (OUR) spokesman David Geddes said that the regulator was aware of the dispute but was awaiting detailed information from both parties regarding the complaint.
Vodafone Fiji slashes call and SMS rates January 7, 2009
Posted by aikservices in 3G, CDMA, Fiji, GSM, Mobile, Telecom, Vodafone, Wireless.Tags: 3G, CDMA, Fiji, GSM, Mobile, Telecom, Vodafone, Wireless
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Vodafone Fiji has reduced its pre-paid voice call rates by as much as 44% in the last three months as competition heats up in the domestic mobile market following the arrival of Digicel. The Vodafone unit has cut its on-net (peak) call charges from FJD0.27 to FJD0.15 per unit, or FJD0.30 a minute from FJD0.54 previously. Off-peak rates have been trimmed from FJD0.18 a unit to FJD0.12, or FJD0.24 per minute, while text message charges have been halved to FJD0.10 per SMS. In a press statement, the company said the new charges clearly set out the benchmark to other domestic operators. ‘We have heard many claims and counter claims on who offers the best mobile rates in Fiji. We strongly believe that actions speak louder then words,’ said Aslam Khan, Vodafone Fiji managing director. ‘We already offer the best in mobile phone technology with the launch of our third generation (3.5G) network. We are the only mobile network operator to offer video calling and wireless mobile broadband,’ he added.
Reliance Communications launches India-wide GSM network January 5, 2009
Posted by aikservices in CDMA, Edge, GSM, India, Mobile, Reliance Communications, Telecom, Wireless.Tags: CDMA, Edge, GSM, India, Mobile, Reliance Communications, Telecom, Wireless
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Indian mobile operator Reliance Communications (RCom) is launching a nationwide enhanced GSM network that will cover over 1 billion people, the widest one-time launch. Reliance’s new network is expected to be activated within 5 days and offer seamless coverage on major railway routes, national and state highways through dedicated mobile towers. At the same time the network is connected to Reliance owned fibre network for unlimited capacity, both in India and overseas and EDGE-enabled. RCom will offer stutter-free video capability including 16 TV channels, sports updates as well as access to video sharing websites like Youtube plus access to R-World mobile content offering entertainment, music, news, cricket, bollywood, maps and search and set-up and access to e-mail and social networking. RCom claims to be the first Indian mobile operator that will have a nation-wide CDMA network as well as a nation-wide GSM network.
Cellcos complete asset swap (USA) December 24, 2008
Posted by aikservices in AT&T, CDMA, Dobson Cellular, GSM, Mobile, North America, telecom USA, Verizon Wireless, Wireless.Tags: AT&T, Dobson Cellular, Mobile, North America, Verizon Wireless, Wireless
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AT&T and Verizon Wireless have completed an asset swap which helps them meet the regulatory conditions of two recent buyouts of smaller operators. The Federal Communications Commission approved AT&T’s buyout of Dobson in November 2007 and Verizon’s purchase of rural Cellular in August 2008 as long as a number of overlapping operations were divested. Verizon has now acquired licences, network infrastructure and subscribers from AT&T in Kentucky and other unspecified areas, while AT&T has acquired Verizon assets in rural areas of Vermont, New York, Washington State and Kentucky. Verizon has also received an undisclosed cash payment under the deal.
Vodafone Offers PrePay Top-Ups Via PayPal (Australia) December 9, 2008
Posted by aikservices in Australia, CDMA, GSM, Italy, Mobile, PayPal, Telecom, Vodafone, Wireless.Tags: Australia, Italy, Mobile, PayPal, Telecom, Vodafone, Wireless
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Vodafone Australia has launched a PrePay top-up option using PayPal’s mobile payment platform. Vodafone prepaid customers simply register for a PayPal account online and select from either direct debit or credit card payment. Once the PayPal account is activated, customers can recharge their Vodafone Prepaid Cap or Extras Pack directly from their mobile phone via the Vodafone live! mobile content portal.
Mobiles have come a long way in a short time, said Russell Hewitt, CEO at Vodafone Australia. Now, Vodafone is harnessing the capabilities of mobiles to make life even easier for our customers. Australians are highly mobile and they often need to recharge on the move, so we’ve made that possible today.
This is great news for Vodafone customers and is a perfect solution that is specifically designed to support mobile communications products and services, added Hewitt.Vodafone is the first company in Australia to offer mobile recharge services, and only the second company in the world to introduce PayPal mobile recharge, following a similar launch by Vodafone Italy in August.
Sprint will have large job cuts in 2009 December 9, 2008
Posted by aikservices in CDMA, GSM, Mobile, Sprint Nextel, USA, Wireless.Tags: Job Cuts, Mobile, Pali Research, Sprint Nextel, Telecom, Wireless
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Sprint Nextel may have large-scale job cuts in January, according to a research note by analyst Walter Piecyk at Pali Research.
Piecyk said he expects “a significant workforce reduction in January” for the carrier, which has struggled in recent months as subscriber growth has dropped. Piecyk said the move is necessary for Sprint to cut costs, and the expectation of job cuts was made in part based upon conversations with Sprint CFO Bob Brust.
“We do not believe that price cuts are off the table,” Piecyk said. “With customer care in good shape, more flexible covenants in place and a planned layoff in January, [Sprint CEO Dan Hesse] has the financial flexibility and the organization structure to make whatever moves he wants in order to stimulate growth.”
Hesse has indicated in the past that jobs cuts could be in store as the company moves into 2009, but has declined to say how many jobs could be cut, pending the company’s fourth quarter results.
Source: http://www.fiercewireless.com
Google releases unlocked G1 for developers December 9, 2008
Posted by aikservices in Android, Australia, Austria, Canada, CDMA, Finland, France, G1, Germany, Google, GSM, Hungary, India, Japan, Mobile, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Smartphone, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, T-Mobile, Taiwan, Telecom, United Kingdom, USA, Wireless.Tags: Android, Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, France, G1, Germany, Google, Hungary, India, Japan, Mobile, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, T-Mobile, Taiwan, Telecom, United Kingdom, USA, Wireless
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To make the phone more accessible to developers, Google’s Android development team released the first SIM-unlocked and hardware-unlocked version of the T-Mobile G1, which runs on the Android platform.
The move, which the development team quietly let slip on Friday, is a clear signal to application developers that they now have a G1 to test their applications on free from the constraints of signing up for a service contract with T-Mobile USA. The phone, called the Android Dev Phone 1, is available for $399 in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, India, Canada, France, Taiwan, Spain, Australia, Singapore, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Poland and Hungary.
Developers who are registered in the Android Market can sign into their account and purchase the phone. Google is limiting one phone to each developer account. Google warned that non-developers should probably not make use of the phone, noting that, “Since the devices can be configured with system software not provided by or supported by Google or any other company, end users operate these devices at their own risk.”
Source: http://www.fiercewireless.com
Smartphones Try To Outsmart the Competition December 8, 2008
Posted by aikservices in AT&T, BlackBerry, CDMA, GSM, iPhone, Microsoft, Mobile, Research In Motion, RIM, Smartphone, Telecom, Verizon Wireless, Wireless, YouTube.Tags: BlackBerry Storm, GPS, Mobile, Research In Motion, RIM, Telecom, Verizon Wireless, Wireless, YouTube
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Cell phone carriers are touting their smartphones as the smart choice for the holiday season. Verizon Wireless and Research in Motion’s new BlackBerry Storm has all the familiar BlackBerry features but is a touch-screen device.
Audrey Lundy, public relations manager for Verizon Wireless, said Verizon incorporated the touch-screen to keep up with customer demand. The Storm employs a clickable touch-screen that is designed to respond like a keyboard.
When Apple’s iPhone came into the marketplace in 2007, users were excited about its touch-screen capability. The phone also offers more than 5,000 downloadable applications like navigation tools and access to YouTube.
The iPhone was the No. 1-selling phone for the third quarter of this year. Even with its success, some said the iPhone is for general consumers while the BlackBerry is for the business community.
The launch of the iPhone 3G added Microsoft Exchange access and GPS technology, which could in turn appeal more to the business crowd, said Brian Bollenbach, director of product development for Anyware Mobile Solutions. The BlackBerry and the iPhone still have their niche audiences, he said. But additions and phone upgrades are increasing their customer base. “I say in both cases they have opportunities to bleed over to both markets with their new versions,” said Bollenbach.
Smart phones took off about six years ago, said Bollenbach. They offered mobile versions of applications business people had on their home computers, making it easier to work away from the office.
Various industries took note of the increasing popularity for mobile devices. They started creating mobile Web sites, but many were slow to take off because it took a long time to download all the information. Bollenbach said in the past year there have been significant improvements to browsers that have sped up loading time. The success of the iPhone in the past year has the other carriers taking note of its forward-thinking applications, he said. “The systems are going to continue to become more diverse,” said Bollenbach. “I do think we’ll see certain carriers lose market shares and others will gain.”
Which company will see the most success depends on consumers’ carrier service, he said. The iPhone works for AT&T subscribers and the BlackBerry Storm is on the Verizon plan. Those services could influence future smart-phone purchases.
“I would say iPhone is off to a good start, they have a loyal fan base,” he said. “But we’ll have to see.”
Even with people conserving their money this holiday season, Bollenbach anticipates many smart phones are a likely gift purchase this year.
Open-Source Symbian Has Caught AT&T’s Eye December 8, 2008
Posted by aikservices in Android, AOL, Apple, AT&T, BlackBerry, CDMA, Google, GSM, iPhone, Mobile, Research In Motion, RIM, Smartphone, Symbian, Telecom, Windows Mobile, Wireless.Tags: Android, AOL, Apple, AT&T, BlackBerry, Cell Telecom, Google, Intrinsyc, iPhone, ISB Corporation, Mobile, Nokia, Research In Motion, RIM, Symbian, Telecom, Trusted Logic, Windows Mobile, Wireless, Xenient
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The world has been waiting for an open-source Symbian mobile operating system, but it won’t have to wait much longer. The Symbian Foundation expects to have its first version ready in the first half of 2009.
The foundation is making strides and gaining more support. Symbian on Thursday announced AOL, Cell Telecom, Intrinsyc, ISB Corporation, Trusted Logic, and Xenient have added their endorsements to the 58 other companies already supporting the open-source effort.
“We are delighted with the response from the Silicon Valley community, as well as from developers around the world, to the plans for the foundation to build on the leading open mobile platform,” said Lee Williams, who has been nominated as executive director of the foundation and who was a keynote speaker at this week’s Symbian Partner Event in San Francisco.
The AT&T Connection
Even though Symbian has a commanding lead in the global mobile operating-system market with nearly half the implementations worldwide, competition is rising. Research in Motion, Apple’s iPhone, Google’s Android, and Windows Mobile are all challenging Symbian on the smartphone front.
What’s more, Symbian hasn’t gained much traction in the U.S. Symbian could gain an advantage, though if comments made by an AT&T executive at the Symbian event Thursday pan out as some observers expect.
Roger Smith, AT&T’s director of next-generation services, told the event that the wireless carrier is considering how it might standardize on only a few mobile platforms over the next few years. He cited Symbian as a “credible candidate” to be among those platforms.
Speaking of an open Symbian, Smith said, “If done well and done right, this can be a game-changing event.” It’s all part of AT&T’s move to take more control over its destiny in the mobile operating space.
A Fragmented Market
“At the end of the day, the mobile OS platform market is going to be fragmented for the foreseeable future. While there is Windows Mobile, there is no Windows of mobile, meaning one dominant platform that will rule everything,” said Michael Gartenberg, vice president of mobile strategy for Jupitermedia. “We are going to see any number of strong players here amongst many.”
Symbian has been a strong platform in Europe for some time. But until the birth of the Symbian Foundation, talk about Symbian revolved around Nokia, its creator. Nokia’s interpretation of the Symbian mobile operating system was in the Series 60 devices. Some industry watchers have speculated about Symbian becoming a unified platform for AT&T.
“It’s hard to see a carrier standardizing on a single platform and what benefit that would have for them,” Gartenberg said. “Even more interesting is that these comments came from someone at AT&T, which of course has the exclusive [U.S.] franchise on the iPhone, which is now one of the best-selling devices in mobility, period.”
Apple iPhone Users Download 300 Million Apps December 8, 2008
Posted by aikservices in Apple, BlackBerry, CDMA, GSM, iPhone, Microsoft, Mobile, Palm, Research In Motion, RIM, Smartphone, Telecom, Wireless.Tags: Apple, BlackBerry, Microsoft, Mobile, Palm, Research In Motion, RIM, Smartphone, Telecom, Wireless
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Apple iPhone owners have downloaded 300 million applications through the App Store. The news came in the fine print of an advertisement in Friday’s edition of The New York Times.
What’s more, iPhone owners appear to have downloaded a whopping 100 million apps in the last six weeks alone, based on previous Apple disclosures.
To put the phenomenon into perspective, the App Store launched on July 11. By early September, Apple was boasting about its progress: 100 million downloads.
Apple launched its App Store with more than 3,000 applications — more than 90 percent priced at less than $10 and more than 600 offered for free. That number has since swelled to more than 10,000 applications, and numbers are growing as developers embrace the opportunity.
“This milestone demonstrates both Apple’s strengths and prominence in this space as a newcomer,” said Michael Gartenberg, vice president of mobile strategy for Jupitermedia. “It wasn’t that long ago when the CEO of Microsoft and the CEO of Palm were basically dismissing Apple’s efforts in mobile, talking about how difficult it is for a new entrant into the space.”
A Blockbuster App Store
The App Store’s applications can take advantage of the iPhone’s large display, multi-touch user interface, hardware-accelerated 3-D graphics, built-in accelerometer, and location-based technology.
Earlier this week, for example, Amazon released an application that lets users tap into its shopping features through the iPhone. But games and music topped the iPhone’s list of most popular applications.
“Apple has really turned the App Store quickly into an extremely viable and popular platform to developers. When Apple announced the first 100 million downloads, developers noticed,” Gartenberg said. “And there are something like 10,000 applications in the store right now, which is huge for a platform that’s been on the market and generally available for just a few months.”
Competitors Copycat
So popular is the iPhone App Store that Research In Motion is coming online with its own store. RIM in October announced the new store and a new on-device application center that opens up the BlackBerry’s millions of users to developers vying for an audience.
RIM said it plans to launch the BlackBerry application store next March, giving its users a one-stop shop for compatible applications and a user-friendly way to manage upgrades and purchases.
RIM said the introduction of more consumer-friendly features in BlackBerry smartphones has sparked interest from the general public. As a result, thousands of consumer and lifestyle-oriented applications for BlackBerry smartphones are now available.
Will Apple’s and RIM’s app stores duke it out? Analysts expect RIM to pick up its fair share of developers. Apple’s success with the iPhone and the subsequent App Store demonstrates the velocity of mobile and how quickly things change in this arena.
“When you’ve got the right technology, the right messaging, the right marketing, and the right product coming together at the right time, you can do a lot,” Gartenberg concluded.
Tata Teleservices selects NSN to launch GSM services December 8, 2008
Posted by aikservices in Asia, CDMA, GSM, India, Mobile, Nokia Siemens Networks, Tata Teleservices Limited, Telecom, Wireless.Tags: GSM, India, Mobile, Nokia Siemens Networks, NSN, TTSL, Wireless
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Tata Teleservices Limited (TTSL) has tied up with Nokia Siemens Networks for its pan-India GSM network rollout. Under the terms of the partnership, Nokia Siemens Networks has been identified as one of the main vendors that will manage the operations of the networks it deploys over a period of five years.
Managed services forms just one portion of the vast scope of the deal — the complete services outlay includes local supplies, network planning, project management, network roll-out and systems integration activities across the national network.
Commenting on the tie-up, Anil Sardana, Managing Director, Tata Teleservices Limited, said, “As we gear up for our GSM launch, the need of the hour is to provide quick time-to-market services that ensure better network quality and uptime. In keeping with this mission, we feel suitably aligned to Nokia Siemens Networks, which with its massive services set-up in the country, can provide us the required support.”
Nokia Siemens Networks is said to have been selected on the basis of its mobile softswitching solution, its Home Location Register, its advanced Subscriber Data Management platform and the energy-efficient Flexi Base Station. Underscoring its faith in Nokia Siemens Networks, TTSL will also deploy the company’s packet core solution, including the Flexi Intelligent Service Node, for all 22 circles in the country, enabling it to offer mobile Internet access across subscriber segments.
According to Michael Kuehner, Head: Nokia Siemens Networks, sub-region India, “Not only does this partnership allow us to work with one of the most prestigious names in Indian corporate history, but being selected for TTSL’s GSM launch also considerably strengthens our dominance across the Indian telecom landscape.”
Nokia Siemens Networks will be responsible for GSM services across a majority of TTSL’s 22 telecom circles in India.
Majan the MVNO pips FRiENDi (Oman) December 8, 2008
Posted by aikservices in CDMA, GSM, Oman Mobile, Wireless.Tags: Friendi, Majan, Middle East, Mobile, MVNO, Oman, Oman Mobile, Renna, Wireless
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Majan Telecommunications has launched mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) services under its Renna brand. The company, which has signed a deal to use the network of Oman Mobile, claims to be the first MVNO in the Middle East. Majan CEO Niklas Nielsen said that the company wants to set itself up as an MVNO in other countries once the Oman operation is well established. The announcement comes hot on the heels of a declaration by rival MVNO FRiENDi Mobile that it would be launching ‘shortly’. FRiENDi and Majan are two of five recipients of MVNO licences in Oman, the others being Injaz International, Kalam Telecommunications and Mazoon Mobile.
Mobile Phone Web Browsing to Generate $38 Billion in 2013 December 8, 2008
Posted by aikservices in CDMA, GSM, Mobile, Mobile Internet, Wireless.Tags: Europe, Japan, Korea, Mobile, USA, Web, Wireless
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According to the Strategy Analytics Wireless Media Strategies service report, Mobile Internet Forecast Update 2001-2013, demand for popular content and services on the web, such as social networks, email, and news sites, while away from fixed internet connections, will drive consumer spending on mobile web access products from operators. As discriminatory charging for off-portal browsing disappears, data pricing for casual use is reduced, and the overall browsing experience on 3G feature and smartphones is improved, usage and spending on mobile web will increase.
Handset browsing has been popular in Japan and Korea to date, but not so in Western Europe and the US. However, according to Nitesh Patel, Senior Analyst of the Strategy Analytics Wireless Media Strategies service and author of the report, Prospects for mobile web access in Western Europe and the US have brightened over the last 12 months as the browsing capability and user experience on handsets improves, and as more operators introduce flexible low-cost monthly and casual browsing plans to suit both heavy and casual users. Fundamentally, access to desirable content on the web, such as social networks, webmail, and infotainment, will drive demand for internet access products.
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