Editor’s Be aware: RCR Wi-fi Information goes all in for “Throwback Thursdays,” tapping into our archives to resuscitate the highest headlines from the previous. Fireplace up the time machine, placed on these sepia-tinted shades, set the date for #TBT and benefit from the reminiscences!
AT&T Wi-fi begins providing wi-fi broadband by way of ‘Undertaking Angel’
After years of anticipation fueled by speak of a brand new know-how nonetheless shrouded in secrecy, AT&T Wi-fi Companies Inc. introduced final week it’s providing industrial digital wi-fi broadband service to residential clients in Fort Value, Texas. The brand new service, lengthy recognized below the guise of Undertaking Angel and most just lately, AT&T Nationwide Wi-fi Native Trade Provider, will ship always-on high-speed Web entry as much as 12 occasions sooner than conventional dial-up modems, in addition to long-distance service. Prospects will be capable to select their very own native service supplier, AT&T mentioned. Undertaking Angel initially was designed to bypass the native cellphone service, however AT&T reconfigured it to supply excessive information speeds as much as 1 megabit per second. Two to 4 energetic clients now can share 1 megabit, and as AT&T indicators on extra clients, it is going to enhance the quantity of bandwidth, mentioned Michael Keith, chief government officer and president of AT&T’s fastened wi-fi division. The know-how transmits voice and information alerts between a base station and a small antenna put in on the outside of a buyer’s dwelling utilizing 10 megahertz of spectrum on the 1900 MHz private communication providers frequency band, which eliminates the necessity for line-of-sight. The method is derived from know-how utilized by the U.S. army, and no different firm in the intervening time has it, AT&T mentioned. Trials of the fastened wi-fi service have been going down in Dallas over the past 10 to 12 months. Nonetheless, there’s some shock over how aggressively AT&T appears to be shifting the venture alongside, partly as a result of Undertaking Angel dates again greater than six years to McCaw Mobile Communications Inc., earlier than it was purchased by AT&T. … Learn extra
China set to turn out to be largest wi-fi information market
NEW YORK-Regardless of issues the written Chinese language language poses for Web communications, China could however turn out to be the most important wi-fi information market on the earth. China Telecom Hong Kong, which had 38 million subscribers on the finish of 1999, “is intently following and getting ready for wi-fi information,” Li Ping, vice chairman and chief working officer, mentioned in a current presentation right here. In a populous nation with a proportionately low variety of wireline telephones and private computer systems, “wi-fi information is likely one of the most promising sectors,” he added. Hurdles stay due to “the difficulties in utilizing Chinese language characters in Web-enabled handsets … however China might turn out to be the most important wi-fi information market on the earth,” Li mentioned. “The way forward for our firm relies on the convergence of wi-fi voice and information.” China Telecom, the incumbent mobile service, already offers quick message service in some cities, providing sports activities scores, inventory quotes and climate reviews. It’s conducting trials of Basic Packet Radio Service and Wi-fi Utility Protocol and expects check outcomes by mid-year. “With WAP, we’re ready for the distributors, Ericsson and Nokia, as a result of most of the software program and purposes should not accessible but,” Li mentioned. … Learn extra
China Unicom’s CDMA community delayed
China Unicom’s deliberate deployment of Code Division A number of Entry know-how stays delayed as Unicom works on finding out the paper work with each the Ministry of Data Trade and the State Improvement Planning Fee, distributors in China say. Chinese language Premier Zhu Rongji just lately advised reporters that the federal government didn’t order a cease to building of the community. He pointed to the shortage of coordination and communications between the MII and SDPC. Each companies look like processing the paper work, nevertheless it’s unclear how lengthy the delay will final, say producers. The makes an attempt to deploy CDMA know-how on a large scale had been delayed for greater than a 12 months for numerous causes. Iin early 1999, the Chinese language authorities allowed the know-how as a World Commerce Group concession. The latest delay concerned Qualcomm Inc. and the Chinese language authorities, who had been negotiating licensing phrases over Qualcomm’s mental property rights to CDMA know-how. In February, China Unicom and Qualcomm introduced a deal that provides Chinese language producers who enter license agreements with Qualcomm diminished royalty charges if they comply with buy their CDMA Utility Particular Built-in Circuits from Qualcomm so long as the costs are aggressive. … Learn extra
Questioning the cellular e-commerce gold rush
BOSTON-In keeping with a brand new report by Ovum, potential cellular e-commerce suppliers ought to present distinctive and compelling providers, somewhat than hype about new know-how that’s purported to vary the world, in the event that they wish to attain the shopping for public. Duncan Brown, co-author of the report, “Cell E-commerce: Market Methods,” famous, “It’s debatable whether or not abnormal customers are literally demanding cellular e-commerce providers proper now. It’s extra a case of suppliers sensing a possibility to earn cash, and pushing an thought at them. “Enterprise customers, somewhat than the mass market, would be the first severe adopters, however even they received’t pay a premium for present providers, that are simpler and cheaper to entry utilizing the cellphone or a [personal computer],” Brown continued. The report famous that the present local weather has all of the frenzy, uncertainty and sick preparedness of a gold rush. Firms have to keep away from investing in purposes, which sound spectacular on paper however don’t entice person take-up. “Potential cellular e-commerce gamers have to appreciate that at this time limit, good substitutes for his or her providers already exist-it’s solely the supply technique that has modified,” Brown famous. … Learn extra
PCIA seeks a tradeshow turnaround
The Private Communications Trade Affiliation introduced one other initiative final week to show the affiliation round within the midst of dwindling membership and public-relations issues surrounding its annual commerce present. PCIA mentioned it’s repositioning and renaming its annual convention and commerce present PCIA GlobalXChange to mirror the most well liked matter within the wi-fi business today-the wi-fi Web. “We took a take a look at the present and realized that we actually wanted to vary the course of the present, the content material and the title to mirror the extra fashionable occasions,” PCIA President Jay Kitchen advised RCR. “The change that has taken place is exponential and increasingly firms are getting concerned. Content material is changing into a really highly effective a part of the combination. We wish to emphasize the convergence of the wi-fi Web.” The announcement got here on the heels of PCIA’s revelation earlier this month that it was streamlining 10 positions and setting a brand new strategic course to align with the rising market traits, particularly the wi-fi Web. Many business gamers see PCIA as an pointless duplication of the Mobile Telecommunications Trade Affiliation because the wi-fi market matures and consolidates. Many carriers and distributors are leaving the affiliation and its commerce present. Dash PCS, Lucent Applied sciences Inc., Nokia Cell Telephones and L.M. Ericsson didn’t renew their memberships this 12 months. Furthermore, massive distributors Lucent, Nokia, Ericsson, Nortel Networks Inc. and Qualcomm Inc. don’t count on to exhibit at this 12 months’s present slated for Chicago in September. … Learn extra
Infrastructure gamers decide sides on tech
Nokia threw its assist behind Motorola Inc.’s 1X Plus proposal final week and mentioned it’s evaluating making cdmaOne-based infrastructure gear. Motorola introduced earlier this month plans to problem Qualcomm Inc.’s proprietary Excessive Information Fee know-how, introducing its personal 1XRTT enhancement for cdmaOne carriers to think about. Just about all Code Division A number of Entry carriers plan quickly emigrate to 1X know-how, which provides further voice capability and better information speeds of about 144 kilobits per second. Motorola’s and Nokia’s new proposal, now named 1XTREME, consolidates Nokia’s work on Web Protocol know-how and Motorola’s 1X Plus proposal. Nokia, the one main vendor at present that doesn’t make cdmaOne infrastructure, mentioned it’s evaluating the chance to enter the infrastructure enterprise associated to this proposal. “This enhances our different proposals for harmonization and our present plans to drive ahead with different initiatives within the subject of 3G,” mentioned Arja Suominen, spokeswoman for Nokia in Finland. “Since 1XTREME relies on open interfaces, it may also be related to the 3G International Packet Core networks … This permits cdmaOne operators to deploy all-IP networks.” A brand new standoff within the cdmaOne neighborhood is brewing over high-speed information enhancements. CdmaOne heavyweight Lucent Applied sciences Inc. and Qualcomm assist HDR know-how and Motorola and Nokia are on the opposite aspect. Each HDR and 1XTREME applied sciences match into an ordinary 1.25-megahertz channel. However HDR know-how is devoted solely to high-speed information, with the objective to realize 2.4-megabit speeds. The 1XTREME proposal permits for voice and information to coexist on the identical channel, permitting operators to make use of base station property extra effectively and cheaply, mentioned Motorola. Section 2 of the 1XTREME proposal is designed to succeed in 5.2-megabit speeds. Qualcomm has been pushing HDR know-how for a lot of months signing a couple of licensees, however carriers-still uncertain of how the information market will take off-are leery about dedicating a whole channel to information. Lucent introduced its assist for the know-how earlier this month. … Learn extra
Take a look at the RCR Wi-fi Information Archives for extra tales from the previous.
