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JDSU teams with smartTECH on solution for optimization of Radio Access Networks

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JDSU today announced it is closely collaborating with smartTECH to offer wireless service providers and network equipment manufacturers a solution that is claimed to dramatically improve and accelerate the assessment of capacity and throughput in Radio Access Networks (RANs).

The JDSU Distributed Network Analyzer (DNA) and Signaling Analyzer Real Time (SART) provide the real-time measurements and protocol analysis that enable smartTECH’s TECHtrace application to model capacity based on actual calls and call flows at the cell level. This combination of tools is the only solution that eliminates the need for imprecise simulation and statistical modeling, which often take months and require significant expenditure on additional technology such as mapping, GPS connectivity, and aerial photography. The solution complements JDSU Drive Test products.

TECHtrace allows users to optimize and troubleshoot the RAN cell-by-cell through SART/DNA’s direct probing and tracing. The solution incorporates data from caller handsets to accurately measure traffic and detect and analyze interference patterns, cell power overlap, the impact of overlap, and where there are gaps. TECHtrace can quickly drill down into millions of calls within a Radio Network Control (RNC) area, and can also localize a specific call on a map, detect where it begins, where the caller is moving, and what type of handset is being used. Operators can assess the causes of dropped calls and determine which handsets function poorly within their networks.

The JDSU/smartTECH solution has the critical capacity to detect the vendor-individualized call flow procedures within a network, and provide both per-vendor benchmark KPIs as well as standards-based 3GPP KPIs. This allows users to view data across different vendors in the same structure and format, and make vendor-neutral assessments of network performance.

The solution also enables operators to determine cell service capability—i.e. whether a cell or cell sectors have the load capacities to support specific types of services such as VoIP or video streaming. Cell service capability is affected by interference, and varies under different scenarios, such as whether a caller is driving or stationary. The solution provides the information operators need to improve load capacities so they can offer the services their customers want.

“TECHtrace has very powerful, industry-unique capabilities, and it serves our customers exceptionally well when it operates on the most accurate real-time call and signaling data available,” said Michael Zach project manager at SmartTECH. “This is why we run our tool on the JDSU protocol analysis test system. We were particularly pleased with the recent recognition of SART as Best Test Product for LTE.”

“JDSU SART, DNA, Drive Test, and smartTECH TECHtrace comprise the most accurate and efficient package of tools available to plan and optimize wireless networks,” said Chris Stanley, director in JDSU’s Communications Test and Measurement business segment. “Our customers can feel confident that the range and complementary design of these tools will equip them to meet challenges posed by high-speed, high-volume networks, now and in the future.”

Tweakker connects half a million mobile users to the internet in four months

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Danish mobile internet connectivity specialist, Tweakker, today announces that it has achieved its first target milestone since launching a new Over-the-Air Application Programming Interface (API) service in May 2010.

As of September 1, more than 500,000 people are said to have used Tweakker’s API to connect their mobile phones to the Internet saving mobile operator customers an estimated $4.75 million in customer care calls in the process. The API also enables mobile users to successfully subscribe and use new mobile services on offer thus generating more revenues for Tweakker’s content provider customers.

The mobile industry loses an estimated $10 billion each year in lost revenues and increasing customer care costs. Every time a mobile customer calls for support, it slashes up to $10 off average revenues per user (ARPU) and with the increasing complexity that Smartphones bring to the market, customer care costs can only increase. The cost of using Tweakker’s online API service is just $0.50 cents per customer: mobile network providers save $9.5 per customer care call simply by subscribing to Tweakker’s API service, claims the company.

Tweakker’s API is disruptive technology. As the lowest cost Over-the-Air (OTA) solution on today’s market, it offers the mobile customers of MVNOs, service providers and web content providers instant access to its configuration engine at any time from any location.

More than 10,000 phone model variations and 2,200 OTA-enabled phone models are currently supported by the API, a figure that is said to increase each month as new phone models are launched into the market. No other mobile connectivity company provides such support, claims Tweakker.

The API also provides online mobile guides in more than 30 languages and coverage now spans 114 countries and the networks of more than 350 mobile operators.  All phones supported by Tweakker’s API service are tested and certified for OTA configuration in-house.

MVNOs, service providers and content providers buy access to Tweakker’s API and develop a web service interface and bolt it on to their websites for seamless customer care. As a result, Tweakker’s customers provide a better customer care service compared with call centres at vastly reduced cost, it’s claimed.

“The first 500,000 mobile-user milestone for Tweakker’s Over-the-Air connectivity service has been achieved in just a handful of months,” says Tweakker’s business manager, Dennis Juul Poulsen. He adds: “We confidently expect that figure to grow to more than 1 million before year-end as more mobile and content providers subscribe to our API, saving themselves millions of dollars in customer care costs as a direct result.”

MCTEL and One2Many collaborate to offer Cell Broadcast solution

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MCTEL, a messaging and device management specialist, and one2many, a cell broadcast company, announced they have formed a partnership to provide the latest generation of Cell Broadcast solutions, able to broadcast messages to all devices irrespective of whether they are set to display CB messages.

Cell broadcast (CB) technology is said to offer a non-intrusive, real-time service of distributing text messages and binary content to mobile handsets, specific to their current location. CB is capable of broadcasting one single message to reach all mobile handsets in an area as small as one radio cell and as big as an entire country. Sending a message to millions of handsets takes a matter of seconds, it is claimed.

Traditionally Cell Broadcast messages are received by handsets which have CB activated and configured correctly. As configuration settings need to be performed on the handset rather than the SIM, manual intervention is required. For mobile users, manual configuration may not be intuitive acting as a barrier to activation. MCTEL’s device and SIM management specialisation provides an altogether more rewarding user experience and increases the penetration of the service overcoming this barrier.

Based on an in-depth knowledge of mobile handset behaviour, the MCTEL solution identifies handsets with the CB capability not activated as well as handsets that do not support CB messages. In the first case, MCTEL SIM OTA remotely manages the SIM card to activate the appropriate parameter, even on 3G mobile handsets that represent a growing part of today’s mobile fleet. In the second case, the CB message is replaced by a SMS that is sent to the handsets that do not support CB messages. As a result, one2many Cell Broadcast Centre combined with MCTEL SIM management solution is said to significantly increase the coverage rate of cell broadcast campaigns.

“By adding our device & SIM management to one2many’s cell broadcast technology, we entered a new phase of development for CB.” explains Dr Daniel Mavrakis, MCTEL CEO. “The solution enables operator settings control and ease of configuration. In addition we are now able to deliver CB campaigns to all the handsets attached to one or more cells on the network and even to those that do not support CB! This major improvement underlies further developments of cell broadcast services and the monetization of these services.”

With immediate and widespread message broadcasting, CB technology is said to be especially sought after for time-sensitive location-based services. Governments increasingly use CB for emergency alerts, whether they are related to natural hazards or security threats. In such cases, it is a vital necessity to instantly reach all mobile users located in a given area. For mobile operators, CB is claimed to represent a unique opportunity to locally optimize the capacity utilization rate and to launch new revenue-generating services.

Enabling Cell Broadcast is key to the success of solutions such as Public Warning and Dynamic Billing. Collectively, One2Many and MCTEL are addressing the needs of solution providers and customers in this area and building on this expertise to provide more interactive services by cross-pollinating different message domains like Cell Broadcast and SMS, or USSD.

Maarten Mes, Managing Director of one2many commented: “We are excited that MCTEL has joined one2many’s Technology Partnership program. This program fosters and supports bilateral research projects which have the potential for commercialization of CB services. MCTEL has addressed and found a solution for cell broadcast device & SIM management, supporting operators to maximise revenue from cell Broadcast commercial services”

The commercialization of MCTEL’s Cell Broadcast Versatile Delivery will be jointly done by both companies. Several mobile operators are already said to be interested in testing the solution on their network and perceive high revenue potential in this technology.

Ofcom to test actual mobile broadband performance

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Halts reliance on self-reporting from operators

Ofcom will test the actual performance of the UK’s mobile networks to produce coverage and performance stats, rather than rely on the operators’ self-reporting. The regulator has commissioned Epitiro to analyse the mobile broadband performance of the UK’s five national operators from September 2010 to January 2011, with Ofcom expecting to publish a report in early 2011.

Epitiro will use its ipQ ‘Consumer Experience’ measurement technology to capture a range of key performance indicators (KPIs) including accessibility, reliability and throughput speeds. The data collected will be analysed to determine how broadband speeds vary by a number of factors including operator, geography and time of day. Ofcom will also use the information to compare it to operators’ claims and advertisements. Previous coverage maps have been based on operator claims.

“Epitiro has developed consumer experience analysis technology specifically for the mobile industry.” said Gavin Johns, CEO, Epitiro.

Key issues that can affect quality of service consumer experience include contention at the serving cell, insufficient backhaul capability, low signal strength, cell handoff and traffic management policies.

Epitiro published the UK Mobile Broadband report 2009, analysing data collected from December 2008 to March 2009. (http://www.epitiro.com/resources)

That report found that people typically received less than 1Mbps from mobile broadband, and on average were able to acess 24% of the maximum “up to” speeds advertised. The average ping time was found to be 150msec, exceeding the 100msec time recommended for game playing by 50%.

However, the report did find that TCP download times increased 11% over the period. With 18 months having passed it will be interesting to see what Epitiro now finds. Will network investments have boosted performance, or will increased numbers of users impact on the overall average performance?

 

Now Vanjoki goes from Nokia

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Vanjoki resigns but will continue “for time being”

Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President and a member of Nokia Group Executive Board has given notice of his resignation from Nokia. Vanjoki, who currently heads Nokia’s Mobile Solutions unit, has six months notice period and  “will continue in his current tasks for the time being”, a statement from Nokia said.

With Nokia holding Nokia World this week, and outgoing CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo already de-listed from the speaking roster, Nokia obviously it couldn’t lose its head of devices for the biggest public event so far for its new N8 device.

“I felt the time has come to seek new opportunities in my life,” Anssi Vanjoki says. “At the same time, I am one hundred per cent committed to doing my best for Nokia until my very last working day. I am also really looking forward to this year’s Nokia World and sharing news about exciting new devices and solutions.”

Vanjoki’s departure will naturally be interpreted as being connected to the appointment of CEO Stephen Elop.

Nokia unveils Elop as new CEO

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Board wants accelerated process of renewal

Stephen Elop, Nokia’s incoming CEO, has said that Nokia is standing at a moment of “fundamental disruption” that creates challenges, but also great opportunities. Speaking to press on the day his apppointment was announced, Elop said that his role is to identify where the opportunities lie and moved to calm any worries that he would be a cultural mismatch at the company.

“The boom in the number and scope of mobile devices, the advent of cloud computing and delivery of services from the internet, plus the way we are all communicating now – all these elements are conspiring to create a moment of fundamental disruption,” he said. “When that begins to happen you see tremendous opportunities and challenges begin to happen. For Nokia this represents a huge opportunity, and the reason for that is Nokia can take advantage of its many unique strengths and assets.

“My role is to lead this team through this period of change, to take the organisation through this period of disruption and create an environment where those opportunities are properly captured.”

Elop said he would be listening to “all the stakeholders” in Nokia’s business and then take the action necessary to address the new opportunities created by this disruptive moment. That would include “recognising those core elements of success that will continue as critical elements of our strategy”.

He added that he would be moving to “establish a residence” in Helsinki, and added that he has had plenty of exposure to working with Nokia in the past, especially when at Macromedia and putting Flash onto Symbian phones, but also most recently with Microsoft software where he was President of Microsoft’s Business Division.

He also gave a nod to cultural sensitivities of being a non-Finn  leading a company that is so important to the country’s financial and cultural capital.

Nokia Chairman Jorma Ollila said that the board had been looking for a CEO since May of ths year, looking for someone who could “accelerate the company’s renewal”. Elop, he said, with his background in software change management and cultural awareness, was that person.

 

Nearly 59 million mobile WiMAX subscribers in 2015, says report

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According to new projections from ABI Research, the number of subscribers to mobile WiMAX services will approach 59 million in 2015. That represents a positive forecast in light of recent economic conditions, although research analyst Xavier Ortiz notes, “WiMAX’s growth has not been as early or as strong as many would have hoped several years ago.”

The factors impeding WiMAX’s growth haven’t been technological, he says, but economic and psychological: “The recession certainly played a role, making investors wary and delaying some deployments. On top of that, delays in the formation of the new Clearwire have constrained the rest of the ecosystem to some degree, from subscribers to devices and chipsets.”

Subscriber growth and base station shipments go hand in hand, and despite uncertainty among many operators as to which mobile 4G platform – WiMAX or TD-LTE – to choose, ABI Research’s forecasts see WiMAX base station shipments continuing to grow – albeit at a slowing pace – through the current 2015 forecast period.

Ortiz adds, “Depending on the particular vendor, much of the hardware in a WiMAX base station may be re-usable for TD-LTE. Service providers adopting WiMAX but interested in upgrading their networks have been choosing those infrastructure vendors that can offer the options of staying with WiMAX (moving towards 802.16m) or moving towards TD-LTE. This creates a sense of reassurance for service providers.”

The lion’s share of the market for WiMAX base stations during 2009 was divided between four major vendors. In terms of market share Alvarion is the leader, followed quite closely by Samsung. NSN (through acquisition of Motorola’s wireless networks business) and Huawei hold third and fourth place shares, followed by ZTE and NEC at fifth and sixth place. The remainder of the market is shared among “other” smaller vendors, says ABI.

Muzicall creates off-deck ringback tones

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Muzicall, a European provider of Ringback Tone services, has signed a deal with Fox Mobile Group, a distributor of mobile content, to deliver Ringback Tones – the sound that replaces the traditional ringing a caller hears when calling a mobile phone – to Swiss mobile phone customers.

Previously, Ringback Tones were only available to consumers directly from operators. Through the partnership with Fox Mobile Group, users will have access to a wide range of Ringback Tones from various genres. Swiss consumers are said to be the first in any European mobile market to be able to buy Ringback Tones from a direct-to-consumer outlet, such as Fox Mobile Group.

“Our deal with Fox Mobile Group represents the realisation of Muzicall’s vision for Ringback Tones; we have established a complete Ringback Tone ecosystem in Europe for the first time,” said Patrick Allainguillaume, CEO of Muzicall. “Until now the popularity of Ringback Tones in Europe has not been maximised because they have only been available on operator portals. Now they will be available from the same place where most consumers already buy music, ringtones, games and other mobile content. This will boost consumer awareness of Ringback Tones – and it is proven that when awareness increases so do sales.”

The realisation of Europe’s first off-deck Ringback Tone ecosystem means the popularity of RBT services are now poised to match that of other parts of the world and follows the prediction of analysts IDC that “ringback tones will overtake ringtones in 2010 and become the single largest revenue source for mobile entertainment”. Current estimates suggest that only three per cent of European consumers have a Ringback Tone whereas the global average is 14 per cent, according to Portfolio Research. In some parts of Asia, the off-deck availability of mobile content, including Ringback Tones, has helped push RBT penetration up to a staggering 40 per cent. The availability of off-deck Ringback Tones through Fox Mobile Group is the first in a planned series of rollouts by Muzicall aimed at maximising the awareness and availability of Ringback Tones in Europe.

“We are delighted to work with Muzicall to provide Ringback Tones to Swiss mobile phone customers and we are proud that we are the first off-deck provider of Ringback Tones in Europe,” said Robert Derow, Senior Vice President Global Media at Fox Mobile Group. “We are very happy, to provide Swiss mobile phone users with this special mobile service. We are looking forward to working with Muzicall to make Ringback Tones a huge success in Switzerland and looking forward to offering the service in other European markets together with Muzicall.”

Ringback tones typically consist of music, however, the customer can also choose from TV and movie themes, sound effects and numerous other sounds, even advertising. Muzicall’s RBT.4.ALL platform enables customers to create their own content library, giving them the ability to assign a different tune for different callers.

Nokia, Microsoft, Olli and Stephen

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If you’ve had Twitter, newsfeeds, browsers and brain turned off this morning it may have passed you by that Nokia has announced that it is replacing its CEO with a new one from Microsoft.
Departing CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo gets 18 months’ salary (€4.6 million) and 100,000 shares vesting on October 1. The shares may, by a bitter-sweet irony, be worth more slightly by then than they are now. He also gets a non-exec seat on Nokia Siemens’ Networks board.
Incoming Stephen Elop is currently President of Microsoft’s Business Division, and recently oversaw the launch of Office and SharePoint 2010. Prior to that his background was with Juniper Networks and as CEO in a seven year career with Macromedia before its acquisition by Adobe.
There’s a press call on this around midday UK time, so we’ll of course be on that. I expect chief among the queries will be how a man with a recent networks and business software background will make it in a company in the mass consumer device and services sector.
Nokia hailed his strong record in change management and software background as prime reasons for his appointment. We’ll see if there’s any more on either of those aspects on the call.

LMT selects NEC to provide national Packet Transport Network

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NEC Europe announced today that Latvijas Mobilais Telefons SIA (LMT), Latvia’s first mobile network operator, has selected NEC to supply a national Packet Transport Network (PTN).  The backbone network will support next-generation mobile backhaul services with transmission speeds of 10Gbps, says NEC.

NEC will equip more than 50 nodes with its MN5000 Series PTN solutions.  These range from compact access devices to high-capacity aggregation nodes transporting E1, SDH and Ethernet-based mobile broadband traffic.  NEC says it will ensure the network has a high level of resiliency by deploying MPLS-TP, which also ensures low OPEX.

“We chose a packet transport network based on MPLS-TP because it gives us deterministic traffic paths which can be easily and quickly configured.  It is a relatively easy step for us to migrate our backbone from SDH to MPLS-TP, giving us the scalability we need without a major upheaval in our operations,” said Jevgenijs Busarovs, Vice President and CTO of LMT.  “NEC was able to provide us with the ideal combination of the NEC MN5000 series combined with WDM[iii] equipment.”

NEC will supply the optical transmission infrastructure for the project using WDM equipment provided by its partner Transmode.  The use of WDM will allow legacy SDH services to be maintained in parallel with the new network, without requiring additional fibre to be installed.  It also allows for significant capacity expansion as mobile backhaul traffic continues to grow exponentially.

“NEC is providing next-generation mobile backbone solutions that ensure LMT can meet the unrelenting demand for capacity from its mobile broadband customers.  This move builds upon NEC’s role as a strategic supplier of microwave equipment to LMT for almost 15 years.  It is a great demonstration of our broader delivery capability to an important client,” said Fredrik Tumegård, President and CEO of NEC Scandinavia.

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