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.
Nokia, Microsoft, Olli and Stephen
LMT selects NEC to provide national Packet Transport Network
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.
weComm partners with Bango to offer integrated mobile application analytics and payment
weComm, a specialist in interactive mobile data solutions, and Bango, a mobile analytics and payment company, have announced they are to collaborate on mobile analytics and payment solutions for mobile applications.
weComm’s multi-platform mobile application solutions will be integrated with Bango’s mobile analytics and payment products, offering customers the ability to independently measure mobile applications and collect payment across all platforms.
weComm’s Wave software platform, develops and delivers applications that run on all type of handsets, including, iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile, as well as Java and Symbian handsets. It enables content that is always up to date with the ability to easily change not only the content but also the structural elements that make up the application without compromising a mobile platform’s native look and feel.
By integrating Bango technology alongside the Wave platform, developers using weComm are able to accurately and independently measure their mobile applications and bill customers worldwide across multiple platforms.
weComm CEO Graham Summers sais: “By integrating with Bango’s enterprise-class analytics and payment engines, weComm reinforces its position as a leading provider of mobile applications infrastructure to the world’s pre-eminent media organisations.”
Summers added: “The fragmented areas of analytics and payments often create significant challenges for customers looking for a robust and sophisticated approach to monetisation, with a myriad of companies small and large offering partial or inflexible solutions not designed for mobile. Bango has extensive geographical reach through relationships with mobile carriers across the globe and have proven their scalability with some of the world’s premier brands. Through this close working relationship, we are now able to provide a truly pre-integrated solution for enterprises focussed on maximising mobile application reach and revenue.”
“By partnering with weComm we’ll be giving our customers a complete solution that combines the best of the breed in multi-platform application development and in-app analytics and billing,” said Ray Anderson, CEO of Bango. We’re excited to be working in partnership with weComm to support the needs of mobile application developers.”
IPWireless and Streamezzo partner to develop IMB applications for range of devices
IPWireless, a specialist in developing key enabling IMB technology, today announced that it has partnered with Streamezzo to develop and deploy multimedia applications for mobile TV, video store and forward, interactive voting and more, based on the 3GPP IMB standard.
IMB is said to be capable of streaming live video, and broadcasting and storing popular content on the device for later consumption – both resulting in significant offloading of data intensive traffic from existing 3G unicast networks and an improved customer experience. The rich multimedia client features an electronic program guide (EPG), channel grid and embedded video player for live TV viewing and video recording. All of the IMB applications can be adapted to support all major mobile OSs and different mobile device types including smartphones, tablets and e-readers.
Olivier Avaro, Amdocs Hub Vice President of Applications commented, “IMB has the potential to deliver the multimedia experience consumers want at an economic model that makes sense for operators. Streamezzo and IPWireless bring advanced application features that enable service providers to move beyond mobile TV and offer innovative and intelligent new broadcast services that will lead to an enhanced consumer experience.”
“Streamezzo’s expertise designing rich mobile media experiences combined with our core IMB technology allowed us to rapidly design compelling applications that meet our operator customers’ requirements for managing the current surge in multimedia traffic and delivers users a superior experience,” said William Jones, Chief Executive Officer of IPWireless.
“Together, we look forward to bringing these applications to even more devices and making IMB ubiquitous.”
IMB was defined in the 3GPP release 8 standards, and was recently endorsed by the GSMA as their preferred method for the efficient delivery of broadcast services. In June 2010, O2, Orange and Vodafone – three of the five major UK mobile operators – announced that they have teamed up for a three-month trial of IMB where they will explore using the IMB wireless technology within a little used tranche of 3G spectrum called Time Division Duplex (TDD) spectrum. The trial will commence in October 2010 and intend to show how IMB can deliver data intensive services, such as Mobile TV in a more efficient way.
The spectrum already forms part of the 3G licenses held by many European mobile operators, but has remained largely unused because of a lack of appropriate technology. Currently, 3G TDD spectrum is available to over 150 operators across 60 countries covering more than half a billion subscribers. IMB is said to enable spectrally efficient delivery of broadcast services, in TDD spectrum based on techniques that are aligned with existing FDD WCDMA standards. This allows for a smooth handover between IMB and existing 3G networks.
M2M standards by early 2011, says ETSI
Standards for M2M service platform will come first
ETSI has said that mobile operators are pushing for publication of M2M standards by early 2011.
The European standards body is holding its first ever workshop on M2M standards in October, and says that with more than 130 delegates already registered there’s clear evidence that M2M is an area of growing interest in the industry.ETSI says that the standards work of ETSI’s M2M Technical Committee is reaching an advanced stage, “and many network operators are encouraging a first release of M2M standards by early 2011”. The committee is currently finalising the architecture for the service platform that will enable the integration of multiple vertical M2M applications. In addition, the group is looking to the utilities and end users to seek to identify concretely which future trends may drive the development of M2M service offerings and networks.
ETSI’s workshop will present the current status of Machine to Machine standards work, both in ETSI and in other standards bodies, and will examine how M2M capabilities will be one stepping stone amongst several toward the “Internet of Things”. An important facet will be to identify additional needs from the impacted industrial and academic segments for the further standardisation of M2M communications.
Machine-to-Machine can be loosely defined as any communication without (or with only limited) human intervention: however, behind this very generic term there are a large number of potential application areas (healthcare, transportation, utilities, security. manufacturing…) and enabling technologies (IP, RFID, sensor networks, home networks, smart metering…). The expectation is a future where billions of devices of any kind are connected to each other and share data in real time: these may include sensors that are integrated in our cars, our homes, even our own bodies, as well as meters that manage how much energy we consume. Many of the topics currently being researched will also have relevance for the evolution of fixed and mobile telecommunication networks.
Among the diverse applications to be presented at the workshop will be the use of M2M in support of rural farming in India and its potential in fleet management systems.
The ETSI workshop on Machine to Machine Communications is an open event and attendance is free of charge. It will be held at the Agora in Sophia Antipolis, France, on 19 and 20 October. http://www.etsi.org/M2MWORKSHOP
OpenCloud secures £5 million investment
OpenCloud, a supplier of real-time application server software for next-generation convergent telecommunications services, has today announced that it has received an investment of £4 million from Nokia Siemens Networks, plus an additional £1m from its existing investors Advent Venture Partners and No 8 Ventures.
In addition to the investment by NSN, OpenCloud has secured an OEM agreement that will see OpenCloud’s Rhino Telecom Application Server and Service Interaction Server becoming integrated into NSN’s charge@once unified product suite – a modular, highly scalable and flexible convergent charging solution.
For the last two years, OpenCloud and NSN have worked in partnership securing 13 joint customers in that time.
The investment will be used by OpenCloud to further its expansion across globally. It will also allow OpenCloud to extend its partner and application portfolios, as well as assist in the development of future products. The announcement is said to come at a time when the market demand for OpenCloud’s Telecoms Application Server and Service Broker products is increasing.
In the last year, OpenCloud says its growth has exceeded projections. Revenues have tripled year-on-year and the company has acquired 13 customer wins in the last year. OpenCloud’s client roster includes BT, Vodafone, and T Mobile amongst its customer base of over 30 mobile and fixed network telecom operators.
“We are continuing with our quest to open up the telecoms service layer, to provide compelling technology to the expanding community of telecoms software developers and deliver better value and increased innovation” says Jeff Gordon, CEO of OpenCloud. “Naturally, we are clearly delighted to be making this announcement – in particular receiving an investment from NSN is a strong endorsement of OpenCloud’s products and strategy, and it will help to support our continuing rapid growth. This move elevates our relationship with NSN to that of a truly strategic partner and will enable us to address the considerable Service Layer and Converged Charging opportunities in the market.”
“This investment will allow NSN to address the considerable Converged Charging and Service Delivery Platform opportunities in the market”, says Rick Centeno, head of Charging, Billing and Care, Nokia Siemens Networks. “We will be able to better provide our customers with an integrated offering to fit their end-to-end needs around service development, delivery, control and charging”.
Opera Mini 5.1 launched for Windows Mobile devices
Opera has released an improved Opera Mini 5.1 for Windows Mobile. The new update is said to bring better support for high resolution handsets, accelerometer support and the ability to set Opera Mini as the default browser.
Opera Mini 5.1 has already been released for Java, Android and BlackBerry phones. Now available for Windows Mobile 2003 SE, 5.x and 6.x handsets, Opera Mini’s server backbone speeds up browsing while reducing the data transferred to the phone. For users roaming on expensive networks, or with pay-as-you-go data plans, Opera claims the Mini can cut mobile data bills by up to 90 percent.
Opera Mini 5.1 updates include:
– The ability to set Opera Mini as the default browser
– Support for devices with high-resolution (high DPI)
– Improved page layout and font rendering
– Support for auto-rotation
– Advanced configuration support for power users
“Opera Mini 5.1 contains several key improvements for the millions of people with a Windows Mobile phone,” said Jon von Tetzchner, Co-founder, Opera Software. “The new Opera Mini is particularly vibrant and really takes advantage of high resolution screens. And, now that you can set Opera Mini as your default browser on a Windows Mobile phone, it is much easier to enjoy the speed boost and data compression. It is our way of making your Windows Mobile phone better.”
Mobile data modem vendors already on 4G starting line, says research
The number of mobile broadband subscribers is projected to surpass 1.5 billion by 2015, and mobile data modem vendors are already on 4G starting line, according to a new report from ABI Research.
“While the majority of subscribers connect to the mobile Internet via their smartphones, a number do so via their modem-enabled iPads, netbooks and laptops,” says ABI Research principal analyst Jeff Orr. “Mobile operators are starting to see burgeoning revenue growth in mobile broadband services. The cellular modems used to connect Internet services to mobile devices are, therefore, gaining in popularity.”
The latest products show improved speed and form-factors. Huawei’s E583C, which also doubles as a portable hotspot, is one example. It can provide 7.2 Mbps downstream and 5.76 Mbps upstream. It weighs just 90 grams and up to five devices can be connected via Wi-Fi. Products supporting HSPA+ networks can provide download speeds up to 21.1 Mbps.
“At present, most modems on the market support GSM, GPRS, EDGE or HSDPA network technologies, according to ABI Research’s cellular modem Market Data,” says research associate Khin Sandi Lynn. “There is also a growing selection of wireless modems supporting 4G technologies.”
Among the new wireless modems launched this year, Sierra Wireless’s Aircard 250U and Franklin Wireless’s U600 are USB modems that support 4G data access using mobile WiMAX. Green Packet, Intel and Motorola also provide WiMAX modems for PCs. While the competing LTE air interface protocol has yet to go commercial on any scale, vendors are already jockeying for position. Huawei has launched its E398 USB modem, which is compatible with LTE, UMTS and GSM protocols.
Mobyland launches world’s first commercial 1800MHz LTE/EPC network in Poland with Huawei solution
Huawei has announced that Mobyland, Poland’s leading 2G mobile provider has, with the cooperation of CenterNet, successfully launched the world’s first commercial 1800MHz LTE/EPC network using Huawei’s end to end (E2E) LTE/EPC (Long Term Evolution/Evolved Packet Core) solution. Mobyland, in collaboration with CenterNet, is now able to provide a mobile broadband service to mobile broadband operators and their end users with peak downlink speeds of more than 146 Mb/s per user.
According to the contract, Huawei will deploy a mobile broadband network across Poland for Mobyland with its SingleRAN@Broad solution. The deployment includes the world’s first commercial LTE/EPC network based on 1800MHz spectrum with 20MHz bandwidth on one radio unit.
“Mobyland is committed to providing a high-quality mobile broadband service for our customers in Poland, and we are excited to partner with Huawei to introduce Poland’s first commercial LTE/EPC network,” said Adam Kurianski, president of CenterNet and a board member of Mobyland. “Huawei is one of the few providers in the world that is capable of delivering such an end-to-end commercial LTE/EPC solution.”
The first phase of the commercial LTE network was deployed by software upgrading Mobyland’s existing 2G network, based on Huawei equipment, covering Poland’s major cities such as Warsaw, Katowice, and Lodz. The high-quality and rapid network deployment is said to demonstrate that Huawei’s mobile network solution ensures smooth evolution in the future as well as reduced TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).
Refarming Mobyland and CenterNet’s extant 2G bands, such as 1800MHz, will allow for greater performance across bands. This, in turn, will enable the LTE network to improve spectrum efficiency, enhance coverage quality, reduce the quantity of sites, and decrease carbon emissions. It also results in a reduced TCO for mobile broadband operators, says Huawei.
“In addition to spurring the development of the LTE industry and ancillary technologies, Huawei closely cooperates with leading operators worldwide to explore new business models and to enlarge potential business opportunities,” said Ying Weimin, president of LTE Product Line, Huawei. “Using a combination of existing, and new, wireless bands, Huawei is able to provide customised and competitive mobile broadband solutions to our customers. This approach results in a win-win solution for operators, end users and the LTE industry.”
Notebook shipments surpass 291 million units in 2014, says research
Despite turbulent economic conditions, mobile computing continues to see surging demand resulting from sleeker designs, new form factors, and pent-up business demand, according to new research from In-Stat. Mobile computing devices, including tablets, mini-notes (netbooks & smartbooks) and notebook PCs will grow at a 19.1% CAGR through 2014 and account for over 400 million units, it says.
“While there will be a battle for the lower-end Internet-centric devices like tablets and netbooks, notebooks will continue to be the overall demand driver as consumers focus on lighter and lower-cost PCs and businesses continue to transition to mainstream and high-performance mobile platforms,” says Jim McGregor, Chief Technology Strategist. “In addition, demand for mobile computing is coming from both developing and industrialized regions.”
The research by In-Stat found the following:
* Tablets will record the highest CAGR of 123.6% through 2014.
* Notebook shipments will reach 291 million units in 2014 and account for 52% of the computing market.
* Asia Pacific will lead all regions in growth, surpassing 36% of the total market in 2014.
The research, “3Q10 Computing Forecasts: Desktops, Notebooks, Netbooks, and MIDs/Tablets, covers the worldwide market for desktop computing devices across six regions and includes shipment, growth, and segmentation forecasts for:
* Desktop PCs
* Mobile Internet Devices(MIDs)/Tablets
* Mini-notes (Netbooks, smartbooks, and UMPCs)
* Notebook PCs
