Cambridge Broadband to supply CPE and base stations

Danske Telecom has ordered a further 12 base stations and a substantial quantity of customer premises equipment units from fixed wireless access equipment vendor Cambridge Broadband. The new VectaStar shipments are a major expansion of the operator’s nationwide network.
 
Danske Telecom has been using Cambridge Broadband’s VectaStar 3500 equipment in the licensed 3.5GHz band for over two years. The company’s CEO Peter Jerry Sorensen commented: “We originally selected the VectaStar equipment because of its unrivalled range, data rates and quality of service. Throughout the time we have been using VectaStar it
has continued to prove its superiority.”
 
The Danske Telecom network offers a combination of ATM, E1 and IP services, primarily used by business, public and carrier customers. This new order will be used to expand geographical coverage as well as to add extra capacity as Danske Telecom’s customer base continues to grow rapidly.
 
Peter Wharton, CEO of Cambridge Broadband, commented: “It is always our aim to maintain long-term relationships with our customers, and we have njoyed working with Danske Telecom over the last few years. This repeat order is a great  endorsement of how VectaStar continues to meet our customers’ demanding requirements and outperform rival systems.”
 
The financial details of this substantial equipment order have not been disclosed.

External Links

Cambridge Broadband
Danske Telecom

Deploys protocol analysis tools for UMTS deployment

Tektronix, a leading provider of test and measurement equipment, today announced that TIM has chosen Tektronix’ K15 protocol analysers for field deployment of it’s UMTS networks.

With this purchase TIM extends its existing Tektronix test infrastructure to a test platform that is able to address existing 2G and 2.5G, as well as 3G networks. The new tools enable faster troubleshooting for the network operator, helping TIM to deliver high levels of Quality of Service.

The new Tektronix K15 test system will allow TIM engineers to reduce the time required for protocol analysis during troubleshooting activities in the field. Identification and analysis of the sources of service degradation are conducted in real-time, allowing resolution within minutes or hours.

“The ability to deliver peak performance is key to our customers, whose success is dependent on a reliable, functioning network,” said Bob Agnes, Vice-President for Mobile Protocol Test at Tektronix.  “As complex 3G networks go live and operate with existing 2G and 2.5G systems, our aim is to deliver high quality tools that allow operators, such as TIM, to deliver high quality services to end customers.”

Tektronix has worked with TIM in the past to provide K1297 protocol analysers for the monitoring of core and radio access networks in Italy. With unmatched application software, including the first real-time Multi-Interface Call Trace for 3G, 2.5G and 2G networks, Tektronix’ new K15 protocol test platform continues to address complex network issues and enable faster resolution of quality problems even in high traffic network environments.

External Links

Tektronix
TIM

The secure SMS Banking service component enables corporate institutions to deploy interactive mobile banking services to their customers

Zinek, the leading developer of automated content display and interactive information over mobile and broadband networks, announced today the upgrade of its SMS Engine server with secure SMS Banking functionality to facilitate its growing number of institutional clients around the world.  The secure SMS Banking components run over HTTPS / SOAP, and can facilitate numerous banking commands over the mobile data network securely.

In the last two years there has been a surge in mobile messaging, both in consumer and business markets. Over one billion text messages are now sent daily. Most SMS solutions, however, are still based on proprietary technologies, are costly to purchase and deploy, and give rise to the growing concern about the security and reliability of SMS services.  The SMS Engine Server is an out-of-the-box solution based on open Web services standards. It is designed to deliver high capacity, secure and reliable messaging, and can process more than 100 mobile messages per second.

“SMS Banking applications are really coming to the forefront in user terms – from getting a quick bank balance update, to transferring money from one account to another, or even to get a quick check on the last 5 banking transactions.  These simple end user service commands are what drives banking institutions to secure SMS Banking service like ours” says Paul Kinsella, Marketing Director, Zinek.

The SMS Engine is quite possibly the most powerful communicative application on the market today that not only gives large organizations the edge in the market, but also provides the tenacity to be the forerunner in new mobile technological service offerings.

“Already today, Zinek’s SMS Engine servers are in the customer delivery phase with SMS Banking, and over the coming weeks Zinek will be announcing a number of exciting deployment”, states Zidane Nekmouche, CEO, Zinek.  “Zinek software servers are gaining the deployment experience and we foresee tremendous sales growth in the second and third quarter of this year,” he continues.

External Links

Zinek

Own brand PDA to get new fruit flavour

O2 and Research In Motion (RIM) today announced plans to enable BlackBerry connectivity support on the Xda II later this year. 

With support for BlackBerry connectivity, Xda II users will benefit from the ease of information access and enhanced security capabilities that the BlackBerry platform provides, together with all the functionality of the Xda II including tri-band mobile phone, colour screen, camera, entertainment, games and video, Internet access and Microsoft Windows Mobile software. 

Customers will no longer need to proactively think about downloading their email on their Xda II device. BlackBerry’s always-on connectivity and push-based technology will automatically deliver email directly to and from the user’s Xda II.  BlackBerry integrates with a wide range of email systems, including Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and popular ISPs, which will enable the Xda II to be a mobile inbox.

Laurence Alexander, Products Director O2 UK said: “It is important to provide the best possible choice for our customers, and users will be able to use the industry-leading wireless communications solution offered by BlackBerry, along with the functionality and flexibility of the Xda II. This package offers an ideal solution, whatever their wireless needs.”

Mark Guibert, Vice President, Corporate Marketing at RIM said: ”We are pleased to be working with O2 to provide our end-user customers with greater wireless device choice to suit their individual needs, while enabling IT departments to leverage their existing BlackBerry infrastructure.”

Through RIM’s BlackBerry Connect licensing program, corporate customers using the Xda II will be able to connect to BlackBerry Enterprise Server using the same secure, wireless architecture and infrastructure that has made BlackBerry such a success in the enterprise sector. The Xda II will also be able to connect to BlackBerry Web Client services for individuals and smaller businesses.

The Xda II provides full-colour, Internet and email access, Microsoft Windows Mobile, a personal organiser, a built in tri-band mobile phone, games and video access. The Xda II includes Bluetooth and optional Wireless LAN capabilities, as well as an integrated camera.

Former Microsoft wireless architect joins

 The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the trade association responsible for the creation and promotion of Bluetooth wireless technology, today announced the appointment of Dr. Michael Foley to the position of Technical Director.

Foley will direct the development of future versions of the short-range wireless specification, champion both interoperability and usability initiatives while overseeing the various working groups responsible for the technology’s growth. The Bluetooth SIG created this position to meet market demand for the burgeoning technology and to ensure the specification continues to lead the way in the short-range wireless space.

“Globally this past year the market for Bluetooth equipped products nearly doubled, and we are encouraged for similar growth in 2004. We felt it was critical to create this new position to ensure a high quality experience for the growing number of users and to better prepare the technology to support forthcoming wireless scenarios,” said Markus Schetelig, senior manager, local connectivity group at Nokia and chairman of the board for the Bluetooth SIG. “Mike Foley brings the perfect mix of wireless know-how and Bluetooth specific background to this position.”

Foley is not new to the Bluetooth landscape. While at Microsoft he served as the SIG’s Chairman of the Board and was intimately involved in the launch of Bluetooth enabled Microsoft hardware products and worked toward the integration of Bluetooth into future versions of Microsoft operating systems. 

“Since its inception, I could see the potential for Bluetooth wireless technology. The growing momentum the technology has seen over the past several years makes this  an exciting time in the wireless industry, I am looking forward to being a part of it,” said Mike Foley, newly appointed technical director of the Bluetooth SIG.

External Links

Bluetooth SIG

Keith Willetts, widely recognised as one of the world’s leading
authorities on communications management, is joining Logan Orviss International (LOI) as an Associate Partner. 

Honoured twice in the Communications Week ‘Top 25’ awards for industry visionaries, Keith is regarded as a highly experienced consultant specialising in strategic business development.

Keith espouses that operational systems and processes used in the telecom industry must be radically transformed to cope with today’s mushrooming service mix, rapid change and constantly falling operational costs.  As co-author of the highly influential book, The Lean Communications Provider, Keith is a strong advocate of a ‘lean’ business framework that can deliver continuous reductions in cost, unrelenting service innovation and consistent improvement in customer service.

“The telecoms industry has been through some pretty tough times over the last two or three years, and this has brought to the fore the importance of having an organisational structure aligned with the business processes.  Vendor independent consultancies such as Logan Orviss International are critical in this environment and are valued by telecoms service providers looking for guidance in how they can optimise their systems and business processes,” says Keith Willetts.

Keith will act as a senior level advisor to Logan Orviss International whilst still maintaining his positions as a Managing Partner at Mandarin Associates and as Chairman of the Board of Directors at TeleManagement Forum Inc. 

“LOI is expanding rapidly both in terms of geographic  overage and breadth of services it offers to the telecom industry. By joining LOI, Keith will help us fuel this expansion considerably and his talents will strengthen both the range of expertise available from our leading consultants and the LOI management team” said Brendan Logan Co-Founder
and Chief Executive Officer LOI Group.

External Links

Logan Orviss

Patchwork of mobile technologies proves frustrating for
multinational corporations

According to a recent Yankee Group report, decisions regarding
mobile data and voice at multinational corporations (MNCs) are
shifting from the local level to the core of corporate strategies. The problem is that the internal systems of MNCs and mobile service providers have not been able to keep pace.

The report, EVUA Members Highlight Issues with Multinational
Corporations and Mobility, notes that although the value of mobility is clear to MNCs, they feel they are overpaying for basic voice and that mobile data services lack the essentials for supporting critical applications. Eighty-two percent of respondents believe mobility is not simply about cellular networks, but a combination of GSM, GPRS, dial-up, hotspot solutions and one-number services. This presents a significant challenge to service providers.

“The industry is made up of a series of discrete technological
offerings, yet users are asking for services that draw from a variable mix of these options to address specific business needs,” says Chris Lewis, senior vice president, EMEA Research and Consulting.
  
“EVUA has continually challenged mobile operators to provide appropriate services for its members’ needs,” says Meredith Rose, deputy chairman, EVUA, and leader of Mobility Special Interest Group.
“MNCs are looking for mobile solutions tailored to their strategy, meeting defined business objectives and demonstrating a return on investment. Operator response has been slow and progress has been limited.”
 
  “Competition is increasing and more flexible service models are desperately required,” says Declan Lonergan, director of the Yankee Group’s wireless research in EMEA. “Growth in wireless data is a particular driver for IT services companies like IBM and HP. Traditional managed service providers such as BT Global Services, Equant, and Cable and Wireless have an opportunity to build on their managed IP, frame relay, and limited applications offerings. There is also an emerging opportunity for niche aggregators such as DotDash or
Transatel. For dominant mobile voice providers like Vodafone, MNCs represent a key battleground.”

External Links

The Yankee Group
EVUA

Inmarsat Limited, the Total Communications Network, has selected Sun Microsystems’ Java Enterprise System as the business support platform for its new broadband mobile satellite communications network. The Sun software package will provide high availability and service continuity to Inmarsat’s business critical applications whilst providing a secure
central repository for storing and managing identity profile, application and network resource information.

Inmarsat’s new Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) service, due to commence during 2005 will provide mobile data communications at up to 432kbit/s for Internet access, mobile multimedia and many other advanced applications. The Java Enterprise System will complement the service by providing Inmarsat with a common software infrastructure that can be managed at a predictable cost structure.

“BGAN will be a revolution in the provision of high-speed data connectivity providing mobile broadband solutions to virtually anywhere in the world via a small, reliable, and easy to use satellite modem,” said Michael Butler, Managing Director, Inmarsat Ltd. “BGAN uses the best IT and telecoms technology available and with the Java Enterprise System we will be able to
reduce cost and complexity within our software infrastructure.”

Leslie Stretch, vice president and UK managing director, Sun Microsystems, stated, “The Java Enterprise System promises a radically better life for business and technical managers alike and will revolutionise the software industry by making enterprise infrastructure simple, predictable and affordable.”

Inmarsat will additionally benefit from the Java Enterprise System’s security services that span the entire system. Security services provide consistent single sign-on to online resources whilst protecting content the latest security standards and resilient authentication and access control options.

External Links

Sun Java Enterprise Software
Inmarsat

The new e616 and e313 handsets will be available across the UK in over 3,200 shops that stock 3 products and services.
 

NEC was the first company to deliver 3G video mobiles to 3 and these devices are NEC’s fourth and fifth to launch in the UK.
 
The e616 and e313 are the most advanced video devices yet to launch in the UK. Blending elegance with the ultimate in cutting-edge mobile technology, the handsets have been developed by NEC for 3 and are designed to showcase the breadth of mobile video services available on 3’s network.
 
Using these devices, 3’s customers can browse exclusive and continually updated video content on a 35x43mm, full-colour, high-resolution screen. They can stream or download their favourite video clips, including UEFA Champions League and Barclaycard Premiership football, MTV news and videos, clips from the latest film releases, the exploits of the Jackass team and ITN News bulletins.
 
Both devices are dual mode (3G and 2/2.5G), ensuring fast, “always-on” access to 3’s portal. They both feature JAVATM technology for the latest games and applications, include a built-in MP3 player to allow customers to listen to music on the move, and a memory card slot for a Sony MemoryStick DuoTM.
 
The clamshell e616, measuring 103x53x26.4mm and weighing 131g, boasts a speakerphone and encases two built-in zoom cameras – one on the front and one on the back – to enhance both the ease and quality of person-to-person video calls.
 
In addition to p2p video calling, the cameras can be used to take video clips and still images, which can be sent to other mobile users by MMS[1] (Multimedia Messaging Services) or e-mailed to a PC anywhere in the world. New on the e616 is a camera light, which enhances images captured even in low light conditions.
 
It also features GPS functionality for location-based services, and can be connected to a PC via BluetoothTM or a USB cable. A compatible BluetoothTM headset will be available as an optional accessory.
 
The bar-design e313 is a slim, lightweight yet powerful handset, measuring 146.5x64x20.5mm and weighing just 126g. It features an integrated rotating camera with digital zoom to allow the user to capture and send video clips and still images of either themselves or their surroundings to friends and family.
 
Both devices can store up to thirty 40-channel polyphonic ring tunes and allow users to personalise the handset by allocating individual ring tunes and photographs to identify incoming callers. Additional features include vibrate alert, calendar function, calculator with currency converter, and a headset.
 
“We are delighted to be extending our lead in the 3G handset market with the delivery of two new devices for 3 UK,” said Tony Hutson, Director, NEC UK. “Consumers are looking for devices that meet both their technical and style conscious demands, and these new handsets deliver on both counts. Our portfolio is designed to bring greater choice to mobile users looking to take advantage of all the ground breaking content and services 3 has to offer, and will make the benefits of 3G technology available to a wider audience than ever before.”

External Links

NEC
3 UK

When TeliaSonera Sweden opens the 3G network today, the spotlight will be on the services and the combined resources and quality of the mobile network. The newly opened 3G network operates from the start with TeliaSonera Sweden’s GSM network, which has been acclaimed as the best in Sweden for many years. All TeliaSonera Sweden’s mobile customers will be able to use both networks and the subscriptions and prices are the same regardless of which network users connect to. Internet by mobile phone is now available using mobile broadband, not only in metropolitan areas but also in one or more densely populated areas in 280 of Sweden’s 290 municipalities.

TeliaSonera Sweden customers have long been able to use a variety of Internet services by mobile phone practically nationwide. When TeliaSonera Sweden today opens the 3G network, users will gain access to mobile Internet at broadband speed, initially in one or more densely populated areas in 280 of Sweden’s 290 municipalities.

Telia GO includes the best mobile services gathered in a clear and simple menu. The opening of TeliaSonera Sweden’s 3G network means that Telia GO is updated with a new and simpler interface, even better and faster services, improved e-mail that enables users to read several e-mail boxes as well as many new services such as news, sports and video clips from the Swedish Song Contest.

Certain 3G mobile phones also feature video calling, where you can talk and see the person you are talking to in real time. The price for video calling (for consumers) is SEK 5 per minute, Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, and half price at other times. The call initiation fee is SEK 0.50.

“Our services are primarily focused on simplicity and good service,” says Marie Ehrling, President of TeliaSonera Sweden. “That is why we are not differentiating between 3G and GSM. Whether our customers use their mobile phones to make calls or to send e-mail or pay bills, they should never have to wonder which network they are using.” 

External Links

TeliaSonera