When wireless experts raved about the next big technologies a few years ago, they had Flash-OFDM and UMTS TDD in mind.
Both protocols are not only making strides in wide area networks, but are beginning to interface with Wi-Fi service, creating a potential competitive advantage through advanced speed and data offerings.
Flarion Technologies Inc. makes Flash-OFDM, while IPWireless is behind the UMTS TDD protocol. Both companies believe they are poised to seize the market, and their strategies are to hit the jugular of the wireless industry by licensing their products through major original equipment manufacturers.
“The major operators want to get the products through the major OEMs,” explained Jon Hambridge, head of global marketing at IPWireless.
Flarion has been making the most noise lately. Within a space of two weeks, Flarion inked two principal deals that not only assured its berth in the cellular arena, but also in the Wi-Fi market. The company announced a major deal with Siemens AG, which has agreed to put Flash-OFDM in its handsets, securing Flarion a market with European carriers such as Deutsche Telecom, Vodafone plc and T-Mobile International. The company also is making inroads into the 450 MHz band, where it will do battle with CDMA players.
“We are licensing our technology through the major OEMs in handsets and infrastructure,” said Ronny Haraldsvik, Flarion vice president of global communications and marketing.
Flarion also is moving into the Wi-Fi space, underlining that move in a deal with NetGear Inc. Flarion’s deal with Netgear will offer services with data speeds of up to 1.5 megabits per second compared with 200 kilobits per second from UMTS technology, according to Haraldsvik.
The agreement will combine Flash-OFDM with NetGear’s line of 802.11b/g products.
“Flarion’s all-IP mobile broadband network for mobile operators and Netgear’s network solutions for home and business create a unique connectivity solution for broadband customers,” said Patrick Lo, Netgear’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Whether at work, at home, on the road, people will now be able to connect seamlessly to a mobile operator’s wide area network through a Flash-OFDM-to-Wi-Fi connection-creating a unique broadband solution.”
IPWireless also said it has what it calls “broadband to go,” an integrated Wi-Fi and cellular infrastructure complete with Voice over Internet Protocol and Bluetooth technologies, according to Hambridge. He added that IPWireless bought its Wi-Fi gateway with VoIP from UTStarcom Inc. and a Wi-Fi-Bluetooth gateway from its partnership with Possio Inc.
This essentially creates a hot spot in a briefcase. The Wi-Fi gear is in a briefcase, implying the end user does not need to be in a building to get a Wi-Fi connection.
Flarion has a similar vision, putting its PC card and the access point into one solution.
“The next step is to integrate them into a standalone product,” said Haraldsvik, adding neither UMTS nor CDMA2000 1x EV-DO have arrived at this juncture yet. “You can’t buy an EV-DO modem,” he said.
Both companies say they are making headway into the cellular/PCS arena.
Nextel Communications Inc. is testing Flarion’s technology for its next-generation network. “Nextel just announced that the market trial in Raleigh has now gone commercial, meaning that the operator could be one step closer to making its decision,” remarked Michael Thelander of Signals Research LLC. in a newsletter.
Haraldsvik said Flarion is conducting other trials with operators too.
IPWireless is making inroads with major players, said Hambridge, although he said it is premature to make any announcements. However, he noted that his company already has a joint marketing agreement with Alcatel Alsthom.
“We are working with a number of OEMs we cannot publicly disclose,” said Hambridge. IPWireless has deployed its technology in 40 networks, involving a mix of new operators and GSM players, including Optimus in Portugal and Maxis in Malaysia. Hambridge said the company has gained much attention across Europe and Asia, but that a lack of spectrum availability is holding it back in the United States.
