Editor’s Note: RCR Wireless News goes all in for “Throwback Thursdays,” tapping into our archives to resuscitate the top headlines from the past. Fire up the time machine, put on those sepia-tinted shades, set the date for #TBT and enjoy the memories!
Time Warner explores wireless bundle via Sprint
Time Warner Cable is in discussions with Sprint PCS to test a wireless offering that would be bundled with the media giant’s TV, landline phone and Internet services. However, it is unclear whether Time Warner Cable will offer the services under its own brand as an MVNO or under the Sprint brand through a resale agreement. A representative for Time Warner Cable said the company is “working on plans” for a wireless trial with Sprint, but declined to give any further information. Citing people familiar with the situation, the Wall Street Journal reported that the companies were working on a trial that would be conducted in Kansas City, Mo., within the next few months. The report said Time Warner would handle wireless billing, customer service and marketing, but that the specifics are unclear. The negotiations between Time Warner Cable and Sprint highlight a number of issues for both companies. For Sprint, the discussions come as little surprise. The carrier has struck mobile virtual network operator agreements with the likes of Virgin Mobile USA, Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN sports company and Qwest Communications International Inc. The carrier even offers a brochure to cable companies advertising its wireless services. Although Sprint appears to be edging toward a “carrier’s carrier” business model-wherein it would resell its network to other consumer-focused companies-a Sprint spokesman said the carrier plans to balance its wholesale business with that of its consumer strategy. … Read more
Escaping the sounds of cell phones
And once again the wireless industry (and the world) prepares to face the implications of the further permeation of wireless technology into our lives and culture with the pending prospect of wireless connectivity coming to airline travel. Once the early hurrahs over the convenience for travelers and increased minutes for carriers subsided, the subject quickly turned to what would be “appropriate” use considering the tight quarters of an airplane. You would think this would fall in the simple category of being considerate of others. But if the way half the folks on any given flight whip out and dial up their phones the minute the “fasten seatbelts” light is turned off is any indication, flights could become quite noisy if voice calling is allowed. Who knows what the repercussions of that might be! Being considerate of others is not something that all people are familiar with. My husband and I just shook our heads when we heard several phones ring throughout Christmas Eve Mass at our contemporary Catholic Church. You can’t expect all of those “Christmas and Easter Catholics” to know better than to turn off their phones before entering the building after all. … Read more
Deploying 3G, thinking ahead
Even as it begins serious deployments of third-generation technologies, the wireless industry is hedging its bets on next-generation technology.Since W-CDMA and CDMA2000 someday may reach their tethers, some industry players are eyeing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing -OFDM-as the next big technology. Major vendors say they have been working on it for years. “We’ve been looking at it for up to 15 years,” remarked Mikael Stromquist, executive vice president for strategy and marketing at L.M. Ericsson. “It’s a promising technology,” remarked Keith Nowak, spokesman for Nokia Corp. “We see it as one of the key technologies,” beyond third-generation protocols. Flarion Technologies Inc. often has been associated with the technology because its protocol, known as Flash-OFDM, played a large part in the past year in the possible future designs of Nextel Communications Inc. and German carrier T-Mobile International. On the vendor side, Siemens AG has entered an agreement to support Flarion’s technology, a move some industry players see as a big plus for Flash-OFDM. Motorola Inc. has partnered with Flarion to provide public-safety networks in the District of Columbia in a contract win where Flash-OFDM prevailed over CDMA. But industry watchers say Flarion’s offering is just a flavor of a complex bearer technology. Its product is still regarded as proprietary, although Flarion said it is working to make it interoperable. Qualcomm Inc., which has made enormous impact with its CDMA innovations, is also focusing some research and development resources on OFDM. … Read more
Come on, convergence
More than 1.5 billion people subscribe to wireless services. The vast majority of those wireless users see their mobile phone as a device that allows them to talk to other people-and nothing more. The wireless industry, however, is spending billions of hours and dollars inventing gadgets that can do much, much more. The buzzword is convergence. It means: What else can you stick in a phone besides the standard dialing and talking stuff? The list-in no particular order, and by no means complete-looks something like this: Internet browser, push to talk, digital camera, digital music player, TV, presence, video player/recorder/calling software, FM radio, audio player, color screen, 3D rendering, a QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth, removable memory cards, Java/BREW application engines, Wi-Fi, a hard drive, ZigBee, UWB, ring tones, alarm clock, calendar, e-mail client, speakerphone, GPS, text and multimedia messaging, RFID, smart cards, e-wallet technology, fingerprint scanner, over-the-air updating software, calculator, infrared, USB, bar-code scanner, desktop computer synchronization, instant messaging, voice recognition, etc. Some high-end phones even sport a full-blown operating system-indeed, how else could you manage all those features and functions? Thus, a wireless user in the future could hear a new song on their phone’s radio, download and watch the music video, purchase and download a digital copy of the song, beam it through Bluetooth to a computer, and then take a picture of their roommate dancing to it-all without ever placing a call. … Read more
Cingular tests HSDPA
Cingular Wireless and Lucent Technologies Inc. said they completed the first High-Speed Downlink Packet Access data calls using a trial UMTS network deployed by the two companies in the Atlanta area. The companies noted the HSDPA tests delivered sustained over-the-air data rates of more than 3 megabits per second and supported a number of high-bandwidth multimedia services, including streaming video and downloads of high-resolution images and other large files.In addition, the companies said they demonstrated performance improvements that have been implemented in the trial network, including reductions in transmission delays that Cingular said would allow it to provide interactive services and applications such as multi-player video gaming to mobile customers. Cingular added that it expects the UMTS/HSDPA network will initially support data speeds of up to 3.6 mbps, which will be the top speeds available from the first generation of HSDPA devices expected to be delivered next year. Lucent noted the network trial was completed using its end-to-end commercial UMTS solution, including its Flexent OneBTS base stations and Flexent Radio Network Controller, as well as UMTS packet core solution, including its Flexent Serving GPRS Support Node and Gateway GPRS Support Node, and an HSDPA test terminal. Cingular announced last year plans to begin trialing an UMTS/HSDPA network in its Atlanta market with plans to commercially launch up to 20 markets by the end of this year. … Read more
Motorola works on phone-friendly snowboarding outerwear
Motorola Inc. announced it is working with snowboard company Burton to develop mobile-phone-friendly jackets, hats and helmets for snowboarders, a move aimed at garnering acclaim among younger wireless users. The products, scheduled for release later this year, will feature sewn-in speakers and microphones so that snowboarders can answer calls without digging in their pockets for their mobile phones. For example, the prototype jacket features a pocket for a Bluetooth-capable mobile phone, which will then transmit calls to Bluetooth-capable speakers sewn into the jacket’s hood. Users will be able to manage calls using a Bluetooth-capable control panel sewn into the jacket’s sleeve. Motorola’s teaming with Burton follows its previously announced partnership with Apple Corp. for the company’s hip iTunes digital music service. Although Motorola has not yet released any devices that can access iTunes, rumors have been spreading about an upcoming launch. Motorola and Apple have remained tight lipped on the subject. … Read more
MetroPCS expands coverage in California
Regional wireless operator MetroPCS Inc. said it has expanded its northern California service area south from Stockton through Modesto and Merced. The carrier also offers its flat-rate, unlimited calling service in Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area. In support of the new expansion, MetroPCS opened a new company store in Modesto, bringing the carrier’s total number of company stores in the area to 10. “The population of California’s Central Valley continues to grow, and we’re growing our service right along with it,” said Corey Linquist, vice president and general manager for MetroPCS Sacramento. “The expansion of coverage down the Highway 99 Corridor from Stockton to Modesto/Merced gives MetroPCS customers coverage from Chico south to Merced and from the Bay Area east to Stockton.” … Read more
Mapquest can send maps to your mobile
DULLES, Va.-MapQuest Mobile subscribers can now send color maps and driving directions from the company’s Web site to their mobile phones. The location-based services company announced Send to Phone, enabling users to request and access maps and directions directly over their handsets. Mobile publisher Vindigo created the application. “Send to Phone gives people, especially business travelers who we view as early adopters of this technology, the power and convenience to choose exactly how, where and what kind of information they receive from MapQuest,” said Tommy McGloin, senior vice president and general manager of MapQuest. … Read more
Check out the RCR Wireless News Archives for more stories from the past.
