I. Top News and Analysis
Mountain View's Meraki proposes free Wi-Fi network for S.F.
The proposed SF city wide network could be the country's largest so-called mesh network, a system that uses a constellation of "repeater antennas" to spread signals. Meraki, (Mt View CA) says it will donate enough equipment and Internet access to provide free wireless service to all residents. The network would use as many as 15,000 wireless antennas to relay signals from home to home in a type of digital daisy-chain.
San Francisco is the only city offered free service from Meraki, which plans to use the city as a showroom of sorts to sell its products to other municipalities and communities around the world.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/04/MNCDU8UKU.DTL&hw=SF+wireless+network&sn=001&sc=1000
Juniper to stick to specialty- CEO Kriens: 'EXAFLOOD' IMMINENT
Juniper expects to navigate the new Web 2.0 (or 3.0) landscape by sticking to what it knows best. Larger rival Cisco Systems is branching into new video conferencing and consumer markets, but 11-year-old Juniper simply wants to be the best at building gear for the networks of today and tomorrow.
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_7861513?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com&nclick_check=1
INTEL will be a key provider of components for a new generation of Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) – will they give WiMAX a boost?
At this week’s CES, INTEL CEO Paul Otellini will announce partner support for its new platform for mobile internet devices (MIDs). He will also cite progress in the deployment of WiMax, the broadband wireless technology Intel is promoting.
Intel has been working with Clearwire and Sprint on creating a mobile WiMax network across the US in 2008. WiMax has evolved from Intel’s need to take the next step beyond the Wi-Fi chips it includes in its Centrino platform for notebook PCs, providing localized wireless internet access. It says 2008 will see the creation of “uber hotspots” in cities with WiMax’s ability to cover wide areas.
However, Intel’s combined Wi-Fi and WiMax modules appearing in notebook PCs and smaller devices in the second half of 2008 will face competition from “3.5G” cell phone technologies, which are also being integrated into laptops for the first time.
Intel will ship its first-generation low-power microprocessor platform, code named Menlow, in the first half and is expected to show Menlow-based mobile internet devices from manufacturers including Asus, BenQ, Clarion, Compal, Lenovo and Quanta at CES.
Charles Golvin, Forrester analyst, says the success of MIDs and WiMax are interdependent, while INTEL believes they are intertwined. Golvin states,
“[Intel’s slogan] ‘the internet in your pocket wherever you go’, depends on WiMax: you can only realize that promise when you really do have a ubiquitous service.”
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/da16fa4a-b6f8-11dc-aa38-0000779fd2ac.html
US Extends China-3Com Probe- threat to national security?
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States is studying possible national security implications of the 3Com takeover led by Bain Capital, the US private equity firm. Bain is trying to buy 83.5 per cent of US-listed 3Com with Huawei Technologies, a Chinese telecoms equipment maker, taking the rest.
The deal has sparked political concerns in the US because 3Com supplies intrusion prevention technology to the US defense department. The Pentagon believes that hackers in China conducted a massive cyber-attack on its systems in 2007.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9e589684-b89d-11dc-893b-0000779fd2ac.html
Microsoft-Cisco "Cold War" heats up
The fierce competition between Cisco Systems and Microsoft in the converging IP voice and data market, known as "unified communications," is escalating. Microsoft entered the market with the release of Office Communication Server 2007 in October, but the software giant has a more extended history with IP technology.
Depending on whom you talk to, unified communications is described as telephone and video collaboration, or as a converged network for voice and data, or used as an all-encompassing term to describe all forms of call and multimedia/cross-media message-management functions. To others, it is any form of IP telephony product that can coexist with data. Gartner Group identifies it as one of the "Top 10 Strategic Technologies for 2008." It is a competitive space currently filled by traditional PBX vendors (such as Avaya, Nortel, Alcatel and so on) and some would say dominated by Cisco.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9054862
Qualcomm warns of injunction setback for third-generation WCDMA phones
Qualcomm, the leading chipset supplier for mobile phones, warned on Wednesday its customers would suffer from court injunctions obtained by rival Broadcom. A federal judge in California ruled that Qualcomm should no longer sell chipsets for third-generation WCDMA phones that infringed a Broadcom patent for high-resolution video encoding.
The injunction, with immediate effect, could affect handset-makers such as LG Electronics and Samsung, which import phones with Qualcomm chips, as well as Motorola, its main US customer.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/df4e3b88-b967-11dc-bb66-0000779fd2ac.html
Broadcom scores court victory against Qualcomm
A U.S. federal judge has granted Broadcom an injunction against rival Qualcomm, effectively barring the company from selling three chips that infringe upon Broadcom patents. The judge also issued a "sunset provision," which would allow Qualcomm to continue selling older versions of the same products through January 2009, contingent on the company's paying Broadcom up to 6% royalties.
Qualcomm Inc. said it expects an "immediate, short-term impact" from a U.S. federal court's ruling in a patent case brought by rival Broadcom Inc. over cellphone chips. Qualcomm said it is considering an appeal and other legal options.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119927071750962025.html?mod=hpp_us_whats_news
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119932615658564007.html
Two British Mobile Phone Operators Share Networks- trend likely to accelerate
In a collaboration that would be unthinkable in most industries, T-Mobile UK and 3 UK, two British mobile phone operators, are combining their third-generation networks in an effort to save each of them £1 billion over the next decade. Vodafone and Orange, two other British mobile phone companies, have been talking about a similar deal since February. The trend toward such agreements — the rough equivalent of McDonald’s and Burger King sharing the cost of the trucks that deliver food to their outlets — is likely to accelerate.
European mobile phone companies spent about 100 billion euros, or $145 billion, in 2000 buying 3G licenses, and then spent billions more building networks that were supposed to revolutionize the industry by making the mobile Internet fast, appealing and — most of all — profitable. But seven years later, text-messaging still dominates the nonvoice services, and mobile phone operators continue to struggle to persuade their clients to pay for Internet surfing, video downloads and other services.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/technology/31wireless.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Verizon's FiOS readies first urban push- new battle with MSOs may result
Verizon Communications expects to earn at least two big-city franchises for its FiOS video service this year, a change from its current strategy of launching in mainly suburban areas. "One of our strategies for 2008 is clearly to focus more on the MDU market and some of the bigger cities," said Virginia Ruesterholz, president of Verizon Telecom and head of the FiOS project. Ruesterholz said the telecom was working on franchise deals in several large cities, including New York and Washington.
While this urban rollout of FIOS stands to reap bigger rewards, Verizon’s marketing battles with cable rivals (MSOs) could intensify.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ibd/20080103/bs_ibd_ibd/20080103tech;_ylt=A9G_R3e9m31HSMgAyxOyBhIF
Clearwire offers "pre-WiMAX" in Seattle
A Seattle reporter puts to the test Clearwire's "pre-WiMAX" service, in which users plug a wireless card into their PCs at speeds the company says is up to five times greater than 3G services. The company hopes to go live in 2008 with its WiMAX network. He finds that 'Pre-WiMax' network is speedy out in the open, not so much indoors.
Clearwire says its "pre-WiMax" network that was tested is four to five times faster than cell phone providers' 3G, or third-generation, networks, and cheaper to deploy. It's also testing true WiMax, which can deliver connections that promise to be even faster over wider areas, and plans to launch its first network in the middle of 2008.
http://www.smartbrief.com/news/ustelecom/storyDetails.jsp?issueid=C35FB7AB-5932-4D39-BC3F-2BF96228D0D1©id=BCB0AF63-0A11-4B68-96FA-5A56D13505AD&lmcid=2211435&brief=ustelecom
VoIP to be available throughout India
BSNL, India's state-owned ISP, has received proposals from a number of companies to supply VoIP services in two franchise areas that the company established. BSNL, which extended the original Dec. 28 deadline, will award two franchises in each region, but to only four companies overall. BSNL has divided the country into two zones for offering the VoIP service. The company will offer franchises to two companies in each zone: North West and South East.
http://www.voip-news.co.uk/2008/01/01/voip-to-be-available-throughout-india/
Nortel, Vonage come to terms over patent dispute
Vonage Holdings has settled its latest patent-infringement lawsuit, this one with Nortel Networks. Unlike its other settlements, Vonage will not pay any damages, but each company will license three patents to the other. The settlement would put to rest the last of the major litigation against Vonage after it settled suits brought by AT&T, Verizon Communications, and Sprint Nextel Corp earlier this year.
Will this now give Vonage enough breathing room to survive?
http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSWNAS541520071231
Nokia Siemens to buy UK’s Apertio Ltd- aims to extend telecom capabilities
Nokia Siemens is buying Apertio, which supplies telecoms real-time subscriber data applications. The $205 million deal will make Apertio part of Nokia Siemens' Converged Core business unit. Closely held Apertio, a provider of real-time subscriber data applications for telecom operators, employs 237 staff and had 2007 sales of around 28 million euros.
http://www.reuters.com/article/technology-media-telco-SP/idUSL0212687120080102
China Takes Stake in Telecom Firm with both wireline and wireless technology
China's State Development & Investment Corp -the Chinese government's investment arm- will take a 35% stake = $687.7 million in Datang Telecom Technology Holding Co.. The investment, announced on the company's Web site, comes as Beijing is planning to reshuffle the country's telecoms industry in 2008, creating players that operate both wireless and fixed-line services to balance competition.
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSPEK20536720080104
Netflix partners with LG to stream movies on TV
Online DVD-rental service Netflix says it has teamed with LG Electronics to launch a new device that will allow viewers to download movies from the Internet and watch them directly on their TV sets. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said the company hoped to integrate its services with a host of Web-enabled electronic devices. Telecom, cable and satellite companies are all looking for new ways to deliver unlimited digital media to their subscribers via the television set.
The move could help transform Netflix from a successful company with a cumbersome dependence on physical media and the Postal Service into an important player in a rapidly emerging digital media landscape.
II. Market Trends, Reviews and Forecasts
Mobile Convergence gains steam among businesses
Support for open solutions is growing among providers of mobile services and equipment for the enterprise market, according to a product-management executive at DiVitas Networks, creator of technology that allows users to roam various voice and data networks on the same handset. "Business leaders are keenly aware of the value of mobile communication solutions to raise associate productivity and responsiveness and the necessity to implement cost controls to a growing segment of the corporate budget," said DiVitas' Rich Watson. DiVitas has developed an open, enterprise solution that is designed to allow mobile devices to automatically roam seamlessly – back and forth – across disparate cellular and WiFi.
http://visualvoicemail.tmcnet.com/enterprise-mobility/articles/17474-enterprise-mobility-set-take-off.htm
Fiber Outlook: North America strong growth for FTTH
North America will be fertile ground for growth of fiber-to-the-home over the next five years while the Asia-Pacific market will have deployment issues, according to reports from RVA LLC Market Research and Consulting and ABI Research. RVA LLC expects fiber connections to reach 15 million homes in North America by 2012 compared with 2.1 million today.
http://www.telecomweb.com/tnd/259534.html (registration required to view article)
A British view of the hottest technologies for 2008- WiMAX may take off in Europe
The BBC previews what it predicts will emerge as the five technologies on the rise in 2008. They are: the Web to go, IPTV, mobile VoIP, ultra mobile PCs and WiMAX.
Mike Roberts of research firm Informa Media and Telecoms, says WiMAX has never taken off in Europe. But, he said, that could all change in 2008. "Next year could be the first year that we see some of the major deployments of WiMAX in Europe," he said.
Milton Keynes has just launched what it claims if the first commercial WiMAX service in the UK. The aim, according to a spokesperson was to "make Milton Keynes the first WiMAX -powered wireless internet city."
According to Mr Roberts others could follow suit particularly if a big player such as BT was "able to get its hands on the right spectrum".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7147804.stm
Analysis: "Robust" use of 700-MHz spectrum could reshape wireless industry
The FCC's Jan. 24 auction of the 700-MHz spectrum could revolutionize wireless communications largely because of the strength of the frequencies, which are currently used by UHF-TV broadcasters. "This is the most important auction we've ever had," said Art Brodsky, a spokesman for consumer-advocacy group Public Knowledge. "The spectrum is more robust than any slice we have seen before and it's more robust than any we will see for a while."
http://www.sacbee.com/103/story/603454.html
Google, AT&T and even Chevron among bidders for 700-MHz wireless spectrum
Companies as diverse as Google, Chevron USA, Cox Wireless, Microsoft founder Paul Allen's Vulcan Spectrum and little known entities like Vermont Telephone Company and Guam Cellular & Paging are among 266 applicants who have filed papers for the 700 megahertz auction. Altogether, 96 applicants have been approved, while 170 companies including AT&T, Verizon and MetroPCS had incomplete applications for undisclosed reasons, according to the Federal Communications Commission. The deadline for submitting applications was extended from Dec. 28 to Jan. 4.
The auction, which consists of five blocks, marks one of the last and best opportunities to scoop up prime wireless spectrum. The C Block in particular is expected to fetch at least $4.6 billion because of its size and its ability to penetrate obstacles, which means it could be used to establish a next-generation high-speed data network.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/20/BUK2U1JJG.DTL&hw=FCC+auction&sn=001&sc=1000
Deutsche Telekom makes strides in Germany with IPTV and DSL
Deutsche Telekom recently signed up its 100,000th IPTV subscriber in Germany and is expected to surpass its goal of adding at least 40% new DSL customers in Germany during full year 2007, according to industry analysis. The telecom operator expects fixed-line revenue to continue to dip in 2008.
IPTV service is available to over 17 million German households via the ADSL2+ network (reaching 750 cities) and the VDSL infrastructure (27 cities).
http://www.telegeography.com/cu/article.php?article_id=21095&email=html
Nortel CTO Roese offers his view of the future- including WiMAX and LTE
Nortel Chief Technology Officer John J. Roese talked to Forbes.com about Google's spectrum bid, WiMAX's potential and the future of the Kindle e-book device. He said that companies must simplify how they offered technology to customers and that IT and telecom companies should work more closely.
“At the beginning of 2007 and the end of 2006, we said 4G would happen faster than the industry expected. Now we have two elements pushing things forward: LTE and WiMAX. WiMAX is definitely the proving grounds for 4G. Verizon has announced it's going after LTE in 2008 to 2010. Most of the industry was saying by 2010, best case scenario.”
http://www.forbes.com/home/2007/12/24/nortel-cto-wireless-tech-intel-cx_ew_1226nortel.html
End-to-end Ethernet finally gains market traction in 2007
End-to-end Ethernet systems began to arrive in 2007 thanks to telecom and cable companies that have laid the fiber that enables them to offer Ethernet services. The technology is seen as a cost-efficient way to connect local area networks to a wide area network, according to this Infoworld article.
Laying fiber is still expensive, but now telcos — including AT&T, Verizon, and Qwest — plus cable companies such as Optimum LightPath, Cox, and Time Warner that already have fiber in the ground are offering Ethernet services. LightPath, for example, boasts of 2,500 miles of fiber in the ground and says it has lit more than 2,000 buildings in its service area in the northeast.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/12/28/52FE-underreported-ethernet_1.html