Senior Editor Molly McLaughlin of ConsumerSearch.com breaks down the hottest 4G phones for 2011 and gives us a better understanding of the current battle between WiMAX, LTE and HSPA+.

Kristina Tsamis: Let’s talk about the landscape for upcoming 4G phones. There’s a lot of buzz about the HTC Thunderbolt, The LG Revolution and the Motorola Droid Bionic. What do you think are the hottest 4G phones for 2011?

Molly McLaughlin: The HTC Thunderbolt is the first Android phone since the Droid X on the Verizon network to have an 8-megapixel camera. It also has a 1GHz processor which would lead you to expect better speeds. There’s also a Samsung phone that has been referred to by its model name: the SCH-i520. That also has a 1GHz processor and an 8-megapixel camera. Both of these phones seem promising.

Then there’s the Motorola Droid Bionic and the LG Revolution. The LG Revolution has a mobile hotspot built in for both 3G and 4G, which is interesting. Most of these phones also have front-facing cameras for video chat which makes them a little more competitive with Apple’s iPhone. These are all expected out sometime in the next few months.

KT: Speaking of Apple, the iPhone recently switched over to Verizon and many are disappointed that it does not support 4G. Do you think not incorporating 4G was a bad move for Apple?

MM: It’s definitely disappointing that the iPhone does not incorporate 4G—especially since right before the announcement Verizon was showing off its LTE network and its upcoming phones. It’s not even definite that the next iPhone that is due out in June will be 4G either, which is a little head-scratching. But Apple tends to take its time incorporating carrier features. While it is disappointing, it really depends where you live in the country. If you live in New York City, 4G is there and you probably want a phone that has that technology. But for Verizon, 4G is not projected to blanket the country until 2014. Right now the middle of the country and much of the Southwest is completely without 4G coverage. So, you have to weigh the amount of coverage that’s out there and the technology available. I don’t think it will hurt Apple’s sales but it will be interesting to see, if we have to wait another year for a 4G phone, what kind of technology will be out there that may be better.

KT: There are a number of debates about 4G technologies. Some question whether WiMAX and LTE can work hand in hand. Others argue that HSPA+ is not really 4G. I was wondering what your take is on these 4G networks?

MM: To start, WiMAX has much better coverage and is more established and widely available. The LTE networks are promising faster speeds, but that remains untested for now. We can’t quite say yet what is better because right now LTE is much smaller than WiMAX. HSPA+, which some people call 3.5G, may not be as fast as LTE and WiMAX but it is living up to its promises and is available on more devices. In addition, T-Mobile has plans to launch LTE in the next few years so that will be another game-changer.

So, to summarize: WiMax has better coverage, LTE is supposedly faster and HSPA+ has more portable devices. It’s sort of a waiting game to see what wins out.

For Molly’s take on the top 4G cell phones currently on the market, check out part one of this interview.

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ConsumerSearch.com is a product review Web site that does the shopping homework for consumers. The site features an editorial team that analyzes a mix of expert and citizen product reviews, bringing savvy shoppers a comprehensive report on the best products out there across a number of categories.

What are the best 4G cell phones currently on the market? How do 4G speeds stack up by carrier? To answer these questions, we sat down with Senior Editor Molly McLaughlin of ConsumerSearch.com.

Kristina Tsamis: Some of the most talked-about 4G phones currently on the market are the HTC EVO, the Samsung Galaxy S and the Motorola Atrix. What are your favorite 4G cell phones? Maybe we can start with Sprint’s offerings?

Molly McLaughlin: The HTC EVO 4G and the Samsung Epic 4G are great Sprint phones in general but the only issue is that 4G is not always available. Experts say that when you are in a good 4G zone it works very well and you get pretty good speed, but speeds are still not as fast as promised.

One interesting note is that right now 4G is quite a battery drain so it’s a good idea if you don’t need super speed or are not using data to go back to 3G and that will give you better battery life. Another issue is that Sprint charges an extra 10 dollars per month for a 4G phone even if you are not in a 4G area. This is something to watch out for because even if Sprint has the most available coverage, it still is what it is across the country.

KT: How about the other networks? AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile?

MM: AT&T’s Motorola Atrix 4G made a big splash this year because it can dock into a laptop. As for the phone itself—again great hardware but the speed is just not there.

Verizon has a bunch of exciting-looking phones but none of them are actually out yet. The HTC Thunderbolt is due out sometime this month but it has been delayed several times. It’s possible it will be out mid-month but this is not definite.

T-Mobile is using a technology called HSPA+. What’s nice is that it’s backwards-compatible with a lot of phones. So if you already are a T-Mobile customer your phone may be able to take advantage of a faster network. T-Mobile’s big offerings right now are the myTouch 4G and the G2—both of which are Android phones. They get pretty decent speeds comparable to what is promised by T-Mobile. They may not be the fastest phones out there, but they live up to their promises.

KT: You mentioned that you’ve found 4G speeds to be underwhelming. Why do you think this is the case, even in areas with good 4G coverage?

MM: Yes, the tests that we’ve looked at were mainly on the East Coast and the West Coast and that’s where all the 4G networks are concentrating—in particular on the East Coast. The problem is that the promised 4G speeds are mostly theoretical and “best case scenario.” I think that sometimes the hardware can’t keep up and if you don’t have a good processor or enough memory then your phone won’t be able to keep up with theoretical speeds. 4G networks are still in their infancy, but I think the hardware needs more time to catch up and manufacturers need to do further testing to see what they need to improve in order to provide true 4G speeds.

What cell phones should 4G fans look out for in 2011? How can we make sense of the WiMAX vs. LTE vs. HSPA+ debate? Stay tuned for part two of this interview.

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Molly McLaughlin—Senior Editor, Portable Tech

A self-professed nerd, Senior Editor Molly McLaughlin joined ConsumerSearch.com in 2008. As the mobile tech guru, she spends her days keeping up with the latest gadget news and intrigue, including cell phones, smartphones and apps as well as digital cameras and other personal tech. Her biggest project to date has been the creation and editorial oversight of the cell phone micro-site, which covers more than 300 products. Before joining ConsumerSearch.com, Molly was an associate editor on PCMag.com’s consumer electronics team. She has a Master’s degree in Journalism and Technical Writing from NYU-Poly.

Last night on Fox Business, Quantum Networks CEO Ari Zoldan broke down the hottest gift items in the tech space. Need help choosing the right gift for the techie in your life? Watch the video above for information on 3G vs. 4G equipment, the iPhone vs. Android, how to create your own wireless ecosystem and much more.

Ari’s final picks for 4G Gift Items:

1. The Unlocked MiFi

Put your phone’s SIM card into the MiFi and instantly create your own wireless hotspot that can support up to five users. With the unlocked MiFi there are no additional fees or contracts to worry about.

2. The Cradlepoint 3G/4G Mobile Broadband N Router

This 3G/4G router allows you to blanket your entire home or office with wireless internet like you’ve never experienced it before.

3. The CLEAR Spot

Experience 4G internet in all CLEAR cities, plus 3G internet on-the-go everywhere else.

4. The Samsung Epic 4G from Sprint

Powered by Android and featuring a touch screen, full slide-out keyboard and the ability to create a 3G/4G network for up to five Wi-Fi devices, the Samsung Epic is a true mobile powerhouse. Operating with the Sprint 4G network, users can watch videos, play games and download applications at lighting-fast speeds.

2010 marks a pivotal year for the telecommunications industry. Not only is it the beginning of a new decade, but it’s als o the beginning of a new era in terms of connecting to others. It’s a critical juncture of technology, it’s an evolution: the 4th generation. Competing companies such as Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T all have a role in producing this 4th generation. They have sunk massive amounts of commerce in the development of their own version of the technology but as of now, none of these companies are capable of producing the finalized product. Though each company has set their approximate nation-wide release year, which is 2013, as well as their estimation as to how many consumers will be connected to their 4G networks, roughly 100 million, none of the companies have commercially marketed their product to the public. There hasn’t been any newspaper articles or television commercials about the product, and trying to find information on their websites is pretty much a fool’s errand. It seems that the 4th generation of connectivity isn’t as ready as these companies portrait it to be.

Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint are the companies leading the way for this new product. They exude confidence during technology fairs concluding that the 4G revolution is upon us. They’ve developed products to help connect to the network such as portable modems, usb drives, and sim cards. They’ve even entitled their networks; Sprint’s being WIMAX (World-wide Interoperability for Microwave Access) while Verizon and AT&T’s shall be called LTE (Long Term Evolution). However, perhaps their confidence is missed guided and their promise of debuting in 2013 is unrealistic.

WIMAX developed by the Sprint and Clear companies respectively, seems to be losing ground in the United States amidst their attempt to bring WIMAX success domestically. Though they’ve raised 3.2 billion dollars in investments to produce the network, Sprint and Clear may have underestimated how expensive it is to blanket the country in connectivity. Sprint, the lesser of the three major telecommunications distributors in the country, may not have enough currency to continue production if the 3.2 billion isn’t enough, and investors Google, Time Warner, and Intel may grow weary of waiting and pull their investments early. Also those dependent on their WIMAX’s success is far less than those who are dependent on LTE”s success due to the fact that Verizon and AT&T are far larger companies. If it were a track race, Sprint is trying to take a shortcut by cutting through the field while Verizon and AT&T have already lapped them. If Sprint’s WIMAX fails, it can be attributed to the fact that their company just isn’t ready or wealthy enough.

LTE developed by Verizon and AT&T is also having trouble breaking ground in the telecommunications industry. Though it has run several tests, and covers almost an equal amount of area that WIMAX does, it is far less mature. It is faster than 3G but is however slower than Clear’s WIMAX. Also the infrastructure of the technology is underdeveloped which can be fixed over time. The problem with LTE is the fact that the company is trying to rush the development of the 4th Generation network so that it isn’t overshadowed by WIMAX. LTE wants to be the fist to release their network in order to compete but at the same time it’s detrimental to the process of developing the technology.

The competition between companies seems to be unhealthy for their product. If they rush development to meet the deadline they set for themselves, it may lead to an unfinished, underdeveloped, product and lead to more problems than solutions. It is essential to that these companies slow the process down so that the network they establish is without problems and inconvenience in the future.
 

GoingWiMAX.com recently interviewed Robb Henshaw, GoingWiMAX.com expert and Senior Director for Global Marketing and Communications for Proxim Wireless. He highlighted Sunrise Wireless deployment of Proxim equipment in San Francisco Bay. He also hinted about the future of the technology along with the current WiMAX developments.

Sunrise deployed two types of networks in the Bay. One networks is for commercial vessels in the Bay, used for live video, emergency services using unlicensed WiMAX equipment. The other network provides Wi-Fi access to recreational boaters in areas of the Bay.

1. How does the install in the San Francisco Bay showcase the versatility of Proxim’s solutions?

The San Francisco Bay installation showcases the versatility of the Proxim solutions because it utilizes multiple wireless broadband technologies from across our end-to-end wireless portfolio. In this case, they utilize a combination of our high-performance outdoor Wi-Fi solutions, our point-to-multipoint products, as well as our
point-to-point wireless backhaul products. The outdoor Wi-Fi products are used to provide the publically-accessible Wi-Fi network for recreational boaters. The point-to-multipoint products are positioned along the shore to provide long-distance, high-performance wireless connectivity from commercial ships (ferries, cruise ships, cargo ships, etc.) back to the shore. And the point-to-point wireless backhaul aggregates and backhauls all of the Wi-Fi and point-to-multipoint traffic back to the network operations center across the city.

Proxim is the only company that provides the ability to deploy this kind of integrated, end-to-end broadband wireless ecosystem. Other companies provide one or two pieces of the puzzle (Wi-Fi, WiMAX, or wireless backhaul), but then you have to find another vendor for the other pieces. Or worse, a vendor without all the pieces will convince you that you can use one technology for the entire deployment. Like the saying goes — if all you have is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail.
At Proxim, our complete wireless broadband portfolio gives our customers the freedom to pick and choose the right technologies (or mix of technologies) for any given application, rather than forcing them to compromise. And because all of our products — across the entire portfolio — were designed from the ground up to work together, they can rest assured that the system will integrate and work together seamlessly with one single management console.

2. How can operators learn and expand on the deployment?

Because of the interoperability and scalability of Proxim’s solutions, at any time the network can easily be expanded to meet new and greater application performance demands. For now, the deployment is sufficient to provide Wi-Fi access to recreational boaters as well as point-to-point connectivity to commercial ships. The connectivity to the commercial ships is enough to support Wi-Fi to passengers, stream video, and handle VoIP calls. If at any time the usage of all of these services
increased beyond the capacity of the existing networks, additional Proxim point-to-multipoint radios could be deployed along the shoreline to provide additional capacity.

3. What does this type of deployment show to operators, with regards to the integration of both a smart grid application and end-user applications?

This isn’t really a smart grid deployment/application. In terms of end-user applications, though, it provides a clear illustration of the performance and cost benefits of point-to-point, unlicensed WiMAX over satellite services (which is what vessels have traditionally used to stay connected while on the water). Satellite services can cost up to 10x the amount of point-to-point wireless solutions, while providing far less performance. With point-to-multipoint, operators are free to offer
a full line of services to commercial ships including Wi-Fi connectivity, the ability to stream video to their passengers (i.e., a ferry being able to stream the news for commuter passengers), and VoIP calls (which is important, because many areas of the Bay have poor cell reception). Satellite service can provide basic connectivity for ships, but will not support the additional services, therefore limiting vessels to what they can offer their passengers.

4. What other applications can Proxim equipment be used for?

The end-to-end nature of Proxim’s product portfolio enable us to provide the perfect wireless broadband for a wide variety of  applications, including last mile and rural broadband connectivity, wireless video surveillance and security applications, wireless for intelligent transportation systems (ITS), public safety applications, cellular/4G wireless backhaul, indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi and much more.

5. What does the future hold for Proxim in the WiMAX space?

At Proxim, we provide both WiMAX and unlicensed point-to-multipoint solutions, which gives us the ability to provide both mobile
connectivity (like constantly moving ships in the SF Bay deployment, all the way to high-speed trains and emergency responder vehicles) as well
as fixed wireless applications. While the mobile connectivity aspect of WiMAX is extremely cool, there are also a ton of interesting fixed WiMAX and point-to-multipoint deployment scenarios as well. In fact, the fixed WiMAX market continues to be larger than the mobile WiMAX market, though it tends to get less attention because the deployments are not as sexy.

Popular fixed WiMAX applications include wireless video surveillance (using WiMAX or unlicensed point-to-multipoint to backhaul video
surveillance traffic), last mile and rural broadband connectivity (using a combination of unlicensed or licensed WiMAX and point-to-point
wireless backhaul to provide cost-effective broadband to rural areas), intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and more. Moving forward, we will continue to enable both fixed and mobile WiMAX applications. And in the near future, we will be expanding our fixed, unlicensed WiMAX solutions for WISPs, which will further empower them to deploy cost-effective rural broadband networks and help fulfill the National Broadband Plan’s goal of connecting rural America.

6. What will Proxim’s market position be once LTE becomes readily available?

Just as with today’s mobile WiMAX networks, Proxim’s 4G wireless backhaul products are ideally suited for backhauling tomorrow’s LTE networks. We continue to believe that WiMAX and LTE is not an either/or proposition, and that neither of the technologies will “win” over the other. In fact, both WiMAX and LTE can and likely will play equally important roles in the future of wireless networks. Today, it seems as though both technologies will become viable 4G access technologies,
while WiMAX still maintains its position as an ideal backhaul technology as well.

In some locations, people will only have access to WiMAX for 4G access. In others, they will only have the option of LTE for 4G access. And insome locations, (in 2012-2013), consumers will be lucky enough to have the option to chose either WiMAX or LTE networks. In those cases, just as we see with today’s 3G networks, people will make their choices based on which provider they trust most or which service they’ve received the best recommendations for – but it is highly unlikely that either will displace each other. And the fact of the matter is, even if WiMAX does not become the next wireless access technology of choice, it would still has a very important role to play as a backhaul technology for both 4G and Wi-Fi networks worldwide. WiMAX was originally designed as a wireless backhaul technology to begin with, and it is especially well suited for that task. So, as LTE networks begin to roll out, it is extremely likely that WiMAX technologies will also be used as the wireless backhaul for those networks, while LTE provides the access. And as advances are made in high-performance outdoor Wi-Fi, again, WiMAX will play a key role as the
backhaul.

GoingWiMAX.com recently interviewed Senior General Manager of Greenpacket Berhad, Kelvin Lee. He provided insight into the latest offering from the WiMAX company, Interact Collabright. They worked with Intel to develop the latest in messaging software.

1.  Tell us a little about your relationship with Intel?

We worked closely with Intel to develop Interact Collabright, which was fully built on Intel’s My WiFi technology SDK. Interact Collabright is an application that allows users to easily share files, screens, and chat with one another wirelessly via a personal area network (PAN).

Intel Capital, Intel’s global investment arm, is invested in Green Packet Berhad.

2.  How does the Collabright platform complement your WiMAX technology?

Greenpacket is an end-to-end provider of mobile broadband and networking solutions. The introduction of Collabright complements our existing portfolio of wireless networking products which gives us a wider market reach. This way, we have a strong foothold in the wireless industry whether it’s WiMAX, WiFi, 3G or the like.

3.  Could you explain, briefly, the advantages and benefits Collabright will provide customers?

Consumers are empowered to easily share information like files, folders and screens, chat, and even share their internet connection securely without conventional network infrastructure. We are shelving the need for hardware like routers, hubs, modems, cables and such. Consumers can form their own secure PAN workgroup within WiFi radius, wherever and whenever they want to as long as they have their My WiFi enabled PC with Interact Collabright installed. Simply put, we are innovating the way we communicate wirelessly.

4.  How does this software further your broader technology and market strategies?

Interact Collabright widens Greenpacket’s reach as it allows us to penetrate into the huge notebook ODM/OEM market. Together with our ICMP and ISMP software solution and WiMAX devices, we can now cater to 3G and WiMAX operators, as well as notebook manufacturers. We will continue to innovate to entrench our position as a unique end-to-end solutions provider.

5.  Who are the primary target customers for this independent, personal network?
Our customers are notebook ODM and OEM manufacturers. In a highly competitive market, these manufacturers are continuously searching for value-added features that they can give to their customers and Interact Collabright will appeal for both business and personal use.

6.  So, in a nutshell, how does Collabright work?

Interact Collabright is an application built to unleash the capabilities of Intel My WiFi technology. A notebook empowered with Intel My WiFi technology can host a PAN and other users can connect to this PAN as long as they have WiFi. Then, with Interact Collabright installed, all users within the PAN can start chatting, sharing files and screens, exchange notes on a common whiteboard or even share the host’s internet connection.

7.  Does Greenpacket have other affiliates? Tell me about that.

Strategic partners of Greenpacket include Starent Networks/Cisco, Bridgewater Systems, Quiconnect and Sapience Knowledge Systems. More details will be revealed in due time.

8.  What are some of the risks you as a company and the average consumer face with this product?

The constant challenge of software development is in the fast-paced environment that governs the product cycle. Technologies and demand change, hence we always have to be at its forefront to anticipate what future technologies are and also predict consumer behavior way ahead. Greenpacket manages this challenge by continued innovation of our solutions and also vast experience in our field.

On the consumer front, it takes time for new technology to be fully understood but with Intel’s commitment to My WiFi, we believe that consumers don’t have to wait long for a complete wireless ecosystem to fully set in.
9.  What competitive advantage does Collabright offer?

Interact Collabright is developed for Intel’s My WiFi platform using its SDK and is also an evolution of Greenpacket’s award-winning SONbuddy software. While the base concept of connecting a group of PCs together in an ad hoc network and allowing its users to collaborate with one another is not new, Interact Collabright makes it an all-inclusive experience that caters to both business and personal users in a secure manner which is built on top of Intel’s My WiFi platform.

For example, features like screensharing, whiteboard sharing and chatting are just as useful in business meetings or even college assignment buddies. Sharing files, folders or even an internet connection in a highly secure and reliable wireless environment is also a straightforward process that is made even simpler with our Quick Start Wizard.

At Greenpacket, our solutions are designed from the perspectives of our clients and their customers. Our experience is attributed to our experience in an operational environment as a solutions vendor and also a service provider. This is why we are fully in touch with business needs as well as the demands of retail consumers.

11.  How does this product fit into Greenpacket’s greater vision for the future of wireless communication?

Interact Collabright innovates the way we communicate and share with one another by making it a lot easier to do so. Consumers today tend to do more in less time and by making things simpler, we believe that the adoption of wireless technology will ramp up exponentially. Soon, we will see more wireless applications in vertical markets like in health services, schools and more.

12.  When will this become available?

We are currently working with a leading consumer electronics manufacturer to roll-out Interact Collabright, possibly by 2H (2nd half) 2010. We will disclose more details at a later date.

GoingWiMAX.com recently interviewed Joe Wargo, the CEO of Alpha Omega Wireless. The interview focused on the  WiMAX backhaul networking technology and solutions.

1. Can you briefly introduce yourself and your company ?

Alpha Omega Wireless is a leading integrator of complete end-to-end wireless backhaul networking technology and solutions. Alpha Omega Wireless provides site surveys, feasibility studies, engineering, spectrum analysis, path calculations, design, wireless installation, equipment sales, radio repair and maintenance, support, troubleshooting, and ongoing management & monitoring of Point to Point wireless, Point to Multipoint wireless systems, WiMax, and  wireless mesh, two-way radio, SCADA (telemetry radio), wireless video surveillance, and indoor RF. Alpha Omega Wireless works with unlicensed wireless backhaul and licensed microwave wireless network connectivity.

2. Please share a client story / case study that you have worked with in the past?

We have various case studies showcasing our capabilities available at aowireless.com.

3. How can wireless backhaul technology be considered a green technology ?

For years the USA has relied on fiber infrastructure to provide its broadband backhaul. Fiber deployments require installing fiber cable either by aerial means (strung from pole to pole along a particular route) or by trenching the ground to put fiber in underground conduits. Both impact the environment. Aerial fiber requires a lot of PVC and rubber based jacketing to protect the fiber. These materials are not good for the environment. Aerial fiber also requires poles, either metal or wood, to be placed every 100ft or so. Underground fiber is put into conduits which eventual have a soil impact. Plus the trenching of natural land impacts nature. One must also take into account CO2 emissions that are produced in the construction and deployment of fiber.

Wireless backhaul, such as a point to point wireless Ethernet bridge, can provide data connectivity over 50+ miles. A single communications tower can be a hub site for many fixed wireless backhaul antennas. Existing buildings offer rooftop space that can be used so no new mounting infrastructure needs to be constructed.
Today many point to point wireless Ethernet bridge systems operate at 20W to 35W (-48vDC). Most point to multipoint wireless Ethernet bridge systems can run on POE (802.3af) or POE+ (802.3at). These systems have such a low power draw they can easily be powered by solar or wind generation.

Take for example a solar powered repeater site used for a client’s video backhaul. On a hill above a reservoir, where there was no local power available, two solar panels provide enough energy to power a point to multipoint wireless system that backhauls multiple PTZ IP cameras located a mile away and a point to point wireless Ethernet bridge to a remote facility 4 miles away. The outdoor wireless system is powered by recyclable batteries that are charges during the day by the solar panels. The systems provides up to 5 days of survivability in the event of the solar system failing.

Wireless backhaul radios use extremely little power and do not require any indoor facilities to house equipment. Using other technologies, like standard cable or fiber backhaul requires indoor switching equipment that consumes AC power and needs to be environmentally controlled by using power consuming air conditioning units. To cover vast distances using traditional backhaul requires multiple switching locations, like at a telco’s Central Office, which are high power consuming facilities. Several wireless backhaul links can cover hundreds of miles with a total power consumption of just a few Watts of DC current using less than a few AMPS. Many home appliances use more power.

Installing a solar powered wireless backhaul system is relatively inexpensive, compared to running AC circuits. A quick ROI can be achieved from the savings of equipment shelter leasing costs and monthly power costs. Plus you’ll be doing your part to help the environment!

4. Where do you see the WiMAX industry going in the next 2-3 years ?

WiMax is definitely one of the fastest growing technology sectors. The advantage of WiMax over LTE for example, is that WiMax can be used for both mobile applications as well as fixed broadband deployments. WiMax has received backing from major manufactures from Mobile handset manufactures, wireless equipment manufactures, and PC/Laptop manufactures (including Intel). WiMax allows for scalable Last Mile solutions. Many countries, where an existing wireless broadband network has not been deployed, have a great opportunity to Leap Frog cable infrastructure technology. WiMax allows for a much quicker and father reaching  broadband deployment. Wireless can reach areas at farther distances where traditional copper and fiber can’t get to. WiMax can allow a carrier to provide both mobile and fixed connectivity.

5. What business opportunities do you see using unlicensed spectrum ?

The unlicensed spectrum allows for quick and scalable deployments. Wireless backhaul equipment (point to multipoint) is readily available unlike many licensed radio systems that are built to order. WiMax has opened up the door for providing protection against wireless interference as a newly opened up 3.65GHz band (unlike the traditional 5.8GHz band that is heavily used for point to point and point to multipoint backhaul already).

6. Has AO Wireless taken any project under the Broadband Stimulus initiative since January 2010 ?

We have helped many organizations with their submittal process but have yet to see any awards.

7. Is the fast adoption of data phones by consumers a good thing for your company ? If so, how?

We are the company that designs and installs WiMax backbones. The growth of the market always provides opportunities for a company like ours to deploy such technology.

GoingWiMAX.com had the pleasure of interviewing Kelvin Lee, Senior General Manager of Green Packet Berhad. He highlighted Greenpacket’s latest home WiMAX modems along with his take on the future of the WiMAX industry.

1. How do the latest modems differ from the ones Greenpacket released at the WiMAX Forum Congress Americas in December 09?
The EX series is a part of our cost-effective range of WiMAX modems that specifically caters to the residential market segment which according to 4GCounts, accounts for 68% of WiMAX subscribers.

This is why the EX series is engineered to fulfill the fundamental broadband need of home users by offering one LAN and one VoIP port. Single users do not need to pay for what they do not use. However, they are still empowered with a choice of connecting a router to the modem if they need more ports.

There is also cosmetic difference between the EX series and the DX and UH series that we launched last December.
The benefits of our new cost-effective range also extend to Operators as they now have an option to lower their subscriber acquisition cost and the flexibility to expand their service offerings for diverse market segments.

It has to be highlighted that being cost-effective does not mean that the performance of the new modems is compromised in any way. The cost-effective range is still fully geared towards the delivery of high quality wireless broadband through the little attention to detail we put in that makes a huge difference. For example, WiMAX Forum specifies a level of receiver sensitivity and Greenpacket’s EX modems surpasses that mark by 7.5dBm.

2. What market segment are you targeting with the release of these new modems?

The EX range is targeted at Operators requiring basic modems as the cost for it is effective in reducing their OPEX for mass WiMAX rollout. This includes the pre-paid market segment for residential use. The EX range would also allow Operators to create packages that are price sensitive or create a wider range of packages to suit different connectivity needs of their customers.

3. Can you highlight the new features and capabilities of your latest modem?

Featuring data and voice ports, the EX series deliver superior indoor performance. This is possible via a high gain antenna which improves the reception of WiMAX signals, multi-directional omni antenna which allows flexibility of device placement and, Switched Transmit Diversity Technology which selects the best antenna to use to boost the uplink signal strength performance during transmission.
There is also an option for an external antenna.

4. In January, you set the objective of increasing shipments by at least three times the amount than in 2009. Where are you on that?

As a business unit of a public listed company, we are not allowed to disclose our shipment numbers before the Group’s quarterly financial announcement. Green Packet Group will be announcing the first quarter financial results in mid May and we shall keep you informed on the results and numbers.

5. Which region of the world (United States, Central America, APAC, Africa, Europe…) is your business growing the fastest? Can you give us a background on this international presence?

Greenpacket has been successfully growing our business and customer base in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East region. This year however, we are gaining strong traction in the US and European markets.

Currently, we have eight offices worldwide including R&D centres, device development centers and regional sales offices. Our regional sales offices are located in Bahrain, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and Thailand to service our customers in the respective regions. However, we have doubled our sales force in the USA, Central and Latin America (CALA), and Europe.

6. What’s Greenpacket’s vision for the future of WiMAX?

WiMAX is a sunrise industry with a rapidly growing global traction. The WiMAX industry now is huge with increased population coverage and more devices developing to support the technology. The WiMAX Forum is now tracking 599 WiMAX deployments in 147 countries; there are new deployments every month. Population covered by WiMAX technology has also increased to 621 million by end 2009 and is further anticipated to grow to 800 million by end 2010.

We see WiMAX as an excellent ‘saviour technology’ in view of increasing network congestion due to increasing data traffic.  WiMAX can be a latter (receiving) network for legacy telcos to support data offloading.

Many industry analysts have compared WiMAX and LTE which they see as a direct competition to WiMAX. However, WiMAX however is about four years ahead of LTE, giving it a window during which consumer and market expectations are changing. We do believe that some Telcos will choose to wait until LTE is available and only then invest in costly network upgrades, which will in time bring them to parity with WIMAX enabled networks. Others will choose a hybrid model, leveraging the superior functionality and the immediate availability of WIMAX to supplement their current network to offer a broader range of products and services to its customers and alleviate current network congestion.

Those that choose a hybrid model will have first-mover advantage over the other legacy players, giving them the necessary edge in a highly competitive environment.

Greenpacket also sees WIMAX as a driver of converged technologies leading to a different communications business model encompassing an entirely new range of end-user devices and services. WiMAX allows a limitless range of devices to be permanently connected.

While the application of this to mobile phones, PDAs and PCs is perhaps more familiar, the opportunity goes way beyond that. Image a world where your camera or even your car is permanently online, or where cargo, products and equipment are permanently connected to a network. That’s beauty and future of WiMAX!

Stephanie Canciello, unali artists

GoingWiMAX.com had the pleasure of interviewing Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist.org . Craig established one of the most visited websites, craigslist.org. Almost everyone with a computer has browsed one of craig’s sub pages looking for a job, apartment or missed connection. He presented the idea of an online marketplace that’s completely free and patrolled by users. He still stays true to the original idea of an open marketplace where people can trade without being blasted by advertising and other offers.

1. How did the idea for craigslist come about? Has it remained faithful to its original mission?

Pretty much everything at craigslist (note lower case c) arises from community feedback. I just started in 1995 with a simple events mailing list, and listened and did what people say they need and want. That continues to this day, under the leadership of Jim Buckmaster.

2. What is your reaction to the success craigslist has had?

It feels good that we’ve helped tens of millions of people helping each other out. It’s flattering, that (we’re going) back (to) do work, working (at) customer service.

3. How do you feel about being regarded as a revolutionary web entrepreneur? Do you view craigslist as a business, like say, Amazon or eBay?

I’m not revolutionary, not an entrepreneur, not a visionary or anything like that. I guess I am more of a community organizer. Craigslist is a community service and a business, that simple.

4. What do you think distinguishes craigslist from similar concepts that haven’t been as successful?

I don’t know of any others, but craigslist was built on the intention of helping other folks out and that remains our focus to continue to treat people like we want to (be) treated.

5. What are your thoughts on looking to craigslist as a social and political model? Is self governance something you believe in outside of the web?

Tens of millions of people have used craigslist, and they’ve seen there it’s easy to help each other out, to connect, and that continues elsewhere, like on Wikipedia. I strongly believe in self governance, and the consent of the governed.

6. As a site that has been largely consistent, what do you see for the future of craigslist? What do you see as the future for self governing and collaborative sites in general?

Future of craigslist is more of the same, adding more cities and more languages. We’re going to see a lot more of it, very soon, and that will dominate the Internet by the end of this decade.

7. How will Craigslist expand it’s mobile websites to accommodate increase in mobile internet use?

We do pretty well now, using a simple format that gives people the information they want. That works for mobile computing.

8. How is geo-locating going to change marketing in the future?

I think people will look at their mobile device and be able to see who and what’s near them. I’ve already done so.

GoingWiMAX.com recently interviewed Johan Terve, the Vice President Marketing for Aptilo Networks. The interview focused on the innovative WiMAX Connector device that was recently used in Aviat’s launch in India.

Can you give us an overview of the Aptilo WiMAX Connector in terms of technical specifications and applications.

The Aptilo WiMAX Connector is a plug-and-play solution that allows operators to deploy WiMAX quickly and conveniently while utilizing existing broadband OSS/BSS infrastructure – infrastructure that does not natively handle WiMAX.

The WiMAX Connector seamlessly links the award-winning Aptilo WiMAX AAA+ core to any existing LDAP, Active Directory or legacy AAA user databases.  It dynamically maps the subscriber services described in the existing OSS/BSS into WiMAX 16e service flows required by the ASN gateway.

The Aptilo WiMAX Connector also allows operators to use their existing subscriber sign-up, provisioning, billing and other processes with the new WiMAX service.  This minimizes capital and operating expenses on new or upgraded OSS/BSS systems, new processes, training of staff, and maintaining and operating new OSS/BSS equipment.

The WiMAX Connector can also be used by WiMAX network operators to connect multiple virtual WiMAX operators that have no WiMAX capabilities.

What is the typical target market for the Aptilo WiMAX Connector?
There are really two main targets:

• Broadband operators that seek a fast and convenient path to integrate a WiMAX network with their existing OSS/BSS back-end – a back-end that does not natively handle WiMAX.
• WiMAX operators that want to start wholesale of their WiMAX services to multiple broadband service providers and connect them through the Aptilo WiMAX Connector as virtual WiMAX operators.

How does it fit into Aptilo’s development strategy in 2010?
This fits well with our overall strategy to provide solutions that make it easy, fast and cost-effective to deploy wireless services in a multi-access environment.

Is there any objective in terms of sales (US and international) for the Aptilo WiMAX Connector?
We believe this type of functionality will be attractive to a very broad market segment, which includes large tier 1 operators like BSNL (who deployed the solution via an implementation with Aviat Networks) to smaller ISPs as well as WiMAX network operators that want to wholesale their services to virtual WiMAX operators.