Michael Licata

Another WiMAX Operator Bites the Dust

Michael Licata on June 24, 2010 | 2 comments

Worldmax will cease WiMAX operations in Amsterdam by the end of July. It’s the second WiMAX operator to end services after Freedom4 sold its license to Broadband UK last week.

Worldmax blames the Dutch military. The company couldn’t expand its WiMAX offerings because of the interference in the 3.5GHz band. The signal conflicts with the military ground station for an intelligence satellite. Another report blames the inability to secure a 2.6GHz spectrum license. Poor indoor reception and lack of roaming ability also hurt the deployment.

“This restriction imposed by the Ministry of Defense makes us feel like landowners being expropriated on the basis of National and European security. The disillusion amongst us and our shareholders was huge when we saw investments made becoming immediately worthless,” Keimpe B. Algra, CEO Worldmax said, “While I am relieved that we could settle the issue after months of negotiation and uncertainty, it does hurt me badly to conclude that this is the end of a well established mobile broadband venture. This is bad news for our customers and a depletion of the already impoverished telecoms market in the Netherlands”.

Worldmax paid nearly $5 million in the spectrum. Greenfield Capital Partners, an owner of an investment company will lose around $15 million. It costs about$37 million to install the network. This isn’t a good sign for future WiMAX deployments. Two operators, along with Yota’s decision to launch LTE networks might be warning signs that signal the end of major WiMAX deployments.… Read the rest

Indonesian Commission Rethinks Stance on Mobile WiMAX

Michael Licata on June 24, 2010

The Indonesian Telecommunications Regulatory Body is considering changing telecom rules to allow WiMAX license holders to upgrade to mobile WiMAX. The organization postponed its decision to reverse a ban on the technology. Operators and growth were stagnant because of the fixed WiMAX technology.

ITRB granted the licenses in 2009. Since the beginning, lobbyists have argued that the fixed WiMAX option is marred by poor coverage and interference in rural and urban areas.

“We are still [contemplating] how to accelerate 2.3GHz operators so they can be commercial,” ITRB commissioner Heru Sutadi said ,”We have got a lot of input from operators and vendors, so we will study the input to consider any policy we can issue so all BWA 2.3GHz operators can sell their product as soon as possible.”

Telkom, Indosat, Internux, First Media, Jasnita, Berca, Indonesia WiMAX Consortium and WiMAX Indonesia all own spectrum space to launch WiMAX in the country. Operators are also asking the regulator to free up spectrum space in the 2.5GHz to make it available for WiMAX or LTE. The operator is also exploring ways to expand current 3G offerings, along with figuring out which frequencies can deploy various 4G technologies.

Nokia Siemens Network recently demonstrated LTE in Jakarta and three other mobile operators are ready to deploy the technology if the spectrum space is released by 2013.… Read the rest

Greenpacket Brings Latest Solution to Haier’s Notebooks

Michael Licata on June 24, 2010

Greenpacket’s latest software, Interact Collabright will power Haier’s latest notebooks. The notebooks will be come pre-packaged with the software that extends wireless capabilities of the new notebook. Interact Collabright allows users to connected over a wireless personal area network that allows them to share files, screens and internet connection.

“Haier appreciates that consumers increasingly want convergence and security in their everyday devices and WiFi is an exceptional platform for this due to its wide availability,”Kelvin Lee, Senior General Manager of Green Packet said, “Interact Collabright innovates the way users communicate and share in a secure wireless environment that is independent of conventional network infrastructure.”

Haier will private label the solution, integrating it with Wi-Fi management, under the name of Haier U-Link. Haier is growing in China’s competitive personal computer market. It’s a great mutual agreement, as Greenpacket will also enter the Chinese computer market. The company will look to deploy the technology on other laptop makers, looking to enter a lot more Asia Pacific region markets, growing their footprint in the market.

The APAC region will see a great expansion in technology. India recently finished its spectrum auction that raised a small fortune for the Indian government. China is always growing in the technology market, including notebooks, laptops and desktop computers. Their spending power dictates how most suppliers and companies plan their future, on what sells in the country.… Read the rest

Maravedis Releases Latest Report On WiMAX

Michael Licata on June 23, 2010

The latest report from Maravedis finds that there were 2.3 million BWA/WiMAX subscribers added in 2009. Maravedis also expects 18 LTE networks to be launched this year.

The total WiMAX revenues for all of 2009 totaled $3.03 billion, compared to just $1.69 billion at the end of 2008. The indoor modem market has the largest share of the device market, with 62 percent followed 1.11 million USB dongles. There were 308,006 base stations installed in the first quarter of 2010.

“Carriers are worried about the perceived lack of commitment towards 802.16m,” said Maravedis Research Director Adlane Fellah. “However despite the hype surrounding TD-LTE, we do not see much of an ecosystem in the near term.”

Yota’s decision to move to LTE appears too political. It’s also impacting the deployment plans for other WiMAX operators. TD-LTE could potentially mean the end of WiMAX, but it’s not going to be deployed for quite some time.

“Spectrum winners, especially those in India, cannot afford to wait 2-3 years before deploying TD-LTE while WIMAX deployments move forward,” Cintia Garza, 4GCounts Team Leader, said, “If a carrier deploys WiMAX now with the intention of migrating to TD-LTE in the future, a significant challenge emerges regarding how to manage the millions of WiMAX device users.”

These latest findings should be encouraging to operators. It’s interesting to see that home modems drive the device market because it means most people want to change their home DSL set ups. The device market will grow as mobile hotspots and WiMAX-enabled phones continue to be released, these devices will gain more of a market share faster than previous devices.… Read the rest

Clearwire Raises $290.8 In Stock Offering

Michael Licata on June 22, 2010

Clearwire raised around $290.8 million in a stock sale. The company offered 93,903,300 shares of Class A common stock, valued at $7.33 per share. The end results show that 39.7 million shares of Class A common stock were purchased for the final price. There was potential to raise $361 with all the stock rights offered.

Clearwire has a great track record of raising money through stock offering and partnerships with wholesalers and tech companies. Google, Brighthouse, Comcast, Time Warner and Sprint all invested hundreds of millions of dollars last year. That was to help with the build out of more networks in 2010, including adding markets in Houston, Baltimore and other launches in 2010.

The company has said it will spend between $2.8 and $3.2 billion building out their network this year. CLEAR service is offered in 24 markets, with plans to launch markets in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles by the end of 2010. This funding should go a long way to finish the network build out this year. It might also help Clearwire switch 4G technologies, from WiMAX to LTE.

Clearwire lost money during the first quarter of 2010, but it added more subscribers during that period than all of 2009. Thing are looking up for the 4G carrier, getting an advantage of being first to market with 4G wireless broadband. They’ll soon have competition in the market. Verizon Wireless plans on launching LTE in 25-30 markets by the end of 2010.… Read the rest

Sprint Releases 250U 3G/4G USB Modem

Michael Licata on June 22, 2010 | 1 comment

Sprint released the Sprint 3G/4G USB 250U modem from Sierra Wireless. It delivers 4G speeds in the 51 WiMAX markets and 3G reliable speeds almost anywhere else in the U.S.

“Sprint continues to lead the 4G revolution and is proud to expand its growing portfolio of devices with the addition of 3G/4G USB 250U from Sierra Wireless,” Fared Adib, vice president-Product Development for Sprint, said, “Consumers, businesses and industries such as construction, government, healthcare and transportation will be able to extend their Internet experience beyond the home and office and benefit from the constant connectivity and real-time access at lightning fast speeds.”

The USB modem is small and rotates 180 degrees, meaning it can fit any laptop, both vertical and horizontal USB ports. Users can stream live high quality video and download large files. The device is available now through business direct and business solutions partners. It will be released in every channel by mid-July. The device comes free after a $50 mail-in-rebate, a $49.99 instant savings and with a two year service agreement on a new line activation or eligible upgrade. The 4G cost per month is $59.99 per month for unlimited use on the 4G network, and 5GB of data on the Sprint 3G network.

The device works with Windows 7, Vista and XP along with Mac OS. It has a GPS tracking feature that provides location, navigation and mapping solutions while connected to the 3G network. The 250U has two external antenna pots with a separate LED display that shows the user whether it’s connected to the 3G or 4G network. It delivers fast speeds to business so they can streamline the internet portion of their business and pass the savings to the end user.

“Following on the success of Overdrive(TM) 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot, we are extremely pleased to offer Sprint customers a unique new 3G/4G device, combining the speed of 4G with the reliable coverage of Sprint’s 3G network,” Mike O’Brien, vice president-Operator and Distributor Sales for Sierra Wireless, said,”The Sprint 3G/4G USB 250U mobile broadband modem from Sierra Wireless is made for road warriors, providing flexibility, high quality and top-notch performance.”

Sprint is the first national carrier to launch 4G technology. It covers 50 million people, including Atlanta, Maui, Chicago, Baltimore, Kansas City and Las Vegas. It plans on launching markets in San Francisco, Boston and New York City by the end of … Read the rest

CLEAR and Best Buy Teaming To Provide 4G Laptops from Dell

Michael Licata on June 21, 2010

Clearwire announced that all Intel core processors must have 4G capabilities in all Best Buy stores by holiday season 2010. The initiative starts now as consumers will be able to access the fastest wireless Internet connection through CLEAR.

“Embedding 4G technology into laptops and netbooks makes it easy for consumers to experience CLEAR’s super fast mobile Internet service on the latest devices,” Mike Sievert, chief commercial officer for Clearwire, said, “The discounted summer and holiday pricing on CLEAR-ready laptops from Intel and available through Best Buy is another way Clearwire is working to meet the rapidly growing demand for true mobile broadband services in the U.S.”

End users that purchase an Intel laptop at Best Buy will be able to stream high quality live video anywhere within the WiMAX network. Family members can upload video to their Facebook page while in the backseat of their minivan. Some of the laptops include the Dell Inspiron 14, Dell Inspiron 15, Dell Mini 10 and Toshiba Satellite M645.

All of CLEAR’s data plans are unlimited, meaning they won’t penalize you for using too much data like the other wireless carriers. The packages start at $40 per month, with bundled services for home and mobile applications. Consumers that purchase one of the 4G embedded laptops are eligible for a $100 discount when customers sign up for CLEAR service with a two-year service agreement.

It’s a solid partnership between three strong companies. Getting the laptops WiMAX-embedded makes it easier for adoption because no additional device is necessary. Just turn on the WiMAX internet connection, purchase a CLEAR service plan and you’re off to super fast wireless connection anywhere within the network.

CLEAR covers 51 million people currently with plans on launching 12 more markets this summer. They currently have markets in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Chicago, Seattle and Las Vegas. They plan on launching more networks in 2010, including San Francisco, Boston and New York, covering 120 million people by the end of the year.… Read the rest

Huawei Earns Three Tops From Telecom Magazine

Michael Licata on June 21, 2010

Global Telecoms Business Innovations awarded three top industry awards to Huawei. The publication chose Huawei for its outstanding performance in “Transforming service enablement through software developer kit” project, TalkTalk’s “Dancing on Ice- cost-free contestant voting” campaign and Vodafone’s “Green wireless solution- affordable for all communities” campaign.

The judges highlighted Huawei’s strong innovation abilities across the different telecom sectors from wireless to wholesale and all tied together with strong collaborated projects with the world’s leading telecom operators.

“We are proud that TalkTalk’ s ‘Dancing on Ice’ cost-free constant voting project was well received by our customers and the industry,” Clive Dorsman, managing director of TalkTalk Technology, said, “TalkTalk and Huawei spearheaded the initiative to provide customers with value for money by offering free votes based on over-load control software solutions. Huawei impressed us with its ability to be flexible, innovative and fast in its response to TalkTalk’ s needs. The quality of its solutions can stand up to any kind of scrutiny or comparison. “

Huawei helps operators define new revenue and growth points through new services by integrating their networks. Huawei is an important equipment vendor that has launched WiMAX networks across the globe. They also partner to provide integrated solution for operators in designing software that makes it cheaper for the end user.… Read the rest

D2 Showcases mCUE Using HTC EVO 4G

Michael Licata on June 18, 2010 | 1 comment

D2 Technologies showcased its mCUE converged communications client for mobile devices on the HTC EVO 4G smartphone. mCUE software was installed in less than a week, illustrating how developers can develop software for Android-based devices faster. mCUE offers operators a solution for WiMAX-compatible Android OS mobile devices. It can help operators launch the video conferencing software.

“The first day of U.S. sales for the HTC EVO 4G resulted in the largest quantity of a single phone ever sold by Sprint, and shows the heavy consumer demand for Android-based WiMAX mobile devices,” Doug Makishima, chief operating officer at D2 Technologies, said, “By showcasing mCUE on the HTC EVO 4G, we can demonstrate to potential customers how it is faster, easier and more affordable for OEMs and service providers to introduce mobile VoIP over WiMAX and other next generation IP communications devices to market by partnering with D2.”

mCUE solution provides smart phone builders an opportunity to construct multi-mode mobile devices for enterprise, carrier and consumer use. This includes Wi-Fi-enabled smart phones, WiMAX-enabled phones and other connectivity devices. The software allows VoIP, IM chat and high quality video calls over WiMAX. It’s a complete voice solution, allowing multi-radio, multi-network seamless voice handover.… Read the rest

Daisy Communications Sells WiMAX Spectrum License

Michael Licata on June 18, 2010

UK Broadband purchased Daisy Communications spectrum licenses in Great Britain. The company spend $18.4 million or GBP 12.5 million. Daisy also divested its loss-making Wi-Fi business to Richard and Adrian Cunliffe. The company provides hotspot aggregation and WiFi white label services for mobile operators.

Daisy stated that the company posted an operating loss of GBP 2.4 million. The sale will save a total of GBP1.8 per year. The spectrum license is for space in the 3.6GHz-4.2GHz. UK Broadband holds fixed wireless spectrum in the 3.5GHz band. It uses the space to provide wholesale space and to businesses and the public sector.

UK Broadband will offer a range of 4G, Wi-Fi, wireless Ethernet and wholesale wireless data capacity. The company will develop new products for their newest acquisitions.… Read the rest

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