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WiMAX in Congo (DRC), or The Reason I Like WiMAX Technology

Alvarion has just released plans to deploy Mobile WiMAX in the DRC (Congo).

Not only good news for Alvarion ($4.5 Million contract), but better news for Congo and Africa. Although most Mobile WiMAX investments are seeking the Big Money of Tier 1 Deployments, I love to read a bout WiMAX deployments in Africa and other developing countries.

As much as I will enjoy using UQ Communications WiMAX network in Japan, WiMAX is the perfect technology for deploying Internet and Voice services in developing markets, in places where traditional telephony was never deployed.

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Sequans Unveils New Mobile WiMAX Chipset- SQN1210

Sequans Communications has introduced it’s newset chip, the SQN1210 in Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress.

The SQN1210 supports in a single Dye:

  • WiMAX Baseband
  • Triple band RF – 2.3-2.4, 2.5-2.7, and 3.3-3.8 GHz bands
  • TDD and H-FDD Support (H-FDD is where the market is planning to move next)
  • 2 TX and Uplink MIMO
  • SDRAM

Sequans also claim the new chip has better power consumption and better performance. It is also reported that Zyxel has adopted the new chip and will use it in a tiny USB device.

Zyxel is working with Sequans for a long time, and is deploying CPEs in Sprint Network with the Sequans SQN1130.

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UQ Communications Host Support – No Linux, No MAC

UQ Logo As I reported in  UQ Communications Data Cards and Chip Vendors , UQ Communications UD01SS is actually Korean Modacom‘s device, using GCT Semi chipset.

None of UQ Communications devices support MAC OS or Linux, which caused discontent in the Japanese technical community (Early Adopters and Apple Fans).

But when checking Modacom website for similar WiBRO devices, they do support MAC OS, which makes me think Shinsei Corporation or UQ Communications didn’t want to deal with the complexity of supporting  Operating Systems other than Windows (XP, Vista) at this time.

ud01ss

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Fujitsu Launches LTE Base Station Family

Fujitsu Logo

Although already demonstrated at several conferences, a new PR from Fujitsu to attract more attention to their LTE solutions.

The BroadOne eNodeB is based on a “new” architectural concep, consisting of a Remote Radio Head (RRH) and Base Band Unit (BBU).

Fujitsu has developed a 3GPP-compliant LTE system for the global market. In fact, Fujitsu was chosen by NTT DOCOMO to be a supplier for its LTE eNodeB in 2006 as well as its LTE core network system in 2008, and is now taking this technology leadership to the rest of the world. In a joint demonstration with NTT DOCOMO, more than 250 Mbps performance was exhibited in an outdoor environment over the Fujitsu LTE eNodeB; also demonstrated at both CEATEC Japan 2008 and CTIA Wireless 2008 in Las Vegas.

Fujitsu LTE Solution Page has some more information, but I am missing Datasheets, Use Cases, and Marketing collaterals.

Fujitsu, please improve your website. Take example from Motorola LTE.

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OKI WiMAX Product Portfolio

OKI, a Japanese Company apparently develop WiMAX systems.

Why “apparently”?

It does seem OKI have certified a USB device, but trying to understand their Product Portfolio can be a “bit” difficult.

OKI’s English WiMAX Page:

OKI WiMAX English

Now, one would say OKI do not plan to market their WiMAX Products outside Japan.

The Japanese page is not much better:

OKI WiMAX Japanese

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UQ Communications Devices Revisited – Certification Status

UQ WiMAX Logo

In a previous post, I have reviewed the data cards and Chipsets used by UQ WiMAX trial. UQ and Japanese companies in general usually insist on certification. Therefore, I decided to check the certification status of the data cards.

NEC Access Technica certified both the PCMCIA card and USB in January.

As for Shinsei Corp, there is no certification as they rely on Modacom (the actual Korean manufacturer of the devices) . Modacom has also certified both the Express Card, and the USB.

Confusing a bit, is the fact that the Modacom Express Card Certification page shows a USB device. Someone has mixed up the images:

Modacom USB

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Israeli Siano powers Softbank Mobile's iPhone OneSEG

softbank-logo2

Published in Israeli The Marker [HE]: Israeli Start-Up Siano ‘s chip SMS1130 is powering  Softabank Mobile’s 1seg (Japanese： ワンセグ) iPhone adapter.

This  iPhone adapter is both a 1seg (ISDB-T) TV Tuner and a battery pack,  on sale for 9,840 ¥.

Apple iPhone’s lacked this important feature, which is now a standard in most Japanese cellular phones. About 100$ is a bit expensive in my opinion, but I am not watching TV anyway.

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UQ Communications MVNOs

UQ WiMAX Logo

UQ Communications business model has always been about MVNOs.

As UQ WiMAX trial beginns and deployment details start to unfold, MVNOs start to line-up.

  • @nifty – one of the leading Japanese ISPs, announced today [JP] their plan to use UQ WiMAX network to provide data services to their customers.
  • Softbank Mobile – Did not commit to the MVNO plan, but it is being considered [JP]. According to the news report, Softbank Mobile are waiting for UQ trial results before they can make a decision.