Have moved to Ubuntu, and I am having problems embedding images into wordpress.Will look more into it (or start my windows virtual machine).
3GPP webpage design
Visited 3GPP webpage today and was surprised to see different design.
Don’t know exactly when it happend (I am sure in the last two months), but this new design is a big improvement from the old design. New colors (Green), informative and clear. I guess someone in the 3GPP understood LTE-WiMAX battle is not only about Technology, but also (or maybe mostly) Marketing.
LTE is frozen – ratification expected in March
3GPP has approved the functional freeze of LTE as part of Release 8.
It is an essential step for formal ratification and actual deployment.
LTE is aimed at providing the true global mobile broadband experience for users but also places high priority on improving spectral efficiency and reducing cos
Alvarion Awarded a $6 Million WiMAX Contract by Costa Rica's ICE
Some more good news for Alvarion:
Today’s PR tells us that Alvarion received a $6 Million Mobile WiMAX contract from Costa Rica’s ICE.
These are great news for Alvarion, as their Mobile WiMAX solution gains more customers around the world. This PR is also inline with Alvarion’s efforts in the emerging markets and especially in South America.
It is also my firm belief that regardless of Tier 1 deployment (Clear/Xohm or UQC) we will see more and more Mobile WiMAX deployments in Africa and South America as DSL is not an option and HSPA/LTE solutions are not really required in the near future. Mobile (Nomadic) WiMAX is the right solution for Broadband Wireless Access (BWA).
White Paper from Ericsson – HSPA Vs. WiMAX
Just received a white paper from Ericsson titled HSPA, the undisputed choice for Mobile Broadband. It is dated May, 2007, which in today’s standards is like reading History books. Therefore, the contens of this white paper is not that interesting to me. What is more interesting is the TIMING of re-issuing it.
Ericsson is the leader in HSPA technology and deployment, and will probably lead the LTE field as well. When Mobile Wimax Tier 1 deplyoment falter, it is time to convince the other to wait for LTE.
On Advanced PHS (XGP)
An interesting article on the differences between “Willcom WiMAX” and Mobile Wimax – Link.
The PHS MOU is the consrotium standartizing PHS, Advanced PHS (XGP), with a long list of participating companies. However, Willcom is today the only PHS provider in Japan with about 4.6 Million subscribers (I should write ONLY 4.6 Million subscribers).
It will be interesting to see what Willcom will deploy next year and will they be able grab a bigger market share.
Maybe one more thing about Advanced PHS:
Altair Semiconductors, a Israeli startup has already published they plan to supply Willcom with 4G (XGP) chipsets , and shortly after secured a $22 Million in series C funding .
Acca Networks – Mobile Broadband
Acca Networks was one of the operators who applied for the lucrative Japanese 2.5GHz WiMAX spectrum last year, but lost to UQ Communications and Willcom.
As it turns out Acca did not give up on their mobile broadband dreams, but instead of deploying their own Mobile WiMAX network, they are using NTT Docomo network for only data service.
Details are (in Japanese) in Acca Mobile website, offering two types of plan with 3 available devices:
1) USB type – from Anydata
2) CF type – from Nihon Denki (NEC)
3) USB type – from Huawei
WiMAX Operator ID Public listing
An observation on IEEE 802.16 Operator ID public listing. Mobile WiMAX (802.16e) requires a registration before actual deployment. Cost of registration is $1200.
The list currently has 36 entries, of which 30 are unique operators; sounds like a very small number regarding the WiMAX hype we have seen in the last two years.
Here is the list, but refer the online IEEE listing as it may change:
- Nextwave – not a real operator
- Clearwire corporation
- Société du Haut Débit (SHD) – Joint venture – SFR + Neuf Cegetel
- Sprint Nextel – Xohm brand is merging into Clearwire
- HDRR
- Moline Dispatch Publishing Company ????
- Pine Telephone Company Inc.
- UK Broadband
- Solectek
- WiMax Telecom AG
- Wi-Tribe Limited
- Axtel S.A.B. de C.V.
- MIRS Communications Ltd.
- Packet One Networks (M) Sdn Bhd
- Menatelecom
- UQ Communications Inc.
- SCARTEL Ltd.
- Monzoon Networks AG
- WorldMax Operations B.V.
- Etihad Atheeb Telecommunications
- VTR Banda Ancha (Chile) S.A.
- Globe Telecom
- “MMDS-Ukraine” LLC
- DBD Deutsche Breitband Dienste GmbH
- Freedom4 Ltd
- Linkem Spa
- Grid Net
- Mandarin WiMax Sicilia SpA
- Asiaspace WiMAX Sdn. Bhd.
- CTY Co., Ltd.
It does seem like many names are missing for this list, the question in why?
Later this week I will try to analyze the deployments of the above operators.
Alcatel will cut WiMAX investment
As I have previously speculated here and only two hours ago, Alcatel-Lucent (ALU) will cut WiMAX investment.
As I could easily guess, the WiMAX market has shrunk enough for ALU to get out of the business, thus focusing in their core business and future LTE.
Alcatel-Lucent will reduce spending on WiMAX by “partnering, co-sourcing and participating in the consolidation of the industry,” it said. Other areas that will meet the same fate include customer premise equipment, some legacy applications, and the company’s portfolio of fixed-line telecommunications products not based on the IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) core.
To me it is clear that ALU will partnet with Alvarion for Mobile WiMAX, as they have done in the past with the “Fixed” WiMAX. These are great news for Alvarion as another big player is getting out of the Market; Nortel has announced the same a few months ago and partnered with Alvarion, though I don’t think we have seen the result in Alvarion’s balance sheet.
What Next?
Other two big players are Motorola and Samsung:
- Samsung – I don’t expect Samsung giving up on WiMAX, as it is their beachhead into the Mobile World outside Korea
- Motorola – More difficult to predict, but if I have to, my guess is MOTO will also get out of the WiMAX business.
Alvarion overtakes ALU, MOTO in Mobile WiMAX
From infonetics Research: Alvarion overtakes ALU, MOTO.
The report is pessimistic on the prospects of Mobile WiMAX for next 12 month:
With less cash available for network rollout — and possibly less spectrum being auctioned until the current financial crisis passes — WiMAX deployment will be inhibited for the next 12 months. Infonetics expects revenue growth to return to the overall WiMAX market in 2010, with growth being driven by mobile WiMAX, as a growing number of WiMAX networks are being rolled out based on 802.16e, even if initial services will be fixed CPE-based broadband. Market leader Alvarion’s migration of its customer base from fixed to mobile WiMAX is a prime example of the preference service providers are showing for mobile WiMAX,” said Richard Webb, wireless analyst for Infonetics Research.
I still believe ALU will announce today they are going out of the Mobile WiMAX Business, as I also believe many Tier 1 will wait for LTE.
These are also good news for Alvarion, as in the long run they will benefit from this slow down, as the Big players will go out of the market, leaving the Emerging Markets to Alvarion, Airspan, Redline,…