Tag: mobile

  • South Korea's KT Absorbs Mobile Unit In Battle For customers


    South Korea’s fixed-line operator, Korea Telecom (KT), is to merge with its majority-owned mobile unit, KTF, the country’s second-largest mobile operator.

    The merger is an effort to offer bundled fixed and mobile services and increase its global exposure.

    KT’s move is seen as necessary if it is to compete with SK Telecom and LG Telecom.

    South Korea’s mobile and household broadband markets are approaching saturation and operators in the country are battling for customers.

    This has led to the offering of products bundling fixed-line, broadband, Internet TV and mobile services.

    The deal ends months of speculation and will see KT absorb the mobile unit, of which it owns 54 per cent.

    NTT DoCoMo, Japan’s largest mobile operator, also owns 11 per cent of KTF.

    The terms of the deal mean KTF shareholders will receive 0.719 of a KT share for every KTF share they own.

    KT is also to sell USD $253 million bonds exchangeable into its stocks to DoCoMo as part of the merger plan.

    The Japanese firm will transfer 60 per cent of its holding in KTF to KT.

  • SanDisk and LG Offer Flash Storage Services for Mobile Networks


    SanDisk Corporation and LG Electronics have demonstrated a new technology for mobile phones that offers multimedia-rich services using removable flash memory cards.

    It enables mobile network operators (MNOs) to distribute preloaded and downloaded content on removable memory cards, while restricting the accessibility of such premium content to their network subscribers.

    The content protection service is made possible by enabling memory cards to authenticate user credentials via data on the SIM card.

    SanDisk and LG Electronics demonstrated the technology using the new LG KC910 Renoir.

    It ensures that content preloaded in the cards can only be used in approved handsets.

    The two companies have worked closely to implement this new technology.

    SanDisk’s technology brings flexible storage-based services to network operators by allowing IP connectivity to the memory card in the handset.

    The memory card serves as a network node that is remotely manageable by the operator using industry-standard TCP/IP and OMA Smart Card Web Server.

    Amir Lehr, senior director of business development at SanDisk, said the technology would allow handset manufacturers and MNOs to meet the increasingly sophisticated demands of consumers who want easy access to premium content on their mobile devices.

    He said it marks the beginning of a new era in mobile phone service and content distribution.

    LG Electronics’ adoption of new technologies like the OMA SmartCard Web Server (SCWS) standard, allows the subscriber’s SIM card to be used as an authorization server.

  • Mobile WiMAX Revenues Grow – But Freeze Likely


    Worldwide mobile WiMAX infrastructure revenues nearly quadrupled in the third quarter of 2008 over the third quarter of 2007, according to the latest figures.

    Scott Siegler, senior analyst of Mobile Infrastructure research at Dell’Oro Group, said that with LTE still a couple of years away, WiMAX has become the first next generation technology with commercial service.

    “Mobile WiMAX revenues were very strong in the third quarter of last year, and we anticipate revenue for the fourth quarter to set another record," he said.

    "However, as we look into 2009, we expect the WiMAX market to be hit rather hard by the economic downturn."

    Siegler said building out brand new networks from scratch requires tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars of capital.

    He anticipate many network buildouts will be put on hold or delayed into 2010 as a result of the tightening in the credit markets, the increasing cost of capital and the decrease in demand for broadband data as consumer spending weakens.

    "With initial LTE rollouts coming in the 2010 to 2011 timeframe, these delays will shorten the time to market advantage WiMAX currently has over LTE,” he said.

    The report also shows that the top four Mobile WiMAX vendors in the quarter – Samsung, Motorola, Alcatel-Lucent and Alvarion – represented nearly 90 per cent of the total market.

  • Wehrs Named As New MMA President & CEO


    Former Nuance exececutive Mike Wehrs has been appointed president and CEO of the Mobile Marketing Association.

    The move follows the departure of Laura Marriott.

    Mike Wehrs, CEO MMA

    Wehrs joins the MMA from Nuance Communications, where he was vice president of Industry Affairs and Evangelism.

    He has also served on the board of directors and executive committees for a number of organisations, including the CTIA.

    In the new role Wehrs is to concentrate on promoting the MMA’s charter to "build a sustainable ecosystem for the mobile marketing industry globally, focusing on delivering benefits to MMA members, establishing guidelines and best practices for future growth, and driving mobile adoption worldwide".

  • SlingPlayer Coming To The iPhone


    The Macworld trade show in San Francisco is to get a glimpse of SlingPlayer Mobile for the iPhone.

    SlingPlayer Mobile enables users to watch any program normally viewed on a home TV set on the iPhone using a standard broadband network connection.

    It will also allow iPhone users to control their home digital video recorder (DVR) to watch recorded shows, pause, rewind, and fast forward live TV, or even queue new recordings while away from home.

    Blake Krikorian, co-founder and CEO of Sling Media, said SlingPlayer Mobile was ideally suited for the iPhone’s large touch screen display.

    "I know iPhone users are eagerly anticipating the application’s availability," he said.

    SlingPlayer Mobile will be submitted to Apple for testing and approval in Q1.

    It will be compatible with the iPhone and iPod Touch.

    No pricing details have been released as yet.

    Sling Media is also unveiling a prototype of the new SlingPlayer for Mac HD which allows Slingbox PRO-HD users to stream HD content to their Mac desktop or laptop computer.

    The new SlingPlayer for Mac HD is a web-based version of the SlingPlayer software that will be available for free from Sling’s video entertainment web site later in Q1.

    Mac customers will be able to use either Safari or Firefox web browsers to get both HD streaming and Live TV within Sling.com.

  • New Display Technologies Stalking LCD


    Cost remains a key factor in ensuring LCD is the display of choice for most handsets.

    But a report from ABI Research suggests a number of new and not-so-new display technologies are vying for a chunk of LCD’s vast market share.

    It points out that since LCD is a mature technology, it has a cost advantage that ensures its future as the primary display technology for some time to come.

    But while LCD displays have improved greatly over the years, their performance still falls short in a number of key areas such as power consumption and readability in bright light conditions.

    Kevin Burden, ABI’s research director, said this is where new technologies are looking to capitalize.

    He said that Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) could be the ones most suited to take on LCD.

    “Of the challengers OLEDs are among leading contenders because of the maturity of their development and their use in other devices, such as televisions, which will strengthen their supply chain,” he said.

    Samsung recently announced plans to introduce a mobile handset on the consumer market with an active matrix (AM) OLED display.

    The SCH-W690 is a clamshell design HSDPA handset that will be introduced initially in the Korean market.

    Its significance is the incorporation of a 2.6 inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 240×320 pixels and 262k colors.

    In contrast to OLEDs, the ABI report suggests that Qualcomm’s micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)-based “mirasol” display is finding its first role in secondary screens found on clamshell handsets.

    In 2009 Qualcomm will open a dedicated mirasol display factory in Taiwan which is a major step towards ramping up its supply chain.

    E-Ink, the “electronic paper” display in Amazon’s Kindle, is also targeting the handset market.

    Though it is physically robust and boasts very low power consumption, E-Ink’s current lack of color handling and low refresh rate may limit its immediate appeal, but also has opportunity as a phone’s secondary display.

    However all these displays face one big hurdle: they cost more than LCD displays.

    The enormous volumes in the mobile phone market means that even a differential of a few cents can make the difference between adoption and rejection.

    Over time, though, prices will fall and as Burden notes: “It’s a long road ahead for these new display companies, but even a niche in the handset market could prove very profitable indeed.”

  • VoIP Business Phone Systems Made Simple


    As VoIP increasingly shifts into the mainstream more businesses are going through the process of selecting the best phone systems for their needs.


    VoIP.biz-news asked Terry Martin, CEO of Coms PLC, to explain some of the options surrounding business VoIP and offer some basic guidelines for SMEs.

    Voice over IP (VoIP) telephony uses the internet to make and receive phone calls using a broadband connection instead of standard phone lines.

    As broadband bandwidth increases, call quality and reliability has also greatly improved, making VoIP a realistic option for every business.

    However, as with all technologies, the options and choices can be just as confusing as the technology itself. There are four primary types of internet telephone system:

    • Free IP-PBX: Download free software and setup your own VoIP IP-PBX server
    • Managed IP-PBX: A vendor will install and manage an IP-PBX server on your premises
    • Hosted IP-PBX: A supplier delivers a VoIP service without a server on your premises
    • Add a VoIP Gateway or Card to your existing, traditional PBX.

    By far, the simplest, and most flexible options is the Hosted IP-PBX service which is centrally monitored, updated and managed.

    This means that the customer pays a monthly bill and the day to day management of the service is taken care of by the service provider.

    A hosted service provides all the benefits that might be expected in a VoIP solution but takes away the stress and confusion.

    Terry Martin, CEO ComsPLC

    But how can small and medium sized businesses benefit from a hosted VoIP service?

    Firstly, customers are immediately updated when new features are available. This means there is no expensive equipment upgrade a few years down the road.

    Scalability is an important point for ambitious, growing companies as customers only pay for the seats they need on a monthly basis. With a hosted service, extra network members can be added to a system at the click of a button without the cost of a new line.

    With a hosted VoIP service, the customer can integrate teleworkers and customer service lines through their own broadband connections. In addition, features such as an automated switchboard, voicemail to email, and conference calling for example, come as standard with most business packages.

    A hosted VoIP service is very mobile and lends itself well to remote working. Using a dual mode mobile, such as the new Nokia e Series range, the customer can access their network via a Wi-Fi connection and continue to make VoIP calls at the same minimal cost as they would in the office.

    Companies can choose which number they want to use wherever they are in the world. Businesses can take an ‘020’ number and adopt a virtual London presence. This means that companies have the freedom to move premises or even countries and keep the same contact number.

    The most notable advantage, however, is the dramatic financial savings available. Calls to other network members, for instance other regional offices, teleworkers, stockists or special clients, are free of charge. Also customers save substantial amounts on maintenance, line rental and upgrades as it is all centrally managed.

    What should SMEs consider when implementing a VoIP service?

    There are a number of questions that companies should consider before implementing a service:

    • Does the provider offer the whole range of geographic, non-geographic and International numbers?
    • Does the provider have any technology to compress more calls down a standard DSL line? Most SMEs use a standard ADSL broadband line and VoIP calls take up a lot of bandwidth. If the service uses technology to cut down the amount of bandwidth used on each call, then more calls can be made at the same time.
    • What are the disaster recovery systems in place if your IP connection is down? Should disaster strike and the broadband connection fail, what emergency processes are in place as back up.
    • What does the service provider offer in terms of quality, reliability and scalability?
    • Does the provider offer number portability to ensure you keep your existing numbers?
    • What support services are offered?
    • How competitive are the rates?
    • Can the provider support mobile devices and provision them over the air?

    About Coms Plc

    Coms Plc was founded by Jason Drummond in 2000. Coms.Net is the core service of Coms Plc, which provides a VoIP business telephony service.
    The Coms.Net solution is based upon the industry standard SIP protocol, which enables the widest possible connection of customers, devices and integrated Web 2.0 applications.
    Coms Plc is an OFCOM authorised Public Electronic Communications Network (PECN) and a member of the Internet Telephony Service Providers Association (ITSPA). Coms Plc is also listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market (LSE:COMS).

  • TeliaSonera Launches Unlimited Mobile Music Service


    TeliaSonera is to launch an "all you can eat" mobile music download service.

    The Swedish operator becomes the latest mobile player to offer subscribers unlimited access to "millions of songs" from all the major record labels plus several independent labels.

    The operator said that Telia Musik can be downloaded to either a mobile or a PC.

    Telia in Sweden will be the first mobile operator to launch the service, which will be free for the first three months and cost SEK99 (USD $12.2) per month thereafter.

    However, TeliaSonera said the service will eventually be offered to more than 13.3 million mobile customers across six of its markets, including Norway, Finland, Denmark, Estonia and Lithuania.

    In Sweden, Telia Musik will compete with Sony Ericsson’s new unlimited music download service, PlayNow Plus.

    It is being offered by rival mobile operator, Telenor Sweden, and also costs SEK99 per month.

    The service could also compete with Nokia’s high-profile Comes With Music product, which is being offered in the UK by mobile operator 3 UK and is expected to launch in further markets soon.

  • INTERVIEW: PC's Problems Will Come To Mobiles


    The BBC was recently criticised for scaremongering about the threat mobile viruses posed to smartphones, particularly those operating on the Symbian platform.

    F-Secure was one of two anti-virus software companies quoted by the BBC – the other was Adaptive Mobile.

    So it was interesting for smartphone.biz-news to speak with Samu Konttinen, vice president of mobile solutions at F-Secure, to hear his views on the danger of viruses to smartphones.

    To put things in context, he began by saying it was inevitable that some of the PC’s problems would come to mobiles.

    This is made ever more likely as increasing numbers of people use powerful multimedia handsets, particularly for mobile browsing.

    "When the mobile phone is used to browse the Internet, then users get exposed to the same Internet problems as PCs," he said.

    "It is relatively naive to think that threats will suddenly disappear when you access the Internet with a mobile browser," he said. "It’s the very same Internet."

    PC or Mobile – The Internet Is Risky

    With that in mind, Konttinen described the Internet as a relatively dangerous place – and said the threat is growing.

    Between 1986 and 2007, there were an estimated 500,000 viruses on the Internet.

    He said that figure has doubled in the past year.

    "A lot of things are happening. Before it was mostly students trying to hack into databases to show they could do it," he said.

    "The ‘industry’ has changed. Now it’s mostly criminals building viruses to make money."

    When it comes to cell phones, Konttinen said the picture is also shifting.

    Previously, the problems centred around phones and SMS.

    So far only around 400 mobile viruses have been detected – a tiny sum compared to the Internet.

    Konttinen said that for this reason it is important not to "hype up" the threat.

    But even though the risk isn’t as severe as on the Internet it doesn’t mean people should be complacent.

    Earlier this month F-Secure launched a new version of its smartphone security solution, introducing an anti-theft feature that includes easy remote locking and wiping of confidential data if the phone is lost or stolen.

    "We think that certain elements, the key foundation of cyber crime in the PC world, will work in mobiles as well," he said.

    Konttinen said that convergence made it more likely that security risks found in PCs would be replicated in mobiles.

    "It would be foolish to think that the mobile ecosystem will be entirely the same as the PC one, but many of the security issues will be relatively similar," he said.

    Bigger Targets, Bigger Risk

    The explosion in mobile penetration means it is inevitable that malware writers will gravitate towards them.

    "If there are volumes, there is motivation," said Konttinen.

    Gartner, the industry analyst, forecasts that there will be four billion mobiles compared with 1.3 billion computers by 2010.

    However, Cloudmark, a messaging security company, recently estimated that penetration of smartphones needs to reach 20 per cent to 30 per cent before it becomes worthwhile for hackers to spread viruses.

    Another barrier to deter virus writers is the fragmented nature of the mobile industry.

    However, with the mobile industry moving towards open operating systems and more harmonisation, such as in the case of Symbian, this could change.

    Konttinen said the shift towards open source is likely to create a more "interesting" platform for malware writers.

    "The reason why there are only 400 viruses rather than millions is because the industry is so fragmented," he said. "Fragmentation is a security mechanism."

    Whatever the current level of risk, Konttinen said the mobile industry – both hardware and software – took the security issue very seriously.

    Not least because they recognise the criminals behind the viruses are "worthy opponents", he said.

    "The PC has proved that whatever security measures you take, the bad guys find a way around it.

    "Some of our analysts and researchers think that cyber crime is the fastest growing part of the IT industry."

    Enterprise Preparing For Problems

    It’s not just the industry that is addressing anticipated security issues.

    Konttinen said many companies were taking the threat seriously, especially now that high-end handsets were becoming an increasingly important tool for everyday work.
    He said IT departments have a love/hate relationship with Internet and mobile anti-virus companies.

    "They see us as being necessary," he said. "Companies now treat smartphones as part of IT and need similar security for their mobile users as they have for laptop users.

    "So already there is a real policy-based demand for this type of security.

    "Companies don’t want to be seen as entities that don’t take security seriously."

    Good to hear. But as mobile computing does become more mainstream the risk of malware will undoubtedly rise.

    How real a threat are viruses to smartphone users? Please send us your comments.

  • Credit Crisis Will Favor Mobiles Over Fixed Voice


    Companies are more likely to give staff a mobile phone than upgrade a fixed voice system.

    That’s one of the findings of a report by Analysys Mason, which concludes that mobile substitution will have a far bigger impact on fixed enterprise voice spend than the credit crunch.

    The adviser to the telecoms, IT and media industries predicts a 15 per cent decline in fixed voice spend next year as a result of mobile substitution.

    In its report, Fixed–mobile convergence in enterprise voice in Europe: forecasts 2008–2013, Analysys Mason notes that fixed voice providers will find that the global financial crisis will reduce enterprise fixed voice spend by 1–2 per cent.

    Ultimately, however, mobile substitution will have a far bigger impact on enterprise voice spend.

    The report’s author, Margaret Hopkins, said enterprises were finding it cheaper to give staff mobile phones for all their calls than to put a new VoIP phone on a desk.

    “In addition to this, the financial crisis will increase pressure to conserve cash and make it even less likely that enterprises will install a VoIP PBX when their old phone system ceases to be supported by the vendors,” she said.

    Other key findings from the report include:

    • Spend on FMC services, where the mobile phones are seamlessly integrated into the enterprise voice system, will grow at a CAGR of 41% between 2008 and 2013, albeit from a low base, while spend on standalone mobile and fixed voice services will decline by 9% and 15% respectively over the period.
    • The economic downturn will boost demand for hosted voice services that eliminate the need for infrastructure investment and deliver short-term cash benefits.
    • Because mobile call prices for enterprise customers have fallen to the point where there is little incentive to push calls onto the fixed network, dual-mode cellular Wi-Fi phones are losing their appeal.
    • Enterprises are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of presence management systems, partly as a result of the arrival of Microsoft OCS, and will start to look for presence information systems for both fixed and mobile phones in new deployments.