Business News Holding

Tag: voices-of-the-industry

  • West & Central African Com: The Complexity of African Markets

    VIDEO INTERVIEW: Osondu Nwokoro, Director of Regulatory Affairs of Zain Nigeria, was interviewed at the recent West & Central African Com conference held in Abuja, Nigeria.

    He explains the complexity of Nigerian and other African markets.

  • West & Central African Com: Global Crisis Affects African Market

    VIDEO INTERVIEW: William Saad, Managing Director of IHS Nigeria, was interviewed at the recent West & Central African Com conference held in Abuja, Nigeria.

    He talks about the infrastructure sharing and explains how the operators can reach the rural areas in a cost-effective way.

  • West & Central African Com: “Customer Relationship Management is at the heart of the operator’s activities"

    VIDEO INTERVIEW: Abdoulaye Sarre, Chairman and co founder of PCCI Group, was interviewed at the recent West & Central African Com conference held in Abuja, Nigeria.

    He talks about the importance of customer relationship management and he thinks that in the near future more and more operators will outsource their CRM operations.

  • Intel partner applies for WiMAX allocation in South Africa

    Broadband provider, iBurst, has applied to ICASA to extend its WiMAX allocation to 30MHz of frequency spectrum in the 2.6MHz and 3.5MHz ranges. This allocation will be used to support its plans to increase download speeds and to roll out nomadic WiMAX services.

    iBurst was one of the first providers in South Africa to launch a commercial WiMAX service. The iBurst WiMAX network went live in 2008 and has since grown to over 200 base stations in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town, making it the largest commercial WiMAX network in South Africa. iBurst plans to roll out additional WiMAX base stations over the next year.

    WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability Microwave Access) is a new generation technology that is a wireless alternative to leased line and ADSL services, and offers connectivity to small, medium and large businesses. iBurst’s current WiMAX solutions are perfect for businesses that want a wireless alternative to ADSL or Diginet at their premises.

    Although it is not a portable or mobile solution as it requires the installation of a fixed antenna, businesses are able to choose between a broadband (best effort) and a dedicated (assured) solution to accommodate for a range of applications and requirements. Nomadic WiMAX, by contrast, gives business’ and individuals more freedom to roam within WiMAX network coverage and still enjoy the same level of high-speed Internet access as they do at their office or home. Since it is faster to install at the customer’s premises and uses cheaper embedded equipment (for example, a chip in a notebook), nomadic WiMAX will help iBurst to roll these connectivity services out to more people countrywide. However, the additional 15MHz of spectrum is key in deploying nomadic services.

    "The fixed WiMAX offering from iBurst has seen widespread adoption in the parts of South Africa where it is available, giving users a high-speed alternative to fixed-line technologies," said iBurst CEO Jannie Van Zyl. "But provided we are able to secure additional frequency spectrum from ICASA, we will be able to make this technology even more accessible by activating the nomadic version of the WiMAX standard across our network. The network is ready, we are ready. Now we just need the spectrum."

    iBurst’s parent company, Wireless Business Solutions (WBS), recently signed a commercial agreement to jointly roll out WiMAX products with international technology giant, Intel. Intel has been a major driver of both Wi-Fi and WiMAX adoption. In terms of the agreement, Intel will embed WiMAX capability within a range of devices while iBurst will provide the connectivity between the devices and iBurst’s WiMAX network. Although the agreement has been signed, the network and WiMAX enabled laptops will only be available later in 2009. Recent compatibility tests conducted with Intel showed that these devices are now ready to be deployed if the spectrum allocation is increased to 30MHz.

    Van Zyl said "We believe that nomadic wireless products that bundle hardware and access technologies will help more South Africans to get online. In addition, it will help us to make internet connectivity available wherever and whenever our customers need it. Accessing the spectrum we need to roll out nomadic WiMAX is essential if we are to maximise the potential of this technology."

    iBurst was originally issued with 15MHz of WiMAX spectrum by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) in July 2006. WiMax implementations across the globe have demonstrated that at least 30MHz of spectrum is required in order to provide end users with the speeds and quality of service which can be achieved on the WiMax technology. Accordingly, WBS is applying for additional spectrum to take it to the 30MHz level. WiMAX is a family of technologies based on the IEEE 802.16 wireless standards with the iBurst network implementing the later 802.16e standard. Most other WiMax networks in South Africa still deploy the older 802.16d standard.

  • West & Central African Com: Opportunity Abounds as Nigeria Faces "Revolution" in Broadband Deployment


    VIDEO INTERVIEW: Lanre Ajayi, managing director of PINET Informatics and president of the Nigerian Internet Group, was interviewed at the recent West & Central African Com conference held in Abuja, Nigeria.

    He talks about the changes coming in broadband and the need for businesses to position themselves for the opportunities they will bring.

    Ajayi said these will include opportunities in terms of applications, e-business, e-commerce and e-government.

  • West & Central African Com: MTN Nigeria Targets Customer Satisfaction to Expand Market Reach


    VIDEO INTERVIEW: Ahmad Farroukh, CEO of MTN Nigeria, was interviewed at the recent West & Central African Com conference held in Abuja, Nigeria.
    He talks about plans for increasing market share by targeting customer satisfaction. Farroukh also discusses infrastructure sharing and MTN’s Community Phone Service.

  • Touch Screen and Portability Key To Media Phone Success

    INTERVIEW: In the last six months the likes of AT&T, Verizon and Korea Telecom have launched media phones as the market for connected entertainment products begins to grow.

    But Oz Zimerman, corporate vice president of marketing for the DSP Group, told voip.biz-news that such devices must offer consumers something different – rather than trying to compete with the next generation of PCs.

    The media phone product is currently in its fledgling state but there’s no doubt the segment has the potential to be huge.

    A recent In-Stat report forecast it would become the 4th screen in the home and could also become a next generation business IP phone.

    Devices such as the Verizon Hub and AT&T HomeManager, which support both IP communications and the delivery of Internet information and multimedia content, have already been launched on the market.

    But Oz Zimerman, corporate vice president of marketing for the DSP Group, said that if manufacturers don’t try and differentiate these "4th screens" from the next-generation of PC then they are missing something.

    The DSP Group is currently working on more than 10 projects with OEMs and ODMs involving multimedia devices.

    Oz Zimerman, corporate vice president of marketing, DSP Group

    As well as including a tablet device Zimerman told voip.biz-news that they are developing two multimedia handsets, which he describes as iPhone-like cordless phones.

    He said that in order to be successful media phones need to offer something the other three screens do not have – and at a lower price.

    "In my mind the high end of the media phone, as represented by products such as Verizon’s Hub, may miss the point because they compete with next-generation PCs," he said.

    "We believe the multimedia screens which come with the phones should provide a different value at a different price point."

    To this end, Zimerman said these devices ought to include a phone but not necessarily have a powerful browsing capability.

    "They need to provide instancy and be always-on, have better portability and be easy to use," he said.

    One important aspect of this is getting easy and quick access to information that’s used frequently – something Zimerman said is best achieved using a touch screen.

    He said the result will be an iPhone-like cordless phone with DECT and WiFi, along with a 7-8" touchscreen for accessing multimedia and data.

    Integrated Chips

    DSP, which has been involved in semiconductor development for over two decades, has become a global provider of wireless chipset solutions for converged communications at home.

    Zimerman said the company has 70 per cent of the global market in the wireless home domain – and 100 per cent of that market in the US.

    Its system-on-a-chip solutions enable the combination of wireless voice communications with IP connectivity and multimedia processing.

    The company provides a range of chipsets integrating DECT, Wi-Fi, PSTN and VoIP/CoIP technologies with application processors.

    This enables converged voice, audio, video and data connectivity across diverse consumer products – from cordless and VoIP phones to home gateways and infotainment centers.

    "Our customers are trying to save on investment in R&D," said Zimerman. "They are more willing to work with a more integrated solution that will bring them faster to market with lower risk."

    Bringing VoIP to the Handset

    Earlier this month, DSP announced that its XvoiP Vega Firebird (PNX8181) system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution has been chosen by D-Link Corporation to drive its next-generation cordless-over-IP (CoIP) products.

    D-Link is using DSP’s XvoiP Vega Firebird in its dual-mode IP/DECT phone solution to take advantage of the growing popularity of IP-centric devices in the home.

    This continues to increase through the usage of IP phones, WLAN routers, surveillance cameras, tablets and IPTV.

    Zimerman said that with many current VoIP phones the "VoIP" part ended at the wall, with end users getting none of its capabilities.

    He said this termination plays a big part in the perceived lower quality of VoIP calls.

    "With our solution, the VoIP chips will enable the VoIP features to get to the handset," he said. "So, for example, HD Voice will be get all the way to the handset."

  • Behance iPhone App is "Twitter for Actionable Tasks"

    INTERVIEW: Scott Belsky, founder and CEO of Behance, tells smartphone.biz-news about his company’s Action Method iPhone application – a free and innovative app aimed at increasing users’ productivity.

    Any productivity tool that has the word "action" in it sounds like it surely must have something going for it.

    So when the Behance team launched its free iPhone app six months ago, the fact it was based on the idea of capturing and managing "action steps" – tasks that need completing – made it sound like a pretty good prospect.

    As Scott Belsky, founder and CEO of Behance, explained to smartphone.biz-news, the idea is to help creative professionals organize their work by taking action.

    To do so they have created an ecosystem around the company’s Action Method project management software, the Behance Network, and Behance paper products.

    "What we decided to do was try and help people through offline and online media to organise their lives with a bias towards action," he said.

    Scott Belsky, CEO of Behance

    "This is what makes it special compared to other management tools out there.  Action is the central part of the entire experience."

    Belsky said the premise for the Action Method is very simple.  It comes down to three elements:

    • Action steps
    • Back-burner items
    • Reference items (other "stuff" in life that accumulates)

    Belsky said that people focus too much on deadlines instead of what matters most – action and delegating.

    When Behance started out selling paper products in the US several years ago the rationale was – and still is – to produce a well designed system for productivity.

    The Action Method Online application then followed as an everyday tool for people to manage action steps and their lives.

    Then, came the mobile version – currently just for the iPhone app but the New York-based company are testing a beta for Blackberry.

    "It’s exciting. Many people are downloading the app and using it," said Belsky.

    During the design process the Behance team spoke with people that used Microsoft Product Manager, Basecamp and other project management tools.

    They found that a lot of people used them – but didn’t really use them. And tasks such as updating the system are looked upon as a chore to be avoided.

    Collaborative Tool

    They also aren’t collaborative, so tasks that need someone else’s input have to be communicated – usually by email.

    However, since Action Method is designed as a collaborative management tool, users can delegate tasks to other users – but in a more effective way.

    Messages are sent, not by email, but by what Belsky describes as "Twitter for actionable things", which are displayed as action sets on the iPhone screen.

    "The idea is not to just have a to-do list but to engage people through multiple different lenses," he said.

    Various new features are being planned for the iPhone app which Belsky said will push it to a new level, as well as some important additional features for the on-line app.

    Valuable Tool

    For many people work and life do not separate, so the app is intended to make users look more often at their actionable tasks.

    Since the tool has to be accessible at all times, it can be used both on-line and off-line, and then synched when connected again.

    So even if you are stuck in the subway without internet access, it doesn’t mean everything draws to a halt.

    "Mobile extends that functionality," he said. "We do not have an excuse any more."

    "It’s about the little action steps that pop into your mind that you need to do. You can capture these thoughts."

  • West & Central African Com: Market "Hungry" for Internet and Access to Real-Time Information


    VIDEO INTERVIEW: Robert Aouad, CEO of Isocel Telecom, was interviewed at the recent West & Central African Com conference held in Abuja, Nigeria. He talks about the prospects for, and handicaps to, growth of the broadband market in Benin, where Isocel forecasts it will be providing Internet connections to 50% of the population by 2010.

  • Clearing Houses at Centre of WiMAX Hub Model

    INTERVIEW: Smartphone.biz-news spoke to John Dubois, global roaming director for the WiMAX Forum, to hear the latest on the deployment of the 4G technology’s networks – and plans for operators to use a hub model for roaming agreements.

    While many people have reservations about the future success of WiMAX it’s clear the 4G technology is gaining traction in markets around the world.

    In his presentation at the recent Insights’09 conference in Lisbon, Portugal, John Dubois, global roaming director for the WiMAX Forum, highlighted the growing number of WiMAX deployments – and the advantages it has in being first to market compared to LTE.

    The most recent figures from the organisation show there have been 484 WiMAX deployments in 141 countries so far.

    Aside from networks, the Forum has recently certified its first full Netbook (Onkyo C204) and its first Notebook computer (Toshiba Dynabook SS RX2).

    The specification for billing and settlement for roaming has just been completed and two operators – Clearwire and DigitalBridge – will be testing it over the summer.

    Roaming Trials

    Also getting underway are the first commercial global roaming trials, which will involve 14 "ecosystem leaders" carrying out end-to-end testing of roaming over live WiMAX networks.

    These operators, device manufacturers, equipment vendors, and clearing houses include Aicent, Alvarion, Bridgewater Systems, Cisco, Clearwire, Comfone, DigitalBridge, Intel, iPass, Juniper Networks, MACH, Motorola, Syniverse and Transaction Network Services.

    From the results of the trial Dubois told smartphone.biz-news that it will be possible to provide a baseline for establishing roaming services and agreements for WiMAX worldwide.

    "WiMAX operators do not have a lot of experience with roaming," he said.

    "After that other operators are very interested in participating. Six clearing houses are also involved in the trials.

    "They will provide back offices and after the trials are completed we will be in a position where we can start connecting operators on a commercial bases."

    Dubois said that while operators will be able to connect directly, he believed the vast majority will do so through clearing houses.

    This is because this simplifies the administration of the roaming process by only requiring operators to have one or two agreements with clearing houses – rather than individual agreements with every operator.

    He said that prior to joining the WiMAx Forum he worked as director of roaming for a mobile operator and had to manage more than 300 roaming agreements.

    "The hub model will prevail," he said. "That’s what the 3G world would like to move to. We will do that straight away with WiMAX.

    "It’s not something we are enforcing, we are letting the market take care of it."

    Interoperability Key

    A key element of the trial will be testing the interoperability of equipment – essentially devices’ ability to acquire a visited network’s base stations and backend while roaming.

    Dubois said interoperability is a particularly important aspect for WiMAX since there are a lot of different base stations vendors, each manufacturing its own equipment.

    He said it is clearly vital that devices work on the different base stations while roaming.

    For this reason, the WiMAX Forum has designed a certification process.

    "They will undergo interoperability testing to make sure that they will be interoperable with different base stations," he said.

    "That is key for roaming – but it’s nothing we didn’t face with 2G and 3G."

    Again, from his experience working for a mobile operator, Dubois said it took a while before handsets from the operator were able to function in different parts of the US.

    "With WiMAX, we want it to work now with all devices. It’s a matter of months," he said.

    A non-technical issue with base stations is also their cost and how this could be affecting the uptake of WiMAX.

    However, Dubois said prices were very competitive when compared with 3G.

    Deployment Growing

    Scenna Tabesh, director of marketing communications for the WiMAX Forum, said that despite the economic downturn WiMAX deployments and developments are continuing to grow "quite reasonably".

    While the Forum has no specific projections for future deployment rates it expects the numbers to grow significantly based on the history of the last few years.

    "We are growing very steadily and we are still cautiously optimistic that we will see steady growth over the next 18 months," she said.

    Scenna Tabesh, director of marketing communications, WiMAX Forum

    Tabesh said WiMAX activity has been particularly strong in the Middle East, Africa and South-east Asia, and auctions to allocate wireless spectrum are expected shortly in India and Brazil.

    "The big picture is looking pretty good. Operators continue to invest despite the global situation," she said. "There are also a lot of folks straddling the fence because they do not have to act right now."

    That’s not the case in Russia, where two operators – Yota and Comstar – have rolled out WiMAX networks.

    Tabesh said Yota, which launched its paid commercial Mobile WiMAX service on June 1st and is adding 1300 subcribers a day, has launched the first dual-mode GSM/WiMAX mobile.

    The Russian operator is also looking to extend its WiMAX investments outside its home market.

    However, Dubois said that while more operators such as Yota are successfully deploying WiMAX, this did not appear to be widely known.

    "WiMAX is gaining significant traction. A lot of operators are deploying but they are not making a lot of noise about it," he said.

    "There’s significant growth in the area. Operators are very excited because it provides them with what they need right now.

    "They are putting in broadband services quickly and once the network is up, customers flock to them."