Tag Archives: GSM

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

2 Numbers AT&T Stock Investors Should Know Ahead of Earnings

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By Tim Beyers, The Motley Fool

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While  AT&T‘s success isn’t as tied to Apple and the iPhone as it once was, investors watching this week still need to know if increased competition is taking a toll.

There’s plenty of it. Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile have joined Verizon in carrying the iPhone. All four are pitching deals to get customers to switch, though only T-Mobile has taken the dramatic step of ending subsidies and lock-in contracts. What will that mean for AT&T, whose network operates on a similar GSM band to that operated by T-Mobile?  We’ll know more when the carrier reports earnings on April 23.

For perspective, AT&T activated 8.6 million iPhones in the fourth quarter. A good number, to be sure. But for investors, it’s the 4.3 million new iPhones AT&T customers activated in last year’s Q1.

Wall Street is expecting Q1 revenue to decline 0.20% to $31.75 billion, resulting in $0.64 of profit per share. The company beat earnings estimates in each of the first three quarters of 2012, only to suffer a 4.3% miss in Q4, according to data supplied by Yahoo! Finance. AT&T stock is up about 27% over that period.

Would a beat help AT&T stock rally further? Will AT&T continue to be the top iPhone supplier to U.S. consumers? Tim Beyers of Motley Fool Rule Breakers and Motley Fool Supernova weighs in on these questions in the following video. Please watch and then leave a comment to let us know whether you would buy, sell, or short AT&T stock at current prices.

The mobile revolution is still in its infancy, but with so many different companies, it can be daunting to know how to profit in the space. Fortunately, The Motley Fool has released a free report on mobile named “The Next Trillion-Dollar Revolution” that tells you how. The report describes why this seismic shift will dwarf any other technology revolution seen before it and also names the company at the forefront of the trend. You can access this report today by clicking here — it’s free.

The article 2 Numbers AT&T Stock Investors Should Know Ahead of Earnings originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Tim Beyers is a member of the 
Motley Fool Rule Breakers
stock-picking team and the Motley Fool Supernova Odyssey I mission. He owned shares of Apple at the time of publication. Check out Tim’s Web home and portfolio holdings, or connect with him on Google+, Tumblr, or Twitter, where he goes by @milehighfool. You can also get his insights delivered directly to your RSS reader.The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Apple. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don’t all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure

From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/14/video-placeholder-2-numbers-att-stock-investors-sh/

Do it yourself

Basic alarm questions

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By Kandroski

I recently purchased a alarm for my new home that was prewired. I went with a Vista 21ip with the GSM module and a ademco 6160RF keypad. My questions are 1. Can I connect wireless devices with the 6160RF keypad such as wireless motion detectors and such, or do I need to buy some other RF module.
2. The alarm company that I have requested to come do my initial program and monitor states that I have to buy their wireless module and they can’t use the one I purchased. Is this true? They said every company has their own wireless monitoring module proprietary to them and the module I have I not compatible. They made this determination over the phone without knowing what I really have.
3. They are telling me I must install their RF module to use wireless monitors. Will my keypad not work?
I would like to know prior to my appt any help is appreciated.

Source: DoItYourself.com

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

T-Mobile's New "Un-Carrier" Phone Plan: Game Changer or Dud?

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By Adam Levine-Weinberg, The Motley Fool

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Last month, T-Mobile introduced its new “un-carrier” plans, which — along with the launch of Apple‘s iPhone on the T-Mobile network — are meant to grab market share back from larger rivals AT&T , Verizon , and Sprint . The essence of T-Mobile’s idea is that it will not subsidize phone purchases, but plans will be cheaper and customers will not be locked into two-year contracts. While many customers are put off by cell phone contracts and the high cost of service, I am skeptical that T-Mobile’s plan will take off. In fact, the strategy reminds me of another major company that recently tried (unsuccessfully) to “retrain” customers: J.C. Penney.

The big idea
Typically, the three big carriers subsidize customers’ phone purchases with the signing of a two-year contract. AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint don’t do this out of the goodness of their hearts. Their voice, text, and data plans are priced well above cost, and the two-year contract assures the carriers that they will earn enough profit to recoup the subsidy. T-Mobile’s idea is to create a more straightforward and honest pricing scheme. Plans will be cheaper, and customers have the option to bring their own GSM phones, or to buy a phone from T-Mobile, which can be paid for up front or financed over two years.

For example, the iPhone 5 will be available beginning Friday for $579.99 up front (probably close to cost for T-Mobile), or for $99.99 down and $20/month for 24 months. This can be combined with an unlimited talk/text/4G data plan that costs $70 per month (2.5 GB of data costs $60 per month, and 500 MB costs $50 per month). The total cost of the unlimited plan, including phone payments, would be $90 per month, with $99.99 down.

For customers, a major advantage of T-Mobile’s new plans is that there is no “use it or lose it” upgrade cycle. At the other three carriers, plans are more expensive (to cover the cost of big phone subsidies), which means that customers who do not take advantage of the option to upgrade every other year are overpaying. Customers who finance phones through T-Mobile will be able to upgrade after two years if they want to do so, but they can also save money by upgrading less frequently.

Apples-to-apples
Comparing T-Mobile’s plans to those of other carriers is complicated by the fact that the four big carriers do not offer fully comparable services. Verizon does not even offer individual data plans any more: everything is a shared/shareable plan. The only true equivalent to T-Mobile’s unlimited plan is Sprint’s “Simply Everything” plan, which is $109.99 per month. That’s significantly more than the $90 per month T-Mobile customers would pay when financing an iPhone. On the other hand, for people who can make do with 450 anytime minutes (for calls before 7 p.m. on weekdays), Sprint offers an unlimited text and data plan for $79.99 — $10 less than the …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

The Only Place Amazon Can Go

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By Evan Niu, CFA, The Motley Fool

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It’s nearly a certainty at this point that e-tail giant Amazon.com is preparing to launch a smartphone, which is now casually known as the “Kindle Phone.” This isn’t just unfounded speculation anymore; there’s plenty of evidence that such a device is en route.

CEO Jeff Bezos has all but confirmed his interest in pursuing a smartphone, saying the hardest part will be to remain differentiated and not simply be another “me, too” device. Over the past couple of years Amazon has also been slowing hiring smartphone talent in the form of former Microsoft Windows Phone execs.

Make no mistake: a Kindle Phone is coming. But where is it going?

Where in the world is Amazon’s content?
When it comes to geographical regions, Amazon’s content offerings are strongest in the U.S., with little to nothing in most other parts of the world. Amazon has been expanding recently, most notably and naturally with e-books, but its music, TV shows, movies, and apps availability is focused primarily in the U.S. with a pinch of European offerings.

Amazon will have to launch the Kindle Phone in the U.S. first, since it won’t seek hardware margins and will rely on its content catalog.

The process of elimination
Of the four primary carriers, chances are that Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel won’t be carrier partners since they operate CDMA networks. If Amazon wants to truly be disruptive, it will follow in Google‘s footsteps and try to sell its device unsubsidized, unlocked, and off contract. Unlocked smartphones are typically GSM models because they have easily swappable SIM cards, leaving just AT&T and T-Mobile.

Amazon already has deals with AT&T as the service provider for its cellular-equipped tablets, and Amazon even finagled some incredibly cheap data plans, albeit with small data allowances. However, AT&T has always been predominantly an Apple iPhone carrier — a trend that has intensified over the years.

Source: SEC filings and conference calls.

Last quarter, the iPhone comprised 84% of all smartphones activated on Ma Bell‘s network. Amazon might launch on AT&T, but there’s not a lot to go around outside of Apple’s flagship, especially since AT&T is deeply entrenched in the subsidy model that I’m assuming Amazon is trying to skirt.

Pick a carrier, not any carrier
That leaves the “Uncarrier” as the perfect candidate for Amazon to focus on. T-Mobile is shifting from subsidies to financing programs, while pitching more affordable service plans. At the end of 2012, the No. 4 carrier had 26.1 million banded customers (excluding wholesale and MVNO connections).

While T-Mobile has ditched subsidies, it’s also concentrating very heavily on beefing up its product portfolio. Not only is the carrier now finally getting the iPhone, but it’s also Google’s only official Nexus 4 carrier. T-Mobile will also carry the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One, and BlackBerry Z10. These are all devices that Amazon will compete with.

To its Amazon’s credit, T-Mobile’s device pricing is …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Automobiles

Detroit Electric Reveals Two-Seat, All-Electric SP:01 Sports Car in the Motor City

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By Andrew Wendler

An old name returned to Motor City Wednesday evening, riding in on what we believe to be a re-purposed Lotus Exige chassis. Under the moniker SP:01, the first vehicle offered by the newly re-christened Detroit Electric Company was introduced to the automotive world. The Detroit manufacturer originally produced around 13,000 electric vehicles before its late-1930s demise, only for the nameplate to be resurrected by former Lotus Engineering Group CEO Albert Lamm and a team of A-list auto-industry personnel in 2008. (Get up to date with Detroit Electric’s recent history here).

The latest vehicle to enter the tumultuous arena of all-electric transport, the SP:01 will be limited to 999 examples, exempting it from the homologation process of mass-produced vehicles. It will, however, be homologated under the “Small Series” regulations in Europe, which also are accepted by the Japanese and Hong Kong authorities. In the U.S., Detroit Electric tells us the it will submit to federal safety standards, but with an application for exceptions, which is common for low-volume manufacturers.

Secret Imposter

Arguably the most intriguing thing about the SP:01 has nothing to do with its drivetrain. At first glance, the SP:01 appears to be little more than a stock Lotus Exige stuffed full of batteries and an electric motor, but under closer inspection it becomes clear that the carbon-fiber bodywork largely is tailor-made. Only the passenger cell and a few exterior cues (firewall, windshield and frame, doors, and the Exige’s distinctive horizontal “victory sign” mirror mounts) remain untouched. All of the bodywork is supplied by motorsport and and engineering composite manufacturer, the URT Group. Compared to the 2012 Exige S Roadster that debuted at the 2012 Geneva show, the closest Exige to the SP:01 in terms of exterior styling, the SP:01 retains a three-section front fascia motif, refining the formula with smaller, mesh-filled outboard intakes bracketing Detroit Electric’s “tron” graphic front and center. Angles replace the curves throughout the body without straying too far from the Exige’s original design emphasis, and the top employs a double-bubble roof reminiscent of the new Corvette Stingray’s. Gone is the Exige’s bulging fastback, replaced buy a more vertical backlight.

As you might expect, the interior is Exige-derived, the biggest difference being the presence of the Detroit Electric’s so-called Smartphone Application Managed Infotainment system (SAMI), which provides access to such wide-ranging functions as regenerative-braking adjustment, vehicle-systems status, battery charge, range to recharge, and other vehicle telemetry as well as more-traditional features such as interior lighting, music selection, and navigation. SAMI also can act as a remote-control unit via GSM, enabling the user to locate the vehicle, turning on the climate-control system, and to check the charge status.

Power to the People

Power for the 2403-pound two-seater comes from a U.S.-made, asynchronous electric motor rated at 201 horsepower and torque of 166 lb-ft. The electric motor is located behind the cabin, while the battery pack is positioned between the transmission and the cabin firewall bulkhead, which is moved slightly forward in comparison to the Exige. A second battery …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Car & Driver

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

DOODAD launches the world's easiest pay-as-you-go travel data SIM card

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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DOODAD launches the world’s easiest pay-as-you-go travel data SIM card


Keeping international travelers connected, when in roam.

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– DOODAD, the data-only MVNO for people who travel internationally, today launched the simple, affordable, headache-free way to get international data around the world. DOODAD works in unlocked GSM smart phones and tablets, snapping out as either a mini or micro SIM (with Nano on the way), and is powered by a simple pay-as-you-go system. Place the DOODAD in your device, add some DOO-DATA, and you’re able to access the Internet in 54 countries around the world with no contracts, no fine print and no nonsense.

Rather than relying on expensive and limited carrier-based data plans, the DOODAD works on a simple tier-based structure. For example, use your DOODAD in australia and you’ll pay just 30 cents/MB, while in the UK it’s 60c/MB. In comparison, a single megabyte of Data Roaming through most carriers sits around $20/MB in either of those countries – easy to push into the hundreds of dollars in a single day.

“We rely upon our data for a lot of things, business, getting directions, finding where to eat, and staying in touch with the people who matter. So we found it odd that when traveling internationally, data was complicated, inconvenient, or just way too expensive,” said Sarah Neill, CEO of DOODAD. “So we launched DOODAD. You control how much you want to spend each day, so you can stay connected, without worrying.”

Over 70% of people turn off Data Roaming while overseas to avoid these outrageous data charges. But people need not go without any longer. Get a DOODAD, load it up with DOO-DATA, and use it each time you travel away. DOO-DATA lasts 365 days, so any you don’t use, is ready for your next trip.

With the data access DOODAD provides, you can look up maps and find your way around, keep in touch with your loved ones, make VoIP calls, check your email, and keep using Facebook without coming home to bill shock.

So don’t drop off the grid when you next travel – get a free DOODAD at GETADOODAD.com

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/getadoodad

TWITTER: @getadoodad

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Tim Scronce Settles Dispute with PCTEL

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Tim Scronce Settles Dispute with PCTEL

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– PCTEL, Inc. (NAS: PCTI) , a leader in simplifying wireless and site solutions for private and public networks, announced today that its Board of Directors has accepted a settlement offer from Tim Scronce. The settlement relates to matters surrounding PCTEL‘s recent acquisition of certain TelWorx Entities assets. The details of the settlement are disclosed in PCTEL‘s 8-K filing made earlier today.

PCTEL continues to seek restitution from Scronce’s advisors. The company will continue to cooperate with the SEC‘s investigation of this matter.

Marty Singer, PCTEL‘s Chairman and CEO, said, “We are turning our attention now to accelerating synergies between our Lexington and Bloomingdale operations and developing our kitting, tower and enclosure businesses.”

About PCTEL

PCTEL, Inc. (NAS: PCTI) , develops antenna, scanning receiver, and engineered site solutions and services for public and private networks. PCTEL RF Solutions specializes in the design, optimization and testing of today’s wireless communication networks. The company’s SeeGull® scanning receivers, SeeHawk® visualization tool, and Clarify® system, measure and analyze wireless signals for efficient cellular network planning, deployment, and optimization. PCTEL develops and supports scanning receivers for LTE, TD-LTE, EV-DO, CDMA, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA, GSM, and WiMAX networks. PCTEL Secure, which is part of RF Solutions, focuses on Android mobile platform security.

PCTEL Connected Solutions™ simplifies network deployment for wireless, data and communications applications for private network, public safety, and government customers. PCTEL Connected Solutions develops and delivers high-value YAGI, Land Mobile Radio, WiFi, GPS, In-Tunnel, Subway, and broadband antennas (parabolic and flat panel) through its MAXRAD®, Bluewave™ and Wi-Sys™ product lines. PCTEL also designs specialized towers, enclosures, fiber optic panels, and fiber jumper cables to deliver custom engineered site solutions. The company’s vertical markets include SCADA, Health Care, Smart Grid, Positive Train Control, Precision Agriculture, Indoor Wireless, Telemetry, Off-loading, and Wireless Backhaul. PCTEL‘s products are sold worldwide through direct and indirect channels. For more information, please visit the company’s web sites www.pctel.com, www.antenna.com, www.rfsolutions.pctel.com, www.connectedsolutions.pctel.com, www.towerworx.com, or www.pctelsecure.com.

PCTEL Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Specifically, the statements regarding PCTEL seeking restitution from Scronce’s advisors and acceleration of synergies between …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

PCTEL Announces Stock Buyback

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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PCTEL Announces Stock Buyback


Board of Directors Authorizes $5 Million for Buyback Program

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– PCTEL, Inc. (NAS: PCTI) , a leader in simplifying wireless and site solutions for private and public networks, announced today that its Board of Directors approved a $5 million stock buyback program at its recent, quarterly meeting. The program will stay in effect for one year.

“We are confident in the long-term prospects for our industry, our specific markets, and our products,” said Marty Singer, PCTEL‘s Chairman and CEO. “Our stock buyback program reflects that confidence as well as the company’s commitment to enhancing stockholder value,” added Singer.

PCTEL also offers investors a quarterly dividend of $.035 per quarter or approximately two percent. The dividend was increased late last year.

About PCTEL

PCTEL, Inc. (NAS: PCTI) , develops antenna, scanning receiver, and engineered site solutions and services for public and private networks. PCTEL RF Solutions specializes in the design, optimization and testing of today’s wireless communication networks. The company’s SeeGull® scanning receivers, SeeHawk® visualization tool, and Clarify® system, measure and analyze wireless signals for efficient cellular network planning, deployment, and optimization. PCTEL develops and supports scanning receivers for LTE, TD-LTE, EV-DO, CDMA, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA, GSM, and WiMAX networks. PCTEL Secure, which is part of RF Solutions, focuses on Android mobile platform security.

PCTEL Connected Solutions™ simplifies network deployment for wireless, data and communications applications for private network, public safety, and government customers. PCTEL Connected Solutions develops and delivers high-value YAGI, Land Mobile Radio, WiFi, GPS, In-Tunnel, Subway, and broadband antennas (parabolic and flat panel) through its MAXRAD®, Bluewave™ and Wi-Sys™ product lines. PCTEL also designs specialized towers, enclosures, fiber optic panels, and fiber jumper cables to deliver custom engineered site solutions. The company’s vertical markets include SCADA, Health Care, Smart Grid, Positive Train Control, Precision Agriculture, Indoor Wireless, Telemetry, Off-loading, and Wireless Backhaul. PCTEL‘s products are sold worldwide through direct and indirect channels. For more information, please visit the company’s web sites www.pctel.com, www.antenna.com, www.rfsolutions.pctel.com, www.connectedsolutions.pctel.com, www.towerworx.com, or www.pctelsecure.com.

PCTEL Safe Harbor Statement
…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

The Wireless Giants May Have More Than Unlocked Phones to Worry About

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By Dan Radovsky, The Motley Fool

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More than 114,000 people signed the We the People petition asking the White House to decriminalize the unlocking of cell phones. That cry was heard, answered, and clearly agreed with by the administration.

“Neither criminal law nor technological locks should prevent consumers from switching carriers when they are no longer bound by a service agreement or other obligation,” wrote R. David Edelman, the White House senior advisor for Internet, innovation, and privacy.

But will this support from the highest levels of government finally get jailbreaking cell-phone owners out of darkened alleyways?

Not if the major wireless carriers can stop it, and they have every business reason to try to do so.

First, carriers spend billions of dollars on building their network infrastructures and keeping those networks up to date. Then they must obtain the most desirable handsets from the phone manufacturers and subsidize the high cost of those phones to attract consumers to sign long-term contracts.

CTIA-The Wireless Association, which represents the larger carriers, such as Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile, in its comments to the U.S. Copyright Office of the Library of Congress last month, characterized locked cell phones as common and important to its members’ business: “According to a recent survey, 36% of wireless customers received a free phone from their carrier, and many more received heavily subsidized handsets.” That practice of subsidizing phones, CTIA wrote, was a “key component to keeping wireless service accessible and affordable.”

That played off Librarian of Congress James Billington’s notice in October that locked phones played “an essential part of the wireless industry’s dominant business model.”

But once a cell phone is unlocked, the carriers still have ways to make changing carriers with that phone a pain in the neck, if not just plain impossible.

In the U.S., much of that pain is produced because of two incompatible wireless protocols used that the different carriers use: the GSM standard at AT&T and T-Mobile USA, and the CDMA standard at Verizon and Sprint Nextel .

The 4G LTE technology that most carriers have been moving to was supposed to remove the protocol mismatch by allowing subscribers to take their handsets with them to different carriers just by changing their subscriber identity modules, or SIM cards. But Verizon and AT&T rutted up that road by requiring phone makers to provide handsets that work only on each of those networks’ wireless frequencies.

A game-changer?
However, there are market forces coming into play that may pose an even bigger threat to the wireless status quo than just unlocked phones. With the growth of the “connected car” concept, vehicles with built-in wireless technology will need the capability of changing carriers as they are driven from one network coverage area to another. A “wirelessly locked” car is not practical, nor is having to physically change SIM cards when driving along.

That brings up the concept of the virtual SIM (also referred to as an embedded SIM, a soft SIM, or a white SIM), …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Computers

3G and 4G USB modems are a security threat, researcher says

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The vast majority of 3G and 4G USB modems handed out by mobile operators to their customers are manufactured by a handful of companies and run insecure software, according to two security researchers from Russia.

Researchers Nikita Tarakanov and Oleg Kupreev analyzed the security of 3G/4G USB modems obtained from Russian operators for the past several months. Their findings were presented Thursday at the Black Hat Europe 2013 security conference in Amsterdam.

Most 3G/4G modems used in Russia, Europe, and probably elsewhere in the world, are made by Chinese hardware manufacturers Huawei and ZTE, and are branded with the mobile operators’ logos and trademarks, Tarakanov said. Because of this, even if the research was done primarily on Huawei modems from Russian operators, the results should be relevant in other parts of the world as well, he said.

Tarakanov said that they weren’t able to test baseband attacks against the Qualcomm chips found inside the modems because it’s illegal in Russia to operate your own GSM base station if you’re not an intelligence agency or a telecom operator. “We’ll probably have to move to another country for a few months to do it,” he said.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

T-Mobile Honored as One of the "World's Most Ethical Companies"

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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T-Mobile Honored as One of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies”

Fifth Consecutive Year of Ethical Leadership Across 36 Industries and More than 100 Countries

BELLEVUE, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– T-Mobile USA, Inc. was today recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the 2013 World’s Most Ethical Companies, which marks the fifth consecutive year that T-Mobile has received this distinction. Out of a record number of nominations for the award, T-Mobile secured a hard-earned spot on the list by continuing to implement and maintain ethical business practices and initiatives that are instrumental to the company’s success, raising the standard for the industry.

“At T-Mobile, our values guide and drive our actions,” said Dave Miller, Chief Legal Officer, T-Mobile USA. “This recognition – for the fifth consecutive year – as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies validates our constant focus on integrity and on the T-Mobile values that guide us and resonate in everything we do.”

Through in-depth research and a multi-step analysis, Ethisphere reviewed nominations from companies in more than 100 countries and 36 industries. The methodology for the World’s Most Ethical Companies includes reviewing codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories; evaluating the investment in innovation and sustainable business practices; looking at activities designed to improve corporate citizenship; and studying nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers.

“T-Mobile continues to set the bar within its industry for a number of its ethics and compliance programs,” said Alex Brigham, executive director of the Ethisphere Institute. “As more companies each year strive for recognition, T-Mobile returns to World’s Most Ethical 2013 by demonstrating its strong commitment to ethical practices and integrity.”

Read about the methodology and view the complete list of the 2013 World’s Most Ethical Companies at http://ethisphere.com/

About T-Mobile USA, Inc.

Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG (OTCQX: DTEGY). By the end of the fourth quarter of 2012, approximately 132.3 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group — 33.4 million by T-Mobile USA — all via a common technology platform based on GSM and UMTS and additionally HSPA+ 21/HSPA+ 42. T-Mobile USA’s innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

TRADE NEWS: Agilent Technologies Announces Second Edition LTE and LTE-Advanced Book

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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TRADE NEWS: Agilent Technologies Announces Second Edition LTE and LTE-Advanced Book

SANTA CLARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYS: A) today announced the second edition of its book “LTE and the Evolution to 4G Wireless: Design and Measurement Challenges,” adding LTE-Advanced and more to its in-depth examination of the 3GPP LTE cellular technology and the challenges it poses to engineering design and test teams. Agilent introduced the new edition at Mobile World Congress, Feb. 25, in Barcelona, Spain.

With more than 40 authors and now at 648 pages, this edition (published by Wiley) provides technical and practical knowledge about the complex LTE and LTE-Advanced technology. The content comes from Agilent engineers working with the technology on a daily basis, both in the lab and on the committees that are defining the LTE standards.

This edition is updated with the latest 3GPP standards, including Release 11, and provides insights looking forward to Release 12. It has more detail on physical and upper layer signaling, MIMO and advanced performance testing on receivers and transmitters. It covers new material on functional testing and the latest on RF and signaling conformance testing. It also has a new section on non-signaling manufacturing test.

Moray Rumney, the technical editor, joined Hewlett-Packard/Agilent Technologies in 1984, after completing a bachelor’s degree in electronics from Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University. Rumney joined the European Telecommunications Standards Institute in 1991 and 3GPP in 1999, where he was a significant contributor to the development of type approval tests for GSM and UMTS. He currently represents Agilent at 3GPP RAN WG4, where the air interface for HSPA+ and LTE-Advanced is being developed. Rumney’s current focus is in MIMO over-the-air test methods. Rumney has published many technical articles in the field of cellular communications and is a regular speaker and chairman at industry conferences. He is a member of IET and a chartered engineer.

“LTE and the Evolution to 4G Wireless: Design and Measurement Challenges, Second Edition” can be ordered at www.agilent.com/find/ltebook.

For more information on Agilent LTE tools, refer to www.agilent.com/find/lte and www.agilent.com/find/lte-advanced.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYS: A) is the world’s premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, diagnostics, electronics and communications. The company’s 20,500 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Linux

Ubuntu App Developer Blog: Releasing the Ubuntu Touch Developer Preview and SDK Alpha

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We’re thrilled to announce yet another significant milestone in the history of the Ubuntu project. After having recently unveiled the Ubuntu Touch Developer Preview, today we’re publishing the full source code and images for supported devices.

For developers and enthusiasts only

While a huge amount of Engineering and Design work has been put into ensuring that the foundations for our user experience vision are in place, we want to stress that the Ubuntu Touch Developer Preview is currently work in progress. We are releasing the full code at this point to align to our philosophy of transparency and open source development.

We recommend to install the Touch Developer Preview only if you are a developer or enthusiast who wants to test or contribute to the platform. It is not intended to replace production devices or the tablet or handset you use every day.

Flash your device

All that said, let’s get on to how to install Touch Developer Preview from a public image on your device.

What to expect after flashing

Not all functionality from a production device is yet available on the Touch Preview. The list of functions you can expect after installing the preview on your handset or tablet are as follows. For detailed information check the release notes.

  • Shell and core applications
  • Connection to the GSM network (on Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 4)
  • Phone calls and SMS (on Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 4)
  • Networking via Wifi
  • Functional camera (front and back)
  • Device connectivity through the Android Developer Bridge tool (adb)

Supported devices

The images we are making available today support the following devices:

I’m all set, show me how to flash!

You will find the detailed instructions to flash on the Ubuntu wiki.

Install the Touch Developer Preview >

Contributing and the road ahead

These are exciting times for Ubuntu. We’re building the technology of the future, this time aiming at a whole new level of massive adoption. The Touch Developer Preview means the first fully open source mobile OS developed also in the open. True to our principles this milestone also enables our community of developers to contribute and be a key part of this exciting journey.

In terms of the next steps, today we’re making the preview images available for the Ubuntu 12.10 stable release. In the next few days we’re going to switch to Raring Ringtail, our development release, which is where development will happen on the road to our convergence story.

You’ll find the full details of how the infrastructure and the code are being published and used on the Ubuntu wiki.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Planet Ubuntu

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Cellular carriers seek smooth handoffs from LTE to 3G

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Mobile engineers have successfully demonstrated the handoff of a voice call from LTE to 3G, a capability that may prove critical in carriers’ plans to put voice on their new, fast data networks.

Engineers from Telefonica Deutschland used SRVCC (Single Radio Voice Call Continuity) to move a call without disruption from an LTE to a 3G network. The test took place in a lab and was carried out over equipment from at least six different vendors in an effort to emulate mixed real-world networks, according to Telefonica.

Keeping a subscriber’s call going as they move out of an LTE coverage area will probably be important to the deployment of VoLTE (voice over LTE), a technology that breaks a voice call into packets and transmits it as data traffic. Carriers that can’t fill their whole coverage area with LTE will need a way to make the handoff. SRVCC, part of the 3GPP family of standards that underlies GSM and LTE, has wide support to become that mechanism. Products from Ericsson, Huawei Technologies, Nokia Siemens Networks, Acme Packet, Qualcomm and Sony Mobile were included in Telefonica’s demonstration network.

However, the need for SRVCC is expected to trail demand for VoLTE itself, which is only slowly emerging. Even most carriers that have extensively deployed LTE are still transmitting voice over their older 3G networks, which are expected to remain online for many years.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld