GSM

Beyond standard GPS

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:59:58 -0500

The convenient positioning information of GPS--available everywhere and all the time--is critical for many commercial applications and essential for spy-thriller movie plots. Unfortunately, in normal operation, it's not nearly as accurate or universally accessible as the movie plots would have us believe. A small Utah-based company, S5 Wireless, wants to pick up where GPS leaves off, with a terrestrial-antenna-based system that a company founder describes as a "poor man's LoJack or OnStar." The company plans to begin build-out of its antenna system next year, with initial installations in major cities and a gradual expansion across the country. If you thought something like Google's "My Location" was a privacy threat, wait until gum-stick sized radios are available at low cost. Position-tracking may be in for a huge change.

For more on S5's wireless plans:
- Read the service plan article at CIO-Today

Verizon 4G network coming

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 06:59:57 -0500

Cellular-phone carrier Verizon has announced that it is building its next-generation network based on LTE (Long-Term Evolution) technology, making it the latest carrier to move toward genuine high-speed (100 Mbps) mobile network technology and leaving Sprint and Alltel as the only significant carriers in the U.S. sticking with CDMA as their network technology. The move should mean more non-phone devices with cellular network capabilities built in and an easier path for Verizon customers who want to go global roaming with the new phones.

For more on the new Verizon network technology:
- Read the hands-on heads-up at CIO-Today

Ready for Skype wireless phones?

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 06:59:56 -0500

Vendors and customers in the VoIP market have become accustomed to the disruptive nature of Skype and its free or low-cost kin. Now, a new phone from Hong Kong provider 3, the 3 Skypephone combines GSM and Skype functions for Skype calling regardless of where you are (or whether a WiFi or other traditional Internet connection is available). There are no guarantees that cell providers in other countries will emulate 3, but now that the example is out, it's hard to believe it will be the only one. Welcome to the Skype world, wireless.

For more on the new Skype wireless phone:
- read the product report at DailyTechRag

Motorola moves past the Razr

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:59:57 -0400

It's one thing to decide that it's best to be a rather boring but successful company. It's quite another to realize that a rival, say, Apple, has taken your place as the "cool phone" maker for most of the market. Now, Motorola is getting ready to follow the winning designs of the StarTAC, Razr, and Razr2 with new phones using WiMAX, GSM LTE (Long Term Evolution), and Zigbee along with standard 3G cell technologies. Only the market will decide whether the new phones will be seen as the coolest yet, but Motorola is getting the phones ready.

For more on the next generation of Motorola phones:
- read the technology preview at WirelessWeek

Nokia's cellular + WiFi phone

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 06:59:58 -0400

Nokia helped dual-mode phones move forward with the introduction of the Nokia 6301, a smartphone that connects calls through either the cell network or an available WiFi network. The phone, a tri-band GSM model, will not be available in the U.S. in its initial configuration. Future versions might make it to North America, however, after the European markets have had a chance to work through any first-version issues that arise. Stay tuned.

For more on Nokia's dual-mode phone:
- read the product analysis at CIO-Today

Motorola RAZR2 coming soon

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 06:59:58 -0400

Ready for a new phone but not quite ready for the iPhone? Motorola's RAZR2 could be the answer for you. When it hits carriers in September, it will be the biggest cell phone introduction since, well, you know. There will be GSM, CDMA, and HSPDA versions coming out at the same time, with availability through every major U.S. carrier (as well as regionals like US Cellular and Alltel). This looks to be a stainless-steel smart phone with twin hi-res screens and haptics--a new technology that lets the user feel when soft-keys are pressed.

For more on the RAZR2:
- see this DailyTechRag article
- read the product report at CIO-Today

More options for business travelers

Sun, 10 Jun 2007 20:01:37 -0400

The modern-day business traveler, coming down the jetway with a bandoleer of cell phones for the myriad networks to be traveled, is a nifty visual image. It's also a point of irritation for those who have to travel and juggle just to stay connected to the office and customers. Now, companies like RIM and Samsung have begun offering new options for U.S.-based CDMA users who want a single device to carry with them around the globe. RIM's Blackberry 8830 and Samsung's IP-830 support two GSM bands along with the two CDMA bands that each covers. The result is a single, portable package that should allow most users to roam the globe with connectivity intact.

For more on the new options:
- read the whole story at NetworkWorld

Report says WiMAX will have slower adoption

Sun, 04 Feb 2007 19:01:36 -0500

Looking forward to a future that moves away from GSM-family technologies? You may have a longer weight than you'd hoped if a recent report from Dell'Oro Group is accurate. According to the market research firm, WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) will be deployed more quickly than WiMAX as the GSM-based technology steals market share from EV-DO installations. The critical factor behind the uptake of one system over another? Voice quality and ties to current cellular technology. The report estimates that EV-DO and WCDMA will hold the lion's share of global installations for years to come, though it doesn't label WiMAX a failure--just a technology that may enter the marketplace a bit more slowly than its backers had hoped.

For more on the projections of WiMAX growth:
- read the complete article at NetworkWorld.com

Handset offers dual mode functionality

Sun, 05 Feb 2006 19:01:37 -0500

It's possibly the first device to provide cellular and WiFi capabilities, but even if it misses attaining that landmark feature, the Sereno UM-1, a GSM/Voice-over-WiFi dual-mode handset, will have a price point few others will be able to beat--likely under $100. The new handset provides simultaneous multi-mode functionality that supports SIP and Unlicensed Mobile Access modes for Voice over Internet Protocol. According to the vendors that collaborated on the handheld device (Quorum Systems, TTPCom and Analog Devices), the handset doubles the WiFi range for voice applications in comparison to current VoIP technology. Article