Wednesday, 3 January 2001
Confusion Prevails on the Way to 3G
21:15 PM GMT on Jan 02, 2001
[123Jump]
Following extensive discussions on mobile data, the delivery of non-voice information
to a mobile device, analysts have been remarking in each of the past several years
that the method-of-the-moment will usher in the new era of go-anywhere, do-anything
communications. Notwithstanding those predictions, however, latest estimates show
that nowadays only 2% of all mobile traffic is data.
Contrary to technology optimists gushing about the possibilities of instant-response
Web browsing and full-motion video cell phones, analysts explain facts with an
unsatisfied demand for voice services driving the growth of new subscribers. Others
argue that, as with wireline Internet service, a critical mass must be achieved in order
for widespread market appeal to materialize.
Approaching the Inflexion Point
Meanwhile, a series of announcements from independent sources confirm the
slowdown in subscriber growth and handset unit expansion worldwide. Citing recent
statistics, Dresdner Kleinwort Benson forecasts that subscriber penetration in Europe
is quickly approaching an "inflexion point" of 55%, beyond which further expansion is
set to be increasingly restrained as at present confirmed by Scandinavia.
The research agency expects the growth rate to weaken to around $70 million from
the current pace of $30 million, which represents a slowdown amounting to no less
than 30%.
The global handset industry is also in a phase of deceleration - several of the largest
producers of chipsets for wireless communications have lowered their output targets
for the current year. Consensus on unit shipments in 2000 seems to be gradually
contracting to the range of $400 million to $435 million. As such, global output is set
to increase by 55%, compared with around 65% in the past two years.
In a further confirmation of the ongoing slowdown, leading cellular operators such as
BT Cellnet and Vodafone (VOD) are allegedly trimming their capital expenditure plans
in 3G equipment deals with the chosen suppliers. This should hardly come as a
surprise because they have to act carefully to compensate for the hefty license fees.
The opposing camp of analysts believe, however, that the mobile data sector has
turned a corner this year and that it is finally beginning to witness the long-promised
growth in demand and revenues to mobile telephone providers and other wireless
operators.
Among the number of developments contributing to this change, in agreement with
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), existing mobile telephone
subscribers provide a large potential market of mobile data users.
In some markets, wireline data traffic is almost equal to wireline voice traffic. A Yankee
Group study shows that 46% of mobile telephone subscribers have Internet access at
home. Therefore, it is logical to conclude that wireless carriers would be anxious to
capture even a small portion of such a vast market.
According to Merril Lynch (MER), other potential growth drivers of the mobile data
sector include the tremendous increase in digital handset use, the low retail price for
short messaging service (SMS) and greater computer literacy. Some even dare to
predict tremendous potential for growth of wireless data services in the United States.
One forecast estimates that by 2002 mobile data services will outnumber wireline
data subscribers. Other analysts expect at least $35 billion to $40 billion in revenues
by 2007, representing an annual growth rate of 25% to 30%, along with as much as
100 million subscribers using some form of wireless data.
3G Progression
To date, mobile telephone operators in the U.S. have begun to deploy 2.5G
technologies, the first phase of the transition to 3G as described by some analysts.
Equipment manufacturers are in the process of developing 3G equipment and
operators are testing technologies.
Although some industry insiders observe that future 3G global networks might turn out
to be fragmented and incompatible, in particular lacking roaming - one of the most
critical features of wireless communications - here's a brief discussion of the current
mobile data capabilities of digital cell phone technologies and the software together
with infrastructure upgrades available for each technology.
Having deployed a cellular digital packet data (CPDP) overlay over their networks,
TDMA carriers are currently working on the implementation of general packet radio
service (GPRS) because it is compatible with both TDMA and GSM networks. GPRS is
a packet-based, data-only upgrade that ultimately allows data rates up to 115 Kbps.
In order to migrate to an interim 2.5G technology called enhanced data for GSM
evolution (EDGE), TDMA carriers have to use a core GPRS backbone for IP and EDGE
as the radio interface technology. AT&T (T) announced plans to use EDGE for its 3G
strategy, while SBC Communications (SBC) and BellSouth (BLS) said they would
launch EDGE in late 2001 or early 2002. At present, Lucent and Ericsson are running
trials with AT&T.
In the United States and abroad, GPRS is believed to be the primary migration path for
GSM operators due to its reliance on packet rather than circuit switching, a factor of
considerable importance.
European operators estimate that the upgrade from GSM to GPRS will cost between
$50 million and $120 million. Among U.S. carriers, Omnipoint, prior to its merger with
VoiceStream (VSTR), expected the upgrade to GPRS to cost less than $10 million.
For the Importance of i-mode
Much of what is driving the potential growth in U.S. mobile data services is based on
trends observed elsewhere. NTT DoCoMo's i-mode service was launched almost two
years ago and had 13 million mobile data customers at the end of September. As a
result, the company is currently the largest ISP in Japan offering access to over 6,000
Web sites and content provided by more than 400 companies.
Being a simpler solution than WAP and capable of working on 2G networks, i-mode
may be easier to bring to market. DoCoMo is deemed one of the most important
companies to watch on the battleground for the mobile Internet, and its huge success
in Japan gives it a technological and marketing edge over any global competitors.
But Asia's shine in the wireless space is not only because of the i-mode service.
Recent statistics from DataQuest highlight the growing impact of leading Japanese
manufacturers. Taking into consideration their stagnating domestic markets and the
huge opportunities opening up in 3G, Japan and Korea are set to build a stronger
presence in the overseas markets.
Significant advances have been made by Panasonic, NEC (NIPNY), Mitsubishi and
Kyocera (KYO). Samsung has fallen victim to the ban of subsidies in Korea.
Facts such as Sony's (SNE) fresh launch of its state-of-the-art cmd-Z5 GSM model in
Europe, Panasonic's readiness to ship 1.2 million TDMA handsets through its
contract with AT&T Wireless (AWE), and increasing proliferation of i-mode are
indicative that the playing field will shift further in favor of the East by the middle of the
decade when 3G handsets begin to reach mass-market volumes.
Although the high-profile battle is going in Europe and the Americas, mounting threats
are emerging from China, the largest growing market of all. Unconfirmed reports
claim that domestic suppliers now command some 10% of the Chinese handset
market, a ten-fold increase from the figure a year ago.
Deriving political preference and benefiting from the vernacular citizenship status,
local vendors are likely to keep altering the market dynamics materially. With the
adoption of a common 3G standard, the W-CDMA, Asian handset makers are set to
bolster their market positions well before the transition to 3G products.
The Better Technology
Turning to next-generation, off-the-wire communications again, the lack of a specific
air interface compels users to face choices in mobile services as they do in today's
cellular market. The variety of interim technologies add to the confusion among
operators.
Some see the solution in trade-off, which not only will bring about simplicity but will
also allow consumers to have roaming capabilities on a fair number of networks
around the world. The CDG, however, argues that dual-mode phones able to
communicate over two types of networks, such as cdma2000 and W-CDMA, will offer
the same kind of roaming many operators allow at present.
This may prove true once the whole world has migrated to fully formed W-CDMA or
cdma2000 systems, which will most likely not happen smoothly because of the more
complicated choices facing operators of the current two major types, GSM and TDMA.
This is particularly important for the United States.
While GPRS is essentially an upgrade of existing GSM networks, the implementation
of universal mobile telecommunications systems (UMTS), which is said to be a real
3G technology, will require entirely new radio equipment in both networks and user
devices. It makes sense for different operators to make such large investments when
local market conditions justify it, i.e. at different times.
It seems like the choice of technology is just the beginning of the struggle for
operators, and in the longer term, for their customers. In keeping with Herschel
Shosteck Associates, a market research firm, equally important is engineering and
building the physical network.
What determines its success is that for the 2G digital arena, the question has always
been how the network is designed rather than which is the better technology.
Qpass, SkyGo to Add Commerce Functionality to Wireless
Marketing Offers
20:54 PM GMT on Jan 02, 2001
[PR Newswire]
Qpass, the global leader in digital commerce services, and SkyGo(TM), the authority
on wireless marketing, today announced an agreement to provide merchants with an
end-to- end solution for wireless marketing and m-commerce. The partnership will
equip wireless promotions delivered via the SkyGo network with easy and secure
"Click-to-Buy" functionality.
This alliance will unlock the revenue potential of the wireless Web by driving and
facilitating m-commerce transactions from promotion through to fulfillment. For
companies looking for a way to extend the Internet shopping cart model to mobile
devices, Qpass and SkyGo will offer a complete wireless solution to promote goods,
guide consumers to relevant product offerings, drive action, and facilitate transaction
and payment.
Integration with the SkyGo Wireless Marketing Platform will add valuable promotional
capabilities to the Qpass mobile commerce platform and eWallet credential storing
function. In addition, SkyGo will look to Qpass to securely store, manage and transfer
payment information for any m-commerce transactions triggered by SkyGo's targeted
wireless marketing offers.
WAP Forum Responds to Negative NN/G Report
20:47 PM GMT on Jan 02, 2001
[Business Wire]
The conclusions of a recent report issued by the Nielson Norman Consulting Group
regarding the viability of WAP as a standard for accessing the Internet through mobile
devices, are being challenged by The WAP Forum, a non-profit industry association
devoted to the development of WAP specifications and dissemination of accurate
information about the use and benefits of WAP.
After a review of the Nielson Norman report, The WAP Forum believes the
methodology employed in the survey and its subsequent findings is flawed. This
particular report, based on only 20 users, lacks the basis on which to draw any
meaningful conclusions. As a result, this study perpetuates unfair and unwarranted
criticisms, and false assumptions about WAP.
The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is a standard for wireless access to the
Internet via cellular phones, PDAs and other mobile devices. The WAP Forum
comprises more than 600 companies worldwide. WAP is the only open,
non-proprietary wireless standard. Its base of developers, content, phones, and
carriers is huge, global, and growing. Members of the WAP Forum built the standard
by consensus, so that interoperability among devices and between bearers is
assured.
The WAP Forum appreciates the opportunity to address these issues and present
evidence of WAP's acceptance by companies and individuals around the world.
Full-Length Movie Downloads Available on Pocket PC Platform
21:33 PM GMT on Jan 02, 2001
[Haymarket]
Forget the trips to Blockbuster; now consumers can just download full-length movies
to their pocket PCs thanks to a partnership between Filmspeed of Venice, Ca., and
Microsoft.
The films are being encoded for internet delivery using a new Windows Media Player
7 video compression software designed to provide high resolution transmission at
speeds as low as 100 Kbps. The pocket PC version of the each film will be encoded
at 100Kbps for playback, and will fit on a 128MB CompactFlash storage device.
Desktop or home TV users will also be able to access a near-DVD quality version of
the films encoded at 400 Kbps.
Thursday, 4 January 2001
Report: WAP Unique, Ready for Future
06:21 AM GMT on Jan 04, 2001
[Newsbytes News Network]
A report just published says that while the mobile Internet, and wireless application
protocol (WAP) technologies in particular, have been criticized of late, the technology
remains unique.
Because of this, Strand Consult, the publishers of the independent report, said that
WAP technology is extremely well positioned for the future.
The Danish research firm said that criticisms of WAP have been that the services
available are two slow, and that users cannot view the "regular Web" using their WAP
handset. Added to the fact that most WAP screens are too small, Strand Consult said
that critics have concluded the technology can be written off.
Not so, said the report, as a deconstruction of this criticism reveals it as both
unfounded and based on a set reference point not applicable to this new media:
"To say that WAP is slow may be true, but only if you allow yourself to compare apples
and pears. Entering the Mobile Internet via WAP is much faster than entering the
Internet via a PC," the report said.
In fact, the study added, by the time the WAP phone has loaded the first page, the PC
is still loading its systems software. When comparing how long it takes to load a
news service, the WAP phone wins out again.
The report said that WAP was designed for people who are on the move. Because of
this, it said, comparing the WAP phone with a PC is like a Walkman compared to a
symphony orchestra - both can provide you with a musical experience, but to compare
the two is meaningless.
The study added that when TV was launched it was hailed as radio with pictures. The
result turned out to be very different, and the same will be the case for the mobile
Internet.
"WAP will not develop into a mini Internet, but rather into a media in its own right who
offers both mobility and portability," it said.
For its report, Strand Consult conducted a survey which polled 1, 825 WAP users
across Europe. The results of the survey were that WAP users are logged into the
mobile Internet on average for around eight minutes per day, with 81 percent
accessing via a portal.
The research firm says that in many ways, the development of WAP is similar to that of
SMS. Traffic is slow in the beginning, but after a while grows exponentially.
"Therefore we believe the mobile Internet will be a success for the same reason that
made mobile phones a success - mobility and the freedom to access information
anytime, anywhere," said the company.
Wireless 2000: Where's WAP?
06:19 AM GMT on Jan 04, 2001
[123Jump]
Before going under the spotlight, WAP technology was publicized as the future of
mobile communications, entertainment and commerce. Unhappily, the high
expectations were shattered by disappointed customers who had to sit and wait for
ages for black-and-white WML sites to open, which, to cap it all, offered unimpressive
services when compared with Web sites.
WAP has indeed made a jump in wireless technology - now we can e-mail, purchase
and access data on the move - delivering what was impossible just a few months
ago. But now that all the hype has died down, consumers have to admit an
indisputable fact - it is simply an interim technology, useful only while we wait for the
real deal.
A recent report by Dataquest shows that most Europeans are displeased with the
technology, calling it a flop, whereas 73% of Asia's subscribers are using WAP
through operators who have installed gateways supporting WAP or Handheld Device
Markup Language (HDML) micro-browsers. However, these figures are not deemed
promising by analysts, who predict that WAP will not dominate the Asian market six
months from now.
A strong rival is rearing its ugly head from the East - i-mode, a wireless technology
enabling users to access Internet services via mobile phones (the "i" stands for
information as well as Internet, interactivity, independence etc.)
Do Communications Over Mobile Network
The first wireless broadband service in the world, i.e., the first step to real 3G
deployment, is anticipated to be introduced in Japan before May next year by NTT
Mobile Communications Network (NTT), known as DoCoMo, the largest cellular
operator in Japan with more than 30 million subscribers.
When it launched its wireless Web service less than two years ago, DoCoMo had no
idea what kind of stir it would cause. "From cell phones for talking to cell phones for
using," said Chairman Koji Oboshi, "... this is where the cell phone market is going.
Voiceless communications is sure to exceed voice communications in the future."
With the installation of new network hardware and software that will increase the
speed of current data transfer rates of 9.6 kbits/sec up to 200 times, Japan will be the
first country in the world to offer 3G services thanks to i-mode. Besides regular
cellphone functions, e-mail and Web access, i-mode services are capable of
receiving special content provided by partner companies.
The Key Advantage - Packet Transmission
But the key advantage offered by the service is its adoption of the packet transmission
system - the customer is charged only for data actually sent or received. To use
i-mode, a basic mobile phone subscription with NTT DoCoMo is purchased along
with an additional monthly cost of approximately $3 for i-mode use.
On using the service, additional charges are incurred - there is a basic data charge of
approximately 3 cents per data packet transmission of 128 bytes, charges for using
e-mail and for premium subscription services. For example, an e-mail message
containing about 15 Japanese characters would cost less than a cent.
Moreover, consumers don't pay the true cost of i-mode enabled phones - typical total
costs, including DoCoMo's charges when switching to the service, are in the region of
$70, but this can vary depending on the popularity of the model or the geographic
area.
Given i-mode's powerful takeoff, it is often compared to WAP in diverse ways, but as
both technologies are in their infancy, each has its own advantages and
disadvantages. Also, it is important to keep in mind that while WAP is a protocol,
i-mode is a complete wireless Internet service.
i-mode presently covers almost all of Japan with about 13 million subscribers. The
percentage of users in the land of the Rising Sun who access the global network via
desktop computers, is one of the lowest among developed nations.
To many of DoCoMo's i-mode subscribers, it is the Internet. Therefore, it is not quite
relevant today to compare WAP with i-mode and doing so would resemble comparing
Rolls Royce jet engines with United Airways.
cHTML vs. WML
WAP-based wireless services today are used in Europe, Japan, Korea and many
other regions of the world.
WAP implementations use a page description language - WML - while i-mode uses
compact HTML (cHTML), which is in part, a subset of ordinary HTML. However, in
addition to HTML tags, there are some special i-mode-only tags, such as a tag to set
up a link that dials a telephone number when pressed, or a tag informing search
machines that a particular Web page is an i-mode page.
Technically, i-mode is an overlay of DoCoMo's ordinary mobile voice system, but
differs in that it is circuit-switched (i.e., it can be reached via dial-up), packet-switched
and always on. Upon transmission, data is immediately downloaded and there is no
delay for dialing to set up the connection; however, there is a delay for data to return to
the requesting point.
Different companies implement wireless Internet services in very different ways.
WAP-based services in Japan that are in competition with i-mode, provide a very
different user experience than WAP-based services in Europe, demonstrating the
flexibility of its approach.
A significant difference, from the user and site developer's perspective, is that Web
sites for i-mode are very similar to ordinary HTML-based Web sites due to usage of
cHTML as a page description language.
It has an advantage over WML in that a large majority of developers come from the
Web, where they are used to HTML. However, the future of Internet content serving lies
in XML and from XML, the step to WML is hardly noticeable - much less than
encountered with cHTML or ordinary HTML.
Finally, a bonus for i-mode is that the cost is simply added to a mobile phone bill eliminating the need to own a credit card, which is particularly important to companies
targeting younger audiences and hurdles the barrier between consumers and online
purchasing.
i-mode is like the phone systems of old, when all a consumer had to do was ask the
operator to establish a connection, according to one admirer of the service, Greg
Wolfond, chairman and CEO of 724 Solutions (SVNX).
But the biggest problem with i-mode is that it is a proprietary technology, unlike WAP,
which was conceived by an open-industry consortium, and nothing proprietary works
on the Internet unless it is licensed.
DoCoMo plans to have its entire digital subscriber base i-mode-enabled by the end of
this year. Experts forecast that if it succeeds, with around 20 million subscribers the
mobile arm of NTT will become the largest ISP in the world.
And what is good for business-to-consumer is also good for business-to-business many companies looking to deploy a wireless strategy will admire the standard
platform, pervasive implementation and ease-of-use with added capabilities of
leveraging networks on the back-end.
So, is i-mode WAP's killer? Not likely.
NTT DoCoMo is a member of the WAP Forum and there is no major support outside
of Japan for the i-mode platform. Without the aid of major players around the world,
the technology, for all its pluses, will never be pervasive, despite its
straightforwardness and established subscriber base. Indeed, analysts agree that
administrators are unlikely to request special provisioning to keep their mobile
workers in touch.
But 'who is going to win' may not be the correct question to ask. There are many
different WAP implementations in the world and both the WAP protocol and the i-mode
brand and services will evolve over time.
Mobile communications are a revolution and it's difficult to predict developments at
present. Meanwhile, companies like Microsoft receive both WAP and i-mode with
open arms, because both formats have qualities that could benefit the other.
Convergence of PDA's and Smartphones
PDA's that can surf the Web or be used to call your business associate. Cellular
phones that feature addresses, day planners and notepads. What is going on? We're
seeing the beginning of a convergence between PDA's and 'Smartphones', where
each device takes on additional functionality. Eventually, these two formerly different
industries will clash.
Handspring (HAND), the innovative company in California that designs and
manufactures the Visor Handheld, recently came out with an unusual add-on - a
module that converts your Visor into a mobile phone. Not to be outdone, both
Hewlett-Packard (HWP) and Casio announced packages designed to allow their
respective Pocket PC handhelds to take cellular traffic.
For HP's Jornada, consumers will be able to buy a Novatel Minstrel 540 wireless
modem bundled with service from Omnisky or GoAmerica, while Japan's Casio will
announce a similar deal involving GoAmerica and a Pocket Spider modem from
Nextcell.
Cellphone manufacturers, meanwhile, are integrating organizer capabilities into their
phones. In December, Sweden's Ericsson will begin to market its R380 world phone
in the United States, according to company representatives.
The R380 is approximately the size of a standard cellphone, but a horizontal screen about the size of a package of Dentyne gum - occupies one side of the phone. The
larger screen allows Ericsson to incorporate an organizer based on the Symbian
operating system. To use the organizer, users hold the phone sideways. The R380,
which will cost just under $700, has already been released in Europe.
Motorola unveiled its first Java-enabled cellphone, which also doubles as a pager and
a two-way walkie-talkie. The phone will support the Java programming language,
allowing people to download into their phones software programs such as games,
address books and calculators. It is due in the first half of 2001 and will cost between
$149 and $199.
While Ericsson (ERICY) and Motorola (MOT) demonstrated prototypes that actually
worked, Finland's Nokia (NOK) showed off a plastic prototype. Nokia displayed a
yellow, egg-shaped handheld device intended to serve as a cellphone, personal
digital assistant and camera. The phone has a color screen and supports the Epoc
operating system from Symbian. Nokia executives said the company will start
releasing some of the features in its family of cellphones next year.
However, though PDA's and mobile phones become more alike everyday, they both
still face fundamental problems in turning a highly specialized device into a
multipurpose one.
PDA Problems
Cost: PDA's may have more functionality than the average smartphone, but they are
generally more expensive and require additional add-ons to obtain wireless
functionality. A low-end Visor will cost $149 U.S. and the phone addition costs another
$299 - plus there are still connection and airtime fees.
Penetration: The penetration rates of PDA's are significantly lower than those of
mobile phones. This leads to poorer coverage by service providers.
Form Factor: PDA's are just plain bulkier than cellular phones. In addition to being
more inconvenient to carry around than a cellular phone, they are also less 'chic.'
While this may not be a large concern for the average technophile, this would be a
concern for the burgeoning teenage cellular market.
Smartphone Problems
Small Screen: One of the major barriers to the rapid acceptance of wireless Internet or
mobile phones is the tiny display screen. Small screens make it difficult for the user to
read longer messages and are terrible for displaying any kind of Web content.
However, several manufacturers, most notably Ericsson, are enlarging their display
screens to solve this problem.
Poor Interface: While inputting text using the graffiti language is difficult on a PDA, it's
even more difficult on a cellular phone where the keys are generally limited to 0
through 9.
No Expansion Capability: While most PDA's have the ability to add or delete software,
only the newer smartphones have this capability. More importantly, PDA's feature
expansion slot for additional hardware, while smartphones do not.
A recent report issued by the Strategic Group predicts that by the end of this year, the
number of wireless subscribers will exceed 500 million and will go beyond the one
billion mark by 2005.
At that time, a substantial portion of mobile devices on the market will have
multimedia capabilities - including the ability to retrieve e-mail and push-and-pull
information from the global network. According to WAP Forum research, 75% of all
cellular phones will be Internet-enabled by then.
Bluetooth: Short-Range Wireless Ready in the Near Future
Ericsson, while failing in the mobile phone sector, appears ready to make a giant leap
forward in its short-range wireless technology, Bluetooth.
What is Bluetooth?
Bluetooth is short-range (up to 30 feet) wireless interface technology that uses
unregulated radio frequencies to connect electronic devices.
Bluetooth, a trademark owned by Ericsson, uses a frequency-hopping
spread-spectrum technology - with 79 channels each being 1 megahertz wide,
capable of switching at speeds of up to 1,600 times per second.
Such speed is necessary since data packet collision and congestion tend to be
common on these unregulated frequencies. High-speed switching also tends to
eliminate interference from other wireless signals.
So What?
Bluetooth will enable any Bluetooth-compatible device including personal digital
assistants, PDAs, mobile phones, notebook PCs and even your microwave, to link to
each other in a wireless manner. Thus, synchronizing your calendar and address
book between your PDA and your computer will no longer require the use of
inconvenient docking cradles.
The Bluetooth concept has nearly unlimited applications, ranging from using your
laptop to print off a client's printer without the inconvenience of hooking up to his
network, to being able to use your cellphone as a modem for your laptop, or even to
use your cellular phone to start your coffee-maker in the morning. Thus, the Bluetooth
will be a godsend to highly mobile employees who are constantly away from a
hard-wired network.
Market Potential
The potential market for Bluetooth devices is huge. Cahners In-Stat Group predicts
that by 2001, sales for just the Bluetooth chips alone will total $1 billion, with expected
growth to $3.5 billion by 2005.
The Semiconductor Industry Association estimates that Bluetooth-related
components will grow from $16 billion in 2000 to $19 billion in 2001. On top of that,
the Gartner Group is estimating that more than 75% of new cellular phones in 2004
will be Bluetooth-enabled.
At the moment, the Bluetooth chip costs between $15 and $20, expected to drop to
around $5 in a couple of years. Thus, it is inexpensive to make a device Bluetooth
compatible and soon a variety of Bluetooth devices will be available.
Ericsson is likely to capture a large portion of the Bluetooth market since it not only
pioneered the technology and is intimately familiar with it, but it is also the first to
market a mobile phone and PC Card with built-in Bluetooth technology.
Partners
The Bluetooth concept, named after a 10th century Viking king, was initiated by
Ericsson in 1994 and was joined by Nokia, IBM (IBM), Intel (INTC) and Toshiba in
1998.
Seeing the potential for a standardized, short-range radio platform, heavy-hitters,
3Com (COMS), Microsoft (MSFT), Lucent (LU), Motorola (MOT) and 1,800 other
companies soon joined the joint development venture.
As a result, the Bluetooth system has the potential to become the short-range
wireless standard for the 21st century. However, rival solutions include radio, cellular,
infared and Ethernet-based technologies using the IEEE 802.11, IrDA, Dect or
HomeRF standards.
Ericsson is throwing a lot of support behind the Bluetooth project. In a November 22
announcement, company execs announced the formation of a separate company to
sell its Bluetooth technology, expanding its products based on the wireless protocol to
include hardware, software and support services.
The yet-to-be-named company is intended to strengthen Ericsson's position within
the budding Bluetooth market and to allow it to focus on licensing the technology. It
will license Ericsson's Bluetooth intellectual property to chip and module
manufacturers as well as to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that make
mobile consumer devices.
A number of equipment makers announced plans to support the new technology. In
the 2Q 2001, Compaq Computer (CPQ) plans to begin integrating modules into
notebooks that will let consumers more easily snap on connections for Bluetooth or
cellular communications.
Friday, 5 January 2001
Report: Only Five Pan-European Mobile Operators Seen Surviving Past 2007
14:31 PM GMT on Jan 05, 2001
[BridgeNews]
The unsustainable burden of astronomically priced third-generation mobile telecoms
licenses is expected to be the key catalyst for a major wave of consolidation in the
Euroepan wireless communications market that will leave just five groups serving all
mobile users in Europe by 2008, according to a study released Friday by Forrester
Research, an independent Internet research firm.
Four players--Vodafone Group PLC of the United Kingdom, Deutsche Telecom AG's
T-Mobil, France Telecom SA's Orange and BT Cellnet, owned by British
Telecommunications PLC--will rank among the certain winners, since they already
have a significant presence across the region, the study found. Fighting it out for fifth
place will be Royal KPN NV of the Netherlands, Spain's Telefonica SA, Telecom Italia
SpA and Japan's NTT DoCoMo Inc.
"European mobile operators will consolidate or disappear, and (third-generation)
UMTS will be remembered as the trigger that imploded Europe's mobile industry,"
said Lars Godell, telecom analyst at Forrester's European headquarters in
Amsterdam. "Scale will become a key success factor as grim profitability prospects
and huge capital requirements take their tool," Godell added. Amid the crush of
consolidation, he predicted that the current leaders in smaller markets like Norway
and Sweden will be forced to ally themselves with the larger groups, "leaving no truly
independent operators at all." The outlook is gloomiest for those companies that are
entering the market for the first time in the hope that the advent mobile Internet will
deliver revenues to match the industry's own hype.
"We expect no new UMTS entrants will survive after 2007," Godell said. "Also,
second-tier operators in high-license-cost countries like the U.K. and Germany will
run out of funds before they can jump this hurdle as their ARPU (average revenue per
user) drops more than (that of) their national competitors," he added.
To assess operators' prospects, Forrester created a model of average mobile
operator revenues in the 17 markets of Western Europe. Its analysis of 26 mobile
operators predicted that despite skyrocketing mobile Internet usage, the average
annual revenue per European mobile subscriber would fall 15% between 2000 and
2005, from 490 euros to 419 euros.
Increased competition is expected to drive down prices for traditional voice, SMS
messaging and data connections, which contribute to the bulk of wireless revenues
today, Forrester said. But with the rise of mobile Internet, voice revenues are expected
to fall by 44% over the next five years, while SMS revenues will also fall, leaving data
transmission as the only source of revenue growth."All told, traditional mobile
revenues per user will shrink by 36% between 2000 and 2005 to reach 313 euros per
year," Godell said. Furthermore, Forrester's report dumps cold water on the view that
growing Internet revenues will fill the gap left by voice and SMS. "Mobile Internet
revenues from access, content, retail, advertising, location data and other services will
fall below expectations, totaling 106 euros per user annually, making up only 60% of
the shortfalls in traditional revenues." Finally, Forrester's report asserted that mobile
carriers' operating profits will disappear in 2007 and take six years to return, "leading
to major operator business failures."
To determine whether operators can sustain profits amid declining revenues per
user, Forrester said it modeled the operating profit of an average incumbent
European operator through 2015, over the typical 15-year period of a UMTS license.
Making what it said were conservative cost and revenue estimates, Forrester found
that "operating profit will begin to shrink in 2003, turn negative in 2007, and recover
only in 2013" as Europe's mobile markets become saturated around 2005, forcing
operators to spend more on advertising and prompting greater willingness among
customers to switch providers.
Wireless Data Users to Reach 1.3 Billion
14:10 PM GMT on Jan 05, 2001
[Computer Dealer News]
The use of wireless data technology is expected to skyrocket, according to Cahners
In-Stat. The research firm predicts the wireless data market will grow from its current
level of 170 million subscribers worldwide to more than 1.3 billion by 2004.
As a result, more than 1.5 billion handsets, personal digital assistants and Internet
appliances are expected to be equipped with wireless capabilities by the end of 2004,
says Cahners.
British Airways WAPs Away Queues
14:13 PM GMT on Jan 05, 2001
[M2 Communications]
British Airways is "wapping" away airport queues as switched on
travellers check-in on the move.
British Airways is the first UK airline to introduce a facility which
allows frequent flyers to use their WAP phones to check-in for flights
out of the UK, and the first airline in the world to enable passengers
to select their seat via a graphical seat map on their handset.
In addition, any WAP phone user will be able to look up flight
availability and view up-to-the-minute flight arrivals and departures
information for any British Airways flight.
Subscribers to the service will be able to check-in using the pictorial
seat selection tool on the WAP phone, arrive at the airport, collect
their boarding pass from a self-service kiosk in a matter of
seconds, leave their luggage at the fast bag drop and go straight to
the boarding gate, saving valuable minutes queuing at the check-in
desk.
The new services, developed in conjunction with IBM, will be
available to millions of British Airways' frequent flyers in the first half
of 2001.
The new WAP services will bring a host of new benefits to
customers:
* Passengers can avoid check-in queues at the airport, cutting
down the hassle at the airport
* Customers can check seat availability on flights while in a
meeting without the disruption of making a voice call
* Customers can check real-time departures of their flights if
delayed in traffic
Monday, 8 January 2001
Mobile Phone Companies to Face Lawsuits Over Brain Tumors
03:31 AM GMT on Jan 08, 2001
[Dr. Joseph Mercola, Optimal Wellness Center / Mercola.com]
Mobile phone companies are facing new legal action from brain tumor victims in the
United States, Britain's Times of London has reported.
According to the paper, Peter Angelos, a US lawyer who recently helped win $4.2
billion in damages from the tobacco industry, is planning to launch 10 claims against
handset manufacturers, mobile network operators and fixed-line phone companies.
The news comes amid continued concern among some mobile phone users that
radiation from handsets could cause brain tumors.
In a separate case, a Maryland neurologist filed an $800 million lawsuit against
handset maker Motorola Inc. in August as well as eight other telecommunications
companies and organizations, claiming that his use of cellphones caused a
malignant brain tumor.
For a successful campaign, the lawyers are likely hoping that a court would grant
them access to mobile companies' internal documents and that they will be able to
get experts to testify of possible dangers.
A US study published this month concluded there did not appear to be any link,
though it said more research was needed into the impact of long-term use of mobile
phones.
However, the study by the American Health Foundation was funded in part by a
research group established by the cellular telephone industry, which put more than
$28 million into a blind escrow account for the group to finance research.
The newspaper reports that Angelos, who fought the tobacco industry in Maryland,
plans to launch two claims against the mobile phone companies before March, and
the remaining seven or eight within a year.
If these companies knew about the dangers of cellphone radiation they should be
punished and they should be punished dearly: not only for what they did to the public,
but for the billions of pounds of profits they made.
NTT DoCoMo Plans to Cut i-Mode Fees for 3G Service
04:08 AM GMT on Jan 08, 2001
[Yomiuri Shimbun]
NTT DoCoMo Inc. plans to lower fees for users of its third-generation (3G) i-Mode
cellular phone Internet service, which will be launched in parts of the Tokyo
metropolitan area in May, an official of the firm said Friday.
In addition, those who buy the new 3G cellular phones will be able to keep their
current phone numbers when they switch to the new unit, the official said.
NTT DoCoMo plans to equip the 3G cellular phones with a detachable integrated
circuit card that memorizes customized information, such as phone numbers,
inputted by users.
By inserting the IC card, users will be able to use any phone unit equipped to accept
the customized cards to make calls and connect to the Net, the official said.
NTT DoCoMo aims to enable customers to use the 3G service for various purposes,
such as videocon-ferencing and personal digital assistance, the official said.
NTT DoCoMo plans to launch the world's first attempt at a 3G cellular phone service in
Tokyo's 23 wards and parts of Yokohama and Kawasaki in late May and to gradually
expand the service area, the official said.
The 3G cellular phones, which will transmit data about 40 times faster than current
models, will enable music, pictures and video data to be transmitted much more
smoothly, the official said.
Currently, i-Mode service fees are based on the amount of information transmitted.
If the charging system remained after the 3G service--which would transmit much
larger amounts of information--went into effect, fees would increase dramatically.
NTT DoCoMo therefore plans to lower the fees for the i-Mode service to enable
customers to use the service at a reasonable price, the official said.
Tuesday, 9 January 2001
Verizon, Unplugged Games to Launch Mobile Web Games
04:43 AM GMT on Jan 09, 2001
[Business Wire]
Verizon Wireless today announced that Unplugged Games, Inc., a leading developer
and provider of multiplayer games for wireless devices, will be the first provider of
wireless games for Mobile Web(TM) customers.
Verizon Wireless' Mobile Web(TM) users will have access to networked games
through their Internet-enabled wireless phones.
Study: Wireless Devices Too Hard to Use
04:38 AM GMT on Jan 09, 2001
[MobileDataBiz.com]
Cultural differences, difficulty learning to use wireless devices and inadequate
emphasis on the social utility of wireless devices are keeping the wireless industry
from reaching its potential, Baltimore-based Context-Based Research Group
announced today.
The company conducted interviews and photo essays with 180 participants in nine
major cities in the United States, China, Japan, Sweden, France and England. The
study found that many cultural differences exist in the use and knowledge of wireless
devices, but that these differences are not reflected in current wireless marketing and
product design.
The study also found that wireless technology is far from user-friendly, and wireless
companies are doing a poor job helping people learn about the device. One reason
for the confusion stems from companies insisting on developing wireless business
applications, while putting social utility in the back seat, the company said.
"While everyone's talking 'wireless,' our findings suggest that no one has truly figured
out what consumers really want and(nobody has) fully tapped into the opportunities
wireless presents," said Context principal anthropologist Robbie Blinkoff. "We got
inside the minds of consumers and what they are saying to wireless manufacturers
and marketers is, 'Don't over-promise what the devices can do and make it easier for
me to use them.'"
Text Message Pricing Threat
04:22 AM GMT on Jan 08, 2001
[VNUNet.com]
UK mobile phone operators plan to charge each other a fee for every text message
sent to a rival network, but they insist that the plan won't affect customer pricing.
Under new plans, agreed by all five UK operators, there will be an interconnection
charge between the operators for each cross network text message. According to a
source close to one operator this could be as much as 3p per message.
The number of text messages sent throughout the UK last year topped 5.4 billion and
is one of the biggest source of revenue for the network operators.
Orange, One2One, BT Cellnet and Virgin Mobile all confirmed to vnunet.com that they
have agreed to introduce the charge, possible from next month. Vodafone was unable
to provide comment. However, they deny that the charge will lead to the cost of
sending a text message, ususally around 10p, rising for the customer.
According to the operators, there will be no knock-on price hike for customers becase
the interconnecton charges will cancel each other out as messages are sent between
operators.
Steven Day, head of media relations at Virgin Mobile, said: "As far as the mobile
phone user is concerned the introduction of an interconnection charge is not relevent
and will not affect the price they pay for sending a text message."
While a spokeswoman for One2One said: "In conjuction with the rest of the industry
we are looking at charging for cross-network messages. But we have no plans to
change the cost of text messaging for customers and they shouldn't notice any
difference."
A spokeswoman for telecoms watchdog Oftel said: "The operators have made plans
to introduce charges. We don't know if this will reflect on charges to customers so
can't really make a comment on this. But as far as we are aware these charges will
work/cancel each other out."
"BT Cellnet and Vodafone are obliged to notify us of any changes they make and have
not done so yet."
Nigel Deighton, an analyst with research group Gartner said costs may well rise. "It is
easy for the operators to say now that the charge will not affect the consumer, but will
this be the case in a years time? It is easy to say that the costs will wipe each other
out but in reality this is not always going to happen."
"There are different numbers of subscribers for each operator, catering for different
segments of the market. A charge of 3p seems a bit high and could start to impact
what customers are paying. This seems to be a negative message for the operators
to be sending out," said Deighton.
Wednesday, 10 January 2001
McDonald's Tests Wireless Payment Technology
04:49 AM GMT on Jan 10, 2001
[Cosmiverse.com]
Information Week reported yesterday that McDonald's is currently testing new wireless
payment systems - expected to ensure faster delivery of their fast food.
Already, customers at nine Chicago area McDonald's restaurants can simply swipe
their Mobil Speedpass transponders at special cash registers to pay for their Big
Macs, reports Information Week. Diners in four restaurants in California can also do
the same with the transponders they use on the tollway.
McDonald's Corp is currently in talks with Massachusetts officials about a similar deal
on the Massachusetts turnpike. Massachusetts officials recently hired the fast-food
chain to run the concessions along the roadway.
McDonald's is approximately about half way through the six-month beta test of the
Mobil Speed Pass.
As a business built on streamlining the checkout process, McDonald's is clearly
looking for a way to speed up the check out process by experimenting with new
payment alternatives.
Officials have not commented on whether or not they will expand this program
nationwide. A spokesperson for McDonald's told Information Week, "We want a full six
months' worth of data, and then we'll analyze the numbers and the feedback from
customers before making a decision. But we think allowing customers to pay with a
quick wave of the wand is a great way to cut service time and create convenience for
them."
According to the news agency, Exxon Mobil said 4.3 million customers carry the
Speedpass - used to pay for gas or goodies purchased at 3,500 Mobil convenience
stores. The program is expected to expand to Exxon stations and stores later this
year. The company is also pitching the program to drug, video, and grocery stores.
However, McDonald's is the first retailer to give the transponders a try.
Thursday, 11 January 2001
Wireless Web Providers Now Avoid Comparisons with Desktops
05:31 AM GMT on Jan 11, 2001
[New York Times Syndicate]
That wireless route to the Web may not yet be the six-lane, high-speed Autobahn you
were promised, but there is a parallel path you can trek right now -- if a little more
slowly.
No, you still can't watch videos on your phone, listen to the entire Pearl Jam catalogue
on your pager or download Harry Potter's greatest literary triumphs to your digital
assistant. You can't watch a parade of colorful graphics cascade across your
hand-held device as you sit in traffic surfing the Internet.
Sorry, you can't even get a soda machine to pop out a can by dialing the right number,
the way they can in Finland.
Wireless Web is a little like the early days of the personal computer, a great-sounding
technology that has been a bit slow to catch on. But we are getting there. And - barring
a severe recession - the advance of technology will continue to add lanes to that
wireless Web connection.
Some wireless carriers in Atlanta are offering phones that can at least get started,
while behind the scenes, some Atlanta companies - like Air2Web and Veriprise - are
producing software that helps make it work.
Well, what can you do?
You can send e-mail and exchange instant messages - at least with someone else
carrying a similar device. You can tap a few buttons and get a list of restaurants in
your area. You can receive updates on sports scores, stock quotes and summaries of
the day's news.
Phones that make some use of the Net are in the market from AT&T, Nextel, Powertel,
Sprint, Southern LINC and Verizon Communications. Cingular Wireless, the joint
venture between BellSouth and SBC Communications, expects this month to unveil
its own.
Introduction of the idea some months back often used come-ons about having the
Internet in your hand. But that encouraged customers to compare their hand-held with
their desktop computer where they learned about the Internet. And no hand-held can
compete in that contest - especially against the big screens and high-speed lines
many people have at work.
But what a phone, PDA or pager does have is mobility.
And the carriers have learned from their slow start. So as they crank out this year's
newer models, expect an emphasis on practicality, on usefulness, on filling the needs
of workers and consumers when they are away from their desktops. The wireless
phone in the United States has gone from luxury to commodity in about a decade - an
estimated 100 million users. But with rates sliding and competition for new
customers fierce, companies are hoping to nudge the country into that next step,
enmeshing wireless even more with everyday life and economics.
To get there, the carriers are hoping to see some of the devotion to wireless that has
swept through Europe or the near-fanatical embrace of phones - especially by the
young - in Japan to constantly send messages.
What is most likely to catch on here? Most likely, analysts say, it will be e-mail and the
ability to tap into corporate systems from afar. For example, International Data Corp.
predicts there will be 68 million users of short messaging services within three years,
up from a relative handful today.
Also, carriers hoping to mimic the success of Japan's NTT DoCoMo can look to a
boom in the youth market here, according to the Cahners In-Stat Group. A Cahners
study estimates a fourfold increase within four years in the number of wireless users
under 24 years old.
The cost of Net-enabled phones ranges wildly, from sub-$40 near-giveaways to $400,
which isn't surprising: Nearly all new phones now come with software that could - with
the right system - let them access the Net and send messages. But carriers'
approaches vary.
Sprint, for example, will let a subscriber pick either long-distance or wireless Web as
a free option. With a one-year contract, the wireless Web is free. Or a user can just pay
$10 per month for the service.
Cingular plans to offer the wireless Net access for $6.99 per month, with the first three
months free. Included in the service are instant messaging, an address book, a
calendar and e-mail. However, each minute of use will count as a minute against
whatever monthly allotment the customer buys.
AT&T offers a number of tiers of service, leading up to a $15-a-month package that
includes Web access, an organizer, an address book, e-mail and a personalized Web
site.
Verizon, the former AirTouch, offers Web access for $7 a month, with airtime counted
against whatever amount the user is signed up for. You can have the messaging
feature, sending up to 200 messages to other Verizon customers for $5 a month.
While some of the features are consumer-friendly, carriers now clearly expect mobile
professionals and businesses to lead the way.
The two offerings most tuned to companies and contractors are from regional carrier
Southern LINC and nationwide Nextel. Both use Motorola's combination of phone and
two-way radio. Both charge substantially more for that combo than the competitors do
for consumer-oriented service.
At Southern LINC, unlimited access to the Net is $25 per month, including e-mail and
various "productivity enhancers" like address books, said spokeswoman Stacey
Liederman.
Meanwhile, nearly all phones come with the new capabilities.
"My expectation is that by the end of the new year, all handsets will be Web-enabled,"
said Stephen Krom, vice president of marketing for data and Internet services at
Cingular Wireless. "I expect 2001 to be the transition year to where the wireless Web
really needs to be to gain mainstream acceptance. The shift is going to occur, and it's
starting to occur already."
But carriers must get real - underscoring the practical, not pitching the pretense.
Wireless is nowhere close to competing with desktop Web surfing, Krom said.
"People need to realistically set expectations about speed, the size of the screen and
the interface for the user," he said. "We need to focus on the applications that people
will find necessary and interesting on wireless devices. And a good model for that is
NTT DoCoMo."
That would mean hammering home the ways wireless can be part of everyday life and making much of the pitch to the young.
AT&T originally launched Internet access via phone in 1998, then reintroduced the
feature in May 2000. Tom Trinneer, company vice president for data product
development, said - in retrospect - it was a mistake to pitch the wireless Web to
consumers as a mobile version of something they already knew.
"Expectations were not set very well with consumers," Trinneer said. "As we
relaunched, we've tried pretty hard to talk about specific uses and not talk about the
Internet. We won't set up the consumer with the expectations that it is going to be the
Internet in your phone. We are trying to describe this as a new medium, and you have
to apply it it that way."
Making that medium work, however, calls for various layers of software. If the wireless
Web is a potentially huge market, then those who make the service work are aiming at
a critical and potentially lucrative spot.
Metro Atlanta is home to several companies churning out those invisible but
necessary connections.
Air2Web, for example, is a 174-employee company that developed software for United
Parcel Service, Total System Services and other companies. With UPS, the software
lets customers get the same information via wireless devices that they can be via
desktop Net connection.
"We are the piece in the middle that masks the complexity," said Patrick Taylor, vice
president of marketing.
But Air2Web increasingly, too, believes that consumer uses will be outpaced by those
for business, where wireless can save money or boost productivity, he said. "It's not
all that compelling to make a restaurant reservation on a cell phone. But if you have
sales force or customers who have ordered products and want to check the status of
the order, that's compelling today."
Business uses are the key, agreed Julio Palacio, president and CEO of 95-employee
Veriprise Wireless Corp. in Alpharetta.
Veriprise is aimed mostly at the needs of companies to connect their own employees
to corporate data, applications that he called "B-2-E" -- business to employees. It can
be salespeople, service technicians, truckers, insurance agents, health care
professionals -- anyone out of the office whose work is improved by keeping in touch,
Palacio said.
"More and more people are mobile, and they want access to their corporate
information," he said.
Analyst Perry Walter of Robinson Humphrey Co., an Atlanta-based investment
banking firm, said companies could repeat their role in driving the computer boom.
Businesses stopped sniffing at desktop devices and began to see their economic
value, and that bottom-line analysis - along with the urge to upgrade - could be
repeated with the wireless Web.
"This is like the PC was in the early 1980s - slow and clunky," Walter said. "There
were very few applications that made sense. Then you began to have the killer
applications: word processing, spreadsheets and games. When that happened,
people said, `Oh, I get it."'
Anthropologists Study Wireless Usage Worldwide
05:26 AM GMT on Jan 11, 2001
[Newsbytes News Network]
A report on the use of wireless technologies and what consumers want from the
technology has just been published. What's unusual about the study is that it was
conducted by researchers taking an anthropological and ethnographic approach to
their research.
The Context-Based Research Group, the anthropology group which undertook the
study, says that the research brings a new perspective to what consumers really want
from wireless.
The report, the 1,00 anthropologist-strong group says, also found what wireless
carriers need to do if they want to close the gap between expectation and user
experience that is keeping wireless from reaching its potential.
The study involved anthropologists in six countries around the world watching
wireless users in action, with the aim of uncovering what their true needs, desires
and opportunities are.
The report says that wireless companies are failing to market their services effectively
because of cultural differences, the difficulty learning to use devices, and not enough
emphasis on the social utility of wireless generally.
These, the report says, are keeping the wireless industry from reaching its full
potential.
However, Context says, carriers and allied companies that address these issues will
close the gap between expectations and actual user experiences.
It will also, the research group says, enable wireless to deliver on its promise to
create more satisfying communications and relationships, and make it easier to
access information.
For the study, a Context team of ethnographers observed and conducted structured
interviews and photo essays with 10 participants in nine major cities in the US, China,
Japan, Sweden, France and the UK.
In addition to observing wireless users in action, the researchers examined the
expectations of wireless users, explored how wireless use has changed behavior
among certain groups, interacted with non- wireless users, and analyzed how
wireless is advertised and communicated in the media.
Robbie Blinkoff, Context's principal anthropologist, said that, while everyone is talking
about wireless, the research found that no-one has truly figured out what consumers
really want and fully tapped into the opportunities that wireless presents.
"We got inside the minds of consumers, and what they are saying to wireless
manufacturers and marketers is 'don't over-promise what the devices can do and
make it easier for me to use them,'" he said.
The report says that wireless technology is far from user-friendly and wireless
companies are doing a poor job helping people answer the question "how do I learn
to use your device?"
The result, the report says, is a gap between usage and what devices are capable of
doing, with many wireless features on people's devices going unnoticed or unused.
Context's analysis suggests that wireless companies should use the device itself to
deliver tips that show users how to better take advantage of a device's features.
The report also found that non-users across the globe are mystified by wireless
advertisements and other marketing messages, making them reluctant to buy into
wireless.
Friday, 12 January 2001
o iMetrikus, Wireless Knowledge to Create Mobile Health Management App
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix011201&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=1799328
o Developer Bets the Farm on Cell Phone Games
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix011201&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=1792259
o Conversay Speech-Enables First Linux PDA
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix011201&l=/pda/Article.po?id=1799311
o MGI Photosuite Mobile Edition Targets Handheld Market with Photo, Video
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix011201&l=/pda/Article.po?id=1792003
Monday, 15 January 2001
o ThinkersGroup's New Program Adds Revenue Model to Wireless Web
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix011501&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=1831344
o Bloomberg Study: Advanced Wireless Networks May Cost $751 Billion
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix011501&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=1831263
o GSM Global Roaming Forum to Include TDMA Technology
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix011501&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=1831240
o Funmail Starts Beta Test of Animated i-Mode Instant Messaging
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix011501&l=/imode/Article.po?id=36790
Wednesday, 17 January 2001
o Vodafone Introduces New Service for Customers Roaming in Europe
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix011701&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=84608
Thursday, 18 January 2001
o Snaz, Rogers AT&T Wireless to Launch Canada's First Wireless Shopping Mall
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix011801&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=1019
o Airbiquity, Televigation Announce GPS-Enabled Voice-Activated Location App
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix011801&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=1013
o NTT DoCoMo to Offer i-Mode in Europe Later This Year
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix011801&l=/imode/Article.po?id=1034
Monday, 22 January 2001
o Motorola, BMW Introduce Wireless In-Vehicle System
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix012201&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=18354
o Agency Finds Some Ultra-Wideband Interference
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix012201&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=18346
o Nexmedia Rolls Out Breakthrough Application for WAP
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix012201&l=/wap/Article.po?id=8644
o i-Mode Coming Soon to Phones Worldwide?
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix012201&l=/imode/Article.po?id=8648
Tuesday, 23 January 2001
o Study: Wireless Devices to Surpass PCs As Most Popular Net Access Devices
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix012301&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=42949
o CES Panelists See Cellphones For Every Occasion
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix012301&l=/bluetooth/Article.po?id=42897
Wednesday, 24 January 2001
o Study: Ericsson Expected to Take Initial Bluetooth Market Leadership
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix012401&l=/bluetooth/Article.po?id=58724
o Bluetooth Taking Off at Low End of Market
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix012401&l=/bluetooth/Article.po?id=58722
Thursday, 25 January 2001
o Lucent, Profilium Team to Offer Location-Based Mobile Advertising Systems
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix012501&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=19071
o Java-Based WAP Microbrowser for Palm PDAs Debuts
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix012501&l=/pda/Article.po?id=18815
Tuesday, 30 January 2001
o Fears for 3G Masts After Court Ruling
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix013001&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=74908
o US GSM Auction a Huge Success
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix013001&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=74632
o Study: M-Commerce An Emerging, Vital Market, Yet Obstacles Remain
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix013001&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=74372
o Will WAP Win the Wireless War?
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix013001&l=/wap/Article.po?id=74370
Wednesday, 31 January 2001
o Wireless Information Services Project for the Deaf Community Launched
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix013101&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=26609
o Finding Content with Wireless Advertising
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix013101&l=/wireless/Article.po?id=26579
o M-Game Gladiator Conquers Wireless Web Arena
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix013101&l=/wap/Article.po?id=26585
o Openwave Introduces Next-Generation Wireless Technology
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix013101&l=/wap/Article.po?id=26553
o NTT DoCoMo, Sony to Offer Mobile Playstation Services
http://www.ayg.com/R.po?t=dfix013101&l=/wap/Article.po?id=26589