Tag Archive
Skype to FCC: Keep the Internet Open & Neutral
Skype, a big proponent of open networks and net neutrality, in a filing today with the Federal Communications Commission argued that net neutrality was “about growing the broadband ecosystem and preserving a borderless, open Internet” and said it would “promote investment, jobs and innovation.” The company said that it “welcomes the Commission’s focus on preserving... »
Skype to FCC: Keep Internet Open & Neutral
Skype, a big proponent of open networks and net neutrality, in a filing today with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), argued that net neutrality was “about growing the broadband ecosystem and preserving a borderless, open Internet” and said it would “promote investment, jobs and innovation.” The company said that it “welcomes the Commission’s focus on... »
Verizon Business and Motorola Join Forces to Help Safeguard Retailers’ Wireless Networks From Hackers
NEW YORK – Retailers are increasingly using in-store local area wireless networks for a variety of key functions, including staying in close touch with sales personnel who are serving customers. But all too often, these networks are vulnerable to a variety of security threats such as attacks by hackers and the use of... »
GL Debuts Enhanced Voice-Band Analyzer
GL Communications has announced the release of enhanced Voice-Band Analyzer (VBA) – an analysis tool for monitoring voice-band traffic over VoIP, TDM, and wireless networks.“It can host a variety of analysis algorithms,” said Jagdish Vadalia, GL senior manager. “Built-in algorithms include ITU-T P.56 Active Voice Level analysis, Line Echo (Hybrid) …(251 words) Related Topics: BT,... »
Mobile-phone culture: The Apparatgeist calls – how you use your mobile phone has long reflected where you live. But the spirit of the machines may be wiping away cultural differences
Technologies tend to be global, both by nature and by name. Say “television”, “computer” or “internet” anywhere and chances are you will be understood. But hand-held phones? For this ubiquitous technology, mankind suffers from a Tower of Babel syndrome. Under millions of Christmas trees North and South Americans have been unwrapping cell phones or... »
US DOJ calls for FCC to release spectrum, focus on wireless broadband
The Department of Justice said wireless broadband services may be an attractive option for users without high-speed Internet access and could provide more competition to cable, fiber and DSL services. But such options can’t be possible unless federal regulators release more spectrum for mobile broadband services. The comments by the antitrust division of Justice were... »
The Androidification of Everything
A few days ago, Antonio Rodriguez, a Boston-based entrepreneur and founder of Tabblo, emailed to let me know that he was leaving Hewlett-Packard to go do something new. Rodriguez sold Tabblo to HP in 2007 and had been working on some cool stuff at HP, but now he’s decided that it’s time for him... »
Competition in Canada’s Wireless Market Threatens Rogers Communications
Zacks.com submits: We downgrade our recommendation for Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI – Analyst Report) to Neutral as a result of increased competition in the Canadian wireless market. Canadian wireless rates are among the highest in the world. In a bid to improve service and prices through competition, the Canadian federal government has licensed four... »
Airvana’s Peculiar Acquisition Announcement
What should we make of Airvana’s (AIRV) announcement that a private equity group is buying the company for $530 million, or $7.65 a share in cash? With $205 million in cash and equivalents as of September, plus almost $40 million collected subsequently from Ericsson, Airvana has more cash than it needs, so this isn’t... »
How Hot Is Spotify?
Martin Lorentzon and Daniel Ek, co-founders of Spotify. (Photo courtesy of Spotify) You know how Apple makes its presence felt at CES by not being there? Well, you can say the same for Spotify, a London- and Stockholm-based digital music service that was co-founded by Martin Lorentzon and Stardoll founder, Daniel Ek. At Le Web... »
Sprint: No Reason to Sell
Jim Van Meerten submits: On Financial Tides I try find stocks I think are the best to buy now but also report on some of the most popular issues. Sprint Nextel (S) has been on the volume leaders list recently. I’m going to look at Sprint’s stats objectively: Has the stock been hitting new highs... »
Technology, Media and Telecommunications: News from Asia
Japan Telecommunications • Softbank Corp. (SFTBF.PK) is interested in buying stakes in Indian and Chinese companies. The company is eying companies engaged in mobile applications and technology. Softbank bought an additional stake in U.S. application provider RockYou Inc. for US$50 million. Softbank has a 33 percent stake in... »
Going ‘Rogue’: BlackBerry, iPhone as Hacking Devices
A chief security rep for BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion says he’s worried about hackers someday taking ordinary smartphones and turning them into devices that could cause misery for America’s big wireless networks.RIM’s vice president of BlackBerry security told Reuters this week that he believes hackers will be able to turn …(136 words) ... »
Another $1.5B Infusion for Clearwire
It shouldn’t come as a surprise: Clearwire, the WiMAX-based wireless network operator, is looking for a $1.5 billion infusion from Sprint and other backers including cable giant Comcast. Clearwire executives, including CEO William Morrow, have been publicly talking about a need for new capital. The announcement is likely to be made later this week,... »
Facebook Pokes XMPP. MSN, Yahoo & AIM Better Watch Out
The instant messaging world should prepare for a major quake — thanks to Facebook, which seems to be all set to launch a new connection interface that would allow Facebook Chat to work with any kind of XMPP client. The news of this development was first reported by Mickaël Rémond on the company blog... »
Rich Takes xMax Wireless for a Test Drive
Rich Tehrani took xG Technology’s xMax technology, a WiMAX / LTE competitor for a (literal) test drive. Rich writes: xG Technology proclaimed in 2005 that they have a revolutionary technology which allows wireless broadband using unlicensed and licensed frequencies. They said they could build the equivalent to a WiMAX network without the need... »
Broadband deal could delay UK merger of Orange and T-Mobile
The merger of Orange and T-Mobile faces a major regulatory hurdle after a last-minute deal thrashed out by the government with all five wireless networks designed to realise Gordon Brown’s vision of broadband for all by 2012. The deal, to be announced this week, is likely to involve the Office of Fair Trading calling on... »
FCC Proposes Applying Net Neutrality to Carriers’ Wireless Networks
Today, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowsk said that wireless carriers shouldn’t be allowed to block certain types of Internet traffic flowing over their networks. This has huge implications for the VoIP industry, since as I wrote last week, AT&T blocks port 5060 (SIP) on their 3G data network, thus blocking VoIP... »
Internet ‘net neutrality’ is endorsed by FCC chief
New rules proposed by the nation’s chief communications regulator to ensure unfettered access to the Internet would level the online playing field as more people surf the Web on mobile devices, but the plan has wireless carriers in an uproar. Monday’s proposal by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski would ensure that consumers would be... »
UTStarcom: Good Vibrations
Zacks.com submits: By David Weissman We expect UTStarcom, Inc. (UTSI), a provider of IP-based telecom equipment, to receive further demand for its IPTV solutions as mobile TV systems become increasingly popular in China and India due to nationwide deployments of 3G wireless networks. Complete Story » Related Topics: 3g, China, equipment, India, LEC, Mobile, provider, solution, telecom,... »
Cisco Puts Collaboration in Motion
Likely a response to the growing popularity of dispersed workforces and the demand for solutions to manage workers across wired and wireless networks, Cisco has unveiled its Collaboration in Motion initiative, uniting products across many of the company’s product lines. Cisco is bringing together products from the Cisco WebEx, UC, …(95 words) ... »
Is BBC iPlayer a Typical App For Our Hyperconnected Future?
Over the last few weeks, we have started to see cable companies offering broadband connections with speeds ranging from 50 Mbps to 100 Mbps. Several fiber-based broadband network providers are already marching to even higher speeds. (I like to call it ultraband.) At the same time, we are hearing about faster 3G, 3.5G and... »
Tropos Tries to Reinvent Itself, This Time As a GreenNet Company
Tropos Networks, the poster child of the MuniFi madness, is trying to reinvent itself — this time as a GreenNet company, reports Earth2Tech, our sister site . The company is hoping to sell its wireless mesh routers to utilities looking to build smart grids. Tropos had initially partnered with EarthLink for building municipality-wide wireless... »
Skype for iPhone: Beginning of the End For Mobile Phone Revenue Growth?
Joel West submits: I’ve been wanting to write all week about Skype’s (EBAY) new iPhone client, which has been long desired, recently rumored, and finally released Tuesday at CTIA to considerable accolade. Given a chance to mull it over, I believe this will prove to be the watershed in the end of operator control of... »
Group urges FCC to open AT&T’s 3G to Skype on iPhone
An advocacy group today asked the Federal Communications Commission to decide whether AT&T Inc. and Apple Inc. have broken federal rules by blocking iPhone owners from using the recently released Skype voice-over-IP (VoIP) service on AT&T’s 3G wireless network. “If you look at the consumer rights in the FCC’s Internet Policy Statement, there... »
3G Phones Exposing Networks’ Last-Gen Technology
Oh, the things modern mobile phones can do. They are music-playing, video-taking, direction-providing multimedia powerhouses. But many people have trouble getting them to perform their most basic functions, like making phone calls. The underlying problem, industry analysts say, is the complex quilt of the nation’s wireless networks. The major mobile carriers have spent tens of... »
Delays to 4G hurt handset makers
Europe’s leading mobile phone operators have dashed the hopes of telecoms equipment makers for an early sales bonanza from the launch of fourth-generation wireless networks. Vodafone, France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom will delay spending billions of euros on rolling out 4G networks for at least two or three years, partly because they need to reassure... »
More Proof People Really Love Wi-Fi, Especially on the iPhone
It’s hard to imagine a time when laptops needed big ugly PC cards to access Wi-Fi networks built with Lucent access points that cost more than today’s netbooks. Ten years later, it’s impossible to find a computing device without Wi-Fi connectivity. Wi-Fi networks are everywhere. Every time I open my Macbook Air in... »
iSkoot Reboots, Looks at a New Mobile Future
With its core functionality – Skype calling — getting commoditized, it makes perfect sense for San Francisco-based iSkoot to look at new horizons and reboot itself. With a technology underpinning that is more valuable than just a conduit for cheap calls, the company is transforming itself into a mobile platform that helps bring the... »
Talk About Stress
The New York Times is reporting on the stress the inauguration is going to be putting on our nations wireless networks. Let’s face it, the USA based wireless infrastructure has been lagging for years. We have what I would label as “good enough” not best in class, yet we as consumers pay top dollar... »