Sprint Might be Winner If ATT Occupation of T-Mobile

If you didn't already know by now, ATT made a surprised bid to gobble up T-Mobile for $39 billion. And after a couple for bloggers, tech pundits, and myself to digest all the information, here is where many stand.

Regulators will have to look at this very carefully. Competitors will make demands. Politicians will chime in with their usual buffoon-ish manners. Consumer advocates will have their day that is like going to be ignored.

Right now, the meat is fresh and bloody and everyone will wait a piece of this in the morning. Dozens of blog posts and online newspaper articles have already been written about this.

And Sprint had already had its say. But let me offer this opinion about the deal with respect to Sprint.

Earlier, as I sat thinking about this, I said to myself that if ATT takes away from me the better deals and options that T-Mobile now has, regardless of whether I am taking advantage of it or not, I'll head on over to Sprint.

So there. If ATT does bungle this deal by alienating current T-Mobile customers like myself who have been happy with things the way they are, we will head on over to the no. 3 mobile provider who offers WiMax and competitive plans/options.

In the end, Sprint may benefit to some extent. Sprint has to continue to be aggressive and now may be a great time for it to launch an offensive campaign for the hearts and minds of confused (betrayed) T-Mobile subscribers.

However, keep in mind that no one knows just how this deal, when and not if it will go through, is going to look like when it is finally wrapped up. Though I am not hopeful, one such as myself hopes that T-Mobile will have a better influence on ATT and not all the bad things and worst case scenarios will come to pass.

More important than regulators, it will be the bloggers with legions of readers who can shape how this deal takes place. And we will work hard to make sure that if politicians allow themselves to be bought and a bigger badder ATT is looking out to screw more users, we will point to other options as best as we can.

Death Of Unlimited Wireless Internet - Hope Not

Those of us who are fortunately enough to have relatively unlimited wireless Internet, and I say relative because our definition of unlimited is not the same as those of wireless providers, we need to remember these days when we tell our grandchildren about them. Because like ATT, Verizon Wireless (VW) is looking to rid themselves of us freeloaders and institute a similar pricing and limitation on data like Ma Bell.

How will this play out?

Wi-Fi Is The Future Of Any Wireless Plan; So Meet "Wireless Broadband Alliance"

If you're new to wireless news, know that there are thousands of new wireless Internet subscribers joining the growing ranks of the mobile warriors, users who increasing use their mobile devices to conduct their businesses or personal lives. And at today's rate of mobile adoption and way of doing things, we're going to get a heck of a lot of congestions in the not too distance future.

Hence, ATT and Verizon Wireless have joined the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), an organization working to make sure various carrier Wi-Fi networks can work with one another. And this move means 160 million users with tens of thousands of hotspots join a larger global Wi-Fi network.

This all sounds great but I'm guess it won't be so easy. Nevertheless, it's a great first move by these two operators who guard their fiefdoms jealously. But with ATT having issues with their 3G network, it has also been trying to offload a lot of traffic to its 20,000 hotspots.

And if you haven't been hiding in a cave or under a rock in the last decade or so, you know that Wi-Fi has true changed how people use their laptops. No longer were we tethered to an ethernet cable. We can move about. From one office to another. To the patio, dining room, or anywhere within the range of the access point.

And with the latest Wi-Fi protocol, 802.11n, the theoretical range is 100 meters. Heck, I'll settle for even half of that any day. But the point is the newer protocol affords wireless providers to blanket larger area with Wi-Fi Internet access.

And let not forget that White Spaces is still be worked on. What WBA is doing is providing members with the ability to allow its users to move from one network to another with ease. And whether it's Wi-Fi or eventually White Spaces or something else with even greater speed and range, we mobile warriors should all benefit from this.

So, with ATT and VW a part of this network, we mobile users, whether its laptops, iPhones, Android devices, or anything with Wi-Fi capability, we can potentially gain access to faster Internet than what EDGE or 3G can provide.

Travel.  If you travel, I envision this should benefit you greatly.  This is a global alliance which means moving from one network to another region, continent, or country should help mitigate the problem of looking for Internet access and less the cost.

According to WBA's website, it has a network of 90,000 hotspots from Europe to the Middle East to the Americas.  A cursory check shows only T-Mobile USA from the US that has joined WBA.  ATT and Verizon Wireless at not yet listed.  There is no news of Sprint being a member or plans to join it.

This is the first time I've heard about the WBA.  When I've got more information, I'll post it.  And yes, this is very exciting news.

Lots more information at WBA, CNet News, White Spaces.

HP Now Owns Palm

Just minutes ago, news broke that HP has bought Palm for $1.2 billion.

Why HP? Well, we'll have to let the dust settle a bit before analyzing this deal. We need to know who goes and who stays and what everyone's new roles are in the merger.

The question is going to be whether Jon Rubinstein is going to stay. And if so, what role he will play. I've always like Palm and rooted for them when WebOS came out but time was not on their side. They had once chance to succeed with Sprint and that failed. By the time Palm brought the Pre over to Verizon Wireless, Droid and the surging Android platform had already established itself.

With HP, Palm and WebOS should have a bigger role to play. Not to mentioned a deep pocket parent company.

Best of luck to the new company.

LTE - It's Gonna Be A Slow Build-Up

We're going see very little about it until late 2010 from Verizon and AT&T is still talking about HSPA 7.2, which is still MIA.

So, we will hear a lot about it. Mostly chest thumping by Verizon Wireless in the United States. Maybe a bit from AT&T when they realized they need to talk up their 4G plans as well.

However, given the amount of time that has taken for Clearwire, its main partner, Sprint, and others to get things going is clearly not a good sign as far as LTE goes. And still, Sprint has not managed to bring WiMax to many of the major markets, though they did assert a few like SF, LA, and Miami will be getting WiMax soon.

Meanwhile, I'm hoping my current provider, T-Mobile, will truly come through with HSPA+ which can provide up to 20mbps.

I recommend to my fellow mobile warriors that the stigma against the third and fourth place wireless providers, Sprint and T-Mobile respectively, should at the very least be put on hold and take another look at these two scrappy companies that came out of CTIA a couple of weeks ago swinging and hitting it out of the park while VW and AT&T thought it was enough to just talk.

As the saying goes, talk is cheap but these two number one and two providers are gonna find out that if they don't get going on faster wireless speeds, and stop talking about rationing wireless access, their words are gonna get an awful lot more expensive come 2011 and beyond.

First WiMax Phone From Sprint Cannot Talk & Surf At The Same Time

Here's the quick rundown:  When Sprint announced the HTC EVO last week, it really catapulted the 3rd place wireless provider to the front of the class as far as next generation mobile network is concerned.

Even T-Mobile made waves with its HSPA+ network plans.

But it was still EVO that made every mobile warrior salivate.  But HTC just told us that the handset can only allow the user to either talk or surf the Web, but not both.

More at On Android.

Telecom Conference Ends But Surprising; WiMax Dominated

Verizon. Hey, AT&T. It was Sprint. Yeah, it was Sprint that hit you. Oh, and while you were down, it was T-Mobile that kick sand in your face.

While Verizon and AT&T were talking. Just talking, Sprint "sprints" on and put more distance between it and the rest of the field. It remains in 3rd place but no one is saying that is isn't trying.

First, WiMax will be coming to additional markets, including some big ones: Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and about another dozen major cities. No more small towns in Texas, thank you very much.

Oh, Evo? Not "evil". HTC EVO, the first Wimax, 4G, -ready handset. It runs Android, has a huge 4.3" screen (Droid at 3.7", iPhone 3GS at 3.5'), and it's ready for video-conferencing with front facing camera. Okay, there have been other handsets with webcams but none of them run on a 4G network.

What has AT&T and Verizon been talking about? Nothing new. Innovation this. Innovation that. Nothing new. A lot of trash talking if that. Oh, they're waiting for more wireless spectrum.

Meanwhile, Sprint is telling everyone all is good and they've got enough bandwidth for everyone. Including, it appars, video conferencing.

Now about T-Mobile? HSPA+ is almost ready and it's going to be turned on in a matter of months. And they claim it is comparable to WiMax. We'll see if that pans out. Nevertheless, for the 4th place carrier, that came late to the 3G party, it has certainly made strides. HSPA+ will be up and running in about 100 cities in 2010.

Meanwhile, AT&T continued to talk over everyone but provided no firm dates on LTE and, for that matter, when iPhone tethering would be available. As far as matching T-Mobile's HSPA+, AT&T isn't going to try. It's CTO was talking about HSPA 7.2 - theoretically maxing out at 7.2mbps.

This is good I suppose. CEO of Deutsche Telekom, parent company, of T-Mobile USA stated he was looking to have the iPhone on T-Mobile's network later this year or early next year. I'm currently with T-Mobile. Guess who I'm rooting for.

As for Verizon Wireless, the largest wireless provider in terms of the number of subscribers, is trying to move to LTE as fast as it can. Second place AT&T can afford to wait it out a bit, as can T-Mobile, but VW cannot. Even now, it has the slowest 3G speed of the big four.

VW is placing it 4G bet on LTE. It hopes to have LTE up and running in 25-30 cities, covering 100 million users by the end of 2010. In real world terms, expect half that number.

This is where we are and where we can expect for the rest of 2010. Sprint and T-Mobile will be playing offense while AT&T and VW play defense for the wireless market. Coming out of CTIA, you can feel a shift how these four providers are perceived.

It is entirely conceivable that AT&T will end 2010 with the slowest wireless broadband network while Sprint chomps away at the end of the market that demands speed with T-Mobile cleaning up.

What's the immediate impact on mobile warriors? On the hardware front, I am drooling over the potential of the HTC EVO and how others, including Apple will try to catch up to what is obviously another major shift in the mobile market.

On the wireless broadband front, who doesn't like speed. Sprint and T-Mobile aren't talking about rationing or tiered access while At&T and Verizon, well, continue to talk. See, this is why we need competition. We are going to see major speed increase in the second half of 2010. With this extra bandwidth, we are likely to see apps that will take advantage of the increased speed.

For now, we wait until that happens.

More at Yahoo News. A most read that pretty summarizes some of my thoughts.

Sprint: We've Got Your 4G Right Here

Really, Sprint has 4G now. WiMax. It's in some places. Nowhere near where I live but somewhere. And Sprint is attempting to push this on iPhone users. I'm sure others fit into this category as well.

In the latest advertising spot, Sprint mocks AT&T's 3G network and attempts to supplement it by offering its unfinished, albeit existing, 4G network.

It's a clever spot. I'm not sure the iPhone users ought to be its target audience. I think it's more of the iPod Touch and Wi-Fi only iPads that Sprint should be going after.

Enjoy.



It's very Apple-esque. AT&T, your move. Oh, right...LTE in 2012, is it? No wonder Sprint isn't in that big of a hurry to push out WiMax to the rest of the country.

Fees, LTE, And Billions For Good Apps, And One More Thing

There's something big that's happen today in the mobile world but I don't seem to remember what it can be. We've got the Nexus One already. Something about Facebook being the most visited mobile social site? No, that's not it. Zune phone? No, that's in March or something.

Oh, I remember now. It's the SOTU address tonight and you can watch it on your iPhone or iPod Touch if you download the White House app (onxo:  government mobile). For the rest of you mobile warriors, you can listen to the President's address tonight on radio, your mobile devices via NPR, or do it old-school: watch it on your Flash-enabled browser.

By the way, a few mobile news everyone's gonna want to be interested in. By 2013, mobile apps will account for $15 billion dollars of mobile revenue. So, for anyone who has a fart app or, rather, something slightly more useful, there's a market for that.

However, I'm not sure that number is accurate. $15 billion based on 16.2 billion downloads. The research outfit that came up with this also assumes that 15% of the download will be paid. That's 2.43 billion apps that are actually paid for. That comes out to $6.17 per app. Obviously, they don't know about the major of the $.99 app in the iTunes app store. (Mobile-Ent)

Personally, I think a $3 average is more likely. That's put my estimate somewhere south of $7.5 billion. Still, not bad at all.

Also, the FCC is gunning for ATT, Google, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon on the exorbitant termination fees these guys are charging. Google and VW seems to think they ought to profit a bit more than what they would otherwise charge for selling the device outright.

Finally, CNet has a very good post on what's the state of the wireless network upgrade with various providers.  Lately, believe WiMax shows more promise than LTE given that 3G networks still have a lot of room to grow in terms of speed and stability.  Also, Clearwire has indicated that it isn't necessarily married to one particular technology.  I see a hybrid WiMax-LTE chip in the future, don't you?  (More at CNet)

Yeah, that's it for mobile news.  Still I think I'm forgetting something huge that's going to change the mobile world as we know it.  If I can only remember...see, I was so excited about it that I couldn't sleep last night.  And now, lacking sleep, I don't remember what it is.  Oh well, if I only had a tablet or a slate or a pad handy, I could have written it down in a form of a digital diary.

Maybe someone should develop just such a device.  Hey, Steve Jobs, boy, have I got a great idea for your next "...one more thing...".

WiMax $10 Cheaper (If You Can Get It)

For many of us, 4G is still a pipe dream.  Okay, no need for pipes but you understand what I mean.  LTE is still a year or two away while WiMax is coming, just not really to places near you or me.  However, Sprint is already dropping prices.

According to Fierce Wireless, Sprint is offer its 2nd $10 drop in the last 5 months.  So, now, it's $60 while it was $80 last summer.  So I ask you this.  Are you ready to go wireless for your exclusive wireless needs?

Let's take a look at this for a sec.  I've been going G1-tethering for my mobile wireless needs at a fast clip in the last couple of weeks.  With the Holidays and all and a trip last weekend, I was on the move quite a bit.  The G1 is great and all but it's no iPhone or not all that useful when I was trying to help a friend wrestle away his Facebook account from a hacker.

Well, I'm getting there as far as trying to go all wireless.  My needs are simple.  I use Hulu a couple of hours a day if that much.  Mostly, I'm writing or researching on the Web.  Occasionally, I download videos, music, and podcasts from iTunes.  I find myself more and more on the the i-devices.  So there really is no need for any 20mbps connections.

Now, I'm not saying I don't want that kind of speed.  I'm just saying I don't need that kind of speed most of the time.

Back to Sprint.  For $59.99 (plus the various hidden taxes/fees), you get "unlimited" 3G or 4G mobile use.  Not bad considering, right?  Way a sec.  There is some ambiguity with what "unlimited" is just like with all the other carriers.  There is a regular 3G plan that goes up to 5GB.

But it's really the 3G/4G plan we're talking about here.  4G offer unlimited usage, giving you 10Mbps and an wide average of 3-6Mbps.  But if you venture out of the WiMax coverage area, you're covered by up to 5GB of 3G use (which still gives you 7 700mb movies, 1,667 songs, 1.7 million emails).  All that information is on the broadband page.

What you will need is a modem.  Sprint offers the USB Modem U300 for free after instant savings and a $50 rebate (retail cost is $350).  Excellent deal if you ask me.  Sprint, in my book, has always been out there when it comes to offering good deals and experimenting with pricing schemes.  It also offers GPS navigation as well but I don't know if you have to pay extra.  I wager that you do.

Oh, and if you want to connect multiple devices, you'll have to get a Sprint-sanctioned routers that Sprint provides you the option of buying as you move along the check-out process.

So, how is Sprint doing this?  Because it loves us.  Or because Clearwire, its WiMax partner, has recently raised hundreds of millions for added expansion and it is moving into more lucrative cities.  Furthermore, Sprint is looking to lock up as many enterprise customers as possible.

Plus, there are two reasons why I'm excited about this.  When the Palm V came out, Palm offered  GPRS modem with a slow wireless Internet connection that had no reason to excite other than for mobile fanatics like myself.  It was also $59.99 a month as I recall.  And this is freakin' 4G, baby!  So, I'm thinking there's gonna be a lot of folks who will jump on this.  Also, Sprint is looking to ship out phones with WiMax support in 2010.  Oh, it's already 2010.  So soon.

Plus, there are rumblings about a certain deal that Sprint might strike with a certain large retail...alright, I'll come out and say it.  It's Walmart.  There's talk that Sprint and Walmart might set up WiMax towers to facilitate the 4G expansion.  That means more cities covered.  That means I might eventually get 4G in my area.

So, if you're fortunate enough to be living in an area with WiMax service, definitely give this deal a look.  I'm also betting that once LTE competition from Verizon and ATT becomes available in 2011, Sprint will likely grace us with additional price drops.

More at Sprint 4G, Fierce Wireless, Evdo Info

Minn Senator Looks To Limit Early Termination Fees

Corporate consolidation is as natural as the Earth circling Sol.  That's the best analogy I can think of in such a short while.  Banks do it.  It's why we've got the too-big-to-fail policies.  (I'll let you poder whether those are good policies or not.  It's above my paygrade to worry about that.)

It is the same in the telecom industry.  We've got 4 major players in the US, Verizon Wireless, ATT, Sprint (who goggled up Nextel), and T-Mobile.  These guys got there where they are because of buyouts and such.  FCC allowed them to do it and so be it.  And while competition is still pretty good, it was not like it was 10 years ago.  You've still got regional players.  This is still much better than the cable industry.  There, virtually zero competition.

There is competition for market forces to do its things.  So, why is Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota trying to legislate how much anyone can charge for early termination?  Poll numbers not looking too rosy, perhaps?

Here's where I stand on these terminations.  I think they're bad for business.  BUT!  But, I understand why they're needed.  The fact that the termination fee is the same one month into the contract versus fifteen months into the contract is stupid but it's the nature of the beast.  It sucks.  However, some carriers already prorate termination fees.

But competition there is and if folks don't like it, they can go to another carrier.  Verizon recently hiked their early termination fee from .  Fine, you'll never see me with a Droid because of that (plus I don't like Droid's keyboard.  Do better on that, Moto).

Again, I've got mixed feelings about the way termination fees work but I hope the market will sort it out without protection and meddling from lobbyists on both sides of the issue.  The legislation under consideration, may be a politically good move, also stipulate terms and disclosures.

What do you think?

More at MocoNews.

Rooting For WiMax

I'm rooting for WiMax. That means rooting for Sprint, Google-Intel-backed Clearwire, and anyone else involved in making equipment and gears to support the 4G network. And that's fine with me. I use Intel chips in my Macbook, I'm recently inducted into the exclusive club of Google Wave, and my first mobile service was with Sprint.

A lot has been said about LTE but WiMax for the moment seems to be taking the lead in global deployment while LTE networks are just beginning to come online. Where WiMax seems to be doing well is in Asia. Why is that significant?

While Western economies try to find their way out of the dark, even with signs of stabilization in the financial market, will still take years before the job market recovers and the masses feel good about their future. As an American, I like to think we're a scrappy bunch and we'll be alright. Still, it'll take time.

Meanwhile, Asian tigers continue to go gangbusters as they rely increasingly on the Chinese economy and less so on an US recovery. And as recovery takes place half way around the world from where I'm sitting, and WiMax is being deployed and demanded, I don't see how WiMax will go easily into the night once LTE networks come online.

Here are some statistics that point to the strength of WiMax and why investments by Sprint and Clearwire could pay off in the US:

• Motorola shipped its 10,000th WiMax access point (Wireless Weekly). That includes 35 contracts all over the world.
• WiMax equipment accounts for 40% of growth form the previous year (Daily Wireless).
• 4 Million customers worldwide with 45 new devices to support them.
• Android. Yes, not the iPhone. Android's flexibility could be WiMax's salvation and the Google backed OS could allow it to become the number one mobile OS in 5 years. Certainly, early support for WiMax could be a marriage made in heaven for the 4G network and the mobile platform.
• WiMax now available in Philly and Chicago. Previously, I had complained but understood why Sprint hasn't brought the network to bigger markets. Will, they have and will continue to surge forward, just ahead of Verizon Wireless' own 4G network.
• WiMax investment now pays off later in more ways than one. Aside from revenue, a software upgrade can turn the whole WiMax network to support LTE protocol.
• Tech island, Taiwan, will show off WiMax-enabled Taxi.
• Smartphones are beginning to appear on the market support the WiMax network. For instance, The Samsung Moment sports a 3.2 AMOLED touchscreen, full keyboard, 800Mhz CPU (that means fast!), and all for $179 (IntoMobile). Oh, and it's Android-based.

For folks reading Onxo for a while now, you might notice that I am high on T-Mobile and the iPhone (though I own just about every other mobile devices as well). One, T-Mobile isn't ATT, and iPhone, you have to admit (for those of you who can get pass the Apple biases), is second to none on the market right now. Still, I am not married to the network or platform. As a true mobile user, I'll gravitate towards the gears and tools that can best help me do my work.

And this is why I'm pulling for WiMax. It's likely to have a greater impact than pundits out there are willing to admit (because then they'll have to say they're wrong). Plus, having a competitive network in the world is good for the hundreds of millions of mobile warriors worldwide. And just maybe, we'll also see it in other major US markets even before LTE testing is completed.

And for all that I've said above about WiMax living off Asian nations, the US broadband is still one of the largest in the world and what happens here will matter as it is one large pie for developers, device makers, and platforms to support.

So, root for WiMax even if you're not Sprint customer. And who knows, if WiMax comes to your street, seriously, take a 2nd and 3rd look at it. VW is pushing hard for LTE but that's like a year away. And ATT? Right, 3G is still where they're sitting on right now. As for T-Mobile, well, we all know about the rumors of a Sprint buyout (which would be good because that means more cash for WiMax deployment) or cooperation with Sprint on 4G (which is also just as good because it also means more cash for WiMax depolyment).

T-Mobile About To Shake Up Subscription Market?

You pay what? $50 a month? $60? $80 if you've got an iPhone? Over $100 for family plans?

Well, Sprint has always been pretty innovative about coming up with competitive pricing and how they market it. I've always liked that about them and I'm just sad that they don't command the marketshare I think they deserve. Then again, they deserve to be where they are because of the network they use and the coverage they provide.

However, is T-Mobile about to shake things up even more now? As a long-time T-Mobile subscriber, I have access to a $50 a month plan with unlimited minutes. And that to me is just incredible. Ask ATT what they're charging you and you'll know what I'm talking about. Plus, T-Mobile was the first to come out with the MyFavs features.

However, there is something T-Mobile is working on dubbed "Project Black". No one really knows what it is but there are rumors about it and I don't want to bring them up here. However, being a 4th place wireless providers, T-Mobile with its increasing lineup of Android devices really has an opportunity to shake up the market. Here's what I like T-Mobile to do:

• Provide a $60 all you can eat plan. I know some folks are asking for $50 on Android and T-Mobile sites but I don't think that's realistic. So for $60, you get unlimited calling, data, texting. You have access to an open network. $15-20 more for tethering.
• Open network. Do away with limiting voice plans. For a flat fee, it's all data. VOIP support, Google Voice, tethering.
• Work with Clearwire on 4G network. Sprint and Clearwire need a shot in the arm and T-Mobile clearly can provide that.
• Bring the iPhone and/or Palm Pre or Pixie to T-Mobile users. One of the things iPhone users grip about is the crappy ATT network. In a limited capacity, T-Mobile can serve as an alternative for iPhone users and as a notice to ATT that Apple has alternatives. One of the interesting thing is that T-Mobile seems to be doing double-time with their network build-out. Does this have anything to do with trying to satisfy a device maker like Apple or Palm. T-Mobile does have a relationship with Apple after all by selling the iPhone in Europe.
• Tighter partnership with Google to create an open network.

I'm a big underdog fan and T-Mobile and Sprint are now the two biggest underdogs in the US as far as the big four mobile providers are concerned. But there as we wind up 2009 with one quarter left and into 2010, now is the time for T-Mobile to shake up the mobile market.

T-Mobile Seeks Spectrum For Next Gen Network; Clearwire Software Upgrade Allows WiMax to LTE Switch

Last week, the telecom and wireless industry collectively lifted their eye brows and took notice of a piece of rumor that T-Mobile USA is interested in Sprint.  Immediately, folks started dismissing the notion and began to

However, more reports surfaced that T-Mobile USA was interested in spectrum for 4G deployment and the gov and Clearwire had the goods.  Perhaps a strategic partnership is what T-Mobile may be seeking but a complete buyout isn't necessarily out of the picture

In fact, as dedicated to WiMax Clearwire seems to be to the 4th generation wireless standard, the curious statement is that Clearwire isn't married to the standard.  It's stance has always been provide network neutral solution as its CEO Bill Morrow made clear.  And this is the interest part:   it is possible for wireless provider to switch from WiMax to LTE with a switch.

Alright.  Not as simple as a switch.  All they need to do is to update the software in the towers.  That's it.  Well, I'm guess that's not "it" since it will also take time for that to happen should Clearwire decide to go down that path.  I am guess that's because by the time they decide to do that, they would have thousands if not tens of thousands of subscribers.  I doubt those WiMax mobile warriors will be happy to suddenly have their services cut off.  I'm sure that won't happen.

However Clearwire makes that wireless standard switch if at all, such a partnership between T-Mobile and Clearwire could have immediate impact on mobile warriors.  Clearwire will have the resources of a big partner in T-Mobile USA's German parent company and T-Mobile users will be able to sleep better knowing T-Mobile has a roadmap to 4G.

More in Clearwire's option to switch from WiMax to LTE via software upgrade at PreCentral.  This fact came as a surprise to us but a welcoming one.

Just as there are issues with a T-Mobile-Sprint marriage, there will also be issues to deal with should Clearwire decide to make the switch from WiMax to LTE.  There are current subscribers they have to deal with.  My guess is any upgrade to LTE will allow for current WiMax users to made the lateral switch (I hesitate to use the word "upgrade) to LTE access.  That would mean upgrading handsets, access cards, and other devices.

One other complication is Sprint, which owns 51% of Clearwire.

But the benefits of this is clear for all mobile users.  And T-Mobile potentially leapfrogs over its other competitors, Verizon Wireless and ATT.

Positive Attitude About Wireless Providers

I'm not a journalist. I just write whatever comes to mind or what I think is cool about mobility. I've been bitter about the gatekeepers. You know, the wireless providers. ATT. Verizon Wireless. Etc.

So, I'm gonna try to be more positive from now on. Think about it. It's only in the last ten years where such wireless telephony reached mainstream.

It was in around 1999 when I first got my first cell phone. It was a Samsung phone through Sprint PCS. For $75 a month, I got 1,000 minutes. It was unheard of. I had seen it in the Wall Street Journal. It was a crazy cheap deal as far as I knew.

And what ever most other people using? Beepers. That's right. Beep, beep, beep, or vibrate. And texting at the time meant using numerical substitutes. Remember how to spell out "hello"? 07734.

But thinking positively about wireless companies started this weekend while I was jogging and listening to an audiobook. "Children of the Night" by Dan Simmons, published in 1993.

1993. Cell service was in its infancy. Beepers. Yeah, there was a lot of that around. Everyone on the campus of UCLA had one. Some had two. Anyway, there was a scene in the book when the protagonist and her friends were trying to run from danger, the electricity was cut, and, likely the phone line as well.

As it got more exciting, I started to run faster but I also thought "why didn't any of them carried a cell phone". The plot happened around the fall of Communism and the Ceausescu regime in 1989. So, landlines ruled. Ah...I also thought "dude, Hollywood movie makers and suspense writers have been totally screwed by mobile services because bad guys can no longer cut phone lines. The good guys can use their cell phones. And maybe the authorities can even track them through the cell signals like in 24".

I know it's weird to appreciate what ATT, Sprint, and T-Mobile in such a manner but it happens to be true. Even after Katrina when telephone lines were knocked out, mobile cell towers were brought in to quickly restore communication.

So, hurray for the wireless guys.

LTE Goes Live, For Testing, And A Surprise

In the US, the four major wireless providers are all on 3G.  Sprint "sprinted" ahead with WiMax in about 10 markets now and is continuing to race against time as Verizon Wireless tries to meet its self-imposed 2010 deadline to bring LTE (Long Term Evolution), its own 4G network, to its customers.

So, it was fantastic to hear that VW has successfully tested the LTE network in Seattle and Boston.  Each site has 10 LTE bases online.  The following tests were conducted:

• clocked in at 60Mbps
• based on 3GPP Release 8 standard
• Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson for base stations
• LG and Samsung offered trial devices, Sony-Ericsson, Motorola, and Qualcomm will eventually join device testing
• Nokia and Starent Networks offered network equipment
• Web browsing
• data calls
• streaming video
• file uploads and downloads
• and a big OMG to a successful VOIP call

VOIP.  That's Voice-over-IP.  Why is this signficant?  Right now, there is a lot of anger and frustration among mobile warriors who have had the wireless providers keep them from using their smartphones and mobile devices like the iPhone using Skype to make calls over their 3G data plan.

The reason is largely because the wireless providers, who also like to be known as benevolent gatekeepers, rely on voice plans for a large portion of their revenues and profits.  Services like Skype and Google Voice will disrupt the wireless market in ways that the wireless providers have no way of cooping.  

In fact, there was great uproar from the pundits and tech bloggers when ATT requested Apple reject Google's Google Voice app (and had existing GV apps pulled from the iTunes app store).  Why did ATT make such an unreasonable request?  First, it is only unreasonable to wireless consumers like you and me but to ATT, it makes a lot of sense.  Second, no one know what direction Google Voice will innovate.  And uncertain future is not something ATT and the other providers like.  Also, in the near term, GV offers user a telephone number and SMS service, texting, for free.  Texting is a multibillion dollar revenue stream for gatekeepers.  So, you get why ATT had Apple reject the official GV app for the iPhone.  

So, VW testing VOIP so early in its testing and making a point to mention it to the media seems very significant.  The exact quote from the press release is "Significantly, Verizon Wireless has successfully made data calls using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to enable voice transmissions over the LTE 4G network".  This is not a case, as I had initially suspected, of the blogworld's irrational exuberance in reporting or reading into something that was not there.

Does this mean that VW is keeping its word about operating an open network?  Does this mean that they are working to incoporate VOIP into its services?  Perhaps but it bears watching.  VW can offer VOIP exclusively and lock out competing services like GV and Skype.  For now, Onxo is content that VW is looking forward instead of backward and hope that an "open" network truly means "open".

Some interesting facts about this development and its WiMax competition:

• VW hopes to have LTE running on the 700Mhz spectrum they won in last year's action in 30 markets.
• WiMax will be available in Seattle by the end of 2009.  Seattle is currently one of two markets where VW tested the LTE network.
• Clearwire, a venture between tech giants like Sprint, Intel, and Google, will have WiMax available to 30 million potential mobile warriors and 120 million (80 markets) by the end of 2010.  
• VW will have the whole country covered by 2013.  
• WiMax is available for $20 a month for a home service.  $30 A month for mobile access.

Clearly, this development is exciting.  And more clearly, VW has a lot of work to do while Sprint and Clearwire is using WiMax to take the lead in the next generation of wireless access race.  

Links:  Daily Wireless, TMC NEWS, Gizmodo, Verizon

Note:  We're a bit late in reporting on this as there have been quite a bit of other wireless news that went on.  But in waiting, we were able to get the bit about the VOIP test.  We'll know in time whether this was a significant development beyond a simple test.

Another Note:  Skype is offered on multiple networks but its VOIP service has been crippled to work only on Wi-Fi networks or not available at all.  Also in the interest of fairness, ATT is saying that it was Apple's decision to reject the GV app.  However, most folks including us believe ATT had a hand in it.  It was at ATT's request that Skype's VOIP function and Slingplayer's streaming work only through Wi-Fi access.  

What Is Going On With Pre Sales?

TechCrunch posted some information from a research group JNK Wireless Consultant iGR on the state of Palm Pre sales. Then the outfit compared it with data from iPhone 3GS sales.

You can go there and check out the post if you like and decide for yourself if you agree with the numbers or not. Frankly, the numbers do seem a bit low. I've seen some number as high as 50K a week in the latest week. I think the right thing to say is that the numbers are actually somewhere in the middle.

Regardless, I had thought the Pre would be giving the iPhone a run for its money before tapering off a bit. I can only think of a couple of reasons why Palm is not doing better.

One, a lot of former Palm fans were Apple fans. There were tons of calls for Apple to buy Palm in the early years of Steve Jobs' second coming. Obviously, that never happened. It was also fresh in folks mind that Jobs had killed off the Newton. And now, more of the ex-Palm devotees are now iPhone fans.

Second. Timing. Look, it's not hindsight here. I was wondering why Palm launched so close to the WWDC when Apple was going to be talking about the iPhone 3.0 and possibly was going talk about the next generation iPhone which turned out to be the 3GS.

For folks who are not familiar with Apple events, they usually run about 90-100 minutes. The WWDC keynote a week after Pre went on sale was closer to 110 minutes. Guess what they used that extra 20 minutes for? Right, the iPhone 3GS.

I know Palm and Sprint pre-announced the back in January the Pre and promised to launch in the first half of 2009. But while they did keep that deadline, they ran right into Apple who was already pissed off Palm's former Apple execs.

Third. Sprint. Okay. This one I don't get. Folks seem to think that Sprint is a sinking ship. Well, aside from the fact it uses CDMA and has recently outsourced its network to Ericsson, I have always heard good things about it from folks I know who use Sprint. Nevertheless, blogs and the media has decided it Sprint has a subpar network. That being the case, subscribers may be shying away from the Pre because of Sprint.

So, what can Palm do? It looks like things should be looking up from this point on. Verizon has publicly said the Pre will grace its network in 2010 and at last one other WebOS device may make its way to ATT. Plus, Palm will likely make more deals with international carriers in the coming months.

Still, competition will be though. Apple, RIM, Microsoft, and Nokia will be looking to undermine any push that Palm try. Even though Palm's been in this business longer than most, it must feel awfully like the new guy in town.

And it's a very very rough town at that.

Source: Techcrunch

802.11g Still Ahead of 802.11n Until 2010

I can understand folks upgrading from b to g since the older wireless protocol is pretty old now. The switch to g for most people was a no brainer since it offer greater flexibility and greater security.

As it was with any wireless protocol, there are folks who would upgrade first even before the protocol has been properly ratified. But from some reason, blogs and the media has been more 3G, iPhones, and waiting for LTE/WiMax to come to us. So there has not been a whole lot of home wireless networks.

It wasn't until lately that I began looking into routers that support 802.11n as I began looking into streaming video from one computer to another. Even then, 802.11g works just as well with The Daily Show streaming from my Mac Mini to my Macbook while the Slingplayer did its thing on another laptop.

But eventually, I'll want to stream HD quality video and 802.11g might no be enough. But I was surprised to learn that g still has not overtaken n in terms of sales and that would not happen until 2010. And with the economy in the shape it is in, I don't see many folks upgrading unless they absolutely have to.

Here is In-Stat's $3500 report offering the following summary:

• Total Wi-Fi chipset revenue will pass $4 billion by 2012.
• Set-top boxes currently have the largest adoption of Wi-Fi in non-portable consumer electronics applications. By 2013, shipments of Wi-Fi-enabled TVs, however, will exceed shipments of Wi-Fi-enabled set-top boxes.
• Although there have been draft n/802.11n shipments in most markets for some time, we will see the first shipments of draft n/802.11n-enabled portable CE equipment in 2009. These shipments will be dominated by personal media players. Digital still/video cameras will make up the majority of the remaining of draft n/802.11n-enabled portable CE equipment shipments in 2009.
• In 2008, Wi-Fi chipsets in mobile handsets grew by more than 51%. By 2010, In-Stat anticipates that this category will consume in excess of 20% of total Wi-Fi chipset shipments.

So, more TV will have Wi-Fi for streaming video. I guessing it'll have to be HD quality. This is accompanied by mobile devices and even cameras to upload videos and pictures. Also to support this assertions, Sprint and Verizon recently decreed that all their handset sand mobile devices must ship with Wi-Fi access.

While it has always baffled me why wireless providers previously kept Wi-Fi access off their phones, I am glad they've had this change of heart. My guess is that with more and more mobile warriors using their handsets for Internet access, the wireless providers are finding their networks more strained than ever before. Their best solution is to offload those traffic to Wi-Fi networks when possible.

In fact, according to Wired, ATT bought Wayport for $275 million to expand their Wi-Fi network by 10k hotspots.

Palm's Options

There's been a lot of talk about the Pre and how it is Sprint and Palm's hope to collectively gain marketshares in their respective market strike a blow against their competitors.

By all estimates, Palm sold about 55,000 Pre before they ran out of stock.  Before Apple's WWDC keynote when new iPhones were introduced and due to go on sale on June 19th.  Still Pom will have nearly two weeks all itself (assuming the $100 price drop of the iPhone 3G doesn't stunt demand for the Pre).

Still, Palm faces an onslaught of competition beyond the iPhone as other mobile device makers gear up for their summer lineup.  I'm talking about Storm 2 and G2 (G1 is likely to continue to be available, with a price drop being likely).  Windows Mobile 6.5 should also get into the mix with great momentum (however, any excitement is likely confined to WM loyalists until WM 7 comes out in 2010).  Though I've only been able to find one phone, ATT and Samsung's Jack (for $99 with contract).  It'll ship with 6.1 but upgradable to 6.5.

There will be a lot of debates about Palm's future and what path they should take.  I think mobile warriors all over should pay close attention as this may change the mobile landscape, how mobile providers operate, and pace of innovation and 4G network deployment.

There are facts and developments at Palm that you should know about:

• Jon Rubinstein has been appointed the CEO of Palm.  He's likely to bring further Apple-like changes to the company.  This might compel Apple to double its effort to innovate the iPhone platform to try and put more distance between the iPhone OS and the Pre WebOS, which many bloggers and tech watchers determined to be the closest challenge to the iPhone (Blackberry OS and Windows Mobile dominates the market in terms of marketshare).
• Palm has many former Apple engineers who helped with the Pre development.  Rumblings of poaching from Cupertino exist but there is no way to affirm or deny this fact.
• Palm engineers are offering advice to the new executive team.
• Palm is likely to be availabe on other networks in 2010.  Verizon first.  Perhaps there may be GSM models in the works for ATT.
• You'll read blogs about Palm buyouts, Palm's options, and more whether Pre's success will continue as it faces newer and updated mobile devices and smartphones.
• Windows Mobile 7 should be available in the first half of 2010.  By then, the WebOS will be at least six months old.
• Palm has expressed interest in expanding the WebOS beyond the Pre.  No firm statement beyond a vague comment has come from Palm.  There is speculation about the WebOS in the Centro while others have offered suggestions along the line of licensing WebOS to third party phone makers.

Fierce Wireless has offered a simple post on Palm's options.  Simple being the operative word since the same applies to RIM and Apple except Palm isn't in as strong a position.  Onxo will start a series of how Palm should deal with its future, who might be interested in a buyout, and the likely competitions Palm will face.

LTE Is 4G but 3G Still Dominates And Is Growing

Either through me or others, you probably heard about how the Japanese are living in mobile heaven.  Their whole lives revolved around their cell phones.  Some folks have more than one in Japan.  They watch TV on it.  They surf the web on it.  They pay for their transportation with their mobile phones.  Well, you are saying we do that now, except for the paying for public transportation part.

I thought the mobile providers like Docomo and Softbank are running on 5G or 6G networks by now.  That turned out to be not the case.  In fact, Japanese mobile providers are in the same boat US providers - looking to provide LTE in 2011 or 2012.  Softbank subscribers will not be able to count on LTE access until 2013 at the earliest.

Having said that, while a lot of insiders and bloggers are looking to LTE, there is a lot of life to 3G left.  Only 11% of the global wireless subscribers are on 3G.  And by 2013, that will go up to 28%.  That sounds about right given in the US, ATT is struggle to keep up with demand upgrading to a higher speed while T-Mobile's network launched in late 2008 is still being built out.

Oh, and WiMax is ahead with 9 networks deployed worldwide, mainly in Asia.  In the US, Sprint and Clearwire are in a race to get their networks up and running before Verizon Wireless gets the ball rolling on LTE in the second half of 2010.

The figures and network deployment are from an e-mail summary.  For the full report and $3,995, you can get it here.

So, we're in a good shape in the US, right?  All things cool in Asia since they live in a mobile mecca?  The Middle East and Eastern Europe are looking to WiMax.

Not quite.  If you've been with me in the last year, I've called out the wireless providers, particular American ones, who want to be our "mobile gatekeepers".  What they want is to nickel and dime us to death.  And as is their business model, they're trying to milk every single penny out of their network before having to upgrade.

I just think they're evil.  For mobile warriors who disagree with me, I respect that and understand the other side of this argument.  I just think these guys are just using excuses to hinder open access and innovation.  I'm not big on government intervention but this is one area where I like to see some FCC actions.

Wherever you are when you read this, education, science, and commerce are increasingly reliant on wireless technologies.  The faster your region, or here in America, can deploy affordable wireless access to the masses, the quicker and better a society can be prepared for the future.

Just a thought.

As it stands now in the US, ATT is looking to upgrade its 3G network to 7.2Mbps and eventually 21Mbps. Sprint and Verizon seems content with their current deployment.  Verizon will get going withe LTE in the 2nd half of 2010 while Sprint is working on WiMax.  T-Mobile is currently digesting its brand new 3G network so I'm not hopeful they're even thinking about a 4G network.

Note:  Think EDGE is dead?  There are two 2G networks currently being deployed somewhere on this planet.