Carl Ford
| 4G is the next evolution in wireless technology. Discover how 4G will transform the wireless industry
Longview IoT Boosts Energy and Wireless Efficiency
Some of the biggest challenges slowing down the adoption of IoT are security, efficient battery usage and optimized wireless communications.One company has...
Full Story »
Hallmark's Simple, Inexpensive Way to Boost Customer Satisfaction
In an effort to boost margins, companies often push more users to automated solutions such as FAQs, chatbots, voice bots and anything...
Full Story »
Huawei Places the World's First 5G VoNR Video Call
Huawei recently completed the world's first voice over NR (VoNR) call. The voice and video call service was made using two Huawei...
Full Story »
IGEL Advances Future of Work
IGEL is a provider of a next-gen edge OS for cloud workspaces. The company’s software products include IGEL OS, IGEL UD Pocket (UDP) and Universal...
Full Story »
Tata Communications and Cisco Collaborate on SD-WAN
Tata Communications and Cisco have extended their partnership to enable enterprises to transform their legacy network to a customized and secure multi-cloud...
Full Story »
How to Win the 50-Year-Old China Trade War
Today and this week in-fact is historic - the left and right in the U.S. agree that we have a major trade...
Full Story »
Extreme Elements Enables The Autonomous Enterprise
Extreme Networks just announced Extreme Elements which in-turn enables the autonomous network and subsequently the autonomous enterprise. In a dynamic webinar, Dan...
Full Story »Wireless Backhaul LTE - Lots of Transport Equipment
June 10, 2009
Susan Campbell in her discussion of LTE brought up some of the realities we are facing as Verizon leads the pack of deployers. The cell sites are probably going to increase as the deployment will show the realities of IP service delivery on a wireless network.
Some friend are reversing the trend in wireless backhaul. It use to be that 80% of the transport was radio and 20% fiber, These days the LTE switch is to be fiber and particularly Metropolitan Area Ethernet. So as we move forward this trend is promising adequate bandwidth at the core.
But the base stations are expanding to accomdate the traffic and the concerns about MIMO as the access.
Its these changes we are looking to highlight with the Wireless Backhaul awards . My expectation is that we are running down a similar path to when Fiber gained the power of DWDM. I have a friend who claims that the collapse of the telecom industry at the beginning of this century was a result of the pricing models being eroded by the excess capacity of bandwidth.
So the realities of service as learned in the implementing and testing of the wireless backhaul network is important bellweather for us to look at right now.
Some friend are reversing the trend in wireless backhaul. It use to be that 80% of the transport was radio and 20% fiber, These days the LTE switch is to be fiber and particularly Metropolitan Area Ethernet. So as we move forward this trend is promising adequate bandwidth at the core.
But the base stations are expanding to accomdate the traffic and the concerns about MIMO as the access.
Its these changes we are looking to highlight with the Wireless Backhaul awards . My expectation is that we are running down a similar path to when Fiber gained the power of DWDM. I have a friend who claims that the collapse of the telecom industry at the beginning of this century was a result of the pricing models being eroded by the excess capacity of bandwidth.
So the realities of service as learned in the implementing and testing of the wireless backhaul network is important bellweather for us to look at right now.
What's Good for GM is Good for Ed Whitacre, Jr.
June 9, 2009
First of all a personal note, Ed Whitacre and my father were friends, so I have never stated an opinion about Ed, despite my affiliation with people who did not like him.
But the story here is one beyond the man, but by the government that chose him. Ed Whitacre is a very logical choice if you consider what he was doing at ATT/SBC and what he has to do now.
First of all, his role as a Union Negotiator is pretty well understood. And the IBEW, CWA is proabably as close to coping with the UAW as you can get.
He has history of trying to do the most with the least (his plant upgrade strategy was loved by wall street), so I am sure that the big plans that some of us hope for electronic cars and visionary thinking will now be safely in check.
Likewise he has a history of consolidating things and making it so that he stays on top, so if GM is acquired he wont mind a bit.
In the last few days the story about Hummer and Saturn being sold were leaked out and I am not sure if they were approved of by the primary owner.
And that certainly the best thing Ed is known for, managing Washington. So the man may have been picked for that specific job.
This administration is not short on vision, but the team is showing the fact that they are stretched beyond their means. I expect that Ed will bring a sense of stability to the discussion. I also expect some Telecom lawyers / lobbyists are going to find a new home.
For the telecom sector as the battle about Special Access and InterCarrier Compensation continue to drag on perhaps it will be easier to find a solution with less of our brethern focused on telecom (unless OnStar has an issue).
Good Luck Ed, If you are good for GM you have to be good for the country because its no longer whats good for GM is good for the country its whats good for the country is a good GM.
But the story here is one beyond the man, but by the government that chose him. Ed Whitacre is a very logical choice if you consider what he was doing at ATT/SBC and what he has to do now.
First of all, his role as a Union Negotiator is pretty well understood. And the IBEW, CWA is proabably as close to coping with the UAW as you can get.
He has history of trying to do the most with the least (his plant upgrade strategy was loved by wall street), so I am sure that the big plans that some of us hope for electronic cars and visionary thinking will now be safely in check.
Likewise he has a history of consolidating things and making it so that he stays on top, so if GM is acquired he wont mind a bit.
In the last few days the story about Hummer and Saturn being sold were leaked out and I am not sure if they were approved of by the primary owner.
And that certainly the best thing Ed is known for, managing Washington. So the man may have been picked for that specific job.
This administration is not short on vision, but the team is showing the fact that they are stretched beyond their means. I expect that Ed will bring a sense of stability to the discussion. I also expect some Telecom lawyers / lobbyists are going to find a new home.
For the telecom sector as the battle about Special Access and InterCarrier Compensation continue to drag on perhaps it will be easier to find a solution with less of our brethern focused on telecom (unless OnStar has an issue).
Good Luck Ed, If you are good for GM you have to be good for the country because its no longer whats good for GM is good for the country its whats good for the country is a good GM.
Anton Wahlman Guest Blog on the Palm Pre
June 9, 2009
I played with the Palm Pre for a few hours today, at two different
Sprint Stores. My review below is not a comprehensive review (go to
www.engadget.com and equivalent for that), but it does point out my
observations and comparisons.
First, what are the positives?
1. Unlike iPhone, it uses the same standard MicroUSB as the newest
Blackberries and for that matter all other new handhelds. This is the
standard for the next decade and means a lot of simplicity and
savings.
2.
Sprint Stores. My review below is not a comprehensive review (go to
www.engadget.com and equivalent for that), but it does point out my
observations and comparisons.
First, what are the positives?
1. Unlike iPhone, it uses the same standard MicroUSB as the newest
Blackberries and for that matter all other new handhelds. This is the
standard for the next decade and means a lot of simplicity and
savings.
2.
4G - Power Car
June 5, 2009
Have I mentioned, my obsession with battery. I do not consider myself a hog on power, but my phones are constantly running out of battery. Yesterday's trip did not have the blogging I expected, because it did not have the power.
So Radio Shack got to sell me a 350W car adapter today that now has my two computers, my two phones and the MiFi attached. Pretty amazing. Of course if i don't turn it all off when the car is off, the other triple A in my life will be coming to visit.
But I am up and running right now and it only took converting my car into a small office, or maybe a power station.
Yesterday, the discussions were very insightful, and I think the real story in QoS maybe the Power to Signal ability. Right now, with everything attached, the only limitation I have is VZ's bandwidth limit. But in the past, the GPhone has died when watching a YouTube video.
I have yet to go in dual mode on phone that will the subject of another blog. But the efforts I have made to make sure I have another power suggests to me that we have a long way to go. A lot more evolution in this wireless broadband world is ahead of us.
So Radio Shack got to sell me a 350W car adapter today that now has my two computers, my two phones and the MiFi attached. Pretty amazing. Of course if i don't turn it all off when the car is off, the other triple A in my life will be coming to visit.
But I am up and running right now and it only took converting my car into a small office, or maybe a power station.
Yesterday, the discussions were very insightful, and I think the real story in QoS maybe the Power to Signal ability. Right now, with everything attached, the only limitation I have is VZ's bandwidth limit. But in the past, the GPhone has died when watching a YouTube video.
I have yet to go in dual mode on phone that will the subject of another blog. But the efforts I have made to make sure I have another power suggests to me that we have a long way to go. A lot more evolution in this wireless broadband world is ahead of us.
Do DECT Phones fit in the 4G Wireless Evolution?
June 4, 2009
Scott and I visited our friend Mike Storella at SNOM yesterday. As usual we got into a lot of subjects. HD Voice, Video, VoWiFi, the expansion of SNOM's product line and distribution channel. All good things.
We also talked about the DECT marketplace. DECT is finally having its impact on the US. They are feature rich phones, but the best part is they are easily integrated into a strategy.
So in the battle of Femtocells versus Dual Mode, I want to cast my vote for DECT.
At my house my DECT phones support intercom, bluetooth to my cell, speakerphone and its not about carrying something that needs to be charged.
As a matter of fact, I frequently use the base station as the only charger and leave the DECT phones lying around in convenient spots. (hmmmn, can I ask that the DECT forum consider TV remotes as an integration).
I suggested we start discussing DECT's role at 4GWE. We already have the Femto, Dual mode folks represented.
We also talked about the DECT marketplace. DECT is finally having its impact on the US. They are feature rich phones, but the best part is they are easily integrated into a strategy.
So in the battle of Femtocells versus Dual Mode, I want to cast my vote for DECT.
At my house my DECT phones support intercom, bluetooth to my cell, speakerphone and its not about carrying something that needs to be charged.
As a matter of fact, I frequently use the base station as the only charger and leave the DECT phones lying around in convenient spots. (hmmmn, can I ask that the DECT forum consider TV remotes as an integration).
I suggested we start discussing DECT's role at 4GWE. We already have the Femto, Dual mode folks represented.
Massive Mobility Finally
June 3, 2009
Scott and I just had lunch and we were next to a Verizon Wireless store. And we got to talking about Andy Abramson's blog about VZ's MiFi service. My connectivity has been for S%^# for a while and these last few days has made a dramatic change in my ability to be part of the 4G world. So this is my first blog taking advantage of my new device.
Earlier in the day Scott and I were on a conference call with both of our cellphones, I joked that we needed an ip pbx in the car, or a better speaker phone on the bluetooth device.
In the move from the west coast to the east coast of Florida, I am getting the T-Mobile@home service for my old number. This has also given me ATT DSL. My ID with them works for all their hot spots (as if I was not going to McDonald's anyway).
I expect my blogging to dramatically increase.
Earlier in the day Scott and I were on a conference call with both of our cellphones, I joked that we needed an ip pbx in the car, or a better speaker phone on the bluetooth device.
In the move from the west coast to the east coast of Florida, I am getting the T-Mobile@home service for my old number. This has also given me ATT DSL. My ID with them works for all their hot spots (as if I was not going to McDonald's anyway).
I expect my blogging to dramatically increase.
Google Competes again with Email
May 29, 2009
Catch the Wave from Google, and you can see the dilemma we face as move to 4G. First of all lets give them credit. The Rasmussen's brothers and their team (aka google maps leaders) have developed a document strategy they call wave.
These waves are a federated document management flow. For those of us with history, this could sound like Lotus Notes, but on the web its so much more. This system on the web makes near real time communication incredibly fast. If you watch the presentation its clear they are struggling getting their arms around the ways to use this tool, but in effect the way I have come to view this is they have made collaborative webbing as opposed to email thats viewed on the web this webmail moves in and out of paradigms, such as twitter, social networks, etc.
But the real power of making the document live is the way that the security is implemented. If federation works as well as they claim, a new model for online communication will be delivered. As carriers look to roll out 4G as a data network Web-centric services like Wave may be compelling consumers than any new device.
Reference: http://www.waveprotocol.org/
These waves are a federated document management flow. For those of us with history, this could sound like Lotus Notes, but on the web its so much more. This system on the web makes near real time communication incredibly fast. If you watch the presentation its clear they are struggling getting their arms around the ways to use this tool, but in effect the way I have come to view this is they have made collaborative webbing as opposed to email thats viewed on the web this webmail moves in and out of paradigms, such as twitter, social networks, etc.
But the real power of making the document live is the way that the security is implemented. If federation works as well as they claim, a new model for online communication will be delivered. As carriers look to roll out 4G as a data network Web-centric services like Wave may be compelling consumers than any new device.
Reference: http://www.waveprotocol.org/
IMS - It Means SIP
May 27, 2009
Okay, the conversations today, are starting to freak me out. While many declared IMS dead a while ago, the carriers are now ready to talk about SIP without mentioning IMS.
For awhile it was stated that IMS was the way to enable SIP into the legacy network. Now what has evolved is IMS may be enabled in some aspect of the infrastructure, but if you want to talk services, you can stop the code and just say SIP to everyone now.
Pretty amazing.
But dont think the story is over for IMS. Content Delivery, Virtualization, Legacy integration, etc. It all points to some aspect of IMS. We could claim that IMS is like a couch, it means sectional. After all no one claims they are implementing everything, but almost everyone thinks they are implementing some aspect of IMS. So at the end of the day IMS means alot of things to alot of people, but new services is not one of them.
For awhile it was stated that IMS was the way to enable SIP into the legacy network. Now what has evolved is IMS may be enabled in some aspect of the infrastructure, but if you want to talk services, you can stop the code and just say SIP to everyone now.
Pretty amazing.
But dont think the story is over for IMS. Content Delivery, Virtualization, Legacy integration, etc. It all points to some aspect of IMS. We could claim that IMS is like a couch, it means sectional. After all no one claims they are implementing everything, but almost everyone thinks they are implementing some aspect of IMS. So at the end of the day IMS means alot of things to alot of people, but new services is not one of them.
Should Cable even be in the 4G Discussion
May 26, 2009
A good friend who works with cable operators posed that question to me as we talked about the stimulus. Right now I have been quiet about alot of this because the speculation has been more or less valuable.
The Stimulus for telecom has a cascade of decisions that have to occur and while I know of friends with an inside track, I don't think my talking about their activities is helpful.
But this question is a sound one. The reason is because of the definition of broadband is being set. 100 MB happens to be the preferred capacity in most discussions, but cable operators like 50 MB as their preferred unit of measure.
As Cablevision rolls out its public WiFi the question of integration to home solutions can they gain access to stimulus strategies. Now combine that with the ability to use White Space and you have a 4G network opportunity.
Let's be inclusive. It will work out in the long run.
The Stimulus for telecom has a cascade of decisions that have to occur and while I know of friends with an inside track, I don't think my talking about their activities is helpful.
But this question is a sound one. The reason is because of the definition of broadband is being set. 100 MB happens to be the preferred capacity in most discussions, but cable operators like 50 MB as their preferred unit of measure.
As Cablevision rolls out its public WiFi the question of integration to home solutions can they gain access to stimulus strategies. Now combine that with the ability to use White Space and you have a 4G network opportunity.
Let's be inclusive. It will work out in the long run.
