Altair Semiconductor is looking to provide the world with energy efficient chips for WiMAX and LTE. Utilizing software defined radio technology and low-power design, expect to see the company's chips in more mobile internet devices, laptops and smartphones. Oh, and don't forget the world of USB dongles either. Mark Rice, VP and General Manager of the company explains the details below.
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I have been a strong proponent of carriers rolling out WiFi networks as they provide another sticky service which customers are loathe to give up. Cablevision's Optimum WiFi which is a free WiFi service rolled out in much of the cable company's footprint is an example of a service which has been proven to reduce churn and is currently running at over one million minutes per day of usage.
AT&T's acquisition of Wayport and Verizon's partnership with Boingo show the carrier of the future needs to blend WiFi into their offerings. It should come as no surprise that wireless carriers are looking to WiFi networks running on unlicensed spectrum as they are being hammered by smartphones and iPod Touch devices.
The company providing the equipment which powers Cablevision's offerings is BelAir Networks and they have a product called the 100S which the cable company strings every 800 feet on their poles. They are plug-and-play devices that light up vast areas quickly. More recently they rolled out a 100SX device which also provides WiMAX.
An important point made during our conversation is how carriers are WiFi-enabling sporting and concert arenas to offset the network congestion becoming so rampant in areas where people gather.
I just had a conversation with Martin Suter the VP, Business Development at BelAir Networks about some of the exciting things happening in the space and some of the best points are captured in the video below.
Opera Software CEO Jon von Tetzchner explains the new Opera Mini browser beta and outlines his company's vision for computing beyond the cloud.
Sandisk execs Pedro Vargas and Mike Wong explain how memory chips with a 32-bit processor can help carriers looking to maximize revenue.
I had a chance to catch up with Bridgewater Systems and their efforts to help carriers as they look to provide mobile personalization using the control plane. As wireless networks become more congested, the company's solutions help carriers manage the chaos. They have a bunch of announcements in the 4G space detailed in the video below. Joanne Steinberg and David Sharpley from the company are on the video below.
Skype Founders Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom seem dead set on killing off Skype. The company they own JoltId - which controls the p2p technology used by Skype, has filed an copyright suit, now in the US with an injunction (fast-track lawsuit) in an effort to shut Skype down. The company says damages are amassing at more than $75 million per day and as the legal dispute drags on, one wonder just what sort of deal Meg Whitman struck a few years back which allowed this many angles for lawsuits. See more from the Wall Street Journal.
Dr. Li Mo, Chief Architect and Sean Cai, Deputy General Manager, WiMAX Product Line, ZTE USA discuss the company's plans in communications, 4G and WiMAX.
You really can't have a serious discussion about WiMAX without asking Alvarion for their opinion. I did just that with Ashish Sharma who heads up Corporate Communications and Market Development for the company. Topics covered include the WiMAX business model, broadband stimulus around the globe and usage patterns of WiMAX users. I also asked about the WiMAX/LTE battle and if there needs to be a single winner. Check out the video for the answer.
Steven Manuel of Aricent gave me an update on what his company is up to. Here are the details.
Anantha Ramu of Acision spent some time discussing his company's initiatives in the world of mobile broadband. A new product the company offers allows carriers to tailor the mobile network based upon the value of the individual subscriber. By using it, carriers can ensure that at peak times, a low-value customer does not suck up all network bandwidth at the expense of high-value customers.
In addition, Anantha explained his company has a solution to gracefully allow carriers to handle 4G messaging while integrating with 3G messaging systems. He contrasts this to newer entrants in the market who come at it from a 4G/SIP-based approach which doesn't mesh well with legacy 3G solutions. Check out the video below for more.
