September 2009 Archives

The recent announcement from A&T and Terrastar on National roaming ( http://www.wirelessweek.com/News/2009/09/ATT-TerreStar-Plans-Dual-Mode-Phone/ )raises the discussion on the relative merits of satellites for wireless services again.  While this may fill in some gaps in AT&T's coverage, it is certainly not a viable long term solution for voice or low latency data services.  The half second round trip will always relegate satellite to niche communications such as public safety, disaster response and military applications in hard to reach areas unless a low earth orbit system can be deployed (like Iridium) which becomes cost prohibitive.

The main advantage for satellites is still broadcast data (such as direcTV) where they have a huge advantage over terrestrial repeaters given you can broadcast once to the entire country.  As mobile phones become more capable of receiving streamed multimedia, this is where satellites may finally gain real traction in the mobile space. Continue Reading...

I came across an article from last year in the NY Times that documented some of the travels of User Anthrologist for Nokia, "Can the Cellphone Help End Global Poverty?" http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/magazine/13anthropology-t.html?ref=magazine
The article confirmed many of the things we hear anectdotaly that most of the innovation in wireless is happening in the developing world, not in the established markets.  with over two thrids of the cell phone subscriptions in the developing world, the most interesting applications are aimed at customers making less than $4/day.  Yet a recent McKinset report indicates that cellphones could provide up to $300-420B of economic impact.  A simple example of this is eChoupal, where Indian are able to call multiple markets before making the long trek to take their goods to a single market.  This results in better profits for the producers and lower prices for customers due to marker efficiencies.  Microfinancing is another example where cellphones enable a more efficient business model for the provider and the borrower.  The User Anthropoligist role may be something that not only developed carriers should consider but also enterprises as 4G hits the market.  As wireless networks become more "user-centric", it will be critical that all new services and applications start first by understanding the behavior of the user. Continue Reading...

Strategy Analytics recently predicted Android Smartphone sales to increase by 900% in 2009.  Putting aside the fact that 900% of a small number if still a small number, but the reality is that Android has some real advantages when thinking about the 4G opportunity and Digital Swarms.  

First, it is a free OS so it supports the economics for a wide range of devices including small, low cost electronics like cameras, small appliances, and nav devices.  Second, it is designed from the cloud perspective without the heavy processing burden of more PC-centric operating systems, so once again, it does not become a heavy tax on the devices it supports.  Lastly, it has an open API for development which should spur innovative apps across a range of new devices that will connect across different networks (3G, WiMax, LTE, WiFi), not just a single network like many devices are restricted to currently.

So while Android still has a large gap to close on the likes of Apple, RIM, MS, and Symbian, it may have an advantage by starting with a fresh sheet of paper.
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Reading the recent article in IEEE spectrum on smart contact lenses (http://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/bionics/augmented-reality-in-a-contact-lens) made me think about the possibilities of improving our daily lives with small connected objects and 4G.  These lenses would allow users to see heads up display type data (maps, schedules, etc.), different spectral bands (Visible, IR, etc), and allow health information to be monitored and transmitted to physicians if needed.  The built in sensors and LEDs could be powered by RF energy harvesting or even ambient light.

The reason 4G becomes critical is not higher bandwidth, but rather the all IP network, the interaconnectivity among networks that the smart lens may need access to, and the security management given this could include very sensitive data.  Innovations like this would could be available in a 5 year timeframe signal a new area where human communication becomes and overlay to the many streams of sensors and devices communicating directly.
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