February 2009 Archives

Do you ever come across stuff on the web that makes you want to share it with all your geekiest friends as soon as possible?  Yesterday was one of those days for me, as I stumbled across OpenBTS, the ultimate mobile phone hack.  At the risk of causing my  beautiful wife Jaime to throw her arms up in despair because of my own geekiness, I must admit that discovering OpenBTS triggered the same thrill of possibility  that I used to get when reading 2600 as a college kid.

In a nutshell, OpenBTS allows anyone to create a micro GSM base station that can talk to any standard GSM handset, and then convert the session to VoIP using an Asterisk server.   Essentially, it performs the same function as a femtocell, which is a new class of device that is being used by cellco's such as T-Mobile to extend mobile phone coverage into homes and other areas where their wireless signal might be weak.   The practical benefit is that users can access a VoIP network wirelessly, using a GSM handset instead of purpose built devices such as a DECT VoIP adapter (like Ooma's Telo), WiFi VoIP, or a UMA enabled handset.  

In technical terms, the OpenBTS Project is an effort to construct an open-source Unix application that uses the Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) to present a GSM air interface ("Um") to standard GSM handsets.  Put another way, its an open source implementation of the GSM protocol stack paired with a software radio.  According to the Wikipedia entry, the project was started by Harvind Samra and David A. Burgess to reduce the cost of GSM service provision, in rural areas and the developing world, to below $1 per month per subscribe.   The commercially supported version of OpenBTS is provided by Kestrel.  David Burgess provides more background on the genesis of the project, as well as some interesting facts about the cost of building a GSM network, on his blog.

It is worth noting that OpenBTS is just one example of a quiet revolution that is occurring in the wireless industry.  All radios will be software-based in the not-too-distant future.  This means that the same piece of silicon will be used to make a call on a mobile network, listen to the radio (FM and satellite), control your bluetooth devices, and open your garage door.   When paired with open wireless spectrum, the opportunity for innovation and new services will be immense.   Until that happens, however, it is nice to see projects like OpenBTS making headway.

With the right commercial roaming agreement, and a dollop of ingenuity, it could be used to build the killer  home communications hub.

Before you go out and purchase the components (which are available here) to setup your own micro cellphone service however, be aware that it could be illegal to operate such a device in areas where the GSM band frequencies have been licensed.   In addition, while the OpenBTS implementation is open source, the intellectual property for the GSM protocol itself is owned, and closely guarded, by companies such as Ericsson, AT&T and Alcatel-Lucent.   At least in the United States, OpenBTS can be legally used for testing purposes and to satisfy your intellectual curiosity only.
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A few days ago, Verizon formally launched a new product called Verizon Hub.  The consumer device is designed to meld a VoIP line with several web-based and wireless services.  For example, a user can access driving directions and send text messages while on a voice call.   All things considered, there's  not much  new ground being broken here, and the device has gotten mediocre reviews at best.  However, when seen alongside other recently launched products, the Verizon offering points to an exciting new trend in the consumer device space.

 Exhibits B and C are the Vonage V-Portal and Ooma Telo.  Both are VoIP ATAs that combine multi-line cordless (DECT) phones with an LCD display that makes configuration and usage easier (Ooma has other good attributes, that I wrote about here).      
 
    Exhibit D is the femtocell, a new type of wireless device that has been recently made available by several U.S. mobile carriers.  Femtocells are mini cell-phone towers that use a broadband connection to extend a wireless signal into dead zones and other territories.  Femtocells are a huge step forward for mobile carriers because they provide a cost effective way (the subscriber typically pays for the device and the broadband connection) to expand  their networks (both for in-fill and globally).  They also open the door to tighter integration between carrier wireless and other Internet services.  My previous blogs on femtocells are here and here.

So here's the problem that's waiting to be solved.  During a typical day in my home office, I find myself juggling between 5 phone devices:  office VoIP extension, home VoIP line, home landline and two mobile phones  (three of these devices have incompatible wireless headsets).  Many phone conversations also require that I check my Blackberry, online  calendar or phonebook.   Finding a way to streamline all of the above is something I would pay good money for.

If you are like me, then you can see the ingredients for a winning product recipe.  Combine all of these devices into a single unit, throw in a dash of  bluetooth, a hint of PBX, and a dolop of webservices connectivity to online APIs like Plaxo or Facebook, and the result would be truly irresistible.  

Carriers and service providers have been trying to merge devices and services for years.   Despite fitful starts (such as FMC) not much headway has been made.   One big reason is that consumers like to be able to pick and choose among the devices and services available from different providers.  But, while it may be difficult for a single service provider to meet all needs, a clever device maker could tie them all together with relative ease.

The result:  a communications home hub that would give your entire household a single device from which to conduct all communications across different networks and providers.

Hey Apple, are you listening?


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