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WASHINGTON — Feb 01, `08 — Although a major auction of prime public airwaves, the 700 MHz, is far from finished, there already appears to be a big winner: the US consumer.

A bid on the largest portion of public wireless airwaves, now being auctioned by the US government, reached $4.7 billion Thursday, surpassing a threshold price that would trigger so-called open-access rules that would allow any legal mobile device or software program to use those airwaves.

While bidding was anonymous, analysts speculated that Google and Verizon Wireless, a joint venture between Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group, were the likely bidders on that swath, or about one-third of the total spectrum being auctioned.

Winners, however, will not be known until the entire auction by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission ends, a process that could take several more weeks. The auction began Jan. 24.

To retain the open-access conditions on that spectrum, a minimum $4.6 billion bid was required. The commission is selling a spectrum that is being freed as part of the switch to digital television in February 2009. The airwaves are considered especially valuable because the frequencies travel long distances and can easily pass through walls.

The rules, advocated by Google and a coalition of consumer and public interest groups, will help pry open traditionally closed wireless networks that prevent people from taking their phones with them when switching providers.

Google, AT&T and Verizon Communications are among 214 qualified bidders for nearly 1,100 licenses to pieces of the spectrum that vary from a nationwide swath to regional slivers.

Because of strict rules to prevent collusion, bidders won’t be identified until the auction ends, and companies are forbidden from commenting on their activity. Based on the limited bidding information available, Verizon is probably the high bidder on the open-access chunk, but Google is also a possibility, said Blair Levin, an analyst at brokerage Stifel, Nicolaus & Co.

“The amount of activity that we’ve already seen occurring demonstrates just how significant the interest is in this piece of spectrum,” FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin said.

“The openness requirement is important both in terms of the innovation it will lead to on the edges of the network and the ability of consumers to take advantage of that innovation,” Martin further added during a briefing with reporters yesterday.

HOLMDEL, NJ — Dec 31, `07 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Vonage and Nortel today announced that they have agreed in principle to end the litigation pending between them.

The contemplated settlement involves a limited cross license to three Nortel and three Vonage patents and will not call for any monetary payments by any party.

Claims relating to past damages and the remaining patents will be dismissed without prejudice. The settlement is subject to final documentation. More at Vonage.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif — Dec 17, `07 — A new telephony startup came out of stealth today, aiming to become “Silicon Valley’s first phone company.” Ribbit, unveiled a new platform for developing telephony services and a new business model for serving the new global telephony market.

The company also unveiled some of the first applications from its partner and 600-plus developer community, including an integration with salesforce.com.

The Ribbit Platform: Liberating Voice from Its Current Confines

At the core of Ribbit’s technology offering is a sophisticated, open platform that enables developers to bridge the worlds of traditional telephony and the Web. The Ribbit SmartSwitch - evolved from a Lucent-tested CLASS 5 softswitch - and open Flash/Flex-based API (application programming interface) enables non-telephony developers to quickly build innovative, rich voice applications and integrate them into web sites, communities and applications.

By connecting voice from any Flash-enabled browser to the PSTN (public switched telephone network) and new VoIP (voice over IP) networks, over 750 million computers become the next generation of phones with developers deciding how they work. With an assortment of back-office and service delivery infrastructure, the platform also enables developers to not only build services, but sell them as well. More at Ribbit.

On Friday, Dec 14, Nortel Networks, the Canadian maker of telecom equipment, filed a lawsuit against Vonage - claiming that it violated nine patents related to Internet phone services and related features such as 911 and 411 calling and ‘Click to Call’.

Vonage was dragged into the legal battle after it acquired three patents from Digital Packet Licensing last year, according to Vonage spokesman Charles Sahner. DPL had filed a suit against Nortel in 2004 alleging violation of those three patents, so Vonage continued with the lawsuit.

“Litigation is ongoing, and both parties have filed - and will continue to file - papers supporting their case,” Sahner said. On the possibility of a settlement, he said: “We always prefer to settle disputes amicably whenever possible.”

In this particular case, Vonage is pursuing the legal action, rather than getting sued. Sahner said Nortel’s countersuit was a defensive move.

In October, Vonage settled the last of its lawsuits with the major U.S. telecom companies. Throughout the year, it had fended off legal actions by Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint Nextel.

Dec 05, ‘07 — Mobile phone company Orange has said 20% of customers who have bought iPhones from it in France have opted for unlocked ones, NOT the half, as earlier reported, BBC News correcting the story now.

Orange sold the popular Apple product for €399 euros ($585) with a two-year contract, or €749 euros without one. Elsewhere, mobile companies only sell iPhones to customers who take out network contracts with them.

Orange sold 30,000 iPhones in the first five days, 20% of which were unlocked so they could be used on any network. Orange says that 48% of people buying the phones were new customers for the network. More at BBC News.

Dec 05, ‘07 — PhoneScoop is reporting on Sprint Nextel soft launching its XOHM WiMax network in the next few days, citing Bin Shen, VP of Product Management and Partnership Development.

PhoneScoop further writes, “Chicago, Washington DC and Baltimore will all go live at soft launch, and though Shen did not discuss what devices would be available, a number of data cards have been tested on the network. XOHM will officially launch in the second quarter of 2008 as will several laptops with WiMax embedded in them. Later in the year a number of special purpose devices will launch, as will dual-mode CDMA / WiMax handsets.” PhoneScoop.

Dec 05, ‘07 — Orange has said half of customers who have bought iPhones from it in France have opted for unlocked ones, BBC reports.

Orange sold the popular Apple product for €399 euros ($585) with a two-year contract, or €749 euros without one. Elsewhere, mobile companies only sell iPhones to customers who take out network contracts with them.

Orange sold 30,000 iPhones in the first five days, 52% of which were unlocked so they could be used on any network.

On Tuesday, a German court overturned an injunction that had forced T-Mobile to sell unlocked phones. In the two weeks that the injunction was in place, T-Mobile sold unlocked iPhones for €999 euros, compared with €399 euros for a phone with a two-year contract.

More at BBCNews.

Paris, France — Dec 05, 07 — Just 5 days after the full commercial launch, Orange has already sold 30,000 iPhones, thus confirming the strong appeal of this new type of mobile, available since 29 November in 680 Orange points of sale in France.

* 48% of iPhone sales lead to a new Orange line subscription
* 80% of customers sign up for a dedicated “Orange for iPhone” plan at the same time

“This is a very good score, especially as one in two iPhone purchases is accompanied by a new Orange line subscription”, said Louis-Pierre Wenes, Executive Director in charge of France operations. “This confirms that the iPhone will make an active contribution to the acquisition of new customers”, he added. More at FranceTelecom.

San Antonio, Texas — December 03, ‘07 — AT&T announced today plans to exit the shrinking pay phone business by the end of 2008. Existing contracts and customer service commitments will continue to be honored during the period that the business is being phased out.

AT&T’s Public Communications unit has continued to experience significant pressure from reduced pay phone usage, primarily as a result of the growth of alternative communications choices, such as wireless phones and personal communication devices.

The company plans to phase out both public pay phones and phones provided under contracts at government correctional facilities through the end of next year. All customers will receive advance notification of specific plans as well as information on other potential providers and product options.

The move affects AT&T pay phones in the company’s traditional 13-state service area only. BellSouth, which was acquired by AT&T in late 2006, had previously exited the pay phone business in its nine-state service area. AT&T’s wholesale pay phone services are not affected. More at AT&T.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif — November 30, 2007 — Google announced today that it will apply to participate in the Federal Communications Commission’s upcoming auction of wireless spectrum in the 700 megahertz (MHz) band.

As part of the nationally mandated transition to digital television, the 700 MHz spectrum auction — which begins January 24, 2008 — will free up spectrum airwaves for more efficient wireless Internet service for consumers.

Advocacy by public interest groups and Google earlier this year helped ensure that regardless of which bidders win a key portion of the spectrum up for auction (the so-called “C Block”), they will be required to allow their users to download any software application they want on their mobile device, and to use any mobile devices they would like on that wireless network.

The winner must ensure these rights for consumers if the reserve price of $4.6 billion for the C Block is met at auction.

“We believe it’s important to put our money where our principles are,” said Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Google. “Consumers deserve more competition and innovation than they have in today’s wireless world. No matter which bidder ultimately prevails, the real winners of this auction are American consumers who likely will see more choices than ever before in how they access the Internet.”

Schmidt also praised the leadership of FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and his fellow commissioners for adopting the new rights for consumers earlier this year.

Google’s formal application to participate in the 700 MHz auction will be filed with the FCC on Monday, December 3, 2007 — the required first step in the auction process. Google’s application does not include any partners.More at Google.

Bidding separately instead of assembling a coalition does not rule out Google later signing up partners if it wins the bidding, said a source familiar with the company’s strategy. But the FCC has “anti-collusion” rules that prevent deal-making between potential bidders during the auction period.

The auction is expected to take several weeks, or even months, of daily, back-and-forth bidding, with the identities of the bidders kept secret. Big spectrum bidders typically draw up elaborate strategies, often with input from game-theory experts.

FCC officials hope the company’s participation will mean a possible new player in the wireless business and boost the amount of money the government can bring in from the auction.

BRUSSELS — Nov 29, ‘07 — European Union telecom ministers backed proposals on Thursday to open radio frequencies allocated exclusively for GSM mobile phone services to other technologies, such as third-generation (3G) mobile data, reports Reuters.

“The mobile phone industry has been pushing for regulators to open the airwaves.

A 3G network in the 900 MHz band would achieve up to 40 percent greater coverage than one in the 2,100 MHz band for the same capital expenditure, the GSM Association (GSMA), the global trade body for the mobile industry, said earlier this year.

The GSMA estimates an additional 300 million people across Asia, Europe and Africa would have access to mobile broadband services by 2012 if mobile operators could use a 900 MHz frequency spectrum for 3G services.

The proposal now needs to be approved by the European Parliament before ministers give their final green light. The final decision would abolish a 20-year-old EU legislation.” More at Reuters.

SAN JOSE, Calif –BUSINESS WIRE– Nov 29, ‘07 — New LED-backlit LCD displays of Samsung Electronics are now available in large premium-model, full-HD TVs at major U.S retailers for the holiday season.

The new panels enable a huge jump in the dynamic contrast ratio from between 5,000:1 and 25,000:1, to 100,000:1 and even 500,000:1, for the clearest images on the market today.

Available in 40-inch, 46-inch, 52-inch and 57-inch diagonal screen sizes, Samsung’s new “local dimming,” LED (light-emitting diode) technology provides a brightness level of 450nits, and reduces power consumption by as much as 30 percent.

Depending upon the number of LEDs used in a screen panel design, the dynamic contrast ratio can improve the contrast in colors by as much as a thousand percent over the CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent lamp) LCD TVs typically used today.

Another significant advantage to Samsung’s “local dimming” technology is that the LED scanning process shuts off the diodes in precise sequences, thereby essentially eliminating any remnants of ‘image ghosting’ that had previously been a drawback in some LCD TVs.

With local-dimming LEDs, hundreds of wafer-thin diodes about the width of the eye’s pupil are electronically turned off and on in exacting sequences that respond to movement on the screen – areas only a fraction of what was previously possible with the most prevalent form of TV backlighting – long, thin fluorescent lamps. In black areas of the picture, the diodes can be completely shut off in order to generate total blackness.

Samsung said that its new extreme-contrast LCD panels is now available in Samsung TVs in the U.S., and also will be featured in HDTV’s produced by other manufacturers. The local dimming LED display does not contain mercury.

BRUSSELS — Nov 27, ‘07 — Almost one in five European Union households has gone wireless, cutting off their landline cables to use a mobile telephone only, a study by the EU statistical office showed on Tuesday, reports Reuters.

Eurostat said that last year 18 percent of households had mobile phone access only as subscriptions for wireless handsets soared to 95 per 100 habitants in 2005 from eight in 1996.

The study showed that the number of households relying only on a mobile telephone tended to be higher in EU newcomers from central and eastern Europe — 42 percent in the Czech Republic, compared with 11 percent in Germany.

In Finland, home of mobile giant Nokia, 47 percent of households had mobile phones and no fixed lines. Still, in Sweden, where rival Ericsson is based, zero percent of households relied only on mobile telephony.

Luxembourg had the highest number of mobile subscriptions per 100 people — 158, followed by Lithuania with 127 and Italy with 122. More at Reuters, Eurostat (in pdf).

Nov 27, ‘07 — Tech-On! is reporting on AT&T announcing the commercial launch of business in Vietnam that followed the announcement in November 2006, when AT&T extended the global reach of its business to Vietnam through collaboration with one of the country’s telecommunications carriers, Viettel Corp.

Tech-On! further writes, “In addition to the existing office in Hanoi, AT&T plans to set up another representative office in Ho Chi Minh by the end of the year to capitalize on the business opportunities of the rapidly growing telecommunications market in Vietnam.

Under the agreement between AT&T and Viettel, initial services available to multinational customers include virtual private network and frame relay services. There are plans to add more services in the future” Tech-On!

Neubiberg, Germany –Marketwire– Infineon Technologies AG a leading supplier of communication ICs, On Nov 20, announced it has shipped its one billionth RF transceiver.

With more than 230 million handset transceivers shipped in 2006, Infineon holds the leading market share in a total addressable market of just over one billion units, reports the market research company Strategy Analytics. Infineon has shipped communication ICs for more than 15 years to all major companies in the mobile phone segment, including Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and LG.

“We produce seven RF transceivers every second and approximately every fourth mobile phone worldwide has Infineon’s RF transceiver technology integrated,” stated Stefan Wolff, Vice President, Communication Solutions Business Group and General Manager of the RF Engine business unit at Infineon.

The newest member in the Infineon family is the SMARTi LTE, the world’s first highly integrated Long Term Evolution (LTE) RF transceiver.

The SMARTi LTE is the world’s first RF transceiver supporting LTE functionality in a single CMOS-process. Measuring just 5 x 5 mm in a WFSGA-81 package, Infineon’s LTE transceiver provides outstanding RF performance to enable handset manufacturers the ability to provide high data rate up- & downlink connections for upcoming LTE network field trials.

Covering the entire spectrum of allocated LTE RF bands (Band I to X) and providing switchable baseband filtering (up to 5, 10, 20 MHz), Infineon’s SMARTi LTE fits global RF requirements and band combinations.

Sample silicon has been provided to selected customers. Volume shipments are expected to be available by 2010. Infineon.

Helsinki, Finland - Fancy a dose of culture in the Finnish city of Oulu? All you need is a mobile phone. Says Reuters.

Get theatre tickets digitally, download a smart video trailer of how the play was directed, order and pay for snacks for the interval and, after a culture-packed night, order a taxi home — all by just swiping a cellphone over smart tags placed on the menus or around the foyer of the theatre.

The Oulu City Theatre in northern Finland, 373 miles (600 kilometers) north of Helsinki, says it is the world’s first cultural institution to use the hippest handset technology, expected to turn mobile phones into wallets.

NFC (near-field communication) technology is activated by waving phones over wireless readers, or smart tags, and is widely used in public transport access cards.

The theatre is running a pilot, involving technology from Finnish mobile phone-maker Nokia and telecommunications operator TeliaSonera, until the year-end and will extend its usage more widely if it proves successful. More at Reuters.

On Friday, Nov 23, ESA and London based Inmarsat Global Ltd announced  in Paris the formal signature of the contract for Alphasat satellite, one of the world’s largest telecommunications satellites.

The six-tonne satellite will deliver high-bandwidth services, such as mobile internet, to Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.It will have five times the capacity of current space platforms.

Inmarsat will use Alphasat I-XL to support its huge I-4 satellites, which deliver the company’s global broadband network, BGan.

The spacecraft allow people to set up virtual offices anywhere around the world - on land or at sea. Users get half-a-megabit connections through small, laptop-sized terminals. Customers include business travellers, disaster relief workers, journalists, and people in the petrochemical and maritime industries.

The Alphabus Alphasat programme represents an expenditure of $649 million (€ 440 mln) by 16 ESA Member States. Under the development schedule, Alphasat will be available for launch in 2012.

Positioned at 25 degrees East, providing extended coverage to Africa, Europe, the Middle-East and parts of Asia , Alphasat will supplement the existing Inmarsat satellite constellation and offer the opportunity for new and advanced services.

Alphasat I-XL features a 12m aperture antenna reflector. It will have an electrical power of 12kW and a design lifetime of 15 years. The Alphabus model, though, allows for even bigger spacecraft to be made in the future, supporting missions that have a launch mass of more than eight tonnes and 18kW payload power.

One of the world’s most powerful rockets will be needed to launch a satellite of I-XL’s size - something comparable to a bus or small truck. As a flagship European mission, the task of lofting Alphasat I-XL may well fall to the European bloc’s premier launch vehicle, the Ariane 5 ECA. More at ESA.

GENEVA — Nov 15, ‘07 — A U.N. telecoms meeting decided Thursday to give mobile service providers access to bandwidth currently reserved for terrestrial television broadcasts, offering the promise of high-speed Internet access on-the-move anywhere in the world by 2015.

The decision will give manufacturers of wireless equipment greater security to develop better and cheaper devices, while service providers can expect significantly lower rollout costs for new networks.

U.S. officials lobbied hard for a global agreement on spectrum use, arguing that a common approach was better than each country or region deciding to use separate frequencies for next-generation mobile services.

Consumers in the United States are to gain access to at least some of the spectrum in question by 2009, but it will take an additional six years before those in Europe, Africa, China, Russia and much of the Middle East will have the same access.

The decision to open these frequencies — sometimes described as the beachfront property of the radio spectrum — to mobile services will mean significant cost-savings for telecommunications companies.

Countries agreed to the rule after a month of negotiations that boiled down to a battle between old and new media — broadcasters against telecommunications companies — for control of a prime stretch of radio spectrum.

All-night talks at the U.N.-hosted World Radiocommunications Conference in Geneva finally resulted in a deal by Thursday morning, but not without Europe’s powerful broadcasting interests winning a major concession that means the amount of bandwidth available for mobile services in their region will be half of what is offered elsewhere.

European broadcasters warned earlier this week that viewers of digital terrestrial television could see their reception interrupted by nearby cell phones if the two technologies shared the same frequency.

In addition to the reduced bandwidth, Europe, Africa, China, Mongolia, the countries of the former Soviet Union, and much of the Middle East would wait until 2015 before making the most cost-effective part of the radio spectrum available for advanced mobile services.

A U.S. government auction scheduled for February is expected to fetch up to $15 billion from the sale of bandwidth in the 698 megahertz to 806 megahertz range.

The same frequencies will be available for mobile services throughout the Americas, India, Japan, Korea and a number of other Asian countries, while the rest of the world will initially use only the 790 megahertz to 862 megahertz range.

Oct 28, ‘07 — The Wall Street Journal reports, “Small businesses in Boston, New York and four other East Coast markets could face billions of dollars in added telecom costs if regulators grant a Verizon Communications Inc. request allowing it to charge competing phone companies much more to lease access to its network, critics of the proposal say.The Federal Communications Commission must vote by the end of the year on an attempt by Verizon to be excused from several FCC rules in… More at WSJ (subscription required)