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LONDON, England, and TOKYO, Japan, February 4, 2008—LiMo Foundation, a global consortium of mobile leaders delivering an open handset platform for the whole industry, today announced the on-schedule availability in March 2008 of the first release of the LiMo Platform—the first globally competitive, Linux-based software platform for mobile handsets—together with the immediate public availability of the application programming interface (API) specifications.

LiMo’s technology will be showcased in Booth 8b135, Hall 8 at Mobile World Congress, February 11-14 in Barcelona.

LiMo’s initial Founder members—Motorola, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic Mobile Communications, Samsung Electronics and Vodafone—collaborated on Release 1 (R1), and nearly all of the enabling technology within R1 has been commercially deployed and proven within handsets enjoyed by consumers today.

The LiMo Platform—leveraging standards and open-source projects—is a modular, plug-in-based, hardware-independent architecture built around an open operating system, with a secure run-time environment for support of downloaded applications. Linux was selected as the core technology for the LiMo Platform for its acceptability by the whole mobile industry, its rich functionality and scalability, its record of success in embedded systems and mobile phones and its potential to easily “cross-platformize” with other product categories.

Third-party developers will use LiMo’s API specifications—available in beta form immediately at www.limofoundation.org—to build new applications that deliver next-generation consumer experiences across a tremendous, stable base of globally deployed mobile devices. Middleware components for the LiMo Platform can be implemented in either C or C++ programming languages.

Launched in January 2007, the LiMo Foundation is open to all vendors and service providers in the mobile communications marketplace, including device manufacturers, operators, chipset manufacturers, independent software vendors, integrators and third-party developers. More at Limofoundation.org.

HAMBURG, Germany — Dec 04, ‘07 — Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile can sell iPhones with a T-Mobile contract and may continue to offer the device with a locked SIM card, a German court ruled on Tuesday, reversing a lower court’s decision that said an unlocked version must be sold in Europe’s biggest economy.

Rival Vodafone had obtained a temporary court injunction preventing T-Mobile from locking the iPhone’s SIM card — thus preventing it from being used on other networks — and offering it only in combination with a T-Mobile contract.

T-Mobile had appealed that injunction, which led to the new ruling, and the wireless operator unveiled an unlocked version of the phone priced at $1,465 (€999), more than twice the $585 (€399) price of a phone sold in combination with a two-year T-Mobile contract.

White Plains, NY — Dec 03, ‘07 — Nokia today applauded Verizon Wireless’ announced plans to develop and deploy a fourth generation (4G) mobile broadband network. The Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology Verizon Wireless chose is an open and global specification for next generation networks that will bring scale and efficiencies for manufacturers, choice in network equipment and device for operators, and ultimately better value and richer experiences for consumers.

Broadband wireless technologies have the power to change the way people work, live, play and communicate. As the world leader in converged devices, Nokia is dedicated to offering a wide choice of mobile devices to consumers and remains committed to openness and innovation. Nokia is proud to expand our collaboration with Verizon Wireless to develop products that allow consumers to experience the benefits of mobility and the Internet.

“Nokia has long been committed to working closely with operators in the US and around the world, and is very pleased to support Verizon Wireless in their choice of LTE as their global 4G evolution path,” said Mark Louison, President, Nokia Inc., the North American arm of Nokia.

“It is very exciting to see Verizon Wireless, one of the world’s leading wireless providers, announce their open development initiative for devices and their decision to evolve their network to the open, global specification of LTE.”

Within the next 10 years, Nokia sees that demand for an enriched mobile experience and mobile computing will continue to grow at exponential rates. LTE will help to enable faster, richer multimedia services such as multi-player gaming with rich 3D graphics and simultaneous Instant Messaging or voice calls and a host of other applications providing a much more compelling mobile experience for consumers everywhere. Nokia.

BASKING RIDGE, NJ, Nov 29, ‘07 /PRNewswire/ — Verizon today announced plans to develop and deploy its fourth generation mobile broadband network using LTE — Long Term Evolution – the technology developed within the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards organization.

The selection of LTE provides Verizon and Vodafone — joint owners of U.S.-based Verizon Wireless - - with a unique opportunity to adopt a common access platform with true global scale and compatibility with existing technologies of both companies.

Verizon and Vodafone have a coordinated trial plan for LTE that begins in 2008. Trial suppliers include Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia- Siemens, and Nortel. These suppliers, along with others in the world community, have contributed significantly towards development of the standards in 3GPP.

Discussions with device suppliers have expanded beyond traditional suppliers such as LG, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia, and Sony Ericsson, as consumer electronics companies anticipate embedded wireless functionality in their future products.

“We fully support Verizon’s decision to select LTE as their next generation wireless broadband solution,” said Steve Pusey, Vodafone’s global chief technology officer. “LTE will build on the capabilities of Vodafone’s 3G broadband High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) network technology, which is available across the entire Vodafone 3G footprint.”

“Today’s 4G announcement, coupled with our Open Development initiative announced earlier this week present a major growth opportunity for Verizon Wireless,” said Doreen Toben, chief financial officer of Verizon. “Fourth generation’s higher data speeds wi usher in a new era of wireless applications and appliances, all of which can benefit from connecting to the nation’s premier wireless network.”

More at PRNewsWire.

Nov 21, ‘07 — Apple has been forced to release a version of the iPhone in Germany that is not locked into a specific network or contract, scuppering its exclusive deal with Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile.

Following a preliminary injunction, T-Mobile said that it would sell an unlocked phone for $1465 ( €999 ) until a final decision is reached. It will continue to offer iPhones locked into a two-year contract for $585 ( €399 ). Its announcement comes after rival Vodafone went to a German court to challenge T-Mobile’s exclusive tie-up with the iPhone in Germany.

Vodafone Deutschland won the injunction barring T-Mobile from offering the iPhone exclusively with a so-called SIM lock that stops users from switching the device to any other operator’s network, and with a minimum two year contract.

There is no indication that the case could be replicated in the UK. A Vodafone spokesman said: “This is particular to Germany. The regulatory situation is very different from the UK, so we won’t be doing it here.”

The case is due to come before the courts in around two weeks time, when Vodafone will push for Apple to sell unlocked iPhones at the same, or a similar price as the phone locked into the T-Mobile contract.

Apple has offered the iPhone exclusively to one operator in each of the countries that it has launched, in a bid to secure a percentage of phone usage revenues from the mobile operators.

Nov 20, ‘07 — It sounds like Apple is updating the iPhone and adding what iPhone shoud’ve come out with in first place, 3G. Unwired View is reporting / speculating on Vodafone getting exclusive right to 3G iPhone in the spring of ‘08, citing Italian site Morse.it

“Italian site Morse.it reports that Vodafone has signed an agreement with Apple for the exclusive distribution rights to 3G iPhone UMTS. The UMTS iPhone 3G will be launched next spring, simultaneously in all countries where Vodafone operates.

The new 3G UMTS iPhone should be announced after Christmas, or early next year (Macworld Expo?), so as not to negatively impact Christmas sales of the current generation iPhone.”

Unwired View further cites an article from theRegister.co.uk and another article from Morse.it from the past week corroborating the story. More here.

Dusseldorf, Germany — Nov 19, ‘07 — The German unit of Vodafone said Monday it had won a court order requiring its rival, Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile, to sell the Apple iPhone in Germany without a mandatory calling plan.

The restraining order was issued by a regional court in Hamburg Monday. Vodafone is questioning Deutsche Telekom’s iPhone sales practices, the spokesman said. Deutsche Telekom is marketing the iPhone exclusively in Germany.

Specifically, Vodafone is questioning the iPhone’s exclusive use in T-Mobile’s network and the use of the device being limited to certain fees within T- Mobile’s subscription offerings.

Vodafone Germany chief executive Friedrich Joussen said in Dusseldorf Vodafone did not want to halt iPhone sales. ‘We want it to be available to buyers without a mandatory calling plan,’ he said. ‘If I had wanted to halt sales, I could have, but I didn’t.’ Joussen said he expected a substantive ruling within two weeks.

A spokesman for T-Mobile Monday confirmed the restraining order has been issued, adding that the company is examining the issue. So far, it is too early to comment on possible consequences for the company, he said.

The LTE/SAE trial initiative (LSTI) delivers initial results and expands to include new members.

Espoo, Finland — Nov 07, ‘07 — The first phase in a trial of an evolved version of today’s mobile phone radio access technology designed to deliver much higher wireless data rates has proven a success. 

The LTE/SAE (Long Term Evolution / System Architecture Evolution) Trial Initiative (LSTI) launched in May this year has reported the successful delivery of the first in a series of test results aimed at proving the potential and benefits of LTE. LTE is being standardized by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as a next generation mobile broadband technology.

The Initiative was founded by leading telecommunications companies Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, France Telecom/Orange, Nokia, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, T-Mobile and Vodafone, and was recently expanded with China Mobile, Huawei, LG Electronics, NTT DoCoMo, Samsung, Signalion, Telecom Italia and ZTE joining as new members.

Initial results have confirmed that the technology will deliver high levels of data throughput both for stationary and mobile devices. In more detail, the group has confirmed that the LTE physical layer performance targets in terms of stationary and on-the-move peak data rates can be met. This confirmation was achieved using an agreed set of common transmission profiles, test procedures, and analysis methods. The joint tests were performed using prototype single and multi-antenna radio systems in both lab and urban field environments.

As mobile devices become increasingly sophisticated and handle more and more complex multimedia applications, the LTE/SAE technology is designed to give end users wireless access to growing levels of data throughput on the move.

From a technical perspective, 3GPP LTE technology aims to provide improved spectral efficiency, increased radio capacity, lower latency, lower operating costs for operators, and ultimately new high-performance mobile broadband end-user services. 3GPP LTE is specified to enable downlink/uplink peak data rates above 100/50 Mbps in initial deployment configurations.

The LTE/SAE Trial Initiative is divided into three main phases; Proof of concept, Interoperability and Trial. Joint testing, and reporting of ongoing results will continue out to the end of 2009, with initial LTE system deployments planned for the 2010 timeframe. More at Nokia.

Espoo, Finland — Nov 07, ‘07 – Vodafone, the world’s largest mobile operator by revenue and Nokia the world’s largest handset manufacturer, have agreed to launch an integrated suite of Vodafone services combined with Nokia Ovi Services on a range of Nokia handsets. These services will offer customers a greater choice of communications, Internet services, content and browsing through a range of premium handsets on high speed 3G and 3G broadband networks. Vodafone and Nokia also have agreed that a number of these handsets will be exclusive to Vodafone.

Vodafone and Nokia will make it easier to access the Internet quickly at the click of a button. Customers will get the full suite of communications, content, Internet services and browsing, through seamlessly integrated Vodafone services on Nokia handsets. 

“Web2.0 is all about social networking and enabling people to connect with each other in new ways. Bringing location and context awareness to web2.0 services is the next stage in the web development and Nokia multimedia computers enable people to participate to their favourite internet services on-the-go”, said Executive Vice President and General Manager Nokia Multimedia Anssi Vanjoki. “We’re excited to work with Vodafone to provide consumers with internet services like navigation, music, games and communities to make their life richer and more enjoyable, independent of time and place.” More at Nokia.