Starting January 2007, broadband subscribers of Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) will get an upgrade in their connection — speeds will go up from 256 kilobits per second to 2 megabits per second. India’s national telecommunications carrier has no intention to charge more for the service; thus the tariff will remain at 250 rupees (or a little over $5) per month.
BSNL contracted Aperto Networks to provide equipment such as WiMAX base stations and subscriber units for the network. The California-based company disclosed that six cities, i.e., Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and Pune, will be part of the initial coverage. The maiden rollout also looks to include four rural districts of Haryana, an Indian state adjacent to capital New Delhi.
The government envisions broadband subscriptions to grow to 9 million by the end of next year, up by 6 million from the current figure. Indian Communications and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran sees over a million additional connections per month once rural areas get technologies like WiMax.
Via [redherring.com]
Continue reading ‘WiMAX To Roll Out In India’
Shipment of the next generation of Nabaztag, a WiFi rabbit from French design house Violet, to the U.S. remains uncertain. The Nabaztag development blog cited issues raised by the Federal Communications Commission, which have now been cleared, for the delay. The new “Nabaztag/tag” is already available in France, the U.K., and the rest of Europe.
The WiFi bunny has revolving antenna ears that move like a conductor’s baton. Its white plastic body carries various integrated LEDs that flash in order to provide information — the movement of a specific stock or an incoming email - to its owner. The gizmo has a text-to-speech generator to read emails or Web pages. Violet put a “belly button” microphone for two-way, verbal communication in the next-gen version, which features an unlimited time playing capability for podcasts and web radios.
Via [pcmag.com]
Continue reading ‘Next-gen Nabaztag Wi-Fi Rabbit Delayed In U.S.’
A study by wireless networking firm AirMagnet indicates that holiday decorations cause interference to indoor Wi-Fi network. It found out that tinsels and Christmas wreaths can reduce WiFi signal strength by 25 percent.
Chia-Chee Kuan, AirMagnet’s CTO and vice president of engineering, said the introduction of new elements in a corporate environment has potential serious impact on the performance of WiFi networks. Wireless analysts, like Craig Mathias of the Farpoint Group, agreed that any metal or electrically powered ornaments can create Wi-Fi interference.
According to AirMagnet, this phenomenon could present a big headache for businesses as signal reduction can lead to slow or dropped connections, thus causing decreased productivity. The company recommended that network administrators regularly conduct wireless analysis throughout the year, including the holidays.
Via [msnbc.msn.com]
Continue reading ‘Holiday Decorations vs. Wi-Fi Networks’
Netgear is bringing its WiFi phone, which can make calls using Skype, to Singapore. The company is selling the handset for S$349 (US$2226) and has preloaded it with Skype software.
To make calls through SPH101, the user must be within the coverage of a 802.11b or a 802.11g wireless system and must hold a proper network ID in order to access the network. The device is useless on fee-based Wi-Fi systems, which demand browser-based authentication, and on the niche IEEE 802.11a wireless standard.
Netgear expects to ship the phone to different Asia-Pacific countries, including Malaysia and Thailand. It plans to introduce a multiple language feature later this year.
Via [zdnetasia.com]
Continue reading ‘Netgear Debuts Long-awaited Wi-Fi Phone’
Ofcom is due to auction frequencies that will enable a range of services such as mobile WiMAX, mobile TV, and alternative 3G networks. The British communications regulator plans to put up three bands — 2500-2690 MHz, 2010-2025 MHz and 2290-2300 MHz and in total 215 MHz — for public sale and has sought proposals from industry and interested parties for the event. The period for consultation will last through March 9, 2007. The agency also revealed it is retaining the services of consulting firms DotEcon and Analysis for the auction.
The consultation document states plans to release the spectrum through two separate auctions. The agency looks to package bands 2500-2690 MHz and 2010-2025 MHz into several lots and would allow bidders to make an offer for multiple lots in an online auction, which will use a secure server. Auction for bands 2290-2300 MHz will be bundled into a single lot and will be carried out through a sealed bid process.
The move forms part of a broader program to free some 400MHz of spectrum in the next few years, which, according to Ofcom CEO Ed Richards, “will create new opportunities for innovation in wireless technologies, promoting competition and driving convergence.” The agency also proposed to auction spectrum freed up by the analog-to-digital television switchover. It is expected to announce a consultation on this soon.
Via [eetimes.com]
Continue reading ‘Ofcom Auction Opens Door To Mobile WiMAX, TV’
According to a new study by the Wi-Fi Alliance and research firm In-Stat, global shipments of WiFi chips will surge to 200.9 million this year from 160.9 million in 2005.
Chips for Wi-Fi-enabled laptops and routers make up most of the volume at 75 percent, while those for portable consumer electronics like hand-held video games and the Zune account for around 15 per cent — down by 2 percent last year — and those for stationary consumer electronics like video game consoles represent 10 percent, or a 2 percent increase from last year. In-Stat believes shipments of chips for dual-mode phones will rise from 1 percent this year to 5 percent in 2007, to nearly 25 percent by 2010.
As to variants, pre-standard “n” wireless chips only captured 4 percent of the market this year. The “g” variety remains dominant with a 55 percent share, followed by the combination “a” and “g” technology at 25 percent, a considerable jump from 9 percent in 2005.
Via [theglobeandmail.com]
Continue reading ‘Wi-Fi Chip Shipments Expected To Top 200M In 2006′
Qualcomm is buying Airgo Networks and announced plans to market the latter’s so-called “802.11n Draft 2.0-compliant” chipset. The said silicon is due to make an appearance at CES 2007 in Las Vegas. Some analysts believe it will not be an easy road for Qualcomm. At the moment, some 370 technical issues beset Draft 2.0 and IEEE members are not expected to vote on the specifications until March 2007. In addition, the company is facing stiff competition from Intel, which is aggressively marketing its own WiMax equipment.
Via [betanews.com]
Continue reading ‘Qualcomm’s WiFi Joins With Airgo To Battle Intel’s WiMAX’
DaimlerChrysler announced that its field trial of WILLWARN, a research project by the PReVENT initiative aimed at reducing road accidents in Europe, has been a success.
The project involves installing WLAN routers in cars to allow drivers to share information on temperature, road conditions, fog, or road obstructions within a 500 meter radius. Car2Car Communication Consortium developed the system, which would use 5.9GHz band to enable the ad-hoc mesh network.
Engineers hope to expand the features of the technology in the future. They see a possible integration with GPS and mapping systems to help cars find other routes so they can elude gridlocks.
Via [arstechnica.com]
Continue reading ‘A WiFi Mesh Network For Your Car’
In Hong Kong, Intel showed off its WiMax Connection 2300 chipset, which it embedded in a Intel Centrino Duo-based computer with WiMax, WiFi and high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) 3G capabilities. The silicon, according the company, can extend the range and capacity of wireless networks. DataComm President Ira Brodsky lauded Intel’s move to combine WiMax with WiFi and other wireless technologies, which could benefit users wanting more multimedia content like mobile TV.
Via [technewsworld.com]
Continue reading ‘Intel Rolls Out New WiMax Chipset’
Qualcomm’s announcement of the “availability” of a chip complying with Draft 2.0 of 802.11n standard due to its acquisition of Airgo, has raised eyebrows. Conforming to a draft of the standard is not logical. In addition, the IEEE 802.11n group needs to resolve 370 issues that came out of its November meeting and a vote on Draft 2.0 is unlikely before March 2007.
Qualcomm vice-president Enrico Salvatori agreed that such silicon is not available but the company is planning for sample shipments in the second half of next year. The purchase of Airgo is designed to boost Qualcomm’s fixed-mobile convergence plans. The company looks to incorporate Draft 2.0 Wi-Fi into its Mobile Station Modem and Snapdragon chipsets.
Via [techworld.com]
Continue reading ‘Does Qualcomm Really Have 802.11n Draft 2.0?’
Some consumers are now having a taste of mobile phones that can make calls over the Internet. Companies like Vonage, Skype and T-Mobile are either promoting or selling these devices, which tap WiFi access points, particularly those installed in coffee shops, parks, businesses and homes, to enable calls.
Some home network users do not welcome the new trend. They believe VoIP users should not get the service for free when they pay for connection to their networks.
The devices come with some limitations. Because they use wireless networks, dropped calls are not unusual and battery life is short as WiFi is a power-hungry technology. But these allow for possibilities such as calls that can switch from cellular to WiFi networks and provide an alternative to traditional telecommunications networks.
Via [nytimes.com]
Continue reading ‘The Air Is Free, And Sometimes So Are The Phone Calls That Borrow It’
Contract negotiations over a citywide wireless network in San Francisco is set to wrap up soon, according Chris Vein, who heads the city’s technology office.
The city has already selected the joint venture of Google and Earthlink for the multi-million-dollar project. Under the deal, Earthlink will build and manage the 50-square-mile network, which will hold 1,500 radio transmitters from Tropos Networks, while Google will buy bandwidth from Earthlink and provide a free wireless service to residents. The network promises to deliver 300 kilobits per second to users of the free service but can provide up to 1 megabit per second connection for a fee of $20 per month.
The city’s board of supervisors, Vein said, is likely to start its review of the contract by January. If the contract is approved, Earthlink is expected to begin installing its equipment next year.
Via [mercurynews.com]
Continue reading ‘S.F. Nears WiFi Deal’
Visitors to Leicester Square can now access the Internet wirelessly for free. The London tourist spot now hosts an 8 Mbit/s line but those connecting to it must be aware of the zone’s fair use clause, i.e., no one person should tap all the bandwidth at once. According to Phil Ryan of the PR and marketing firm Four Communications, which sponsored the network, the service allows for free VoIP calls and instant messaging.
Via [vnunet.com]
Continue reading ‘Leicester Square To Become A Free WiFi Zone’
Alcatel and Sequans Communications are teaming up to develop low-cost devices for mobile WiMax networks. Production is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2007.
The deal involves integrating Alcatel’s advanced antenna technology with Sequans’ SQN1110, which is based on Universal WiMAX 802.16e-2005. The silicon offers a throughput of 10 Mbps and needs less power than comparable solutions.
The companies said the move aims to reduce per-user cost of mobile WiMax service. They believe this is possible with improved coverage and capacity as well as with cost-optimized consumer premise equipment.
Via [wirelessweek.com]
Continue reading ‘Alcatel, Sequans Team For Mobile WiMAX’
The Air Is Free, And Sometimes So Are The Phone Calls That Borrow It
Some consumers are now having a taste of mobile phones that can make calls over the Internet. Companies like Vonage, Skype and T-Mobile are either promoting or selling these devices, which tap WiFi access points, particularly those installed in coffee shops, parks, businesses and homes, to enable calls.
Some home network users do not welcome the new trend. They believe VoIP users should not get the service for free when they pay for connection to their networks.
The devices come with some limitations. Because they use wireless networks, dropped calls are not unusual and battery life is short as WiFi is a power-hungry technology. But these allow for possibilities such as calls that can switch from cellular to WiFi networks and provide an alternative to traditional telecommunications networks.
Via [nytimes.com]
Continue reading ‘The Air Is Free, And Sometimes So Are The Phone Calls That Borrow It’