Skype has filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission to remove restrictions by wireless phone carriers on the kind of software communications applications that their subscribers want to use. The company requested the agency to apply the “Carterfone” decision to the wireless industry. The said rule permits consumers to connect any device to a… Continue Reading
Author Archives: Eliza Villarino
Work Begins On 1Gbps Mobile WiMAX Spec
The IEEE has started working on 802.16m, a protocol that promises WiMAX speeds of up to 1Gbps and backward compatibility with 802.16e-2005 or Mobile WiMax. The group hopes to conclude the technology development phase by the end of this year, vote on the spec in 2008, and ratify as well as finalize it by the… Continue Reading
Skype Phone Arrives With No String Attached
RTX has unveiled its new cordless Skype handset. Dualphone 3088 removes the need for users to turn on their PCs to enable Skype connection since the base station connects to a broadband router/modem via an Ethernet cable, rather than to a USB link at the back of a PC. When switched on, Dualphone 3088 initially… Continue Reading
Verizon Continues High-Speed Wireless Data Rollout
Verizon Wireless is upgrading its network with CDMA 1x EV-DO Revision A to enable faster BroadbandAccess wireless data services in several U.S. cities. The said technology delivers downstream speeds ranging from 450K to 800Kbps and upstream speeds between 300K and 400Kbps. BroadbandAccess subscribers pay a monthly fee starting from $60 — if they already have… Continue Reading
Sify Picks Proxim For WiMAX
Sify Limited, India’s leading ISP, has opted for Proxim Wireless’s 5.8 GHz Tsunami MP.11 WiMAX-ready product line to serve as its core platform for last-mile access and other mobile features. The decision came following an eight-month testing and evaluation of products from various vendors. MP.11, which enables WiMAX capabilities for unlicensed frequency bands, houses shock-resistant… Continue Reading
Coming Up: Vonage Wireless?
VoIP startup Vonage announced plans to begin offering dual-mode handsets with support for both cellular and Wi-Fi access during the second half of the year. This is the latest in a series of steps taken by the company as part of its diversification strategy. It is selling V-Phone — a VoIP phone in a stick… Continue Reading
RSA: Attendees Drop Ball On Wi-Fi Security
Over half of the wireless LAN devices at the RSA Conference were found to be prone to security attacks – particularly “Evil Twin” and “zero day” – during two days of WLAN traffic scanning by wireless security vendor AirDefense. The first type happens when a victim wirelessly connects to a laptop or handheld device masquerading… Continue Reading
Proxim Unveils Mesh Nodes With Wireless Backhaul
Proxim Wireless is now offering WiFi mesh base nodes with wireless backhaul in licensed or unlicensed spectrum. MeshMAX is a system that integrates AP4000MR, the company’s outdoor mesh nodes, with broadband wireless radios for backhaul, which can be either 802.16d fixed WiMAX in the 3.5GHz range or Proxim’s “pre-WiMax” MP11 base station in unlicensed spectrum… Continue Reading
VoIP Systems Extend Workers’ Reach
Reducing communication costs is not the only advantage to using VoIP. Some companies are now opting for the technology because it allows them to reach their employees even when they are not in the office or on the phone. Jon Levey, broker/owner of ReMax Real Estate Advocate in Lincoln Park, Chicago is thanking the hosted… Continue Reading
BT Keeps Quiet On Wi-Fi Sharing Talks
BT is keeping mum on rumors it is having secret negotiations with FON. The company said it wants to expand its Wi-Fi coverage but it has no deal with the Spanish Wi-Fi sharing network at the moment. According to Reuters, however, the two firms are holding talks with each other. Many ISPs, including BT, have… Continue Reading
Broadcom Puts WiFi, Bluetooth And FM On Wireless Chip
Broadcom has unveiled BCM4325, a chip that supports WiFi, Bluetooth and FM radio. With the use of proprietary “InConcert” algorithms, the chip is able to address interference issues between Bluetooth and WiFi. Such problems normally happen in the past when radios operate in the same spectrum — both Bluetooth and WiFi tap the 2.4GHz band.… Continue Reading
Skyriver Receives Funding
Skyriver Communications and Comerica Bank have signed an agreement giving the former both a working capital line of credit and equipment financing line. The wireless broadband service provider plans to use the money to finance its plans to expand its coverage into Los Angeles and Orange County and upgrade its existing network using next generation… Continue Reading
NTT DoCoMo Achieves World’s First 5Gbps Packet Transmission In 4G Field Experiment
NTT DoCoMo announced that its field experiment of fourth-generation radio access in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture on December 25, 2006 saw the attainment of a maximum packet transmission rate of about 5Gbps in the downlink using 100MHz frequency bandwidth to a 10km/h mobile station. The development followed the company’s decision to increase the number of MIMO… Continue Reading
Boingo Launches Worldwide Wi-Fi Service For Mobile Phones And Devices
Boingo Wireless has launched its new global Wi-Fi service for mobile phones and devices. Boingo Mobile, which the company offers for a monthly flat rate of $7.95, allows users to get high-speed Internet connection in airports, hotels, restaurants and convention centers across the globe. The service can run with Windows Mobile 5.0-based Smartphones or Pocket… Continue Reading
S.F. Should Not Rush Free Wi-Fi Deal
Jake McGoldrick, a supervisor for San Francisco’s First District, raised concerns over the city’s deal with EarthLink and Google to build a citywide Wi-Fi network. He cited a report by a Budget Analyst for the Board of Supervisors recommending that the city explore several business models. This move, the report said, “would encourage creativity and… Continue Reading