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LG and Nortel complete first LTE-CDMA handoff, Verizon swoons
This'll probably end up being important for Bell and Telus up in Canada (even though they're taking an intermediate step from CDMA to HSPA), but Verizon must absolutely love the fact that the infrastructure guys have now figured out how to hand off data packets between CDMA and LTE networks in a standards-compliant way. LG and Nortel -- what's left of it, anyway -- have collaborated to complete the handoff in Nortel's Ottawa research labs on 700MHz spectrum between EV-DO and the Canadian firm's LTE hardware, using LG's so-called M13 prototype modem that roughly resembles consumer-grade equipment that LG wants to release next year. This is great news for customers who not only won't need to choose between a fast modem with crappy coverage and a slow modem with awesome coverage -- they'll be able to have both in a single device -- but they'll also be able to continue to torrent last night's True Blood as they move between technologies. Cheers to that.
Ericsson scores Nortel's CDMA and LTE assets with $1.13B bid
Arguably the crown jewel lying in fallen giant Nortel's corpse, the company's CDMA and LTE infrastructure units have been pursued by all the usual suspects -- Nokia Siemens and Ericsson, just to name a couple -- plus some unusual ones like fellow Canadian company RIM. That party appears to be drawing to a close, though, with Ericsson emerging victorious to the tune of $1.13 billion. Ericsson apparently has a vision that adding Nortel's bits will help it expand its North American footprint, and it thinks it'll be keeping about 80 percent of the existing staff on board to do so; first, of course, the deal has to actually close, which will happen later in the year if everything goes according to plan.[Via Phone Scoop]
RIM files cranky press release chiding Nortel for blocking asset buy
Canadian telecom infrastructure giant Nortel is in the process of being disassembled piece-by-piece as stakeholders look to recoup their losses, and RIM -- noble knight in shining armor that it is -- wanted to do its part to help keep some of the company in Canada by offering about $1.1 billion US for Nortel's CDMA and LTE operations plus "certain other...assets." Noble gestures aside, it makes a lot of sense that RIM would want to start controlling more of its end-to-end technology stack by getting into the infrastructure game, and Nortel's CDMA and LTE gear are the best fit for that -- not to mention likely some of the most promising cash cows among Nortel's businesses over the coming several years. Alas, it seems that Nortel itself gummed up the works by requiring that RIM not bid on any other Nortel assets for a period of one year, something RIM can't seem to get over. Says co-CEO Jim Balsillie, "RIM is extremely disappointed that Nortel's world leading technology, the development of which has been funded in part by Canadian taxpayers, seems destined to leave Canada and that Canada's own Export Development Corporation is preparing to help by lending $300 million to another bidder" -- in other words, "we really think this should stay in Canada, and you're making it difficult." The company remains interested if Nortel is willing to hear it out, but really, is it a huge deal that they not be able to buy any other Nortel businesses for a year?
Nortel quits the mobile WiMAX game
Sure, Clearwire is still busily rolling out its mobile WiMAX network across the US, but the fledgling wireless standard isn't having the best time of it lately -- Nokia just discontinued the N810 WiMAX Edition, which was easily the highest-profile WiMAX product on the market, and now Nortel is closing down its entire mobile WiMAX division. Considering Nortel's struggle to stay afloat in our super-awesome economy, the move isn't too shocking -- but at least Nortel partner Alvarion is working to pick up the pieces, so hopefully the impact on the broader WiMAX market won't be too huge.
Video Bulletin Board enables mobile-to-Blu-ray player interaction
After seeing what we saw at CEDIA this year, we knew this innovation was only a hop, skip and a jump away. RCDb and Nortel have teamed up to showcase what they're calling the Video Bulletin Board, which is an interactive application that enables cellphones and Blu-ray players to communicate like never before. With it, you can "send a photo or video from your mobile phone to your own or a friend's BD Live-enabled Blu-ray deck and then, using the remote, activate a click-to-call feature that would automatically have your phone call back the mobile user who sent you the photo." It won't be long before you're ordering pizza from your Blu-ray player and watching outtakes on your handset -- at least, we hope.[Image courtesy of Blu-ray.com]
LTE trial deemed a success: 170Mbps downloads in a moving car
Controlled LTE trials have been going pretty well of late, but the first test "under everyday conditions" has just gone down in Germany. We're pleased to say that everything went off without a hitch, as a connection using the next-generation (4G) mobile communications standard was maintained while inside a moving car traveling at around 42mph. Aside from the thrill of not dropping in and out of Pidgin at random, experimenters were able to pull downloads of up to 170Mbps and upload at up to 50Mbps. According to Hamid Akhavan, head of T-Mobile, it will still be 2010 (at the very earliest) before any of its markets go live with LTE, but at least we're moving in the right direction, eh?[Image courtesy of ChrisHarrison]
Vonage, Nortel call a truce -- no cash changing hands
Although the press release issued to announce the settlement between Vonage and AT&T earlier this month is still the shortest we've seen in all of 2007, we're pretty certain the one doled out to trumpet the truce between Vonage and Nortel is holding down the two-spot. In just five wee sentences, we learn that the two have agreed in principle to end the litigation pending between 'em, and though no cash will be changing hands, the agreement does involve a limited cross license to three patents per firm. Way to put the past behind before entering into the new year, we say.
Nortel and Qualcomm test cellular / WiFi-hopping handset
Cellular / WiFi hopping handsets aren't an entirely new concept, but Nortel and Qualcomm look to be giving the desirable technology a boost today, with them announcing that they've succesfully tested a handset that makes use of Nortel's Voice Call Continuity network-based system and Qualcomm's corresponding IMS/VCC-based chipset. That combo, the companies say, allows for seamless switching of voice calls between CDMA cellular networks and plain-old WiFi networks which should, in turn, save you some money on service charges. What's more, the pair says their solution will allow companies to offer dual-mode mobile phones that are VCC-ready upon purchase, with no further software downloads or service configuration necessary. It also seems like that prospect may not be all that far off, as Nortel says it expects its network solution to be available in the first quarter of next year, while Qualcomm says its VCC-ready devices will be rolling out sometime in mid-2008.[Via Phone Scoop]
SEC to fine Nortel up to $100 million for shady accounting
Looks like a heartfelt apology just wasn't enough for the SEC -- the agency is expected to fine formerly high-flying communications company Nortel up to $100 million this week for inflating revenue on quarterly reports by an estimated $3.4 billion. The SEC is also suing a handful of former Nortel executives who approved the bogus numbers, allegedly to trigger bonuses for themselves. Nortel just settled several outstanding class-action lawsuits from shareholders for slightly more than $2 billion, so another $100 mil probably seems like a drop in the bucket at this point, but here's hoping this whole sad chapter is over -- we still want to see that MIMO WiMAX rig start shipping.
Microsoft delving into VoIP phone market, RoundTable gets a price
Alright, so the average consumer probably has little need for yet another competitor in the VoIP handset market, but it looks like Microsoft is delving into a slightly different arena as it hopes to create new marketshare to snag. Presumably branching from the firm's unified communications platform, Gates & Co. are looking to try their luck in the "global business telecoms market" by developing and manufacturing several telephony devices. For cube-dwellers, the firm is concocting its own software / hardware kit which connects users via a "discreet wireless earpiece," a USB stick, and call management software that should hit "public trials" soon. Additionally, the $3,000 RoundTable video conferencing machine touts four webcams for a 360-degree view of the room, as well as VoIP connectivity to save on long distance costs. Interestingly, Microsoft is being "forced" to manufacturer said products on its own, as it couldn't seem to find a willing supplier to construct such a "disruptive" product. No word on when these units will hit the corporate pipeline, but if all goes as planned, you could be chatting on a Microsoft-branded handset before too long.
Samsung and Nortel hit 3.6Mbps down / 2Mbps up over HSUPA
Big deal, another demonstration of wireless video streaming to laptops and cellphones... we've seen that before, right? Au contraire, these devices are pumping vid over HSUPA and are on display now at ITU Telecom World in Hong Kong. Samsung and Nortel managed to squeeze a downstream data rate of 3.6Mbps out of a theoretical 5.6Mbps. Better yet, they pulled off a 2Mbps upstream rate kicking HSDPA's puny 384kbps neatly to the curb. Both rates comfortably smoke those demonstrated by Option and Nortel earlier in the year. Yeah, we knew the demonstration was coming, but with HSUPA networks going hot in 2007 -- notably with Orange in Europe -- isn't it nice to see the first glimpse of a laptop snuggled up to a new SGH-G630 HSUPA handset we might someday be holding? [Via AVING and Telecoms Korea]
Nortel promises faster, MIMO-based WiMAX
Nortel has unveiled what it claims to be the industry's first end-to-end mobile MIMO-powered WiMAX solution at the WiMAX World USA 2006 trade show in Boston this week, promising faster speeds and greater subscriber capacity than other WiMAX solutions. According to the company, its gear will deliver speeds three times faster than non-MIMO WiMAX options with twice the subscriber capacity, as well as greater range and building penetration in urban areas. The company's also touting the cost savings of its solution, with less network infrastructure required for coverage meaning more money in the fat pockets of network operators. No word on when we might see any of this actually put into widespread use but the first MIMO-based WiMAX devices, developed in conjunction with Runcom Technologies, are set to be available in mid-2007.[Via Digital World Tokyo]
Plantronic's Voyager 510-USB Bluetooth headset: a first for enterprise VoIP softphones
Yeah, we know life can be unfair. At home you're setup with a cordless phone and wireless laptop allowing you to roam about in full untethered data communication glory. Then you return to work only to be tethered to the cube, and more specifically, the corporate phone. Well, Plantronics may have a solution if your local IT drones are VoIP enlightened. See, Plantronics just announced their new Voyager 510-USB which they claim is the first system to bring Bluetooth connectivity to enterprise class VoIP softphones (read: not that clunky VoIP handset on your desk). As the name indicates, the 510-USB slug-on-ear headset also features a USB little-buddy for slottin' up to your laptop. What's unique here is the PerSonoCall software which allows the kit to integrate with Avaya, Cisco, Nortel and yes, Skype among other softphone software, to offer call notification and remote call answering/ending via the headset whether you're scooting about the airport, office, or home on your lappie. The headset will switch "seamlessly" between your VoIP softphone and cellphone and should give you about 100 hours standby or 6 hours talktime within the usual 10-meter radius of your PC. Not bad, eh? Now get on the horn with IT and pester 'em for a softphone solution until those pansies cave.
