LTE: Russia: Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) launches LTE FDD network in Tambov.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesus.

LTE: Russia: Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) launches LTE FDD network in Tambov.

Russian mobile operator Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) has announced the commercial launch of its LTE FDD  network in Tambov and the Tambov region. Operator is currently rolling-out LTE networks throughout Russia and plans to over around 600 population centers of the Russian Federation by the end of 2014 .

MTS has deployed LTE networks covering the whole territory of Tambov and plans to further double the number of base stations in the city by the end of 2013. MTS will also extend coverage to additional population centers of the Tambov region.

Previously, MTS has launched commercial LTE TDD and FDD networks in Moscow.

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MWC2013:Altar introduces Single Mode LTE NVidia Tegra 3 tablet reference platform.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

MWC2013:Altar introduces Single Mode LTE NVidia Tegra 3 tablet reference platform.

Altair Semiconductor (http://www.altair-semi.com), the world's leading developer of high-performance, single-mode LTE chipsets, today announced that its chipset has been pre-integrated on the NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 tablet reference platform. The platform has been made available to Altair and NVIDIA customers as a reference for the development of single-mode LTE tablets, offering manufacturers a mature, high-performance and cost-effective solution.

Altair's Verizon-Certified FourGee-3100/6202 chipset offers single-mode LTE connectivity on both FDD and TDD variants across all 3GPP bands globally.

"As the industry continues its unabated move towards wide-scale adoption of 4G only devices, manufacturers are on the lookout for innovative LTE solutions to differentiate their product offering," said Eran Eshed, Co-Founder and VP of Marketing at Altair Semiconductor. "We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with NVIDIA and to bringing the 4G user experience to consumers around the world."

The explosion of data-centric devices such as mobile hotspots, Wi-Fi routers, USB dongles and M2M applications, combined with the massive expansion of 4G global coverage to the point of 3G parity, is driving strong carrier adoption of LTE powered devices which do not include 3G functionality. The combination of 3G's high cost, driven by extra silicon and heavy IP royalty toll, with narrow-band user experience, provides strong motivation to carriers and consumers alike to adopt LTE-only devices.

"By teaming Tegra 3 with Altair's LTE chipset, we can offer customers one of the most advanced solutions for LTE mobile devices," said Glenn Schuster, Director of Technical Marketing at NVIDIA. "We're looking forward to bringing more differentiated, LTE-enabled products to market."

About Altair Semiconductor

Altair Semiconductor is the world's leading developer of high performance, single-mode LTE semiconductors. Altair's chipsets can be found in approximately 50 end-user devices - ranging from USB dongles to smartphones - built by its more than 20 customers across North America, Europe, China, India and Taiwan - making it one of the only TDD/FDD LTE chipset manufacturers in the world with commercially available products. Altair's comprehensive product portfolio includes baseband processors, multi-band RF transceivers for both FDD and TDD bands, and a range of reference hardware and product level protocol stack software. Based on a novel, proprietary Software Defined Radio (SDR) processor, codenamed "O[2]P™", Altair's products are the smallest and most highly power optimized in the industry, offering an unmatched combination of flexibility and performance. For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.altair-semi.com. Follow Altair on Twitter: @AltairSemi

Media Contact:

Finn Partners Israel for Altair Semiconductor

Matthew Krieger

+972-544-676-950

matthew@finnpartners.co.il

SOURCE Altair Semiconductor

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LTE: Estonia: EMT plans to open LTE network to smartphones in January 2013.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.       

LTE: Estonia: EMT plans to open LTE network to smartphones in January 2013.

Estonian mobile service provider EMT plans to open LTE network to smartphones as well in January 2013. Operator has been already offering LTE services to modems and routers users since last two years.

Operator will launch voice services using CS fallback technology that allows LTE mobile phones to switchover to 2G, 3G network for voice calls. Initially, EMT will start selling Sony Xperia V and the iPhone 5 smartphones.

EMT opened its LTE network on December 17, 2010. By the end of 2012, operator expects, it’s LTE network to cover 35% of Estonia and 70% of the country’s population. EMT has targeted to build and launch 300 LTE base stations by the end of 2012.

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LTE: Malaysia: Maxis to Invest RM Half Billion for LTE Network.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: Malaysia: Maxis to Invest RM Half Billion for LTE Network.

Malaysia's communications service provider Maxis Berhad is ready to launch 4G LTE service following the allocation of the 2600 MHz spectrum band for 4G LTE by Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on 5 December 2012. As part of its ongoing network investments, Maxis has allocated RM half a billion over the next three years to launch LTE services. 

Maxis has been trialling LTE for 2 years and conducting extensive LTE interworking tests in a live network environment using commercial devices. Now operator is all set to launch LTE services in Malaysia and expects to roll out LTE network across various parts of the country in the next few years.

Operator has already signed an important agreement with Redtone to build common infrastructure following its sign up with U-Mobile in July 2012.

The Company's 3G / HSPA+ network is currently available to 81% population coverage from 5,200 sites. Whereas its HSPA+ dual carrier network has over 3,500 sites covering most major towns nationwide and supports speeds of up to 42 Mbps. 

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LTE: Australia: Alcatel-Lucent to Provide LTE Solution to Rio Tinto mining group.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: Australia: Alcatel-Lucent to Provide LTE Solution to Rio Tinto mining group.

Rio Tinto, a international mining group, has selected Alcatel-Lucent to implement LTE technology to support its existing operations and future business needs. Alcatel-Lucent will enhance the speed and capacity of existing critical communications infrastructure for Rio Tinto in Western Australia, extending it further with LTE and fibre-optic technologies. 

Under the agreement, Alcatel-Lucent will provide Rio Tinto with a complete end-to-end private 4G LTE network at its West Angelas mine in the Pilbara. The enhanced connectivity will support the fast delivery of high-bandwidth data for in-pit mining operations, including asset monitoring and other production and safety systems.

The company will also provide a fibre backbone platform and network management solutions, as well as a range of professional services.

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LTE: New Zealand: Telecom to Start trial in Wellington, Auckland

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: New Zealand: Telecom to Start  trial in Wellington, Auckland

Telecom New Zealand will begin 4G LTE trial in parts of Wellington and Auckland from Friday this week. The Auckland trial will take place in parts of the North Shore on the 2600MHz spectrum and will be conducted by Huawei. Alcatel-Lucent will run the trial in the Lower Hutt area of Wellington, also on the 2600MHz spectrum. Telecom is aiming to launch the new network late in 2013/early in 2014. 

Telecom is also planning two smaller trials of LTE outside of the main centres. Alcatel-Lucent will conduct a trial on behalf of Telecom in a rural part of southern Hawke’s Bay on the 700MHz spectrum (which will become available after the switch over to digital television) and Huawei will trial at 1800MHz and 2600MHz frequencies in a small area of Rotorua.

This first phase of the trial will run till mid-February and will focus on testing how the network performs in a New Zealand environment in a series of situations - for example its performance under a heavy load. It will also work through possible coverage models for the network, and identify and work through any technical issues that may arise during the deployment process. 

The second phase, which involves customer trials, will begin in mid-February and run until the end of March. 

Telecom also announced today that it had selected Ericsson to supply equipment for the Home Location Register (HLR) combined with the Home Subscriber Service (HSS) a core part of both the existing 3G and new 4G LTE network.

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China Mobile will launch LTE in Hong Kong on 18 December.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

China Mobile will launch LTE in Hong Kong on 18 December.

China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile operator will launch LTE in Hong Kong on 18 December, according to reports.

Hong Kong is already well served for LTE with all four other operators, Hutchison, PCCW and CSL and CMHK, offering 4G services. The move however, has larger significance in that it indicates that China Mobile is readying a wider TD-LTE–based launch in mainland China.

Details of its deals with Ericsson and ZTE to provide a dual-mode FDD/TDD network were revealed back in July.

At the LTE North America conference, John Saw, CTO of US wholesale network operator Clearwire said that the TD-LTE industry had received a massive boost by China Mobile joining the other Chinese operators in selecting Band 41 as its TD-LTE band of choice. China has allocated the 2500-2690Hz (2.6GHz) and entire 190Mhz spectrum ranges for TD-LTE.

Apple has announced that the iPhone 5 has been approved by China’s Ministry of Industry and Technology and that it will be available on China Unicom and China Telecom.  However, China Mobile has yet to reach an agreement with Apple to make the iPhone officially available on its network.

Analysts are predicting that the iPhone 5 will be available on China Mobile at some point in 2013 pointing towards Apple including a Qualcomm chip in the device that support’s China Mobile’s TD-SCDMA technology. However, no current iPhone 5 SKU supports the TD-LTE standard that China Mobile is currently trialling.

Earlier this week Telecoms.com exclusively revealed that Apple holds the keys to using the iPhone 5 on carries LTE networks and will not allow it to be used until it has conducted its own testing.

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USA: Sprint wants a connected car, as well.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

USA: Sprint wants a connected car, as well.

In Nov 16,2009 Alcatel Lucent announced the LTE connected car project also known as the ng connected car program.

According to Alcatel Lucent these are the services the LTE Connected Car can bring on the road:

• Video on demand
• Gaming
• Home control
• Enhanced communications services
• eCommerce
• Wi-Fi hotspot
• Advanced Navigation
• Enhanced safety, convenience and security
• Road and vehicle monitoring

Some of the associate members are listed on their site. A video was made at that time here below:

Well, that is in Europe.

Now in the USA, Sprint  today formally unveiled Sprint Velocity, a comprehensive global end-to-end solution designed specifically for automakers as part of the Technology Showcase at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. Sprint introduced its Sprint Velocity service to a packed audience of automotive media and auto industry executives during the show’s Press Days.

Sprint Velocity is a pioneering capability that encompasses the development, integration and marketing of in-vehicle communications systems. Automakers can use Sprint Velocity as a complete turnkey solution or on a modular basis to suit their customized needs.

During the press conference, Sprint executives showcased how Sprint Velocity helps auto manufacturers more easily integrate the complex components and vendor relationships needed to provide the best in connected services in autos and passenger trucks – whether it’s music, news, weather, sports and other infotainment features, security, navigation, remote connections for mobile devices, emergency services and engine diagnostics. View Sprint Velocity video below:

“Sprint Velocity enables auto manufacturers to customize the variety of connected features inside the vehicle, through the simplicity of a single point of mobile integration and enablement,” said Wayne Ward, vice president-Emerging Solutions, Sprint. “Automakers simply collaborate with Sprint on the specific features they desire for their vehicles and Sprint will handle the rest. We believe Sprint Velocity is the most technologically advanced and most comprehensive connected services platform for auto manufacturers, wherever they’re located around the globe.”

According to Machina Research, 90 percent of new passenger cars are expected to have some of form of connectivity platform by 2020. Machina forecasts the connected cars market will reach $600 billion by 2020, the largest category in a $4.5 trillion market for connected devices and services.*

With Sprint Velocity, automakers have the potential to generate new sources of revenue while economizing on cost, because Sprint can handle the entire mobile integration of the in-car experience. Sprint Velocity also helps build better customer loyalty between the automaker and the consumer by developing deeper, ongoing relationships with their customers directly.

“Sprint has combined its expertise in wireless technology, devices and consumer marketing into a new core competency that automakers can tap into,” said Ward. “Sprint is a trailblazer in the expanded category of mobile integrator, enabling automakers with an open, modular and agnostic network platform instead of just network connections. With Sprint Velocity, we’ve taken a critical step forward in creating value by combining technical integration with an intense level of expertise in wireless customer experience, customer relationship management and wireless applications.”

Sprint Velocity offers vehicle manufacturers an integrated set of capabilities, which can also be offered in a modular manner, encompassing telematics, ecosystem development, consumer relationship marketing and advanced global network connectivity. Key features of the Sprint Velocity solution include:

Adaptation of consumer communications to the unique vehicle environment: With extensive experience providing machine-to-machine (M2M) connected transportation services, Sprint brings specialized knowledge of how drivers and passengers interact with wireless-based applications. This expertise includes prioritizing the needs of drivers to stay focused through such features as hands-free calling and texting. Sprint Velocity also helps automakers integrate a multiplicity of connected services, including navigation, infotainment, wireless 9-1-1 calling, roadside assistance, security features and engine diagnostics. 

 

Management of complex vendor relationships: Sprint brings its M2M ecosystem experience into play for automakers by leading the process of selecting, coordinating and integrating the wide range of ecosystem collaborators required to implement and support in-vehicle services.

Sprint Connected Vehicle Platform: As the technological foundation of Sprint Velocity, the Sprint Connected Vehicle Platform brings automakers the advantages of Sprint’s open approach to M2M and telematics. The platform provides a network-agnostic, best-in-class telematics capability that ensures agile, adaptable and scalable systems development. It can be deployed globally using multiple network providers worldwide, including Sprint’s dependable and continually improving U.S. network. The Sprint Connected Vehicle Platform also accommodates embedded head units or mobile phones brought into the vehicle, depending on the automaker’s preferred design.

Open global connectivity and support: Sprint Velocity is a global solution, supported by Sprint’s worldwide relationships with a broad selection of best-coverage, best-cost global network providers and the company’s own team of experienced technical experts in more than 30 countries.

Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM) and intelligent data expertise: In-vehicle connected services open the opportunity for a new level of continuous relationships between automakers and their customers. Sprint brings auto manufacturers the benefit of its own extensive relationship experience with smartphone and tablet users. Sprint Velocity makes that experience available by helping automakers use intelligent data to better understand and adapt to customer preferences for communications, develop and market products, support lifecycle management and manage a consumer subscription model.

Personalization of the user experience: Sprint’s technology, applications and customer relationship capabilities combine into an end-to-end, customized approach that allows automakers to create a distinct in-vehicle communications experience for each brand, each model or even each driver. As a result, Sprint Velocity helps automakers further humanize the driving and riding experience by making it easier for vehicle operators to stay focused and by providing passengers with infotainment options that are seamless with their experience at home, at work or while taking a walk.

“True to its name, Sprint Velocity is all about speed and direction,” said Mike Bray, vice president and general manager-Connected Vehicle Program, Sprint. “This solution allows an auto manufacturer to efficiently accelerate mobile integration and manage costs while better understanding how customers relate to its brands and models and directing the in-vehicle experience to meet those preferences. As a result, auto companies can better configure connected services to match the individual personality of each brand, each vehicle or even each driver.”

As the inaugural customer for Sprint Velocity, Chrysler Group has joined in a strategic partnership with Sprint designed to seamlessly integrate wireless technology into Chrysler Group’s Uconnect Access in-vehicle communication system. Uconnect Access is initially available in the redesigned 2013 Ram 1500 and all-new SRT Viper supercar. View this video to learn more about the relationship between Sprint and Chrysler.

“Key factors in our decision to choose Sprint,” said Marios Zenios, head of Uconnect Systems and Services, Chrysler Group LLC, “included Sprint’s best-in-class end-to-end telematics platform, secure and reliable network, unparalleled relationships within the telematics and broad M2M ecosystem, and nimble consumer market experience, including a deep understanding of how customers experience and interact with wireless-based applications, both in and out of the vehicle.”

Sprint Network Leadership

The Network Vision initiative is designed to enhance customers’ network experience with faster data speeds, improved voice quality and easier connectivity. Sprint expects the Network Vision improvements to be mostly complete by the end of 2013.

About the Sprint Emerging Solutions Group

Sprint’s M2M leadership has earned prestigious third-party validation, including the top-ranked “North American M2M Provider” and “No. 2 Overall Ranked Carrier,” among 12 global service providers, by Analysys Mason and a 2011 Frost & Sullivan “Customer Value Enhancement Award in North America for Machine to Machine Communications.” To learn more about Sprint’s M2M offerings, visit www.sprint.com/m2m.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served nearly 56 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2012 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47 industries, during the last four years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in both its 2011 and 2012 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

^*Source: GSM Association and Machina Research: The Connected Life: A USD4.5 trillion global impact in 2020; February 2012

Contact(s):

Sprint Mary Kunkel, 703-930-5290 mary.kunkel@sprint.com or Walter Fowler, 646-234-2122 walter.fowler@sprint.com or DRIVEN Public Relations Mike Caudill, 949-355-2978 mike@drivenpublicrelations.com

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Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II available tomorrow Nov 29.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II available tomorrow Nov 29.

Just in time for the holidays, the Samsung Galaxy Note II will be available for purchase online and in stores starting tomorrow, Nov. 29. Customers who pre-ordered the Galaxy Note II will receive an e-mail alert when their device has been shipped. Customers have the option of two color models, Marble White or Titanium Grey and can pick up the Samsung Galaxy Note II for $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

Beginning today, the Samsung Galaxy Note II is available for pre-order. The Galaxy Note II combines the features of a smartphone and tablet, giving users the best of both worlds with its large yet pocketable 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED screen.

The built-in S-Pen does more than just draw pictures. A student looking to take notes in class can use the handwriting-to-text feature to jot down their notes and attach an audio recording of the lecture. With AirView, the S-Pen can hover over an e-mail or gallery to preview content without opening it. Easy Clip lets users draw an outline and crop what’s on the screen with the S-Pen and share that cropped image with others.

The Note II allows users to run two apps simultaneously by dividing the screen in the Multi Window view. Users can stream YouTube videos while texting a friend, taking notes or writing down an address while on a phone call. Pulling out the S-Pen during a phone call will bring up the Popup Note feature to quickly write and save notes instead of looking for a pen and paper.

Productivity tools like the Polaris Office app make it possible for professionals to create and edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents. Keeping those documents secure is important, and that’s where enterprise mobility solutions come in. As a SAFE (Samsung For Enterprise) device, users receive security features like on device encryption, advanced Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync functionality and support for industry-leading Mobile Device Management (MDM) and VPN solutions to protect the data and communications handled by the device.

Additional features:

• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
• Samsung Exynos 1.6 GHz quad-core processor and 2 GB of RAM
• 8-megapixel camera and 1.9-megapixel front facing-camera
• AllShare Play – stream multimedia content from the Note II to a compatible Samsung Smart TV® or home audio system when connected to the same Wi-Fi network
• S Beam – share pictures, videos, documents and more by simply touching two Note II devices' backs together

The Samsung Galaxy Note II will be available online and in stores in Marble White or Titanium Grey in the coming weeks for $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement. 

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LTE: ZTE has announced the launch of their Energy Saving Solution to help operators globally .

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: ZTE has announced the launch of their  Energy Saving Solution to help operators globally .

ZTE has announced the launch of their  Energy Saving Solution to help operators globally reduce energy consumption in their LTE  networks. According to test results, a single site employing this solution can save up to 40% in power consumption. Company plans to increase resources for LTE development and green technologies.

Based on test results, ZTE’s Energy Saving Solution can generate energy savings of as much as 32 percent on a single site. Annual reduction of as much as 5,200KwH can be achieved on a typical 1,500W base station. 

For a network comprising 1,000 base stations, the annual reduction would amount to 5.2 million Kwh, reducing 4500 tons of carbon dioxide emission. When combined with the deployment of renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy or bio-energy, energy savings of more than 50 per cent of the entire network can be achieved.

The global information and communication technology industry accounts for as much as 2.5 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to research firm Gartner Inc. In a typical wireless telecommunications network, about 90 percent of the energy is consumed by base stations. 

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LTE: Greece: COSMOTE Launches Commercial LTE Network.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: Greece: COSMOTE Launches Commercial LTE Network.

COSMOTE, mobile network operator in Greece, has opened commercial 4G LTE mobile broadband network in Athens and Thessaloniki. Company has also started offering data plans through 4G Tablets and USB Sticks.

“COSMOTE’s 4G network already covers the majority of municipalities in the regions of Attica and Thessaloniki, while the gradual development of the network is ongoing.

 Soon, COSMOTE 4G will be available in more Greek cities”, stated the General Technical Director of COSMOTE, Mr Giorgos Tsoni.

The new 4G COSMOTE network is available for data uploading and downloading initially through 4G tablets and USB sticks to customers who subscribe to the new COSMOTE Internet On The Go 20GB program tariff plan, and will also be available as an option with the existing COSMOTE Internet On The Go 5GB, 10GB, Student and COSMOTE Internet Any Way 5GB plans.

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LTE: Kuwait: Zain announced the launch of its 4G LTE network

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: Kuwait: Zain announced the launch of its 4G LTE network

Zain Kuwait has announced the launch of its 4G LTE network nationwide. Operator's Wiyana Connect 4G LTE plan is available for compatible mobile phones, tablets, routers, hotspots and dongles in 1800 MHz band.

“We are very proud to launch the new service that will provide the fastest mobile internet speeds to our customers all over Kuwait exclusively from Zain. This service is available for the first time nationwide,” said Zain Kuwait CEO Omar Alomar.

Operator is currently offering two LTE plans: 35GB capacity plan with monthly price KD 24 and 80GB capacity plan with monthly price of KD 33.

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