NEWS FEBRUARY2008 Search our archive at: www.telecoms.com January’s ten most viewed picoChip unveils articles on TD-SCDMA femtocell Yahoo makes mobile move UK-based chip shop, picoChip, has the third 3G standard, is to launch in the Nokia slashes 2,300 jobs, closes unveiled a femtocell reference design Olympic cities this summer. German factory supporting China’s homegrown TD- Stuart Carlaw, research director for SCDMA standard. ABI Research, said, “Femtocells help Hackers get Google’s Android to run The PC8808 TD-SCDMA femtocell carriers solve problems of both coverage on hardware reference design supports HSDPA and and capacity which are applicable to all Intel looks to ultra mobile future can integrate both Node B and protocol standards, including TD-SCDMA. Given stack, integrating back into the core how good coverage already is in China for Sprint to launch WiMAX end-April network using a number of different mobile services, consumers will expect architectures including SIP, UMA or Iu, excellent indoor services too: something Jobs catches Air at Macworld; updates iPhone the company said. that is particularly important for data, iRiver preparing to intro media phone Yang Hua, secretary general of which is already in high use in the region. TD-SCDMA Industry Alliance, said, “For both these reasons, I’d expect Sony wheels out own wireless transfer tech “Femtocells are an important part of the TD-SCDMA femtocells to be later in Android debuts on HTC device TD-SCDMA ecosystem, and an essential deployment, but to ramp as fast if not part of operator strategy, particularly as faster than those for WCDMA. picoChip is Nokia faces backlash over German we evolve to TD-SCDMA LTE. picoChip’s the leading provider of femtocell chips, plant closure achievement significantly pushes the TD- and once more demonstrates this To stay up to date with the latest news, SCDMA industry forward.” position of leadership with its software- register at www.telecoms.com picoChip itself expects TD-SCDMA, as defined architecture.” Oi looking to buy Nokia Siemens wins $1bn Brasil Telecom Saudi Arabian contract Brazilian carrier Tele have been intensified Middle East and Africa Norte Leste Participacoes, in the last hours, but no and was recently awarded which operates under the document of whatever the third mobile telecoms Oi brand, is in discussions nature has been licence for Saudi Arabia. to acquire fixed line rival executed so far.” Late last year, a group of Brasil Telecom. The move could have mobile operators announced Local media have valued a knock on effect on the a substantial investment the deal at around $2.7bn. long running speculation drive in the continent’s “Regarding possible that Portugal Telecom sub-Saharan region. Carriers investments in other is seeking to offload including MTN, Orange, fixed and mobile telecom its 50 per cent share in Vodacom and Zain are to companies, specifically Brazilian operator Vivo. plough more than $580bn in relation to Brasil It is believed that into the region over the next Telecom Participacoes, Portugal Telecom The year started brightly and 3G mobile network, five years in a bid to extend we inform that we are intends to substitute for Nokia, as the Finnish including core and radio mobile coverage to more currently engaged its half of Vivo for vendor signed a $1bn networks, operations and than 90 per cent of the area’s in conversations another investment in contract to deliver kit and business support systems, population. The project will with its controlling the Brazilian telecoms services to Saudi Arabian applications and managed focus on pushing 2.5 and shareholders,” read a market where cellular operator Zain. services to Zain. 3G services into the region, statement from Oi. penetration is 61.7 Nokia Siemens Networks Zain, formerly known as boosting internet access as “Such conversations per cent. said it has been tapped to the MTC Group, has services well as voice and messaging supply a full turnkey 2G in 22 countries across the coverage. 6 06,08,10,12,14_MC147.indd 6 29/1/08 17:17:15 NEWS FEBRUARY2008 Search our archive at: www.telecoms.com Reding turns attention Sprint cuts to SMS, data roaming 4,000 staff “remain high with a draw fi rm conclusions at US carrier Sprint is to cut of Sprint’s Xohm business very diverse pattern this stage,” said Reding. 4,000 jobs as fi nancial unit, also revealed that the across Member States.” “However, on the basis of pressure and subscriber company would be making The Commissioner the fi gures in the report, losses continued through its wireless broadband said that a decision I remain concerned about the fourth quarter of 2007. network available on a would be made by the prices for SMS and data The headcount daily, weekly or monthly end of this year on roaming services. We reduction is expected to be subscription basis. whether the charges will watch developments completed in the fi rst half A soft launch of the Xohm- for these services also very closely and respond of the year and will include branded mobile internet need to be regulated. appropriately by the end management and non- service is already underway Viviane Reding Perhaps in of 2008.” management positions. with Sprint employees in anticipation of The ERG Report covers Sprint aims to save Chicago, Baltimore and It looks like EU Telecoms regulation, Spanish carrier the six months from April around $700m-$800m per Washington, DC. Commissioner Viviane Reding Telefonica, which owns the to September 2007 and year by the end of 2008 “Sprint is delivering on is turning her regulatory eye O2 group of companies, includes data from 150 because of the cuts. its Open Internet vision with onto SMS and data roaming proposed to cut the cost of mobile providers in all The company is also exciting and differentiated services, following the mobile data services when Member States. But while planning to close more WiMAX services,” said fi rst benchmark report on roaming by as much as 40 the Commission welcomes than 4,000 third party West. “The new service international roaming by the per cent. the fact that operators have distribution points and agreements and device European Regulators’ Group. Consumers in Spain, the not tried to compensate for to close approximately commitments will help The report confi rms UK, Germany, the Czech the effects of the Roaming 125, or eight per cent, of Xohm subscribers access, that implementation of the Republic will benefi t from a Regulation by increasing its company-owned retail enjoy, store and secure roaming regulations has range of new data roaming prices for non-regulated spots. personal digital and user- generally gone smoothly and tariffs aimed at those roaming calls, the authority In mid-January Sprint generated content while consumers are paying less travelling within Europe expressed concern that reported a net gain of experiencing new device for calls made and received ahead of the summer holiday customers are being 500,000 subscribers innovation.” overseas. season in July. charged on a per minute through wholesale channels, Customer management However, Reding said that “This initial ERG report basis instead of for the growth of 256,000 Boost and billing systems fi rm the report also highlights published today confi rms actual time of the call. Unlimited users and Amdocs has been awarded that prices for SMS and data the general trend towards This is an element that net additions of 20,000 a multi-year agreement roaming services, which lower roaming prices but will also be considered for subscribers within affi liate for software and services are currently not regulated, it would be premature to regulation by year end. channels. But these gains in support of the launch were decimated by net Xohm. While US storage losses of 683,000 postpaid fi rm SwapDrive is providing subscribers and 202,000 a hosted storage offering prepaid users. for Xohm subscribers to DoCoMo disbands At the end of 2007, secure, organise, manage Sprint served a total and access all their user- WiMAX partnership subscriber base of 53.8 generated digital content million subscribers including though the Xohm portal Following its failure to with DoCoMo last summer, licences to rival operator 40.8 million postpaid, 4.1 from any device with a secure a chunk of WiMAX for the purpose of securing KDDI and PHS operator million prepaid, 500,000 supported browser. spectrum in December, a licence to provide Willcom, rendering the Boost Unlimited, 7.7 million Gadget makers OQO and leading Japanese carrier broadband wireless services DoCoMo partnership no wholesale and 850,000 ASUSTek are set to produce NTT DoCoMo has dissolved based on mobile longer relevant. subscribers through a line of WiMAX-embedded its wireless broadband WiMAX technology. KDDI and WIllcom affi liates. devices for availability partnership with ACCA But Japan’s Ministry are set to launch WiMAX Despite the cuts, the during 2008, while Zyxel Wireless. of Internal Affairs services in 2009 and may carrier says it is on track to will release a WiMAX modem Network technology fi rm and Communications also lease out spectrum to launch WiMAX services to subscriber device for mobile ACCA had entered into a granted the two available other parties interested in consumers and businesses internet data and voice strategic partnership broadband wireless service offering WiMAX services. at the end of April. services, which will launch Barry West, president with the service. 8 06,08,10,12,14_MC147.indd 8 29/1/08 17:17:18 NEWS FEBRUARY2008 Search our archive at: www.telecoms.com Orange UK hires three more Virgin execs Mobile employees. the firm’s merger with NTL Andrew Ralston, last year.