Sprint took two forays into new wireless business models today, announcing a new program to sell fixed/mobile convergence service to its wholesale VoIP customers and a deal to collaborate with Grid Net to supply smart grid connectivity over WiMax — a network to which Sprint in turns buys wholesale access from Clearwire.
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Archive for the ‘Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC)’ Category
Sprint looks for new business in smart grid, wholesale FMC
Nortel’s name likely dies with Genband sale
When Nortel Networks decided to auction itself off in pieces, its name was of the items on block. But now with its last business unit slated to go to Genband, Nortel hasn’t found anyone interested in taking up the moniker despite its long history in the industry. (more…)
AT&T LTE pace keeps track with VZW
AT&T (NYSE:T) is closely tracking Verizon Wireless’ (NYSE:VZ, NYSE:VOD) long-term evolution timeline, taking many of the same steps in its LTE roll-out plans as its arch-competitor–albeit one year later. Just as VZW announced Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE:ALU) and Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) as its LTE vendors last year at Mobile World Congress, AT&T revealed the week before this year’s Congress the same two would build its 4G network . And just as Verizon set up LTE innovation centers last April to encourage new 4g devices and applications for its forthcoming LTE trials, AT&T is now doing the same, announcing two US and one international labs focusing on its newest network technologies. (more…)
Cox completes LTE trials
Though its CDMA network hasn’t yet gone live, that hasn’t stopped Cox Communications from looking toward its future 4G network. The cable operator today announced it has completed trials of long-term evolution (LTE) networks in Phoenix and San Diego using Huawei and Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE:ALU) gear. The operator wasn’t just engaging in raw data sessions either. It tested two applications that will may be critical in extending its triple play cable services to the mobile network: VoIP and high-definition video streaming.
Cox hasn’t announced a launch timeline for LTE, focusing instead on bring its first mobile network online: a CDMA system built by Huawei. Earlier this month Cox revealed it has two trial CDMA networks running in Omaha, Neb., and Orange County, Cal., and plans to launch commercially in March. It has already begun its online marketing campaign, touting future consumer-friendly wireless plans.
Truphone’s MVNO goes live in US and UK (finally)
It took almost a year to get it off the ground, but Truphone’s Local Anywhere mobile service, designed to end the concept of roaming as we know it, has finally launched. The mobile VoIP service provider has revealed its first mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) deal with Vodafone UK (NYSE:VOD) as well as tied up with an unnamed US GSM operator, creating the first two ‘local’ markets for its service. Subscribers will be able to use a single SIM card to make phone calls while in either country without incurring international roaming charges. (more…)
Cox teases fed-up wireless consumers with new service
It still hasn’t given details on pricing or devices, but cable company Cox Communications kicked off a new marketing campaign today, pitching a service that is “unbelievably fair.” To play up its consumer-advocate role, Cox also launched a new Web site, unbelievablyfair.com, and is using Facebook to ask consumers what they want to change about their current wireless plans. (more…)
Genband’s Nortel bid continues VoIP-as-app trend
Genband’s bid for Nortel’s carrier VoIP equipment business — if it succeeds — could give the vendor a more direct relationship with the world’s largest carriers than it currently enjoys through its major vendor partners. But the deal could also be seen as further solidification of the VOIP equipment space as the domain of specialist suppliers, according to Elisabeth Rainge, IDC’s director of NGN operations.
“Clearly, given Genband’s acquisitions of assets from NSN, Alcatel-Lucent and others in the past few years, it makes sense that those larger players wouldn’t have a strong interest in taking on the Nortel CVAS VoIP asset,” Rainge said in an email. “For better or for worse, what we’re seeing with this move — assuming it goes through — is that 
VoIP infrastructure is a market for experts. No longer is it the expertise or possibly even the bread and butter, of the traditional telecom network equipment vendors. This is partly an acknowledgement that voice is an application and partly an outcome of the state of voice infrastructure for the largest operators. In a nutshell, the IP transformation is not only underway but today’s reality. To build on IP networks means treating voice as an application.”
Acquiring assets from major vendors and using them to create products that major vendors want has been key to Genband’s success, though the novel strategy is not an easy one to pull off. Likewise, integrating Nortel’s products with its own will be no small task for Genband, Rainge said, especially since the latter’s existing portfolio is already packed with gear from previous acquisitions.
“Genband has a continuing, and now expanding challenge in product portfolio management. I don’t envy their sales team with so many acquired product lines in the fold, especially for long-lived investments such as we see in the TDM-VoIP space,” Rainge said. “There is no doubt that Genband already offers and supports many voice infrastructure solutions. In taking on the Nortel assets, Genband will need to work to position itself as a product company with its own mission rather than a caretaker of a variety of products.”
One bright side for Genband: The shedding of similar assets from major vendors means the company is unlikely to enter a bidding war for Nortel’s business with much larger rivals.