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Virgin Mobile USA Offers $40 Unlimited Prepaid Mobile Broadband
Virgin Mobile USA, which is now one of Sprint's prepaid brands, introduced a $40 unlimited mobile broadband plan. Available tomorrow online and rolling out at retail in the coming weeks, the new offer replaces the previous $20, $40 and $60 plans. The $40 plan provides unlimited usage for one month. A lower tier $10 for 100MB of prepaid mobile broadband over 10 days is also available. The service operates over Sprint's Nationwide Network and customers need their own modem.
"Many unlimited broadband offerings require a contract or are on networks with limited range, so they don't meet the need for flexibility or true mobility," said Neil Lindsay, chief marketing officer, Virgin Mobile USA. "The introduction of Virgin Mobile's prepaid unlimited broadband for $40 a month will provide the access you need on a nationwide network without a contract."...
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BelAir Introduces Picocell for Cable Operators
BelAir Networks introduced a compact wireless base station for delivering mobile broadband Internet via both licensed and unlicensed wireless spectrum. The company said its compact design overcomes challenges in providing power, mounting and backhaul to small, wireless base stations.
The new BelAir100SP Strand Picocell is designed to be mounted on existing cable infrastructure, with both power and backhaul provided by the broadband hybrid fiber coax (HFC) plant.
A modular design of the BelAir100SP currently supports a range of licensed 3G radios, with a migration to LTE, along with dual 802.11n Wi-Fi radios.
BelAir is offering a range of mounting options, enabling the picocell to be deployed from cable plant installed on poles, in cabinets and pedestals and even underground.
BelAir's operating system software also supports carrier-grade security, edge based policy enforcement, and network-wide mobility. In addition to the 3G and dual 802.11n radios and associated antennas and duplexers, the BelAir100SP includes a DOCSIS 3.0 Modem, plant power supply, and power protection/splitter.
The company notes that many mobile carriers already partner with Cable Operators, leveraging the hybrid fiber coax infrastructure to backhaul mobile traffic from 2G and 3G macrocells. ...
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Cricket Begins Selling Huawei's 1xEV-DO Modem
Cricket Communications, which serves about 5.3 million customers in 35 states and the District of Columbia over its CDMA2000 1X and 1xEV-DO wireless network, will offer Huawei's EC1705 modem at a suggested MSRP of $64.99. It will be paired with a variety of mobile broadband service plan options, deliver downlink speeds of up to 1.4 Mbps....
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China Telecom Upgrades CDMA Network with Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent announced a major contract with China Telecom to upgrade the service provider's CDMA network in 56 cities across nine provinces. The upgrade will be completed by the end of 2010. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Alcatel-Lucent will provide its converged radio access network (RAN) solution, including its newly-designed, ultra-compact, indoor 9916 Macro Base Station, which uses a new integrated radio and amplifier multi-sector transmit/receive unit (MS-TRU) to minimize power consumption. . Alcatel-Lucent will also provide an Ethernet backhaul capable RAN solution to cost-effectively meet the ever-increasing bandwidth demands of 3G mobile services delivery....
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Sprint Introduces its Second 3G/WiMAX Android Phone
Sprint introduced its second 4G-capable handset -- the Samsung Epic 4G, a Galaxy S smartphone and Samsung Mobile's first 4G Android-powered device. Key capabilities include:
- 3G/4G capability
- 4G data speeds (WiMAX) - peak download speeds of more than 10 Mbps; peak upload speeds of 1 Mbps; average download speeds of 3-6 Mbps
- 3G data speeds (EVDO Rev A.) - peak download speeds of up to 3.1 Mbps; peak upload speeds of 1.8 Mbps; average download speeds of 600 kbps-1.4 Mbps
- Samsung 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application Processor
- 4-inch Super AMOLED capacitive display with pinch-to-zoom
- Google full HTML browser
- Android 2.1, with access to more than 50,000 apps on Android Market
- Simultaneous voice and data capability in 4G and Wi-Fi coverage areas
- Google mobile services including Google Search, Google Maps, Google Talk, Gmail, YouTube , and syncs with Google Calendar
- Visual voicemail
- 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot capability - connects up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices
- Dual camera: 5 MP camera/camcorder with autofocus, Power LED flash and 3x digital zoom for HD video (720p) recording for capture and playback on an HD television and front facing VGA camera for video chat and more
- Qik video application for video chat service and live video sharing
- High-quality video streaming and downloads at 3G and 4G data speeds
- Bluetooth® 2.1 with A2DP Stereo and EDR
- Built-in WiFi: 802.11 b/g/n
- Digital compass, six-axis motion sensor, proximity sensor, light sensor, GPS
- Expandable memory: 16 GB microSD card included; supports up to 32 GB
Sprint will announce pricing and availability in the coming months....
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ZTE Launches World's First CDMA/LTE Dual-Mode Remote Radio Unit
ZTE introduced a CDMA/LTE dual-mode Remote Radio Unit (RRU) that supports the 700 MHz and Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum band, CDMA2000 1X, EV-DO and LTE simultaneously.
In the CDMA arena, it supports Two Transmit Two Receive (2T2R) and LTE Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) technologies as well. The platform is based on the ZTE Soft Defined Radio (SDR) platform.
"We are seeing most North American CDMA operators opt for CDMA and LTE dual-mode networks, with AWS and 700 MHz the most commonly used spectrum sources," said Ms. Li Jian, general manager of ZTE's CDMA product line. "ZTE is addressing this market development by offering the R8880 as part of our leading UniRAN (Unified RAN) solution and helping North American tier-one CDMA operators move towards 4G."...
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KDDI Selects 3G Femtocell Solution from Hitachi and Airvana
KDDI, Japan's second largest mobile operator, has selected Airvana's 3G CDMA femtocells and Femtocell Service Manager, as part of a comprehensive solution being delivered by Hitachi. Financial terms were not disclosed. The femtocells are home-based cellular access points that use a subscriber's existing broadband connection to provide enhanced voice coverage and data performance for mobile phones indoors.
KDDI, Japan's second largest mobile operator, is known for its dedication to communications innovation and customer satisfaction.
In 2008, Airvana and Hitachi announced a femtocell partnership for the Japanese market.
Airvana's contribution to the joint solution includes its HubBub CDMA femtocell which is unique in the industry for its simultaneous support of both 1x-RTT and 3G EV-DO services; the Femtocell Service Manager (FSM) for massive-scale device management and automated network planning; and the FNG femtocell network gateway. Hitachi will provide core network equipment to connect the HubBub femtocell system into KDDI's core network. Airvana's femtocell and Hitachi's call processing server both use SIP control signaling to transparently support existing CDMA 1x calling functions in the network. Hitachi will also act as the overall system integrator to ensure interoperability between the femtocell network, the macro EV-DO radio access network and the core network infrastructure....
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China Telecom Launches CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev.B with Huawei
Huawei has delivered CDMA2000 1x EV-DO Rev.B networks in Beijing and Guangzhou for China Telecom. 
The EV-DO Rev.B networks are the fastest 3G networks to date in China, supporting downlink data rates of up to 9.3 Mbps per user. Based on 2.1GHz and 800MHz dual-band, the EV-DO Rev.B networks will be able to enhance the carrying capacity to deal with the explosion of data services and provide stable and reliable high-speed mobile broadband experiences for 3G users.
Zhao Ming, President of Huawei CDMA Product Line, said "Huawei is fully engaged with world leading CDMA operators, including China Telecom to drive CDMA's evolution and commercial development. Establishing two EV-DO Rev.B networks for China Telecom in a short time demonstrate Huawei' s commitment to providing our customers with innovative mobile broadband services. " ...
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LG Electronics Demos LTE Devices
At this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, LG Electronics MobileComm will be showcasing its LTE USB Modem downloading at rates up to 100 Mbps and uploading at up to 50 Mbps.
LG will also be unveiling to the public the "handover" technology which enables seamless network conversion between LTE and CDMA networks. Using the even slimmer version of the previous 4G LTE device, an LG proprietary device designed for the Handover last August, LG demonstrated seamless and endless data transmissions between LTE and CDMA antennas which allows for video file downloads, web surfing and internet calling.
Also LG and Verizon Wireless are collaborating to demonstrate the advanced capabilities and applications made possible by LTE networks. During CES 2010, the Verizon Wireless Innovation Center is demonstrating several applications using LG Mobile Phones. is a key participant.
LG provided the LTE connectivity modules and devices to support the following:
- Home monitoring solutions, including a home gateway provides home security monitoring with a security camera, as well as energy management and home appliance monitoring from a web portal and a smartphone.
- An indoor/outdoor IP security camera providing a home surveillance video stream that can be monitored via a web portal or a smartphone.
- A video conferencing product transmitting a camera-captured IP video through a 4G connection to other devices supporting a multi-user video conference.
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Verizon Offers SMB Internet Customers a 3G EV-DO Back-up
Verizon Business has begun offering a 3G EV-DO Back-up to small- and medium-sized business (SMB) customers using its dedicated Internet access service. The new solution -- Verizon Internet Dedicated Access with Mobile Broadband -- automatically routes business traffic to the Verizon Wireless 3G EV-DO broadband wireless network in the event of a service disruption.
The combined solution features two linked ADTRAN NetVanta 3200 routers -- one connected to the primary T1 access source and the other featuring a 3G wireless Network Interface Module designed for use with the Verizon Wireless network. This dual-unit approach provides the flexibility to place the 3G NIM-equipped router wherever cellular coverage is strongest. The IDA circuit and Internet traffic are actively monitored so that the wireless link is activated only as needed....
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Verizon Wireless Continues Alltel Network Integration
Teams of engineers and technicians from Verizon Wireless continue to upgrade and reconfigure Alltel infrastructure into the more advanced Verizon Wireless EV-DO Rev A network. The company announced that network integration and enhancement recently has been completed in the Lake City, Ocala and Gainesville areas of Florida. The Jacksonville market was the first to be completed in Florida earlier this year. As part of this integration, all calls in North Florida now will be routed through the $40 million Verizon Wireless "super-switch" in Jacksonville, versus a series of older Alltel switching facilities. Tallahassee and the Florida Panhandle are the next areas in Florida to be addressed by the company's network teams, with the entire state expected to be integrated by 2011.
Across the state, more than 700 cell sites and several large switching facilities will eventually be upgraded and incorporated into the Verizon Wireless network. This includes vast amounts of hardware and software enhancement and standardization.
A major challenge, faced by Verizon Wireless engineers for the very first time, included successfully overlaying and transitioning the network in former Alltel areas from a 850 MHz frequency to a 1900 MHz wireless signal.
Another engineering success featured a hybrid roaming connection (free of roaming charges) so Alltel handsets and cell sites could communicate reliably with the Verizon Wireless network before more permanent hardware and software updates were made. Technicians then executed a complex three-phase "cut-over" in North Florida, stretching to the Georgia state line, when they transitioned and turned on former Alltel network resources. All these areas were then "drive-tested" by real-life test teams in high-tech vehicles that form the basis of the famous Verizon Wireless TV Test Man.
About Verizon Wireless...
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Qualcomm Reports Quarterly Revenue of $2.69 Billion
Qualcomm reported quarterly revenue of $2.69 billion, down 19 percent year-over-year and 2 percent sequentially. Net income (GAAP) was $803 million, down 9 percent year-over-year and up 9 percent sequentially. For its full fiscal 2009, revenues were $10.42 billion, down 7 percent year-over-year Net income was $1.59 billion, down 50 percent year-over-year. Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled approximately $17.7 billion at the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, compared to $15.7 billion at the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2009 and $11.3 billion a year ago.
"We continue to forecast growth for 3G CDMA in 2009, despite industry forecasts of a decline in the total handset market. We anticipate accelerated CDMA device growth in calendar year 2010 as the global migration to 3G continues. Our broad chipset portfolio continues to expand, including additional low-cost single-chip solutions to further enable the 3G migration as well as increased investments in software and application processors to strengthen our leadership position in supporting higher-end, feature-rich devices. We remain well positioned to drive innovation given our strong balance sheet and operating cash flow while maintaining our focus on overall operating expenses," stated Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, chairman and CEO of Qualcomm.
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Qualcomm Establishes Subsidiary for Mobile Open Source Development
Qualcomm has established a separate wholly-owned subsidiary to optimize open source software with Qualcomm technology. The new Qualcomm Innovation Center (QuIC), which is brought together by a dedicated group of engineers, will be headed by Rob Chandhok, who previously served as senior vice president of software strategy for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies.
"Open source and community-driven software development is becoming increasingly important to the wireless industry," said Chandhok, "and QuIC is committed to meaningful participation in these development efforts. To fulfill this commitment and to provide focus to this effort, Qualcomm has transferred experienced software engineers to QuIC. These engineers will focus on such important open source initiatives as Linux and Webkit, and on open source operating systems such as Symbian, Android and Chrome."
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Qualcomm Donates Rapidly Deployable 3G Base Station to ITU
Qualcomm will donate a rapidly deployable 3G CDMA base station to the I.T.U. to improve emergency communications for disaster preparedness and to coordinate relief activities in the aftermath of a disaster. The system has an estimated value of $500,000....
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NSN to Acquire Nortel's LTE and CDMA
Nokia Siemens Networks will acquire Nortel's key wireless assets for $650 million. The deal brings together the assets of the two companies in the field of mobile radio access, especially in CDMA, where Nortel is a leading supplier. The acquisition of Nortel's profitable CDMA business would significantly improve Nokia Siemens Networks' presence in North America and make it a leading supplier of wireless infrastructure products in the region.
NSN said the acquisition will also help it gain momentum in LTE.
The transaction would see more than 2,500 Nortel employees -- largely located in Ottawa and Dallas but also including employees in Mexico and China -- transferred to Nokia Siemens Networks. Approximately 400 of those employees are focused on LTE research and development, and would enhance the ability of Nokia Siemens Networks to provide innovation and strengthen its position in LTE, where it is already working with customers such as NTT Docomo in Japan. The support and development of Nokia Siemens Networks' existing product lines would be unaffected by this acquisition.
"This agreement provides an important strategic opportunity for Nokia Siemens Networks to strengthen its position in two key areas, North America and LTE, at a price that makes good economic sense," said Simon Beresford-Wylie, Chief Executive Officer of Nokia Siemens Networks. "It also represents stability for Nortel's existing customers and offers a great opportunity for employees to move into a stable future with an industry winner. The R&D organization in Canada would become a long-term wireless center of excellence within Nokia Siemens Networks, complementing our other global sites."
Export Development Canada (EDC), Canada's government-owned export credit agency, is supporting this transaction with a USD 300 million loan commitment.
Due to Nortel's restructuring process, the transaction is subject to the approval of the United States Bankruptcy Court and the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
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Huawei Launches CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev B -- Downlinks up to 9.3 Mbps
Huawei Technologies introduced a CDMA2000 1xEV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) Revision B Solution, boasting a downlink rate of up to 9.3 Mbps and an uplink rate of up to 5.4 Mbps. Huawei said that with minimal capital investment to upgrade from Revision A, operators will be able to deliver much faster mobile broadband services in data-intensive, delay-sensitive applications such as VoIP, video telephony, multi-media and online gaming....
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