Wimax

Slideshow - Sprint brings a WiMAX COW to Baltimore for XOHM celebration.

Doug Mohney — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:39:31 -0400

Sprint took no chances for its WiMAX XOHM celebration event in Baltimore.

The company deployed a supplemental "cell site on wheels" - or COW - on top of a parking garage next to the event to ensure WiMAX coverage was rock-solid. The COW is a glorified trailer containing equipment racks and an extendable mast to elevate antennas to the proper height.

COWs are used to provide supplemental coverage for larger events -- you see a lot of them in Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show and other large trade shows -- and at disasters and other emergencies when the primary coverage has been clobbered (Think Hurricane and downed cellular tower).

More pictures of the COW and its equipment can be found at the full slideshow here.

And what is 4G, anyway?

Doug Mohney — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:45:34 -0400

Sprint uses the term "4G" to describe WiMAX technology. This seems to upset people, judging from the public and private comments on last week's editor corner, "Stop Swift-Boating WiMAX".

On the XOHM side of the equation, CEO Barry West - who has to be a fun guy at parties - categorizes 1G as analog mobile, 2G as digital, 3G as CDMA, and 4G as anything using OFDM. It's pretty simple, it is straightforward, there's not a lot of haggling.

Wikipedia says "There is no formal definition for what 4G is; however, there are certain objectives that are projected for 4G. These objectives include: that 4G will be a fully IP-based integrated system. 4G will be capable of providing between 100 Mbit/s and 1 Gbit/s speeds both indoors and outdoors, with premium quality and high security."

By the Wikipedia definition, 3 out of 4 four definitions are met under the existing definitions of WiMAX; nobody thinks that the current definition of WiMAX is going to be able to crank up to 1 Gbit/sec, but life, as they say, ain't so simple.

There's a whole Hatfields and McCoy's feud between the IEEE and the ITU. To oversimplify, IEEE guys are data geeks while the ITU people are, well, Bellheads.

A spokesperson for Nokia has said "There's no official owner of who defines 4G," and you would think if anyone could tell you what 4G was/is/will be, it would be Nokia.

ITU-R is in the process of defining IMT-Advanced, but, funny enough, the standards boday has backed away from the phrase 4G. IMT-Advanced is a "big tent" term that will/may/should encompass 802.16m and LTE-Advanced which in turn are faster than WiMAX and LTE standards respective. Maybe.

If I understand this descent into acronyms and definitions, even the forthcoming, first generation LTE would not qualify as a 4G technology. That is, if we call IMT-Advanced as the term formerly known as 4G - but not called 4G by ITU-R.

Right now, I'm inclined to live with Barry's definition. It's simple, relatively clear-cut, and doesn't get into haggling over esoteric terminology that has resulted in spewing out derivatives like 2.75G, 3.5G, 3.75G, and pre-4G (please tell me you are screaming pre-802.11n right now).

- Doug

WiMAX left dongling out there!

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 21:21:09 -0400

By Carl Ford

Going to WiMAX World last week gave no comfort to the wireless weary.

Good friends point to Apple's 3G iPhone, the iStore and the specs on Advanced LTE. They say, "The future is going to be great."

However, the need for speed is based on a device that has the computing power of laptop and not just a cellphone/iTunes player. The issues that make LTE appealing can be considered minor in comparison to the CPU needed for compressing video on the fly.

That said, to be on the WiMAX side of the equation you have to believe that WiMAX will be the home of strong processing applications. Walking WiMAX World, I was looking for things that would catch my imagination - new applications that need computing devices.

If you look at the Intel Developers Forum website, you can see lots of these devices. Asia has a good number of them and they are great to look at, but they were not at WiMAX World (with the exception of Flyvo).

So if you don't have a compute device to showcase a cool app, what was the so-called compelling driver for WiMAX?

Unfortunately, the show floor answer is Fixed Wireless Substitution, with an architecture featuring "Femtocells" and dongles [Dongle - the stick form factor thing you put into a USB port to add functionality to a laptop or other mobile device].

The unexciting end result was either a base station for your computer or a dongle into a USB port. There I was looking for innovation and seeing a box and a stub? And the Femtocells guys were only talking backhaul substitution. No triple play. No killer app.

Don't get me wrong, WiMAX has a play as a substitution/green field for wireline replacement, but the sales process and projections make it look like it is competing with Subscriber Line Carriers [SLC] systems for DSL. I did not even see a value proposition for a switch to WiMAX from Metropolitan Ethernet.

So what about the apps? In South Korea, WiMAX's oveseas cousin WiBro has not been winning peoples hearts with sexy video-based apps. The government is allowing (boring) VoIP to occur to help gain market share.

With voice as the moneymaker, the only one talking about VoWiMAX at WiMAX World was Cedar Point. Everyone else was talking up a game about engineering better coverage. Cedar Point was the only one with a story about how to gain customers and make money with a full service offering.

I am not saying you can't just offer Internet access. Nor am I saying that data networks can't be profitable. However, history shows that the voice network has been the most profitable, and fixed wireless substitution offerings should have voice as a basic and fundamental integrated application.

So bundle the dongle with a soft client. Show a femtocell that enables a SIP service. The beauty of VoIP is that it's not hard, and the beauty of an open-standards WiMAX network is, like the Internet, anyone can do it. It's a matter of focusing on the customer and not the technology.

- Carl

Stop Swift Boating WiMAX

Doug Mohney — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:39:59 -0400

Sprint's XOHM service has barely clocked a week of commercial operation in Baltimore, and you'd think the company had been in the sub-prime mortgage business with all the media sniping this week. If I'm Dan Hesse, I'd be asking who is trying to Swift Boat me.

Think I'm kidding? CNET leads with "Sprint's WiMax efforts doomed to failure?" and anchors Sprint's business model to the failure of EarthLink's city-based WiFi efforts. The piece goes on to kvetch about how few WiMAX devices are available rather than wonder why companies would ship lots of WiMAX devices before the networks are up and running. I also have to take issue with throwing the iPhone and Earthlink's network in a sentence; the latter was door-knob dead before the former was everyone's pocket toy.

A Network World story labels WiMAX as "something of an oddball technology" in the mobile data world. This is likely stemming from a long-standing whisper campaign about how mobile WiMAX is "unproven" and "doesn't work," and yet AT&T seems to feel a business venture between Sprint and ClearWire deserves court action.

If that's not enough, there was also considerable gnashing of teeth over Sprint's WiMAX network management policies where they say they may do some limiting or restricting of apps to protect the network. It resulted in trigging a micro, knee-jerk Network Neutrality storm, rather than considering that Sprint has historically and traditionally been among the most "hands off" when it has come to data cellular usage and Internet usage.

If you want to make reasonable arguments about the credit markets maybe slowing down WiMAX deployment (still more) or point out Clearwire's spotty track record in running a cash-flow positive business, I'm willing to listen. But I'm not sure if we can have such discussions based upon the thoughtless mudslinging that's taking place right now.

Right now, WiMAX is the only 4G game in town and if it you think it has problems, you better start wondering how long it will realistically take for LTE to appear on a cell tower near you.

- Doug

Samsung replaces NSN in Xohm Dallas launch

Dan O'Shea — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:45:00 -0400

Sprint's Xohm WiMAX network launched this week in Baltimore, but the lesser-known Xohm-related story out of WiMAX World in Chicago is that Samsung has replaced Nokia Siemens Networks as the vendor for the Xohm network in Dallas. Telephony reports that Sprint chose to move forward with Samsung--its vendor for East Coast markets--in Dallas because doing so will allow it to accelerate its market launch.

Sprint and NSN both are saying that NSN is still a key Xohm vendor. NSN's WiMAX gear is still undergoing production. NSN came in as thir surprise third vendor choice for Xohm well after Samsung and Motorola were already part of the team.

For more:
- check out this coverage at Telephony

FairPoint eyes broadband expansion, WiMAX

Dan O'Shea — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:28:23 -0400

Independent telco FairPoint Communications, which is still in the process of taking over the former Verizon Communications network properties it acquired earlier this year, announced that it will expand broadband capabilities into 51 communities in Vermont using different technologies. The primary technology will most likely be DSL, but FairPoint also indicated it would consider WiMAX in some of its more rural markets.

AT&T also has talked about using WiMAX in rural market deployment opportunities, and with interest from FairPoint, DigitalBridge and other Tier 2 carriers, it is possible that Sprint won't be the only service provider spreading the technology around the U.S.

For more:
- see this story in Vermont's Barre Montpelier Times-Argus (though WiMAX is not mentioned in this particular story)

PBT earns backhaul role for Sprint's Xohm

Dan O'Shea — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:34:56 -0400

Provider backbone transport (PBT, also call provider backbone bridging, or PBB) has had a tough year, going from being a much-hyped technology at the beginning of 2008, to being shunned by BT and other carriers and vendors in recent months. But, this week, PBT got a starring role it can be proud of, as the Ethernet technology to be used for backhaul in Sprint's new Xohm WiMAX network. Sprint is using gear from Ciena (and Clearwire is, too, according to Unstrung).

The high-profile deployment gives PBT backers something to cheer about, but also may renew the animosity between the technology's supporters and its critics. Light Reading Europe reports that the Carrier Ethernet World Congress in Berlin this week has played host to much hot debate between PBT and multi-protocol layer switching camps.

For more:
- see this coverage at Unstrung
- check out this report at Light Reading Europe

SPOTLIGHT: How will India get broadband?

Pete Wylie — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:48:36 -0400

India is presenting an interesting case study on broadband technology adoption. The country's 1.1 billion inhabitants only have one broadband connection for every 400 people.

A recent Heavy Reading conference discussed the problems carriers are having changing the state of the broadband marketplace, and many universal challenges were brought to light. Delegates to the conference from carriers complained that government regulation makes it nearly impossible to create new broadband connections, as 70 percent of cost is tied up in government permit expenses, creating a scenario complete with high end-user cost and miniscule profit margin potential.

This impasse has carriers looking at wireless broadband solutions such as WiMAX and 3G as the means to access the growing market. India is expected to have more than 300 million mobile customers by year's end, and efficient rollouts of wireless broadband technology could make broadband affordable enough to catch on in India's new middle class.

India should provide a great model what to do and (more importantly) what not to do in rolling out broadband access to developing nations, as broadband players in highly competitive markets like N.A. and Europe seek global profit opportunities in developing markets.

For more:
- Puzzling out India at Light Reading. Blog.

Cable's push and prayer for WiMAX

Doug Mohney — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:38:30 -0400

From all indications, the Clearwire/Xohm WiMAX merger deal should be completed by the end of the year. Cable operators are eager to get the ability to bundle wireless services with their current triple play offerings, but may have a limited window of opportunity to exploit a WiMAX offering.

Comcast and Time Warner put out large sums to invest in the "new" Clearwire, so both companies are eager to take advantage of a nationwide broadband network. The master theory is to keep customers from straying or dropping TV, phone and internet services by reselling cable-branded phone and wireless broadband services from Clearwire. If a customer has the opportunity to buy cable-branded/bundled wireless phone service, they are less likely to pick up VoIP/landline-esque service - and also have less of an opportunity to migrate to wireless broadband services (and off of broadband cable).

How much of an advantage cable companies might have is subject to debate. Wireless phone carriers have stated their intention to migrate to LTE-based services as rapidly as possible, but their deployment pacing may be based upon the relative success - or failure - of WiMAX and Clearwire.

For more:
- Ars Technica discusses cable's newfound WiMAX embrace. Article

AT&T eyes WiMAX for rural broadband expansion

Dan O'Shea — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:29:01 -0400

AT&T CTO John Donovan said last week in an interview with USA Today that the telco is interested in using WiMAX to extend broadband coverage in rural markets where it would be more expensive to deploy wireline broadband. It may not seem like huge news, given that AT&T has run WiMAX pilots in the past, and always has maintained an interest in the technology.

Also, AT&T gained several 2.3 Ghz licenses in Southern U.S. markets through its acquisition of BellSouth. BellSouth had aggressively commercialized on broadband wireless in those markets and had been an active supporter of WiMAX Forum certification for the 2.3 Ghz frequency. AT&T also would have 700 Mhz spectrum at its disposal for a broader WiMAX rollout.

AT&T's interest means there is another major U.S. carrier besides the new Sprint-led Clearwire joint venture that could be ready to exploit the technology. AT&T actually has been looking to block that venture, urging the Federal Communications Commission to closely scrutinize the spectrum assets involved in the deal.

For more:
- check out this interview at USA Today
- see this story at Light Reading's Unstrung

Related articles:
AT&T last month asked the FCC to deny the Sprint-Clearwire plan. AT&T report
Comcast lats month showed interest in WiMAX. Comcast report

Nortel takes it on the chin in Q2

Jim O'Neill — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:20:11 -0400

Toronto-based Nortel Networks said restructuring charges of $67 million help to push it to a $113 million loss or the second quarter, compared to a $37 million loss a year ago.

Revenue was up slightly to $2.62 billion from $2.56 billion. Nortel’s losses were worse than analysts had expected, but revenues were slightly higher.

The telecom equipment company said it remained on track to meet 2008 goals of modest revenue growth, despite a difficult economy. Nortel in June announced it was moving away from WiMAX to devote more R&D to LTE, or Long Term Evolution technology.

For more:
- See the Wall Street Journal story

Related articles:
Deloitte taps Nortel for telepresence gig. Deloitte report
Verizon wants Nortel PBB. Verizon report

AT&T to FCC: Deny Sprint-Clearwire plan

Dan O'Shea — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 14:50:48 -0400

AT&T filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission late last week asking the agency not to approve the Sprint-Clearwire joint venture involving a merger of the companies' spectrum assets. AT&T said that spectrum owned but both companies but not currently in operation is being kept from regulatory consideration of the deal, even though AT&T's inoperational spectrum assets were scrutinized during evaluation of AT&T's acquisition of Dobson Communications.

With its 4G ambitions, the WiMAX-centric deal between Sprint, Clearwire and several other firms could increase the competitive threat against AT&T in the wireless market, though it is still fair to say the eventual success of WiMAX certainly is not guaranteed. It is not surprising that AT&T is looking for any possible regulatory hurdle to prop up that might slow down the progress of this deal, but the irony of Ma Consolidator herself crying foul against such a merger is hard to miss here.

For more:
- see this story at Light Reading

Related articles:
Sprint and Clearwire canceled a partnership last fall. Sprint-Clearwire report
Sprint and Cleawire and some friends revived the partnership this spring. Sprint-Clearwire report

Comcast spreading its WiMAX wings

Dan O'Shea — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:20:06 -0400

It was reported last week that the venture capital unit of cable TV provider Comcast, along with other firms, had been part of a $12.6 million seed investment in WiMAX-related start-up Cartiza Networks last year. It is not apparent how much of the round came from Comcast Interactive Capital; and, while the investment seems like old news, Cartiza has not said much more about its plans since then. The Littleton, Mass., company is believed to be developing content delivery and management technology for use over WiMAX networks.

A Comcast official also recently said the company is planning to use femtocells in conjunction with its WiMAX offering via the Clearwire venture. The femtocell plan and news of the Cartiza investment came to light not long after Comcast and other cable TV providers committed to invest in the new Clearwire WiMAX venture with Sprint. While Comcast's original residential wireless play with Sprint fizzled, it seems the cable giant now feels WiMAX is the right wireless path to take into customer homes.

For more:
- see this story about the Cartiza investment at Multichannel News
- read this Editor's Corner at FierceBroadbandWireless

Related articles:
The new Clearwire venture was announced in May Clearwire report
Comcast added 639,000 voice customers in Q1 Comcast report

NXTcomm: Verizon defends U.S. broadband, Sprint resumes 4G launch plan

Dan O'Shea — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 05:11:43 -0400

Wednesday's keynote speakers at NXTcomm touted their companies' respective accomplishments and new service plans in wireline and wireless broadband. Verizon Communications president and COO Denny Strigl officially announced the news that had broken earlier that morning--that Verizon is expanding in 50 Mbps top-tier FiOS service to more markets. He also took critics of lagging U.S. broadband penetration to task for apparently not focusing on the broadband numbers that really matter, and apparently the numbers that should really matter, according to Strigl, are the ones that demonstrate the sheer size of the market, and the speeds and penetration levels in selective markets that offer a more apples-to-apples comparison with other countries.

Strigl said it also must be noted that the U.S. broadband market has grown to more than 100 million connections via private investment, a direct knock on those countries where the government has played a strong handed in forcing carriers toward broadband goals.

Speaking after Strigl, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said Sprint will launch its next-generation wireless broadband service, based on WiMAX, in Baltimore in September. It will be a small step that comes after delays, but considering some in the industry were speculating just a few months ago that Sprint would drop WiMAX, it is a significant step. Hesse touted the service as "open broadband, no walled gardens," but added almost as a disclaimer: "Some carrier control [of bandwidth usage] will be required so the network is not held hostage" by a small number of overachieving downloaders. Such disclaimers are now increasingly frequent with any carrier executive's mention of broadband. Still, Hesse further added a bit awkwardly that any new broadband regulation was a bad idea.

For more:
- read this report of Strigl's comments at Telephony
- see this post about Hesse's speech at Telephony

Related articles:
Verizon FiOS is coming to New York City Verizon report
Sprint recently revived its WiMAX joint venture plans Sprint report

Clearwire gets bigger; so does its Q1 losses

Tue, 13 May 2008 06:59:57 -0400

Clearwire Corp. may be on the cusp of a planned WiMAX revolution with Sprint in the future but, like its primary partner in its new joint venture, is struggling in the here and now.

After market close yesterday Clearwire reported losses of $176 million, or $1.08 per share, nearly double its losses in the quarter a year ago, despite revenue that increased some 76 percent to $51.5 million. Clearwire said the losses were due to its expansion in seven large markets.

Not all the news was bad. The company said its subscriber base grew 72 percent from a year ago, ending the quarter with some 443,000 subscribers.

It's deal with Sprint, Google and cable TV partners is expected to close in the fourth quarter. Sprint just reported losses of $500 million in the quarter and saw 1 million subscribers get out of Dodge.

For more:
- Read the Associated Press story in BusinessWeek

All-star team re-ignites national WiMAX venture

Wed, 07 May 2008 06:59:57 -0400

Sprint Nextel, Clearwire, Comcast, Google, Time Warner Cable, Intel, Bright House Networks--'nuff said. Those firms--proven telecom industry giants, with the exception of Clearwire (okay, maybe Bright House, too), though Clearwire was founded by industry giant Craig McCaw--are reviving the national WiMAX joint venture that had earlier been pursued by Sprint and Clearwire. They collectively are investing about $3.2 billion in the venture, and the resulting equity breakdown will have Sprint owning 51%, Clearwire 27% and the remaining companies about 22%. Some sort of teaming between Sprint, Clearwire and the cable TV companies had been rumored for some time, since before the cable TV firms recently executed their Pivot partnership with Sprint. Google had been rumored to have interest as well.

Some observers are already seeing the joint venture as a master-stroke by Sprint CEO Dan Hesse and a move that could help save seriously damaged Sprint. However, there also have been rumors this week that Sprint could sell Nextel, and/or that Sprint itself could be acquired by Deutsche Telekom, so there could be more moves yet to play out. Or maybe not. In any case, other observers see the new mega-venture as a huge benefit to Clearwire, which previously has been modestly successfully at expanding broadband fixed wireless into a few dozen markets, but now gains huge investors and partners for what would have been its next move--a WiMAX upgrade. And, oh yeah, the new venture will be called Clearwire, so essentially, McCaw has sold the telecom industry its future for the second time in his career.

Sprint and Clearwire both will benefit from this super-venture, but what about Google? The Internet giant has had a good week that is only half over. First, it watched Microsoft's bid to acquire Yahoo!--the best bet for either company to mount a better competitive assault against Google--fall apart. Now, it is buying itself a piece of the wireless future, but will pay much less for it, and will take on less risk, than it would have if it bought its own spectrum and built its own network. And yet, it will have a major hand in shaping an open 4G network. Google may be the biggest winner.

For more:
- read this story at The Wall Street Journal
- here's what Om Malik is saying at GigaOM

Related articles:
- Reports of a Sprint/Clearwire/Comcast/Time Warner joint venture first emerged in late March. Sprint/Clearwire/Comcast/Time Warner joint venture report
- Pivot fell to pieces late last month. Pivot report

CenturyTel to enhance footprint via 700 Mhz

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:59:57 -0400

While mega-carriers have been gradually unveiling their 700 Mhz technology plans and discussing the merits of open wireless networks, we haven't heard much about the plans of some of the smaller 700 Mhz license holders. Now, rural telco CenturyTel, of Monroe , La., is saying it plans to use the A block and B block licenses it won through the auction to deploy a wireless overlay that will help the company expand voice and data services more effectively and less expensively to remote areas around its existing markets. The telco, which once owned a wireless subsidiary, but sold it to Alltel (the company which later spun off its wireline operations to help form Windstream Communications), paid about $149 million for the licenses.

CenturyTel currently offers wireless service via a mobile virtual network operator deal with AT&T, but it appears that the telco will use the new licenses more as an extension to current wireline-based offerings. The 700 Mhz market is already becoming a competitive battleground for the WiMAX and LTE technology camps, but CenturyTel says it will wait for the spectrum to be cleared sometime next year, before stating more specifics of its network overlay plan.

For more:
- check out this coverage at Telephony

Related article:
- CenturyTel recently posted a profit increase and tempered outlook. CenturyTel report

Report: Comcast, TWC may invest in WiMAX JV

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:59:57 -0400

The Wall Street Journal reported late yesterday, and several publications are reporting today, that cable TV players Comcast and Time Warner Cable may invest in a WiMAX network joint venture being discussed by Sprint Nextel and Clearwire. That joint venture, of course, would represent the resurrection of a previous Sprint-Clearwire joint venture that went south along with Sprint's general corporate health. This might just be the missing piece for an effort to build a national WiMAX network that could challenge the likes of AT&T and Verizon Communications in the market for triple play and quadruple play services.

Sprint's cable TV partners were not prominent in the first WiMAX joint venture idea, and it will be interesting to see if other cable TV players are invited to join the effort. The price could be high, as Comcast reportedly could invest $1 billion and Time Warner $500 million under current discussions, but those companies could gain a mobile broadband dimension they don't have now. And for Sprint? Many observers believe WiMAX can save Sprint if the required investment doesn't kill it first. With that in mind, the more investors, the merrier. And what about Google?

For more:
- read this report at The Wall Street Journal
- see this story at The Washington Post

Related article:
- Sprint and Clearwire parted ways from the initial joint venture last fall

ALSO NOTED: Packeteer faces Elliott bid; Buzz CEO bashes WiMAX; and much more...

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 07:59:51 -0400

> Vendor Packeteer advises shareholders to take no action yet on Elliott Associates' $200 million hostile buyout bid. Article

> Chief of Australian WiMAX pioneer Buzz Broadband goes from WiMAX player to WiMAX hater in one year. Article

> Current Communications and DirecTV out-fit 130,000 Dallas households for broadband over power line. Article

New Tata Communications aims to invest

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:59:54 -0500

India's multi-industrial Tata Group conglomerate is integrating all of its communications businesses, including telco VSNL and other service providers Teleglobe, Tata Indicom and Cipris, under the Tata Communications brand. This is good news for those trying to understand the burgeoning markets in India and neighboring regions--there were an awful lot of Tatas out there before, some which had the fun-to-say name upfront, and others whose Tata-ties only became apparent upon further review.

The newly combined Tata Communications is now looking to invest about $2 billion in network expansion, WiMAX and submarine cables, one of which was damaged earlier this month, contributing to widespread outages.

For more:
- check out this report at Light Reading Europe