Sprint Stands Alone

Now that Verizon Wireless has selected Long Term Evolution as its fourth-generation platform, and if Sprint continues with its WiMAX fourth-generation network platform, prospects for CDMA are dim in the U.S. market.

Of course, there always is the possibility that Sprint might reverse course and abandon WiMAX. But Sprint Nextel at the moment really stands alone in the platform area. It runs the Nextel iDEN network that no other major carrier supports and CDMA-based 3G that Verizon says it will abandon.

It is hard to imagine T-Mobile adopting anything other than LTE, so it appears CDMA is at a deadend in the U.S. market.

Verizon to Dump CDMA for 4G

Verizon Wireless will base its fourth-generation mobile broadband network on LTE – Long Term Evolution – the technology developed within the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards organization and based on GSM.

The selection of LTE means Verizon wants to align itself with the scale opportunities the global standard will provide, rather than extending its existing CDMA platform.

Verizon and Vodafone have a coordinated trial plan for LTE that begins in 2008. Trial suppliers include Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia-Siemens, and Nortel. Discussions with device suppliers have expanded beyond traditional suppliers such as LG, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia, and Sony Ericsson, as consumer electronics companies anticipate embedded wireless functionality in their future products.

Users won't see 4G for several years, however, so there's no need to worry about existing CDMA equipment. The decision does call into question how much actual developer interest there will be in Verizon's new "open" CDMA platform, however.

XO Preps FMC Service

XO Communications and Sotto Wireless will begin trials of a fixed mobile convergence solution in Seattle. The Unwired Office integrates customers’ fixed and wireless communications services into a single platform with one smart phone that can be used in the office or on the go for voice, email and Internet access as well optional IP desk phones.

The Unwired Office includes a business phone system, broadband network access and mobile phone service. Features include a high-speed dedicated Internet access; hosted private branch exchange system; individual smart phones with one telephone number for office and mobile calling, wireless email and messaging; optional IP desk phones; and anywhere coverage through in-office Wi-Fi networks and wireless service. In addition, the service enables businesses to transparently extend the office phone system to the home or branch office by using existing cable or digital subscriber line broadband services.

The service uses dual-mode smart phones from Nokia, such as the Nokia E61i, that feature both office Wi-Fi and cellular network connectivity options, full keyboards, and productivity applications. The hybrid wireless capabilities allow employees to use the Nokia smart phones to make calls over Wi-Fi networks and use cellular networks when employees are away from the office.

Online Time up 24%

User time spent online is up 24 percent over about the last year, according to Compete data.

3G iPhone Next Year

Make your plans accordingly.

Will Google Bid?

The deadline for filing an application for the 700-MHz auction is Dec. 3. The actual auction starts Jan. 24; the names of the bidders will be disclosed on Jan. 14.

Prediction: Google will submit a bid of $4.6 billion. But maybe no more than that, and the winning bid will certainly be higher. Now that Verizon has agreed to open up its mobile network to any compliant device or software, and having already gotten working agreements with Sprint, T-Mobile and Clearwire, Google might not need to secure spectrum simply to ensure that its open approach to the mobile Web has a place to develop.

European Commission, FCC Disagree on Competition

As U.S. competitive local exchange carriers and cable companies await key decisions from the Federal Communications Commission, the quantitative tests of "effective competition" are key. And on that score the FCC and the European Commission do not see eye-to-eye. In the video arena, the FCC targets the 30-percent market capture level as denoting "effective competition." In the voice services area the test seems to be 20-percent share loss by incumbents. The EC doesn't even think 50-percent loss of market share by incumbents is sufficient.

The disparities in thinking about what marks "effective" levels of competition leaves at least some room for new thinking on what measures might be required to stimulate even more robust levels of competition. In mass markets, 30 percent quite often is the share held by the market leader.