The joint AT&T and Sirius XM proposal regarding use of spectrum in the 2.3 GHz Wireless Communication Services (WCS) spectrum band seemingly avoids an issue LightSquared was unable to address, namelhy interference between a high-power Long Term Evolution mobile network and an adjacent low-power satellite service.
AT&T has owned its WCS spectrum since 1997, but there have been concerns about whether WCS licensees could peacefully co-exist with neighboring licensees in the Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) band, just as there were interference issues with LightSquared and neighboring GPS applications.
Apparently, AT&T and Sirius XM now are satisfied that a 10-MHz guard band will prevent any service-impairing interference, clearing the way for AT&T to use its spectrum. Only an engineer could tell you why the WCS interference issues could be resolved by instituting a 10-MHz guard band, where LightSquared could not do the same.
One suspects that the difference is transmitted power levels required for the higher-frequency LightSquared LTE signals. Since higher-frequency signals do not propagate as well as lower-frequency signals, the proposed LightSquared network presumably required higher power levels, and therefore, more interference risk, compared to power levels for the WCS signals.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
WCS Spectrum Compromise Avoids LightSquared Issues
Gary Kim has been a digital infra analyst and journalist for more than 30 years, covering the business impact of technology, pre- and post-internet. He sees a similar evolution coming with AI. General-purpose technologies do not come along very often, but when they do, they change life, economies and industries.
What Causes Mobile Shoppers to Abandon Airline Ticket Purchases?
What causes customers to leave before buying? It's a question every online retailer should, and often does, ask. Here's a study by WorldPay about mobile commerce in the airline industry, lots of stats about user behavior in different countries, and detail on "shopping cart abandonment."
Gary Kim has been a digital infra analyst and journalist for more than 30 years, covering the business impact of technology, pre- and post-internet. He sees a similar evolution coming with AI. General-purpose technologies do not come along very often, but when they do, they change life, economies and industries.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Grim Stats for RIM, Nokia
![[WINNERS]](http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/MK-BV080_WINNER_NS_20120618161504.jpg)
The last year has been decidedly bad for Research in Motion and Nokia. In the first quarter of 2011, Android had 36 percent share. In the first quarter of 2012, Android had 59 percent share. In the first quarter of 2011, Apple's iOS had 18 percent share. By the first quarter of 2012, iOS had 23 percent share. Nokia dropped from 26 percent to seven percent. RIM dropped from 14 percent to six percent.
Gary Kim has been a digital infra analyst and journalist for more than 30 years, covering the business impact of technology, pre- and post-internet. He sees a similar evolution coming with AI. General-purpose technologies do not come along very often, but when they do, they change life, economies and industries.
Consumer Spending on Mobile Internet Access Will Approach Fixed Access by about 2016
Global end user spending on mobile Internet access spending will almost reach fixed network levels of spending by 2016, PwC now projects.
Spending on mobile access increased from 26 percent of total global Internet access spending in 2007 to 40 percent in 2011, and will account for 46 percent in 2016. Another way of looking at those figures is that mobile access revenue earned by service providers will be about half of all global revenue in that category.
Global end user spending on fixed network and mobile Internet access will increase to $493.4 billion in 2016, a 9.3 percent compound annual growth rate.
Mobile broadband subscribership soared in 2011 and mobile access spending jumped 30.5 percent, says PwC.
Spending on mobile access increased from 26 percent of total global Internet access spending in 2007 to 40 percent in 2011, and will account for 46 percent in 2016. Another way of looking at those figures is that mobile access revenue earned by service providers will be about half of all global revenue in that category.
Global end user spending on fixed network and mobile Internet access will increase to $493.4 billion in 2016, a 9.3 percent compound annual growth rate.
Mobile broadband subscribership soared in 2011 and mobile access spending jumped 30.5 percent, says PwC.
Gary Kim has been a digital infra analyst and journalist for more than 30 years, covering the business impact of technology, pre- and post-internet. He sees a similar evolution coming with AI. General-purpose technologies do not come along very often, but when they do, they change life, economies and industries.
Is Netflix Competing with HBO?
Does Netflix compete more with video on demand services, "premium" video channels such as HBO or online video? A new study from Parks Associates suggests Netflix competes rather directly with both premium channels and video on demand services.
You might also argue that Netflix does compete with other "for fee" online services, but probably not with "no incremental charge" online video.
“Consumers can pay for a month of Netflix for about the same amount as for two pay-TV VOD movies,” said Brett Sappington, Parks Associates research director.
“Parks Associates research shows consumers know the quality of the OTT service is not comparable to pay-TV quality, but the cost-benefit comparison is enough to affect their purchase decisions,” Sappington says.
Parks Associates found 16 percent of U.S. broadband consumers, when watching movies on VOD, consider instead using an online subscription service as an alternative. Similarly, 17 percent of those watching TV programs on a premium channel like HBO consider using Netflix instead.
"Netflix is competitive against VOD and premium channels because it has a decisive edge in cost,” said John Barrett, Parks Associates director. “But there are times when the consumer will sacrifice quality for other considerations.”
The point, you might argue, is that Netflix already competes, in some cases, with both premium channels and video on demand.
You might also argue that Netflix does compete with other "for fee" online services, but probably not with "no incremental charge" online video.
“Consumers can pay for a month of Netflix for about the same amount as for two pay-TV VOD movies,” said Brett Sappington, Parks Associates research director.
“Parks Associates research shows consumers know the quality of the OTT service is not comparable to pay-TV quality, but the cost-benefit comparison is enough to affect their purchase decisions,” Sappington says.
Parks Associates found 16 percent of U.S. broadband consumers, when watching movies on VOD, consider instead using an online subscription service as an alternative. Similarly, 17 percent of those watching TV programs on a premium channel like HBO consider using Netflix instead.
"Netflix is competitive against VOD and premium channels because it has a decisive edge in cost,” said John Barrett, Parks Associates director. “But there are times when the consumer will sacrifice quality for other considerations.”
The point, you might argue, is that Netflix already competes, in some cases, with both premium channels and video on demand.
Gary Kim has been a digital infra analyst and journalist for more than 30 years, covering the business impact of technology, pre- and post-internet. He sees a similar evolution coming with AI. General-purpose technologies do not come along very often, but when they do, they change life, economies and industries.
200 Million Voice Lines Will Disappear Next 5 Years
Infonetics Research expects more than 200 million traditional voice access lines to get dropped over the next the 5 years as people continue to "cut the cord" and switch to mobile alternatives.
Total mobile subscribers are forecast by Infonetics to pass the six-billion mark in 2012, and to approach seven billion by 2016.
Total mobile subscribers are forecast by Infonetics to pass the six-billion mark in 2012, and to approach seven billion by 2016.
Gary Kim has been a digital infra analyst and journalist for more than 30 years, covering the business impact of technology, pre- and post-internet. He sees a similar evolution coming with AI. General-purpose technologies do not come along very often, but when they do, they change life, economies and industries.
Surface by Microsoft features Integrated Keyboard
Some activities call for a keyboard. Surface comes with an integrated kickstand and a 3mm thin, pressure sensitive cover that doubles as a fully functioning keyboard and trackpad. The "Touch Cover" connects to the Surface with a single magnetic click. That's interesting.
Many users, who have to do significant content creation, not just content consumption, have required PCs, up to this point.
That is a potentially key differentiator in the tablet space. Of course, some of us, for the moment, still wonder about whether a mouse actually is needed to complete the navigation experience, when in "content creation" mode.
Still very interesting.
Gary Kim has been a digital infra analyst and journalist for more than 30 years, covering the business impact of technology, pre- and post-internet. He sees a similar evolution coming with AI. General-purpose technologies do not come along very often, but when they do, they change life, economies and industries.
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