Cellular

Cellular related stories

Vodafone Now Have YouTube
Is this now getting boring? Vodafone have announced another content access deal, this time with YouTube.
Well they certainly have the set in their hands now don’t they? – First MySpace on Tuesday, then eBay yesterday, and today YouTube.
What can you do with the service? Well, watch YouTube videos really. But it won’t be all of the videos, just “a daily selection of new videos,” chosen by YouTube and accessed through Vodafone Live! True, these can be very entertaining, but one of the delights of YouTube is the wide access to all of the content. The process of near-unlimited discovery, down some very strange rabbit-holes, will be lost through editorialised content.
To encourage the viral effect, subscribers will be able to forward links of their favourite videos to friends. No shock there.
One big benefit for YouTube will be Vodafone making it easy for mobile phone users to upload films that they’ve shot on their mobiles, up to YouTube.
The most interesting part of this lies in the following statement, “Vodafone and YouTube will continue to explore ways to enhance this offering and cooperate closely in the coming months.” The potential in this is considerable.
Vodafone will be rubbing their hands thinking about all of the extra potential income from the data charges of delivering videos to mobile handsets.
9 February, 2007
Vodafone And Orange 3G RAN Share: Examined
As has been mentioned on Digital-Lifestyles, Orange and Vodafone have entered into an agreement to share their 3G Radio Access Network (or RAN). We thought you’d appreciate some more depth … and who better to give it than Steve Kennedy, our telco guru.
Currently Vodafone have a bigger network than Orange, so Orange would gain more than Vodafone from the deal, but in future it means that new cell sites will be used by both operators.
The agreement could have covered 2G (GSM) too, but as Vodafone use 900MHz systems and Orange use different systems operating in the 1800MHz band, it just not possible. That said, it’s likely future technology would allow both sets of frequencies to operate within the same radio equipment.
There will still be interesting problems to sort out for 3G sharing, as Vodafone exclusively use equipment from Ericsson, while Orange use equipment from Nortel, Siemens, Nokia and Alcatel.
Once the network is in place, each network will be responsible for enabling their own network services and ensuring quality of service, etc. As competition for customers increases this is a sensible way for operators to reduce cost, share the infrastructure and compete on service. It’s a shame the fixed networks don’t take this view, as has been pointed out before, the LLU operators could join forces and build a joint LLU network and then compete on service. This might give them a larger network, which would be of a size and scale to compete with BT’s upcoming 21CN.
Why the rush to build?
With a 3G license comes obligations and one of these was to reach 80% of the population by the 1st Dec, 2007. Though the GSM network coverage hit that a while ago, 3G expansion has been slower with few customers really wanting 3G services so the operators have built 3G networks in densely populated areas where they can make revenue from those customers. That means big cities have been covered, but elsewhere 3G coverage is patchy to say the least.
Hutchinson 3G (or 3 the new entrant into the mobile world) has been rapidly building its customer base and building a network to match. In June 2004, Ofcom tried rules that 3 had SMP (significant market power) in the 3G world, which meant it would be regulated by Ofcom much in the same way BT is for fixed networks. The other 3G operators happily supported Ofcom in this view. 3 didn’t want the increased regulatory burden and disagreed with Ofcom’s ruling, so appealed to the Competition Appeal Tribunal. They won their appeal in November 2005. This was the first time any network has successfully appealed against a SMP designation.
3 wasn’t happy about having SMP forced upon it and therefore made noises to Ofcom about coverage obligations, which the other networks weren’t meeting. They’ve got 10 months to hit that 80% figure.
Though city centres might have a demand for 3G (for data services, no one cares about 3G voice – a voice call sounds the same whether it’s 3G or GSM), as you leave dense urban areas the appeal of 3G is less. Well maybe not less, but there are less people to use it and less of a reason for the networks to install 3G infrastructure and sites.
The cost of a 3G cell is probably not much different in terms of equipment from that of a 2G cell, one major difference is the amount of bandwidth needed for the cell, as data volumes are significantly higher (maybe 40Kb/s using GPRS data compared to maybe 2Mb/s for 3G, multiply that by 10 users and it’s 400Kb/s compared to 200Mb/s).
UK backhaul (i.e. the pipes used to connect cells) are expensive. The more rural the cell site is. the less chance there is that anyone (except maybe BT) has got any kind of high bandwidth connectivity. Therefore, the costs of the backhaul may well exceed that of the cell site itself.
Sharing makes economic sense
Orange and Vodafone have to hit that 80% figure or Ofcom can impose fines which could be significant. Therefore the build out of a shared new network makes economic sense. It’s half of what they’d each have to pay.
In this climate of everyone’s customers wanting everything for nothing, being able to reduce your build costs may well be the straw that doesn’t break the camel’s back.
9 February, 2007
LG Shine (KE970) Is Released In UK
The long-awaited and drooled-over LG Shine is being added to their Black Label range today.
As I’m sure you’re aware it’s a looker … and you’ll not be surprised to hear that it’s shiny – mirrored in fact.
Swimming in Ooo-Errr-ness, the screen is mounted under the 2.2″ mirrored surface, beaming its full colour screen though the mirror when a call is received or the front is slid up. Blue light is emitted from the keys to make them usable in dark corners.
There’s already been over 200,000 of them sold on LG’s home turf, Korea, since November 2006 and LG is no doubt hoping for a similar, if not greater success in Europe.
The success of Ooo-Err phones is now much less assured, since the release of the LG Chocolate (the first in the Black Label range), as other manufacturers are trying to impress just as hard.
There’s bash in London tonight to celebrate the launch with Magician, sorry Illusionist (he’s a bit sensitive about that one), David Blaine, or Git Wizard as Marcus Brigstocke calls him.
LG Shine
7 February, 2007
Samsung Ultra Edition 10.9 World’s Slimmest Slider Phone
Slimmer than a hungry supermodel deprived of her daily slice of crispbread, Samsung’s new Ultra Edition 10.9 slider has proudly grabbed the honours to claim the accolade as the “world’s slimmest” slider phone.
Snaffling the crown from the previous super-skinny champ – Samsung’s very own D900 – the new phone sees the designers shaving 2 mm from the thickness of the previous champ to create a phone that is in danger of doubling up as a razor.
The all-black slip of a thing offers a simple interface, with a circular controller and call start/end buttons accompanying the largish screen, with the numeric keypad sliding out from underneath.
Despite its wisp-like dimensions, Samsung have still managed to squeeze in a fair amount of functionality, with a 3.2-megapixel camera on the back of the phone for grabbing stills.
Naturally, there’s an MP3 player onboard plus Bluetooth, video playback/ video out, backed by a fairly reasonable 80MB of internal memory, with a built-in microSD slot offering the option to load up additional tunes.
Much as we love the look of these new super-slim phones, and appreciate how cool and trendy they look tucked into the back pocket of a model’s super-tight jeans, we fear they’re not for us.
After all, judging by the way our Treo 650 has been battered about during visits to football games and ale-slopping nights at the pub, we reckon the Ultra Edition 10.9 would soon become the Broken Edition 10.9 within hours.
Still, if you’re a trendsetting kind of groover that treats your phone like it’s a precious object, then you may well love Samsung’s new number, although you’ll have to wait until more details of the phone are released at the 3GSM Congress in Barcelona next month.
[From Via]
23 January, 2007
Recycle Phones With Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation
The Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation is a charity caring for families with terminally ill babies suffering irreparable brain damage (SDD), and they’ve announced a three week long fundraising campaign in Ireland.
Thankfully, they’ll be no hill climbing or pail fetching involved; instead they want you to hand in your old or unwanted mobile phones.
The Foundation aims to recycle over half a million phones, and hopes to make €500,000 from the project, estimating that it will be able to support one new nurse for every 20,000 phones handed in.
Phones that are still working will be sent to third world countries while knackered phones will be dismantled, with salvageable parts reused and toxic elements disposed of safely.
“For the past seven years we’ve collected empty toner and inkjet cartridges. We saw groups in Britain doing something similar with mobile phones. Last year we did a sort of dry run collecting mobiles and managed to raise around €100,000,” said campaign organiser Stephen Bebbington.
The campaign will see freepost envelopes distributed through the news media in Ireland, letting mobile phone owners send off their old phones for free.
Naturally, there’s a horde of celebrities onboard, including jockey Frankie Dettori, pop star Ronan Keating and hurling star DJ Carey (we’ll have to take their word on his celebrity status as hurling is about as popular as tiddlywinks in the UK).
We dropped the charity a line to see if there’s any way UK folks can hand in their own phones – we’ll update the article when we get a response.
Jack & Jill Children’s foundation
22 January, 2007
LG-SH110 LG phone From Korea
With Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘Slip Sliding Away’ surely on perpetual loop in the factory, LG have released yet another natty phone that’s big on that super-slidey thang, the 3G LG-SH110.
Clad in a fashionable all-black stealth finish, the phone boasts a colour QVGA display which – if you’re not down with acronyms – stands for ‘Quarter Video Graphics Array’ and translates into a 320 × 240 resolution display.
And that’s quite a big screen for such a wee phone.
Rustling though the minimal specs offered thus far, we can tell you that Messrs LG have wedged in a 2.0-megapixel camera coupled with a secondary VGA camera for video calling, with the screen able to show your own face and the caller recoiling in horror at your gurning mug.
Judging by the grinning, preening ladies clutching the phone with such ecstatic delight, LG are keen to big up the SH110’s multimedia abilities, with the phone offering an MP3 player, Music Sharing and Bluetooth support, with a pair of wired headphones bundled in the package.
HSDPA connectivity offers super nippy 1.8Mbps connectivity with visio-conference functionality hoping to tempt business bods.
If all this has tempted you to whip out your wallet with gusto, put your money away, squire – as with most of LG’s goodies there’s no confirmed UK release date and there quite probably never will be. Boo!
[From Akihabaranews]
22 January, 2007
Apple Fans Are Nuts. The iPhone Launch Proves It
OK, we all know the details now. Apple are releasing a phone – and it’s a looker. Hurrah.
For anyone who has the slightest interest in technology, this isn’t shocking given their track record.
What we found strange watching the video of the iPhone event, even disturbing, was the reaction of the audience.
For an English, or perhaps more widely, a non-American audience, the reaction of the crowd at the MacWorld event is odd – religious even.
As Ryan Block of Engadget said when covering the event live
10:29 – People are rapt, everyone is actually literally leaning forward and on the edge of their seat. We’ve never seen a presentation like this before.
There’s a huge imbalance here.
Let’s try and get some perspective on this – these are just products. Objects that you buy and use.
Yes the phone looks great; Yes rumours of it have been circulating for years and the anticipation was high; Yes the usage of the phone looks well thought out – but it it just a phone.
The reaction of the crowd is as if The Steve was announcing a significant medical break through, or the end of a war.
Strangely, the most enthusiastic reaction from the crowd was before any of the details of this were known, it was just after the mention that they would be releasing a phone.
Apple is a master at PR, so a lot of this excitement has been managed … and it’s been built up for a long time – all designed for a reaction like this. And judging by the recording of the event, it’s worked well.
10 January, 2007
SCH-V960: Samsung ‘Optical Joystick’ Phone Launched
Samsung has launched what it claims is the first mobile phone in the known universe to come with an optical joystick.
You may be wondering why you’d want one of those in the first place, but Samsung clearly thinks it’s on to a winner with its new SCH-V960 ‘Optical Joystick’ Phone.
As ever, Samsung have thoughtfully included a photo of some hotty demonstrating the joys of the optical interface, showing her little digit poised over the handset’s control.
Moving your digit over this control moves a cursor around the screen, just like a mouse about on a grown up PC.
The boffins at Samsung reckon that this will give users nippier access to frequently used menus and make it easy to skip through music track listings.
Weighing a pocket-pleasing 102g, the V960 is a fully fledged phone too, coming with a 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, GPS, microSD memory slot and a sizeable 2.12-inch 240×320 262K colour TFT screen.
The slide-open phone also comes with an illumination sensor which automatically controls the brightness of the LCD screen and keypad, so you won’t be dazzled if the phone goes off in the middle of the night.
Kitae Lee, President of Samsung’s Telecommunication and Network Business was well chuffed with the new interface, “As the importance of user-friendly interface increases, Samsung is researching and developing methods that enhances intuitive use of mobile phones. Samsung will continue to combine innovative ideas and the latest technology that will benefit our end users.”
Coming in black and white versions, the V960 will be launched in the Korean market at the end of this year but – as ever- there’s ne’er a hint from Messrs and Missuses Samsung as to whether us Limeys will be getting a slice of the optical action.
Samsung SCH V960 Optical Joystick phone. How does it work? [unwired]
21 December, 2006
Sidekick 3: UK T-Mobile Launch
T-Mobile UK has announced the launch of the T-Mobile Sidekick 3, the number one accessory for users who can’t get enough of email and instant messaging on the move.
Already a huge hit in the States, the pocket-filling 131mm x 59mm x 23mm (5.2″ x 2.3″ x .9″) Sidekick comes with a flip out display which displays a full QWERTY keyboard and a large 65k colour, transflective TFT display supporting a 240×160 pixel resolution.
Sporting a trackball that lights up like a Christmas tree, the phone also packs a 1.3 Megapixel digital camera with LED flash and a media player for MP3 playback, supported by a mini-SD card slot for storing up to 2GB of music and party photo files.
Jet-setting socialites will appreciate its tri-band support (850/900/1800MHz), enabling them to keep up their vital text messaging on both sides of the pond, with EDGE offering extra nippy Web surfing.
The phone offers MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger connectivity, with support for up to 10 simultaneous active IM conversations. Perfect for teenagers!
The GSM Sidekick also comes with Bluetooth connectivity 1.2 for wireless headsets and vCard transfer and 64MB of SDRAM/64MB Flash memory.
The Sidekick is being offered with T-Mobile’s excellent web’n’walk unlimited data tariff for £7.50 per month in addition to a voice plan.
T-Mobile
Sidekick 3 (hugely over the top Flash promo site)
20 December, 2006
MySpace Mobile Announced For Cingular
MySpace and Cingular Wireless have pressed the flesh and announced an exclusive partnership to offer enhanced MySpace functionality to all Cingular mobile users.
The deal, MySpace’s biggest-ever mobile partnership, gives users on Cingular’s network the ability to post photos and blogs, access and edit MySpace profiles, view and add friends and send and receive MySpace messages.
The functionality is provided through a downloadable MySpace Mobile application for Cingular handsets, which lets users select photos taken or stored on their mobile devices and then upload them to their MySpace profile.
Fearful of yet more law suits from The Man, MySpace has already pointed out that the same terms of service apply to the mobile service, with inappropriate content and copyrighted material strictly verboten.
Cingular users will be able to read and reply to their MySpace messages as well as view and manage friend requests (let’s hope the interface is an improvement on the hideous full web version).
MySpace Mobile also lets users post to their MySpace blogs when they’re on the move, as well as add friends to a contact list for quick bookmarking.
All this fun won’t come for free though, with the service charging a $2.99 per month premium (plus standard data usage charges, which could turn out to be considerable if the user isn’t on an unlimited data deal).
Back in March, Cingular and MySpace first teamed up to create the MySpace Mobile Alerts service, which sends out text alerts to mobiles when the user receives a MySpace message or update.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the service has already notched up 75 million alerts which suggests the new service should be a veritable cash-spinner.
Cingular
19 December, 2006