service providers

Get ready for OFDM

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:59:57 -0500

Orthogonal Division Frequency Multiplexing (OFDM) may not be at the center of your radar screen, but if you build wireless systems or applications, you should be learning about OFDM and what it does for wireless communications. A technology foundation of WiMAX, OFDM will be a key ingredient in allowing mobile WiMAX to have an impact on the work life of mobile professionals. OFDM makes it possible to squeeze more channels and more effective bandwidth into a given slice of radio spectrum--that's a win for WiMAX, the service providers, and the users.

For more on OFDM:
- Read the technology analysis at WirelessWeek

Wireless ups and downs

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 06:59:59 -0500

It's a mixed bag of news for wireless proponents this week. On the one hand, CA's move into the wireless management market is great news because it provides a new tool for enterprise IT groups looking for a way to bring a wireless platform under full control. On the other hand, St. Louis joins a growing list of cities that haven't been able to make the dream of municipal WiFi a reality. Even with the current mixed news, though, there's a clear sense of anticipation in the wireless market these days. Google is the source of much anticipation, between the rumors of Google phones and the company's clearly stated ambitions in the 700Mhz space. That 700Mhz spectrum slice (which is, in the final analysis, a rather slim slice of RF territory) is the source of at least as much anticipation and speculation as potential customers and service providers alike try to figure out what open access will mean, and just how many services will be made available when the gavel has rapped down at the auction's end.

These times of anticipation can be valuable if they're used for planning and thinking about what new services and products can mean for an organization's IT infrastructure. Once the products and services are in place, blue-sky brainstorming will be seen differently. Now, when products and services are still on the horizon, IT groups have an excuse to think carefully and plan slowly for the future. It would be a shame to let that sort of excuse and opportunity pass by--they come along even less often than new pieces of RF spectrum. -Curtis

Get ready for WiMax

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

The annual CTIA conference is always the scene of new product introductions. This year's edition of CTIA was no exception, and some of the hottest action focused on WiMax for a variety of applications. From carrier announcements by companies like Sprint and Verizon to equipment announcements aimed at both carrier and enterprise markets, there was plenty of product activity. On the other side, there was no shortage of users telling vendors that they need WiMax capabilities--yesterday. Vendors and service providers are each hoping that user demand will mean predictions of slow adoption don't come true, but the onus will be on those vendors to get equipment in the field soon, or face growing competition from the improving performance of existing wireless network technologies.

For more on CTIA:
- get the coverage from Network World
- read this report on Sprint from FierceWireless

Related Article:
MSV, Nortel team on WiMAX. Report

Websense keeps bad URLs out

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 20:01:37 -0400

Malicious web sites can't hurt you if you can't go to them. That's the basic concept behind new Websense mobile device security technology. Websense joins companies such as Symantec in providing products specifically targeted at the wireless market. The Websense Wireless URL Categorization Engine collects URLs and assigns classifications to them based on Websense Threatseeker rankings. User organizations can then establish actions allowed based on the individual rankings--rankings ranging from full visit privileges to user warnings to complete blocking. Service providers have the option to provide their own activity groups based on the rankings, or enterprise users can achieve user protection based solely on their own classification and action pairs.

For more on Websense:
- read all about it at eWeek

3GSM Congress brings new cell uses

Sun, 25 Feb 2007 19:01:37 -0500

A phone's no longer a phone, it seems, especially when the phone is attached to a 3GSM network. Dictating text messages, requesting map routes and updating social networking pages are some of the functions that handset vendors and service providers believe users should be clamoring for. On the other end of the scale are phones that recognize the feature overload experiences by many users; these phones have as few as six brightly-colored buttons for simplified device navigation. More or fewer buttons, richer or simpler features--regardless of the direction taken, it's a ways from "just a phone."

For more on the evolving handset:
- read the article at CIO Today

How to make mesh networking a reality

Sun, 28 Aug 2005 20:01:38 -0400

The first step toward creating a mesh network -- where wireless access points are tied into a wired network infrastructure -- is assessing and evaluating what your wireless requirements are today and what you expect to need in the future. Once you determine that a mesh makes sense, then it's time to look for one vendor partner since the lack of standards is currently limiting interoperability for using more than one maker's system.

Next it's time to determine the best design approach -- a decision that depends on what you need the mesh to do, what your traffic needs are and what will work best with your current network schema. Make sure you keep scalability in mind with both design and deployment. Get deeper insight on the various issues involved with mesh networks and a quick look at the top service providers bringing the technology to market today.

For more on mesh making:
- read this Mobile Pipeline article