PeterCF

Wireless: LTE Leaps Ahead in 4G Race

None of the technologies you mention is a 4G technology.

Can we please be consistent in our use of this terminology, 4G is being debated by the ITU and there are specific submissions by the standard bodies for 4G - LTE Advanced and 802.16m.

Apple iPhone Shortage - Is 3G Coming?

Deutsche Telekom has slashed the price of the iPhone from 399 Euros to 99 Euros. The catch: you have to enter into a contract for an extra 89 Euros per month (ouch). The offer is valid between April 7 and June 30, 2008.

There are rumors that Apple will be selling a 3G iPhone soon so this could be Deutsche Telekom’s way to get rid of old stock. The rumors are based upon reports that the iPhone is out of stock in many Apple stores in the US.

The Case of the Disappearing iPhones

In Europe there are more than enough iPhones, and they are now coming up on the pre-owned market at discount prices in lots of 100s.

An FDD Flavor of WiMAX Changes a Few Things....

Its always possible to do FDD, the big question is what do you do ith the uplink bandwidth? Most internet activity is assymetrical and suits a TDD approach, the operator carefully managing the up and down ratios.

For FDD to make sense it assumes a cellular like, voice driven mobile WiMAX offering - the question is hen 'how do you serve the people who want 8MBps+ down as an ADSL/WiFi replacement'?

Ikanos Communications: How Big is the VDSL Market? (Part III)

Very interesting. In the UK VDSL and VDSL2 are seen as viable technologies however the very short line length (0.8km) means that it is only suitable for less than 15% of the connected population - based on a study of BT copper line lengths across the UK - not sure how this translates across Europe but I see this as a major factor.

Virgin Mobile Minority Shareholders Were Right to Take the Cash

Keith,

Isn't it more the case that Brandson needs the cash on a continuing basis to fund the expansion of Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Eco Fuels etc etc. Planes are expensive, biofuel processing plans are expensive.

You're right get as much cash as possible - but don't put it into MVNOs. he has already sold Virgin Mobile Nigeria to MTC.

Peter

Apple's iPhone and the Future of Qualcomm: Part II

Hi,

Interesting stuff, anything with Qualcomm in always is. Re your question WCDMA being a BIG component of 3G/4G UMTS - I already think you know the answer, technically it is and is fundamental to 3G and UMTS. What is interesting is the shift to 4G (whatever that is) or as the WCMDA guys call it 3G LTE - here LTE could be consider a 4G technology. In reality 3G LTE will be WCMDA/UMTS as the core with OFDM added on for the 4G bit - i.e. the high speed air interface.

Critical however to the continued migration of GSM to WCMDA (and yes it will happen around the world, so sustaining its dominant position over CMDA) will be GSM spectrum re-farming. Once the operators are allowed to refarm their GSm licenses (900 and 1800) they will use it for 3G voice using WCMDA. Why, its 3 times more effiecient than GSM at handling voice - and all the GSm networks are creaking at the seems.

Peter Curnow-Ford

Microsoft's Strategy To Grab iPod Market Share: Subsidize Zune To the Tune of $150

Subsidising is what greate rthan 80% of the mobile (cellular) business is built on. With smart phones now becoming the norm, contracts have had to be increased from 12 months to 18 months to allow operators to recover costs and show positive cash on a consumer.