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NetworksMotorola AP 7181 801.11n Outdoor Wireless Mesh Network Access Point AnnouncedIt seemed like we were on the verge of a golden era of free or, at least, inexpensives city-wide municipal WiFi networks a few years ago. This never happened for a mix of business-political, technical, and financial reasons. There are probably a few pockets of municipal WiFi networks out there. But, I can't think of the last time anyone I know talked about using one. Another WiFi related topic we used to hear a lot about but rarely do these days is mesh networking. While conventional WiFi networks required wired connection to many (most) of the WiFi access points, mesh networks can wireless route data between the access point themselves. Motorola just announced a new access point product that creates a fash 802.11n wireless network that is compatible with slower but widely deployed 802.11b and 802.11g products as well as the efficient but rarely deployed 802.11a products. Motorola Takes 802.11n Technology Outdoor with Powerful Mesh Wide Area Network Solution Qwest DSL Customers Get Free WiFi Hotspot Service via AT&T Hotspot NetworkIf you are a Qwest High-Speed Internet (DSL) subscriber, you now have a very nice free addition to your service in the form of... Free Wi-Fi Takes Qwest High-Speed Internet Value Beyond the Home Hotspot access is enabled by using AT&T Wireless' existing hotspot network. This means that Qwest DSL customers can use hotspots in 17,000 locations throughout the U.S. including Starbucks, Barnes & Noble and McDonalds. The SSID for the Qwest WiFi hotspots is QwestWiFi. Qwest DSL customers can find these hotspot locations by pointing their browser at: Sprint Slashing Content Group
Although it's the third-largest mobile carrier in the US behind AT&T and Verizon, Sprint has historically been ahead of the competition when it comes to content. It was the first to market with a music download service and the first with mobile TV. Sprint also has the exclusive rights to NFL content, including the rights to broadcast regular season football games that appear on the NFL Network. There's also the long-standing Nextel connection with Nascar. The cellco lost more than 1.2 million customers last year, which leaves a lot fewer consumers to buy the content. For Sprint's sake, here's hoping that its exclusive deal for the Palm Pre starts heading it towards a turnaround. Keynote Checks Performance of iPhone, N95Keynote Systems has added a number of the most popular smartphones to its global, on-demand network for testing and measuring the performance of mobile applications, content and services. The company has installed iPhone, BlackBerry, LG Dare, Samsung Instinct and Nokia N95 devices at its network locations in New York, San Francisco and London. Plans to add other smartphone models are in the works. Using Keynote's Mobile Device Perspective service, companies can test and monitor how their content and services work using actual devices running across various carrier networks around the world. MDP allows companies to see the true end-user experience, from content availability all the way through delivery and accuracy, and make sure that it's not timing out or delivering a version that's not compatible with the user's handset. Car Ignition Key Jams Cell Phones
Here's a new one: University of Utah researchers have created a car ignition key that prevents the driver from talking on a cell phone or sending text messages while behind the wheel, Cellular News reports. "The university has obtained provisional patents and licensed the invention—Key2SafeDriving—to a private company that hopes to see it on the market within six months at a cost of less than $50 per key plus a yet-undetermined monthly service fee," the report said. Ronn Hartman, managing partner of Accendo LC, said in a statement that the company plans to license the technology to cell phone carriers as part of their service plans, instead of selling it to customers directly. Oh, and a personal note after the jump... Confirmed: EU to Cap Mobile Data Roaming Charges
In July 2009, pending the expected approval of European Parliament, all 27 EU member nations will adopt a limit of 11 euro cents (14 cents U.S.) on retail charges for cross-border texting, which is a substantial cut on the current European average of 29 euro cents (36 cents U.S.), the report said, in a move that is obviously good for wireless subscribers in the region. In addition, the plan includes a cap of one euro per megabyte ($1.26 U.S.) for data roaming, with a switchable shutoff valve if the charges exceed 50 euros ($63.10). As expected, European mobile operators "fought tooth and nail against Reding's proposal," according to the article. (Image credit: Clipart.com) Sprint, Clearwire Complete WiMAX Merger
Clearwire and Sprint Nextel have completed the combination of their wireless services in an effort to deploy a next-generation, 4G network across the country, PC Magazine reports. "The deal closed according to the terms laid out in May, which includes a $3.2 billion cash infusion from Comcast, Intel, Time Warner Cable, Google and Bright House Networks," the article said. "Sprint contributed all of its 2.5 GHz spectrum and its WiMAX-related assets, including its XOHM WiMAX business, to Clearwire." The mobile version of the service begins at $45 per month, and works primarily in Baltimore for the time being, with plans to expand further in the coming months. (Image credit: Clipart.com) Telfort Signs Mobile Content Deal with Nakko
MocoNews is reporting that Nakko, a mobile content company, has signed a deal with Dutch wireless carrier Telfort to build and manage a new mobile portal for them. As with other wireless carrier decks, the upcoming WAP portal will give subscribers one place to get news, weather, and traffic information, as well as "other content specifically tailored for the [carrier]'s users," such as news from Hollan's social net Hyves, or e-mail headers from their Gmail accounts, according to the report. Any deal like this is significant for a mobile content company; achieving any kind of placement on a carrier deck is key to begin with, but as in this case, becoming part of the carrier's mobile home page is even more desirable. How's That Landline Working Out For Ya?
The reason behind this question is that most voter polls take place over land lines, not cell phones, as the report said: That excludes "people who exclusively use cellphones—young voters and the tech-savvy (you guys), I'm going to guess. These voters tend to vote Democratic, so there [are] talking heads on the likes of Fox News and MSNBC losing their minds—don't trust the polls, they're not accurate, England prevails, etc." We couldn't have said it better. At any rate, head over to the site and vote. When we last checked in, about 50 percent of respondents said they no longer had a landline. (Image credit: Clipart.com) Cable TV Company Plans Wireless Network
This wasn't entirely a surprise: "Cox had signaled an interest in building a wireless network by spending $550 million on licenses to use the airwaves. But such spectrum purchases don't always lead to the building of a network, and privately held Cox hasn't previously detailed its plans." Cox plans to build wireless networks in each of the areas it currently services with cable TV—including San Diego, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Omaha—and then will join up with Sprint-Nextel to contract out bandwidth for the rest of the country. The move will give Cox a complete broadband package that includes television, home broadband, VoIP phone service, and now wireless service, pitting it against AT&T and Verizon. PreviouslyO2 to Announce Mobile Flat Rate, Shorter Contracts Nielsen: 1 in 5 Without Landlines By 2009 Could AT&T and Verizon End Up Owning the U.S. Wireless Market? Carriers Still Struggle with Mobile Content Providers Comcast to Limit Transfers to 250GB/Month FCC Rules Comcast Broke the Law in BitTorrent Flap IOC Admits Deal with China to Censor Internet Earthlink Looks to Dial Up AOL Deal Judge: Early Cell Phone Termination Fees Illegal Real-World 3G Costs with Taxes and Fees? Who Knows? Rural Carriers Petition for Spectrum Cap Report: Worldwide Mobile Subscriptions to Slow Japanese Mobile Content Providers Agree on Rating System Skype Hires Motorola Exec for COO Lawsuits Go After Government Cell Phone Tracking Forbes: Customers Hate Cell Phone Companies Informa: 100 Million 3G Subscriptions in Europe Starbucks, AT&T, T-Mobile All Kiss and Make Up Study: Consumers Want Data, Not Voice Calls, on Planes Study: Mobile Subscribers Want More Choice Landline Users Continue Exodus Philly Wi-Fi Dead, Just Like the Others FTC Says it will Police Mobile Content Stunning Revelation: Customer Service is Important Copper Wire Continues to Deteriorate Vodafone, China Mobile, Softbank Partner on Innovation Cuban Wireless Market Officially Open |
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