MobilenniuM Express
3G Industry news from the UMTS Forum
05 June 2009

New study investigates tomorrow’s LTE mobile broadband ecosystem
The UMTS Forum new report “LTE Mobile Broadband Ecosystem: the Global Opportunity”, produced jointly with consulting firm Ovum, examines the critical enablers and challenges for 3G LTE. According to the report – available exclusively to UMTS Forum members – LTE will embrace new internet-based applications, devices and content delivery mechanisms, resulting in a broader ecosystem than for any previous mobile technology.

ACCC Not to Oppose Proposed Merger of Vodafone and Hutchison
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has approved the proposed A$4-billion merger of Hutchison 3G Australia and Vodafone Australia. Following a three-month investigation, the ACCC concluded that the merger is unlikely to substantially lessen competition in the country’s mobile telephony and mobile broadband market segments. The anti-trust regulator also concluded that the merged entity would have sufficient scale to continue to make significant investments in their mobile networks to provide competitive high speed data services, such as mobile broadband.

Nokia N97 Mobile Computer to Begin Selling Worldwide in June
Nokia will commercially launch its new flagship touchscreen smartphone, the Nokia N97, in June in more than 75 countries. Featuring a tilting 3.5" touch display, QWERTY keyboard, a fully customizable home screen and 32GB of storage, the N97 will offer one-click access to the vendor’s Ovi platform with a full range of music, maps, games, media and applications. The launch of the N97 mobile computer is part of Nokia’s strategy to deliver a highly personalized mobile internet experience.

PTS’s Invitation to Auction of the 28 GHz Band
The Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (PTS) has invited interested parties to participate in a spectrum auction for licences in the 28 GHz frequency band. The licences will be service-neutral and (with certain restrictions) technology-neutral. In Europe, this frequency band is harmonized for use of radio links and will provide mobile operators with access to high transmission capacity to and from base stations. The national licences will include a total of 18 frequency blocks comprising 2x28 MHz. The deadline for submitting the applications is 25 August 2009.

Rogers Wireless and Joshua Jackson Unveil the HTC Dream and HTC Magic
Rogers Wireless in Canada has unveiled the Android-powered HTC Dream and HTC Magic smartphones. The HSPA-enabled mobile devices, which feature built-in integration with Google Search, Google Maps, and Gmail, are available across nationwide for CAD149.99 on a three-year voice and data contract with a minimum combined monthly service fee of CAD45. As part o the promotion, Rogers is offering a CAD30 per 6GB data plan for both device until 1 July. Roger Wireless, which upgraded its network to HSPA technology in December last year, which enabled mobile broadband download speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps.

Ericsson Frees Netbooks from Dongles and Wires with New Broadband Module
Ericsson has unveiled a new HSPA-enabled mobile broadband module specifically designed to equip netbooks with embedded wireless connectivity. The F3307 module is pre-certified with mobile networks in 75 countries, enabling faster time to the market. Ericsson will also validate the F3307 module with Intel's next-generation netbook platform, Pine Trail-M. The Swedish vendor is on track to break into the dynamic netbook market, with netbook sales estimated at 300 million between 2009-2014, most of which will have built-in mobile broadband capabilities.

Huawei and TeliaSonera Achieves World's First LTE Mobile Broadband Connection
Norwegian operator Netcom, part of Swedish telecoms group TeliaSonera, and its vendor partner Huawei have trialled what the companies claim to be the world's first mobile broadband connection using a live commercial LTE network in Oslo, Norway. The development is part of TeliaSonera/Netcom’s commercial LTE network deployment scheduled to be completed in the Norwegian capital in 2010. The move follows last week’s opening of the world’s first LTE (Long Term Evolution) site in Stockholm, Sweden, supported by Ericsson.

XT Launch Momentum Exceeds Sales Expectations
Following the recent launch of its new 3G XT network based on the WCDMA/HSPA technology on the 850 MHz frequency band, Telecom New Zealand has confirmed that sales mobile handsets and SIM cards have exceeded its expectations. The operator has achieved sales of around 25,000 units, including handsets and SIM cards, in the first five days and expects to have one of its biggest months in terms of sales yet.