3G/4G mobile broadband industry news from the UMTS Forum
18 February 2011
Telefónica and ZTE have announced the launch of the Movistar Prime handset in Movistar’s 12 Latin American mobile markets starting from the second quarter of 2011. The HSDPA handset is the latest result of the collaboration between ZTE and Telefónica in the Latin American markets signed in 2010. The high-end Android handset, which features a 3.2-megapixel camera and a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen, will be the a key product in Movistar’s 2011 portfolio.
Yoigo, part of TeliaSonera, has inked an exclusive four-year deal with Ericsson for the expansion and upgrade of its existing HSPA network to HSPA+ technology. The Swedish vendor will supply Yoigo with radio access, circuit switched core, packet switched core, expansion and upgrade of charging systems. The Spanish operator has also prolonged its existing managed services contract with Ericsson for four years.
China Mobile and Vodafone have signed a strategic agreement to continue their existing co-operation. The partners will collaborate on the promotion of converged LTE technology and LTE terminal development. Other areas of the collaboration will include corporate management, technical and operational expertise; enhanced roaming; multinational customers; green technology; network roadmap management and innovation and R&D.
Etisalat has selected Alcatel-Lucent for its deployment of LTE technology in the UAE, with the first commercial LTE network rollout planned in the first quarter of 2011. Alcatel-Lucent will supply Etisalat with a complete end-to-end High Leverage Network solution. This includes LTE base stations (eNodeBs) and all-IP wireless Evolved Packet Core (EPC), plus project management, planning, installation, commissioning and integration services.
O2 Germany, part of Telefónica, has awarded LTE contracts to Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) and Huawei, following seven-month trials of the LTE equipment from both vendors. Initially targeting the metropolitan areas, the operator expects to roll out its LTE network at both 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz frequency bands. Huawei will be responsible for South and West Germany, while NSN will focus on the North and East areas within O2 Germany’s footprint. .
Telstra to Launch LTE Mobile Broadband Network by End 2011
Telstra has chosen Ericsson to roll out LTE technology during 2011. The Australian operator will upgrade its existing HSPA+ Dual Carrier Next G network with LTE technology in the central business districts of all Australian capital cities and selected regional centres by the end of 2011. Telstra plans to deploy LTE in the 1800 MHz frequency band in areas where traffic demand is most concentrated and overlay the new system with its existing HSPA+ Dual Carrier service, which uses the 850 MHz spectrum range.
Orange Strengthens its Tablet Portfolio with Launch of the Orange Tablet
Mobile operator Orange has launched its own Orange-branded tablet in four markets: Spain, Romania, Poland and Slovakia. The entry-level device extends Orange's tablet portfolio and supports its multiple-price-point strategy. The device features a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen, Android 2.1 operating system and 3G/EDGE connectivity.
NEC has examined the performance of small cell LTE technology in conjunction with an unnamed operator, using the 2.6 GHz frequency band. The trial has demonstrated that small cells can deliver significantly higher capacity and higher user data rate in comparison with a typical macro-based LTE deployment in dense urban environments.
Samsung has unveiled its first Android-based, dual-core tablet - branded the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 - in partnership with Vodafone. The entertainment-focused device features games, movies, eBooks and social media capabilities. The device enables HSPA+ connectivity at downlink speeds of up to 21 Mbps. It features a 10.1-inch display, 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and 2-megapixel front-facing camera, plus a 1 GHz Dual Core processor. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available via Vodafone in over 20 markets around the world in the second quarter of 2011.
Huawei has announced its new line-up of 3G mobile broadband devices. The11.2-mm thin IDEOS X3 runs on the latest Android 2.3 interface, 3.2 megapixel camera and 3.2-inch touchscreen. With a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen, the 12.5-mm thin IDEOS S7 Slim 3G tablet has been streamlined for easier portability. The HiLink mobile broadband dongle boasts a start-up time of 15 seconds. The WiFi Smart Pro modem creates a portable WiFi hotspot.
Nokia and Microsoft have joined forces to develop innovative mobile products and services by leveraging their complementary strengths and expertise. Nokia will adopt the Windows Phone platform as the main smartphone OS, and contribute its expertise on hardware design, language support and imaging. The partners plan to combine key assets and collaborate on joint marketing and development initiatives.
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