Tom,
re: WiFi/GSM3GSM & WiFi
<< Bell South's Moviles ... GSM upgrade to 1x >>
I'll comment separately on BSI. That gets us into several subjects.
Same with GSM1x.
<< consider the alternative >>
LOL!
Open Sand.
Insert Head.
Again. <g>
... or as the esteemed author of that post who thinks the sun rises in Florida and sets in San Diego would say ... <ggg>.
It is not an alternative, IMO.
It is a powerful supplement to the suite of technologies that will eventually deliver wireless voice, data, and multimedia data to subscribers anywhere, anyplace, anytime.
John Stanton happens to be just ahead of the pack and it's not the first time he's been there. John is a one clever dude, and he was modest enough to not list himself in his list of "entrepreneur insurgents" fueling wireless innovation:
VoiceStream's Stanton noted the role of "entrepreneur insurgents" in driving the industry forward. Just as Craig McCaw deployed one of the first wireless networks and Qualcomm founder Irwin Jacobs turned CDMA from idea to reality, so are Wi-Fi companies fueling wireless innovation.
<< A series of data steps that don't seem to be there >>
The great part about technology is what is not there today - will be there tomorrow.
If Qualcomm can't provide it, small companies like Flarion, or giants like Intel, Cisco, Ericsson, and Nokia will.
There is little doubt in my mind - and there has been little doubt for some time - that we will see a meaningful convergence of "next-generation" mobile services and WLAN.
I do not view this as a threat to 3rd Generation wireless so much as a very healthy opportunity for wireless vendors and carriers, and one of the elements that will help make "next-gen/3G" a success.
I suppose that it could impact the takeup of 1xEV-DO to some degree, just as it will impact WCDMA to some degree.
I don't see it impacting on the eventual success of WCDMA with the HSDPA extension or 1xEV-DV for the mobile wireless WAN, on an All-IP core with an All IP RAN (eventually).
In the US, VoiceStream, AWS, Verizon, Sprint PCS - and probably Nextel - will all use WLAN to complement their wireless data offerings.
All three are interesting to watch but the most interesting one relatively near term may be Sprint PCS/Boingo.
Carriers are perpetually "waiting for subscriber equipment" that will help them incorporate new technologies, multiple technologies, and frequency bands.
In this case (WLAN/Next gen mobile wireless) the subscriber equipment is there ahead of the technology convergence for once
A businessman (US or overseas) that travels abroad regularly (the most cherished customer of any wireless carrier) can buy the hottest phone on the international market today (tri-band Sony Ericsson T68i with Bluetooth, GPRS, & HSCD), and he can buy both the Nokia D211 & D311 & tri-mode GPRS/HSCSD/WLAN (WiFi) Modem cards.
Message 17212175
He has just added 25% (and less than one pound) to the cost of his portable-mobile office and eliminated some cords in the process and he can connect one way or another (best way available) to his corporate Intranet or VPN in 174 countries, popping his single SIM when and where necessary on a single primary subscription.
All part of the beauty of the versatile GSM platform.
Look for the same functionality in the next gen Nokia Communicator ("Hilden") with Symbian OS 7 (he said wishfully).
As a user, I may be retired, and have retired my travelling tools as well, by the time all this technology convergence takes place in meaningful fashion, but it's pretty exciting stuff. IMO, and there will be a great 3rd generation future.
As an investor, I remain vigilant for the next Qualcomm, new disruptive technologies, and new discontinuous innovations.
- Eric - |
