Sprint Wireless to Launch Limited WiMax Networks This Week

Sprint Wireless plans to launch its XOHM WiMax network by the end of this week in Chicago and Baltimore-Washington, D.C. This initial launch will be limited only to Sprint employees and will focus on the central downtown areas of the test cities. This initial set of trials precedes the actual full trial networks that will be available to the general public starting in the first quarter of 2008. A sprint spokesperson said the company has 10,000 base stations ready to go, and will expand the coverage to areas that see high demand for wireless data. The company did not provide details on what devices its employees will be using, nor what devices consumers can expect to use once the full trials get underway.

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AT&T Buys Edge Wireless

AT&T has agreed to acquire Edge Wireless, a regional GSM carrier in the Pacific Northwest. AT&T already owns a minority stake in the company, and will buy out the remaining 64.3% of the firm for an undisclosed amount. It will add Edge's 172,000 existing customers to its own subscriber base and will be able to offer better in-network roaming in the areas covered by Edge.

Verizon Wireless To Introduce ‘Any Apps, Any Device’ Option For Customers In 2008

Today Verizon Wireless announced that it will allow customers to use any compatible device, application or software--even those not available directly from Verizon--on its network beginning next year. Verizon said it will publish technical standards that developers can use to create applications and software that can be used on its devices and network. It will also test and certify specific devices in its own lab. Any device or application that meets the minimum standards will be activated for customers who wish to use them. Verizon will be offering this new level of flexibility country-wide by the end of 2008. Verizon's existing retail sales model will remain in place, and customers will continue to be able to purchase Verizon handsets and services as they do today.

Read full story here.

Samsung Brings Back High-End Cameraphone To Verizo

Samsung today launched the FlipShot U900, a 3 megapixel cameraphone for Verizon. The FlipShot is almost identical to the Samsung A990 launched on Verizon over a year ago, with a twist and flip clamshell design, 3 megapixel auto-focus camera, microSD slot and TV-out. Mobile Phone fans will have lots of fun creating or watching online videos with the help of this gadget.

The FlipShot upgrades the previous specs to stereo Bluetooth, a full color external display and LBS in a thinner form factor. It is available online from Verizon for $200 after 2 year contract. A red model will be available in Best Buy stores on November 26 as well.

from Samsung / more info »

Samsung U900 Flipshot Camera Phone

The Samsung U900 Flipshot Camera Phone is finally here. It has been recently released for Verizon Wireless. The phone uses a unique twisting design to take all of your pictures. But of course, it is a phone first and foremost. However, when rotated 180 degrees, the phone reveals a high resolution camera with features such as a flash and in-camera photo editing software.

In addition, the Samsung FlipShot offers an integrated 3.0-megapixel camera with autofocus, zoom, and video recording capabilities. Other media features from Verizon Wireless include VCAST Video to view high-quality shows and VCAST Music to download music directly to the phone.

Nokia Siemens Launches Low-energy Base Stations

Most of the energy in a typical telecommunication network is consumed by the wireless network's base station site. In response to this, Nokia Siemens Networks says that it is announcing offerings that dramatically improve the energy efficiency of its wireless networks, particularly the base stations and base station sites.

"The Energy Efficiency solution makes good green business sense," said Ari Lehtoranta, head of the Radio Access business unit at Nokia Siemens Networks. "By bringing state-of-the art products and software together with our Services portfolio for operators, we can reduce adverse environmental impact while also generating considerable cost savings for our operator customers."

The four main elements of the solution are:

• Minimizing the number of base station sites;
• Minimizing the need for air conditioning to cool the sites;
• Using the latest base station technology;
• Deploying software features that optimize the use of radio access for wireless communications.

Nokia Siemens Networks says that the energy consumption of a base station site can be reduced by up to 70 percent with its Energy Efficiency solution.

Read full story here

7 PM- Sprint Commercial

Watch this funny ad of Sprint promoting its 7 pm unlimited night calling.



If you like that one, maybe you'll love another of Sprint's wireless promotion.

Google Has Even Bigger Plans for Mobile Phones

Google Inc. made a big splash last week with its new software for cellphones. But that's far from the limit of the Internet giant's wireless ambitions -- which could include running its own mobile network.

The company is gearing up to make a serious run at buying wireless spectrum, a chunk of the airwaves that can be used to provide mobile phone and Internet services, in a Federal Communications Commission auction in January. Google is prepared to bid on its own without any partners, say people familiar with the matter. It is working out a plan to finance its bid, which could run $4.6 billion or higher, that would rely on its own cash and possibly some borrowed money.

Google, meanwhile, already is running a test version of an advanced wireless network at its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters, gaining operating experience that could come in handy if it wins the spectrum and decides to run a full-scale national mobile carrier, according to people familiar with the matter.

Read full story here.

Wilmington, Delaware, Residents to Benefit from Verizon Wireless Network Expansion

In a continuing effort to provide the best wireless service for local residents in Wilmington, Verizon Wireless, the leading wireless company with the most reliable voice and data network, has expanded its network with a new cell site. The new site increases coverage and capacity along Route 13 north to Haines Avenue and west to East 28th Street, and along I-495 south to the Christiana Avenue overpass.

This network expansion is part of the company's aggressive multi-billion dollar network investment each year (more than $1 billion every 90 days) to stay ahead of the growing demand for Verizon Wireless voice and data services. The company has invested more than $170 million this year to enhance and expand its network in southeastern, central and northeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware, bringing the network investment in the region to more than $1 billion since 2000.

Continue reading here.

Nokia NM705i Mobile Phone for NTT DoCoMo

Check out this shiny new phone from Nokia: the Nokia NM705i. Of course, the chances of you getting your hands on this phone is remote, unless you happen to be in Japan. Available to NTT DoCoMo customers, the NM705i is designed to work on the FOMA (WCDMA 2100MHz) network as well as WCDMA 800/850. A quad-band GSM phone, it will also work pretty much everywhere else in the world. There's an FM radio on-board.

Compliant with Bluetooth 2.0, the phone supports quite a few profiles like: Audio Streaming, Audio/Video Remote Control Profile, Dial-up Networking Profile, File Transfer Profile, Generic Access Profile, General Audio/Video Distribution Profile, General Object Exchange Profile, Handsfree Profile, Headset Profile, Object Push Profile and Serial Port Profile.

The Nokia NM705i recently gained the FCC's approval as well, but there's no word on the pricing or availability.

Wireless Communication

Wireless is a term used to describe telecommunications in which electromagnetic waves (rather than some form of wire) carry the signal over part or the entire communication path. Common examples of wireless equipment in use today include:

• Cellular phones and pagers: provide connectivity for portable and mobile applications, both personal and business.
• Global Positioning System (GPS): allows drivers of cars and trucks, captains of boats and ships, and pilots of aircraft to ascertain their location anywhere on earth.
• Cordless computer peripherals: the cordless mouse is a common example; keyboards and printers can also be linked to a computer via wireless.
• Cordless telephone sets: these are limited-range devices, not to be confused with cell phones.
• Satellite television: allows viewers in almost any location to select from hundreds of channels.

Wireless networking is used to meet a variety of needs. Perhaps the most common use is to connect laptop users who travel from location to location. Another common use is for mobile networks that connect via satellite. A wireless transmission method is a logical choice to network a LAN segment that must frequently change locations. The following situations justify the use of wireless technology:

• To span a distance beyond the capabilities of typical cabling,
• To avoid obstacles such as physical structures, EMI, or RFI,
• To provide a backup communications link in case of normal network failure,
• To link portable or temporary workstations,
• To overcome situations where normal cabling is difficult or financially impractical, or
• To remotely connect mobile users or networks.

Everything Wireless

The term wireless is normally used to refer to any type of electrical or electronic operation which is accomplished without the use of a "hard wired" connection. Wireless communication is the transfer of information over a distance without the use of electrical conductors or "wires". The distances involved may be short (a few meters as in television remote control) or very long (thousands or even millions of kilometers for radio communications). When the context is clear the term is often simply shortened to "wireless". Wireless communications is generally considered to be a branch of telecommunications.

IT. It encompasses cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and wireless networking. Other examples of wireless technology include GPS units, garage door openers and or garage doors, wireless computer mice and keyboards, satellite television and cordless telephones.

Wireless communication may be via:

• radio frequency communication,
• microwave communication, for example long-range line-of-sight via highly directional antennas, or short-range communication, or
• infrared (IR) short-range communication, for example from remote controls or via IRDA,

Applications may involve point-to-point communication, point-to-multipoint communication, broadcasting , cellular networks and other wireless networks.