Wireless VoIP

T-Mobile may extend VoIP with Hotspot@Home

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 06:59:56 -0400

T-Mobile USA has submitted a wireless router for testing by the FCC, several reports indicate. The extrapolation is that T-Mobile intends to extend its wireless hub and HotSpot VoIP capabilities into a full-fledged VoIP landline service. The router appears to support two landline phones and two cellular phones per unit, according to reports.

Hotspot@Home, launched in June, allows T-Mobile customers to connect via the firm's cellular network and its 8,500 WiFi hotspot locations across the country. T-Mobile offers two HotSpot-compatible handsets--the Samsung t409 and the Nokia 6086. The handsets themselves sense whether or not WiFi is available.

For more:
- CNet provides and excellent overview of T-Mobile's build-up here
- TG Daily provides a perspective on T-Mobile's VoIP strategy here

Related Articles
T-Mobile CEO says wVoIP won't catch on Report

FMC goes commercial, but will it thrive?

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 06:59:59 -0400

FMC goes commercial, but will it thrive?

After many starts and stalls, 2007 is shaping up to be the year of fixed mobile convergence. In fact, this summer we've seen two U.S. operators dip into the FMC pool and launch services. And it's likely that others will follow suit if these two early innovators find success with their offerings.

Regional operator Cincinnati Bell Wireless launched its CB Home Run package in June. CB Home Run lets subscribers make wireless calls via the firm's cellular network and via WiFi in their homes and offices and at the company's more than 300 WiFi hotspots. Cincinnati Bell is charging $60 for the Nokia 6086 UMA-based handset with a $15 rebate, and existing customers can add the CB Home Run service for just $10 per month.

On a much larger scale, T-Mobile USA launched its HotSpot@Home service in late June. The service lets customers connect via the firm's cellular network and its 8,500 WiFi hotspot locations across the country. T-Mobile offers two HotSpot-compatible handsets--the Samsung t409 and the Nokia 6086. Each phone costs $49.99 with a two-year contract. To provide an incentive to users to sign up for the plan, T-Mobile is letting existing customers add the service for $9.99 per month for a single line and $19.99 per month for up to five lines for customers on a family plan.

While I commend Cincinnati Bell and T-Mobile for launching FMC at attractive price points ($10 per month for an individual/$20 per month for a family plan), I hope they rapidly add more handsets to their offerings. We know from history that the lack of compelling FMC handsets can limit growth. As we reported back in March, Deutsche Telekom canceled its FMC service called T-One. While the company claimed the cancellation was because it wanted to focus on its mobile Internet services, many industry insiders reported that the real reason the service failed to take off was because it was poorly marketed and lacked a compelling line up of handsets.

Current Analysis analyst William Ho, while slightly bullish on T-Mobile's HotSpot@Home offering, also urges T-Mobile to increase its FMC handset portfolio. In a research note, Ho says "although the launch devices are priced well, the limited selection of two relative to the entire T-Mobile handset portfolio forces a user to make a tradeoff between fashion and functionality (e.g. RAZR, Sidekick, Pearl) for voice value."

To hear more about the FMC debate, tune into the FierceWireless Webinar "FMC Progress Report" on July 17 at noon EST. I'll be moderating the Webinar and my guests include ABI Wireless Research Director Stuart Carlaw, Tango Networks COO Alastair Westgarth and Evan Miller, IT operations strategy director at Texas Instruments. Click here to register. -Sue

Cricket inks $126M deal to launch EVDO Rev. A

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:01:36 -0400

Cricket Wireless, a subsidiary of Leap Wireless, inked a five-year agreement to purchase up to $126 million in equipment, services and software from Alcatel-Lucent. The carrier is expanding its network and upgrading some parts of it to EVDO Rev. A. The upgrade will allow Cricket to provide high-speed data services like VoIP, Internet access, mobile video and music. Alcatel-Lucent will provide installation, engineering, training and technical support services to the carrier, too. The VoIP capabilities of Rev. A seem particularly compelling for a flat-rate service provider, like Cricket, since moving subscribers off of a busy circuit-switched network could prove lucrative over time.

For more on Cricket's Rev. A plans:
- read this press release

FCC: Enough"advantageous regulatory filings"

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 20:01:34 -0400

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin brushed off companies seeking "advantageous regulatory rulings" from the commission, saying that the FCC "doesn't want to get caught up dealing with these." Martin then declared the wireless industry is "the most competitive industry that the FCC regulates" since prices are falling and market penetration worldwide continues to increase.

The commentary comes weeks after Skype filed a high-profile petition to the FCC that sought to clarify whether Carterphone rules apply to wireless networks. Carterphone rules were applied to PSTN networks in the late '60s and allowed phone makers to attach any non-harmful device to AT&T's network. Such rules would force wireless carriers to allow handset makers to attach any "non-harmful" mobile phone or other wireless-enabled device to their networks. One key factor influencing the thinking behind the decision is whether or not there is sufficient competition in the wireless industry. Since Skype filed the petition, it would certainly be an "advantageous regulatory ruling" for the VoIP service provider, should it come to fruition. While Martin did not specifically mention the Skype case, his commentary seemed to speak to it.

Martin, however, said the FCC wishes to focus on the upcoming spectrum auction: determine whether appropriate allocation rules are in place, take into account public safety issues given the location of the spectrum and be sure the process for buying spectrum is going to work. -Brian

Trend: Smartphones moving to mainstream

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:01:36 -0400

Although smartphone penetration is still in the single digits in the U.S., analysts at the Smartphone Summit (co-located with the CTIA Wireless 2007 conference in Orlando) this morning said that lower average selling prices and more functionality of the devices are driving smartphone adoption.

Gartner Dataquest analyst Todd Kort says that the U.S. has just 3 percent penetration of smartphones, and Palm and Blackberry are the prominent smartphone devices. Kort said that the No. 1 problem he sees with smartphone penetration is that it's still driven primarily by the consumer market instead of business users. He also notes that although Nokia has made some strides with its E series of smartphones, the uptake has been disappointing considering Nokia's marketing efforts with these smartphones.

Nevertheless, Cliff Raskind, director, global wireless, with Strategy Analytics, predicts that as prices of smartphones drop to the $200 and lower range, smartphone adoption in markets such as the U.S. will increase. He also believes that in-building usage is growing and that the potential for fixed/mobile converged smartphone devices is strong because it will increase the potential uses for smartphone devices.

The U.S. may have a small penetration of smartphone users, but those users tend to take advantage of new services. Mark Donovan, vice president of products and senior analyst at M:Metrics, says that 10 percent of smartphone users use mobile TV services compared to non-smartphone users. In addition, 49 percent of smartphone users browse for news compared to just 9 percent of non-smartphone users. "Clearly we see the smartphone advantage," Donovan says. -Sue

EarthLink beta tests WiFi handsets

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 20:01:35 -0400

One of biggest ISPs in the U.S., EarthLink has begun a beta test of WiFi handsets for local home VoIP use or for use near any public hotspot. The pricing is remarkably low: A package including a cradle that doubles as the access point and a handheld unit costs just $100. The company is positioning the service as a less expensive alternative to a landline, or in some cases, cell phones. Vonage also recently inked a deal with EarthLink to offer wireless VoIP services in its muniwireless deployments.

For more on EarthLink's latest beta test:
- check out this article from InformationWeek

Carriers anxiously wait for $20B contract decision

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:01:38 -0400

The U.S. government will announce this month the carrier it has selected to supply voice, data, video and wireless services through 2017. The $20 billion project, called Networx, is split into two contracts: Networx Universal includes VPNs and VoIP as well as frame relay and ATM services, and the Enterprise component of Networx will center on emerging IP and wireless services. The General Services Administration, which is the government agency overseeing the project, will announce the winner of Networx Universal this month and the Enterprise component winner in May. Here are the bidders for Networx Universal:

AT&T, with Bechtel, Cingular Wireless, Electronic Data Systems, Global Crossing, GTSI, Northrop Grumman and SRA International.
Qwest, with Akamai Technologies, Alcatel-Lucent, Bearing Point, Hawaiian Telecom Services, Science Applications International and Wire One Communications.
Sprint Nextel, with Hughes Network Systems, Intercall and Lockheed Martin.
Verizon Business, with Comtech Telecommunications, G2 Satellite Solutions, HP, Proxim Wireless Networks, WilTel Communications/Level 3 and Verizon Wireless.

Those same teams are bidding for the enterprise contract, but an additional team led by Level 3 is also bidding for it.

For more on Networx:
- read this article from Wireless Week

DT officially kills its FMC offering

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:01:36 -0400

Deutsche Telekom confirmed that it has canceled its fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) service, called T-One. The officialese from DT is that it wants to focus on its mobile Internet services, which is in keeping with the company's recently announced new strategy. Light Reading claims that the service really failed to take off because it was "too expensive, poorly marketed and lacked compelling features." It also only worked on one handset model. The service had fewer than 10,000 subscribers since its launch last August, and it was a conflicting service with T-Mobile International's fixed-mobile substitution (FMS) offers.

For more on DT:
- see this Light Reading article

Verizon wins Vonage patent suit

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 19:01:38 -0500

Verizon Wireless won a patent suit against Vonage that found the VoIP provider had infringed on three of the wireless carrier's patents, including one for VoIP over WiFi that might mean trouble for Vonage's recently announce deal with EarthLink for voice over WiFi. The ruling requires Vonage to pay Verizon $58 million, but since the court determined Vonage's infringement wasn't on purpose the figure is considerably scaled back from Verizon's asked for $197 million in damages. In addition to the damages, Vonage will have to pay Verizon a royalty of 5.5 percent of its future revenue for any continuing infringement.

Telecom analyst Jeff Kagan told FierceWireless "this ruling does not mean the end of VoIP or anything, and it's not going to put anybody out of business." What it will do is tighten things up a bit between POTS and VoIP service providers. Kagan also said he's not sure about the ramifications of the ruling on the Vonage-EarthLink deal: "We're going to have to wait and see."

For more on the Vonage-Verizon patent suit:
- read this WSJ article (sub. req.)

Editor's Corner

Sun, 25 Feb 2007 19:01:39 -0500

Skype cried foul with the FCC last week. It formally asked the commission to force mobile operators to "open up" and allow hardware and software created by third parties to connect to their networks. The VoIP company wants the FCC to apply "Carterfone" rules to the mobile operator industry. These rules were enacted in the 1960s to force the POTS industry to allow devices other than those provided by old Ma Bell to connect to the network.

The filing is interesting timing considering owner eBay's revelation last month that it is taking longer than anticipated to generate a financial return from Skype, which eBay acquired in October 2005 for $2.6 billion in cash and shares. eBay's fourth-quarter results revealed that Skype fell short of the revenues it predicted at the time of the 2005 purchase. Skype's 2006 revenues were $195 million against the $200 million anticipated by now. At 171 million subscribers, Skype brought eBay 39 cents per subscriber. In comparison, eBay's marketplace business, which boasts 220 million subscribers, brought in net revenue of $1.24 billion, or $5.64 per subscriber. Speculation is that Skype didn't reach its first set of performance-based goals, resulting in missed payments, or so-called earn-outs.

eBay CEO Meg Whitman said during the company's quarterly conference call last month that while Skype is growing well in terms of user and adoption rates, the monetization efforts the company outlined at the time of Skype's acquisition weren't developing as fast as the company had hoped.

Analysts note that it's difficult for VoIP companies to rake in the revenues. Both Vonage and Skype are signing up customers but aren't fairing well when it comes to economies of scale, which is hurting revenues and profit growth. They have to get creative or risk succumbing to other companies that can offer VoIP as a part of a suite of services.

Whitman indicated that Skype is looking at new ways to monetize, which includes introducing a service that enables Skype users to send SMS to mobile phones. She also said that subscription-based pricing, already offered in the U.S. and Canada, should further push up revenues when launched elsewhere.

Efforts to monetize so far haven't yielded many results. The business segment has been a major focus for Skype since March 2006, but analysts note that the powerful global brand has made little headway as a preferred communications tool in the corporate market. Meanwhile Skype has not been able to team up with major operators like Vodafone to include Skype on handsets--although it scored its first handset deal with Hutchison's 3. In the U.S., Skype claims it has been rebuffed by mobile operators for the last two years.

Certainly mobile wireless represents the next great frontier for Skype--the ability to leverage millions more users and get creative about bundling services and applications. So its answer to get at this potentially lucrative market, at least in the U.S., is asking the FCC to force operators to open up their networks.

The filing is premature, however, given the fact that it appears operators are softening to the idea of third parties connecting to their networks, or at least turning a blind eye to it. Smartphones with Internet browsers can already connect to Skype, Slingbox or any website with streaming video. Sprint Nextel, which is rolling out 1xEV-DO Rev. A, recently said it won't try to block users from downloading handset clients from Skype or any other VoIP company to make VoIP calls that bypass the traditional mobile network. Verizon Wireless is the operator that is most dead set against any third party applications on the network, sending disconnect letters to users who violate its usage policies.

Just last month, Skype itself said it believed the mobile-phone world isn't ready for a general solution that can be downloaded to any mobile phone because data plans are still too costly. The last thing Skype wants is a situation where it advertises that Skype is free but end users are socked with a huge data bill at the end of the month. We aren't seeing an indication that operators are ready to dramatically reduce broadband pricing either.

Finally, there are technical and commercial hurdles to VoIP clients on mobile phones. Both opponents and proponents concede that technical issues relating to how networks pass on IP addresses of mobile users have not been fully resolved. Emergency phone service and "always on" connectivity are also big issues, since staying online takes up valuable capacity on mobile networks.

It's clear Skype is under some financial pressure to increase revenues and improve profitability, but trying to force a market to open up before it's ready looks to be a non-starter for mobile VoIP. Maybe Skype figures the fight will be drawn out long enough and produce some nice publicity to encourage mobile customers to rise up and make their demands. -Lynnette

P.S. You're invited to join FierceWireless' webinar, "WiMAX Deployment Realities," at 2 p.m. EST tomorrow, Feb. 27. Don Stroberg from Sprint Nextel along with Alvarion's Carlton O'Neal and Peter Jarich, principal analyst with Current Analysis, will discuss the challenges facing equipment vendors as they prepare for a major commercial deployment with Sprint. Click here for more information.

Skype petitions to FCC for open cellular access

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 19:01:38 -0500

Skype formally requested the FCC to force carriers to "open up" and allow hardware and software created by third parties to connect to their networks. The VoIP company wants the FCC to apply "Carterfone" rules to the mobile industry--the rules were enacted in the 1960s to force the POTS industry to allow devices other than those provided by the old AT&T to connect to the network. Proponents of "Carterfone" rules for the mobile industry point to inventions like the fax machine and the Internet modem, which came as a result of "Carterfone" on the wireline side of telephony. Could a new era of handset or mobile device innovation come about if the same rules were applied to the mobile industry?

The CTIA doesn't seem to think so: "Skype's self-interested filing contains glaring legal flaws and a complete disregard for the vast consumer benefits provided by the competitive marketplace," Steve Largent, CEO of the CTIA, said in a statement. "The call for imposing monopoly era Carterfone rules to today's vibrant market is unmistakably the wrong number."

Skype's interests aside, wireless carriers' control of their subscribers' experience is slipping: Smartphones with Internet browsers can already connect to Skype, Slingbox or any website with streaming video. While these activities are strictly prohibited in the customer's contract, they are still quite easy to do.

Iain Gillott, founder of iGR, has two words for Skype: "Good luck." Whether Skype's maneuvering is a naive attempt or a provocative PR stunt, Gillott is cynical: "The FCC has licensed spectrum to operators over many years and run auctions and collected billions and billions of dollars. Those licenses allow operators to run voice services as well as spell out what the operators can and cannot do. Now Skype is saying: 'Can you just throw that out, please, and let us have open access and run voice over IP for free?' They're asking the FCC to change the entire wireless business model, and in so doing, are saying that spectrum is worthless. But it isn't. Spectrum is the most valuable asset in wireless today."

For more on Skype petition to the FCC:
- take a look at this article from ZDNet

Skype: Market not ready for wVoIP

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 19:01:36 -0500

Skype's Eric Lagier, who heads up business development, said high data charges are the biggest barrier facing widespread uptake of wVoIP. The comment throws cold water on the growing speculation surrounding the release of Skype software for Nokia's 3G phones, which many attributed to Skype's getting bullish about wVoIP. Lagier is concerned that promoting mobile Skype as free will create backlash from the potential user base once it receives an outrageous mobile data bill for using it. Analysts point to U.K. carrier 3's recent move to offer unlimited mobile Internet service for a mere £5 a month as a step in the right direction toward a market friendly to wVoIP.

For more on mobile Skype:
- see this article from VNUnet.com
- more coverage of this at FierceVoIP

Vonage gets into the muni-WiFi game

Sun, 07 Jan 2007 19:01:35 -0500

Vonage has inked a three year deal to sell EarthLink's wireless Internet service as a complement to its Internet phone service. The double play is a strategic move toward creating a bundle to take on incumbent cable companies and telcos that are already ramping up their own quadruple plays (voice, television, Internet service and mobile phone service). EarthLink is in the process of building out muni-wireless networks in cities across the U.S. The deal allows Vonage to sell EarthLink's service wherever it is available, and Vonage may sync up with other muni-wireless providers where EarthLink is not deployed.

For more on Vonage's deal with EarthLink:
- read this article from the WSJ (sub. req.)

ALSO: Esme Vos over at Muniwireless.com gives a detailed analysis of the EarthLink-San Francisco contract. It's not a done deal--yet. Article

Linksys launches wVoIP handset called iPhone

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 19:01:38 -0500

Linksys has unveiled a wVoIP handset today, the WIP320 (photo) called the iPhone, a term Linksys-parent company Cisco has owned the trademark to since 2000. The news follows years of speculation as to whether Apple would release an iPod-like mobile phone, which many in the industry took to calling the "iPhone." The Linksys iPhone joins six other handsets in the company's VoIP handset portfolio, but will surely be the most memorable.

Gizmodo caused quite a stir in the blogosphere on Friday by predicting that the iPhone would launch today, but that the phone wouldn't be as expected. Little did we know that Cisco has apparently owned the trademark for iPhone since 2000, when it acquired a company called Infogear, which registered an iPhone trademark in 1996.

For more on the launch of the iPhone:
- see this article from The Age
- and take a look at this timeline of rumors for the iPhone

PLUS: To make things just a bit more exciting, a report out of the U.K. suggests mobile carrier Orange is working closely with Google to develop a Googlephone. Let the rumors begin! Article

Skype to once again charge for out-calling

Tue, 12 Dec 2006 19:01:36 -0500

Skype, the VoIP service acquired by eBay last year, said it will begin charging an annual $30 fee for unlimited calls to landline and mobile phones within the U.S. and Canada. Those types of calls have been free because of a promotion that began in May, but previously Skype users had to pay per call. The service's pricetag is still far below other VoIP plans--like those offered by Verizon and AT&T, which charge about $25 a month for VoIP. The new rates come with a promotion of their own: Sign up by Jan. 31st to get a 50 percent discount on the annual fee, about 100 minutes of free international calls and $50 in coupons for Skype gear.

For more on Skype's new rate plan:
- check out this article from USA Today

U.K. carrier 3 sets limits on its new data plan

Sun, 03 Dec 2006 19:01:37 -0500

U.K. carrier 3 made a lot of noise last month with its X Series data package offering, which included deals with Google, Slingbox, YouTube, Orb, Skype and others. The obvious missing piece of the offering was the pricetag, which 3 announced today: X-Series subscribers can pay an additional £5 a month on top of their regular voice calls for "unlimited" access to Skype, IM and Internet browsing. On top of that, mobile TV aficionados can enjoy "unlimited" TV via Slingbox for another £10 a month, after buying the £99 Slingbox. The scare quotes around unlimited are purposive: subscribers are allowed 5,000 Skype minutes, 10,000 Windows Live Messenger messages, 80 hours of Orb and Slingbox TV and a mere 1GB of Internet browsing per month. It's a disservice to potential subscribers to call any limited service "unlimited," but most should agree these terms are somewhat generous, semantics aside.

For more on 3's limited data offerings:
- check out this article from IDG News Service

O2 picks femtocells for FMC

Sun, 19 Nov 2006 19:01:34 -0500

As ABI Research recently noted, femtocells (you may call them picocells) could disrupt the already weak dual-mode handset market because the mini-basestations provide greater 3G coverage in the home, eliminating the need for WiFi-based fixed-mobile convergence solutions. Well, perhaps ABI knew about O2's announcement today to launch a femtocell fixed-mobile convergence solution in the U.K. Pundits say the rival WiFi-based solutions require "expensive handsets" that currently have low battery life, call handover issues and potential WiFi interference problems. Femtocells, of course, are compatible with your everyday handset, which may be why ABI's Stuart Carlaw predicted that four years from now there will be 102 million users of femtocell products on 32 million APs worldwide.

For more on O2's femtocell decision:
- see this article from IT Week
- for more on femtocells check out this article

RELEASE: 3 launches flat-rate wireless data package, X-Series

Thu, 16 Nov 2006 10:58:20 -0500

Hutchison Whampoa announces the global launch of the X-Series from 3

3 Group, in Partnership with Skype, Sling Media, Yahoo!, Nokia, Google, eBay, Microsoft, Orb and Sony Ericsson, unleashes the true power of broadband internet over the mobile

Hutchison Whampoa Limited today announced the global launch of the X-Series from 3. The X-Series from 3 marks the beginning of the internet via mobile broadband, and heralds a new way of doing business for mobile network operators. It will extend several of the core applications and uses of the broadband internet to the mobile handset, with a new pricing model. The X-Series from 3 will be supported by the leading internet companies, cutting-edge handsets from the world's leading mobile manufacturers and premium customer service.

Customers will be able to make unlimited calls from their mobile using Skype, watch their home television via their mobile using Sling, access their home PC remotely using Orb and have access to the best of internet and messaging services from Yahoo!, Windows Live Messenger and Google.

The X-Series from 3 will be priced like fixed line broadband. It will offer use of mobile internet services free at the time of use, for a flat fee. The X-Series from 3 will be available in the UK from the 1st December 2006 and in 3's other markets around the world in early 2007. Each 3 company will provide further details as they launch X-Series in their markets.

Canning Fok, Group Managing Director of Hutchison Whampoa, said:

"This is the internet as it was meant to be and what people have been waiting for. Mobile broadband is the natural next step for mobile services, extending the full power of the internet to mobile handsets. By partnering with the leaders of the internet and the leading handset makers, the X-Series from 3 will give everyone access to more of what they want, when they want it, and however much of it they want, all free when they use it."

Frank Sixt, Group Finance Director of Hutchison Whampoa, said:

"We believe that giving our customers the benefit of the favourable economics of the broadband world will lead more customers to join our network. That is the proposition the 3 Group will be putting forward in all of its markets under the X-Series. This is why we created 3, and what our network was designed to deliver. The X-Series heralds important changes in the business model for mobile media and internet. Moving away from unit charges will set mobile users free to enjoy broadband services without fear of 'bill-shock'."

The X-Series from 3
The X-Series from 3 will allow people to communicate, find information and be entertained in ways they have never been able to do before using a mobile handset.

With X-Series, the 3 Group is sharing the power of mobile broadband with its internet partners and above all, with its customers who will get more of what they want, when they want it, how they want it, and without fear of hidden charges every step of the way at the point of use.

At today's launch presentation the 3 Group announced global partnerships with major internet brands Sling Media, Orb and Google. These partnerships build on global agreements announced earlier this year with Skype, Microsoft and Yahoo!

New Charging Structure
X-Series customers will be charged flat access fees for X-Series mobile broadband services on top of their basic subscription. The access fees will include all you can Skype, all you can chat by instant text message and all you can search and browse. There will initially be an additional access fee for customers who also take higher-bandwidth services like Sling and Orb. Just like the fixed line internet, all X-Series services will be free at the point of use, subject only to fair usage limits.

The X-Series will lay the foundations for the mobile broadband charging models of the future. The broadband internet is based on a completely different economic model than that of most mobile operators today. As internet and media technologies have evolved, customers are able to do more at less cost. Customers in the future will be attracted by greater and greater choice, and higher and higher usage levels, for fair, attractive and transparent access fees.

This charging structure overturns the traditional telephony model of charging per minute, per message, per click, per event and per megabyte. This is made possible by the rapid development of all IP (internet protocol) mobile networks, HSDPA and HSUPA network speed upgrades, peer-to-peer technologies, and a number of efficiency improvements in every aspect of a mobile operator's business. As a result, the cost of providing broadband internet and media applications in mobility may be expected to continue to decline, as it has in the internet and fixed-line broadband world.

Voice
An X-Series customer will be able to make and receive unlimited Skype calls with Skype PC users anywhere in the world, and to any other Skype 3 mobile customer. Skype to Skype calls on a 3 mobile will be free.*

Niklas ZennstrÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¶m, CEO, Skype, said:
"Over the last three years, Skype has changed the way people communicate with one another. There are 136 million Skype users today who are making free calls to other Skype users across the world. With 3, I am very proud to say that for the first time, our users can now try out making Skype calls on the move using a mobile phone. We always want to delight our users by letting them try out new ways of keeping in touch. This is a real milestone for Skype because now you can use Skype beyond the PC, no matter where you happen to be."

Your TV where you are
An X-Series customer who purchases a Slingbox will be able to watch anything they are able to watch on their own TV, including their terrestrial TV, Freeview, cable, and satellite TV, at the same time, on their mobile. Slingbox will also let X-Series customers control their home personal video recorder (PVR) to watch shows they have recorded, pause and rewind live TV, or even queue a recording when away from home using their mobile.

Blake Krikorian, co-founder and CEO of Sling Media, said:
"Working together with 3 has enabled us to push the boundaries of TV viewing further than ever before. 3 understands the power of mobile broadband to deliver compelling, value-add applications and services like a truly personalized mobile TV experience. We are thrilled to be working with them. The availability of SlingPlayer Mobile for 3 customers is a major breakthrough in mobile TV viewing. Customers can now view all the programmes they love to watch at home whilst on the move via their mobile phone."

Your PC where you are
Using Orb means people can access the digital content that they have stored on their PC at home, including music files, playlists, digital photos and videos, on their X-Series handset. Orb has specifically designed a user interface for X-Series handsets, which will ensure the X-Series customers taking Orb will receive the best user experience.

Joe Costello, Chairman and co-founder of Orb Networks, said:
"3 Group just gets it. They are the first mobile media company to give their customers the freedom and choices to use the mobile Web the way it was intended to be used. Who doesn't want the freedom to control what digital media we enjoy, when we enjoy it and where? ThatÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s the type of media freedom Orb provides. 3 is not running away from the future, they are running towards it with open arms, ripping down the wall around the garden and offering up the best Web 2.0 services to their customers."

Messaging
X-Series from 3 will offer customers text instant messages, to or from Windows Live Messenger or Yahoo! Messenger, to another X-Series handset, or a PC. Sending and receiving text instant messages with an X-Series mobile will be free.*

Sharon Baylay, General Manager, Microsoft Online Services Group UK, said:
"We're excited to be bringing one of Microsoft's best of breed communications services to 3's network. Already, in the UK alone, 3 users are having one million Windows Live Messenger conversations every day. These are exciting numbers and mobile broadband will bring a rapid shift in the delivery of internet services, and consumers' usage of them. This announcement shows Microsoft at the forefront of the mobile broadband revolution and we will continue to roll out 'anywhere access' to our leading web services."

Open Internet Access and Search
Customers will be able to search the internet without limitation from their mobile using a GoogleÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚Â¢ or Yahoo search engine, depending on their choice and the search services available in their country. Searching and browsing the internet on mobile will be free.*

Terry Semel CEO of Yahoo said:
"Approximately three billion people in the world today are using mobile devices, and to have the ability to connect to those three billion, with broadband capabilities, and allow them to take advantage of Yahoo! services on the go is a huge opportunity for both our company and for 3."

Dominique Vidal, Regional Vice President & Managing Director of Yahoo! Europe, said:
"As the number of consumers accessing the Internet on their mobile devices continues to grow, creating and partnering to deliver innovative mobile communications services, personalized content and an intuitive search experience is a key component to Yahoo!'s future success. With the launch of broadband mobile Internet, 3 Group and Yahoo! can now deliver the rich and personalized Internet experiences that consumers want on the go."

Jim Holden, Director Wireless Strategic Partnerships, Google, said:
"We want people to be able to find useful information on the internet wherever they are. 3 share this goal. Mobile search offers people the chance of a rich internet experience on the go. Our agreement takes us a step further to meeting this ambition."

The best Internet shopping with eBay
X-Series customers will be able to shop on eBay real-time. Searching and browsing and bidding will be free. This will give eBay users with access to 3 the ability to enjoy enhanced opportunities to buy and sell on the go and not just in front of their PCs. With 3 and X-Series, eBay sellers and buyers will be able to stay connected to one another when and where they want.

Cutting Edge Handsets The global launch of the X-Series from 3 is being made possible by the first two handsets that will support this full range of services: the Nokia N73 and the Sony Ericsson W950i.

Kai ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬â€œistÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¤mÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¶, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Mobile Phones, Nokia, said:
"We are firm believers that mobile convergence is the future of mobility. With its wide array of features, the Nokia N73 multimedia computer is simply ideal for this kind of innovative service. The X-Series from 3 will be a great way for consumers to take full advantage of the devices' great features. We are proud to take part in the X-Series and we are most confident that our customers will greatly benefit from this mobile broadband service."

Miles Flint, President, Sony Ericsson said:
"Today's sophisticated consumers want complex services at their fingertips and our devices are the physical touch-point between Internet services and the consumer. But consumers don't just want a functional device, they want something highly individual. That's what the W950i Walkman phone brings to the X-Series."

* Subject to international roaming limitations and fair use restrictions. Webcast of media event
A webcast of the media conference announcing the global launch of the X-Series from 3 will be live from 10:55am GMT on 16th November 2006 and can be viewed at: http://xseries.three.com/webcast

Cantos Interview
Interviews with Canning Fok, Group Managing Director of Hutchison Whampoa Limited, Frank Sixt, Group Finance Director of Hutchison Whampoa Limited, Niklas ZennstrÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¶m, CEO, Skype and Kai ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬â€œistÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¤mÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¶, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Mobile Phones, Nokia, can be viewed at www.cantos.com

3 Group
A division of Hutchison Whampoa, the 3 Group together with Hutchison Telecommunications International Limited, is the leading global player in the 3G arena, holding licences in 11 markets with total population coverage of approximately 175 million.

In just three years, the 3 Group has built an entirely new mobile broadband network, achieving probably the fastest rollout of a radio network in the entire telecom industry. Marketed globally under the 3 brand, the 3 Group was the first operator in the world to provide dual-mode 3G services.

To date, commercial 3G services have been launched in Italy, the UK, Australia, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Hong Kong, Israel and Ireland. Hutchison announced more than 13.5 million customers in August 2006.

For more information about 3, please visit www.three.com

3 launches flat-rate mobile Skype, Sling, Orb

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 19:01:38 -0500

If you believe the pomp and hype coming out of the U.K., today is a watershed moment for the 3G market: Hutchison Whampoa's U.K. carrier 3 launched a flat-rate wireless data package that includes services from Skype, eBay, Yahoo, Google, Orb, Sling Media, Nokia, Microsoft and Sony Ericsson. Subscribers to the "X-Series" services will be able to make unlimited calls from their mobile using Skype, watch their home television via their mobile using Sling (if they also buy a SlingBox), access their home PC remotely using Orb and use IM services from Yahoo!, Windows Live Messenger and Google. The offering also marks the first mobile carrier deal for The Fierce 15 winner Sling Media. Sony Ericsson's W950i (photo) and Nokia's N73 (photo) are the X-Series handsets. The service drops in the U.K. starting next month, and in 3's other markets sometime next year. No word on the "flat-rate" price yet, but I'm willing to bet on sticker shock.

Despite the probably high cost, I agree with John Delaney, an analyst over at Ovum who points out that everything a traditional carrier fears is included in this package: wireless VoIP, flat-rate data tariffs, IM (as opposed to SMS) and place-shifted TV. Of course, free Skype calls only apply for PCs or other Skype phones. 3's in the position to take these risks, it's not an incumbent with traditional fears, but as noted above, the price will be key, as always. So what'll it be, 100 quid?

For all the details on 3's X-Series launch:
- see this press release

wVoIP, dual-mode handset market moves slow

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 19:01:34 -0500

PC Magazine is running an article on Bryan Gardiner's experience at FierceMarkets' wVoIP Executive Summit last week, which is full of great quotes from the show: "Nothing in this dual-mode handset market is going to come quickly," said BridgePort Networks SVP Sanjay Jhawar. "The first million subscribers on dual-mode handsets is still at least six to nine months away. The problem is that carriers are embracing [wireless VoIP], but not all at the same speed. The MVNOs are probably going to be the fastest moving on this front." Tropos Networks' Ed Taulbee probably summed up the state of the market best when he said: "while these handsets are rapidly improving, the reality is that we [the wireless VoIP community] are still where cellular was maybe 10 years ago. It's just going to take some time."

For the full write-up:
- check out this article from PC Magazine
- and take a look at our event's site here