News In Brief: Public Wireless, Digi, BT, H3GI, Alca-Lu, Opera, Ericsson, Bharti Airtel

Public Wireless and Ubiquisys say they have launched the first outdoor-specific metro femtocell product. The Public Wireless Colo-Node HSPA is designed to offer capacity relief for macro networks, and uses cable or DSL for the backhaul.

US wireless M2M provider Digi International will deploy Ericsson HSPA modules in select transport and connectivity M2M cellular gateways to handle new high-bandwidth applications like video surveillance.
 
BT has appointed a new CEO of its Innovate and Design R&D, strategy and planning division. Clive Selley replaces Al-Noor Ramji, who is leaving at the end of March to join software company Misys PLC.
 
Hutchison 3G Ireland has agreed to retroactively cut mobile termination rates to comply with regulator ComReg's demand to achieve MTRs of 12.43 cents per minute.
 
Alcatel-Lucent has won a contract to supply its mobile backhaul solution to Verizon Wirelessto support its 3G network and new LTE system. Alcatel-Lucent is already a provider of radio access and other equipment for the LTE deployment.
 
Opera has submitted its Mini browser to the Apple App Store for approval.
 
With China’s three big cellcos cutting back on network spending in 2010, analysts warn Ericsson will need to plug the revenue gap by growing sales in other markets, Bloomberg reports.
 
India’s biggest operator, Bharti Airtel, will begin selling the iPhone 3GS on Friday.

Picocell provider Teleena launched its first converged fixed-mobile MVNO service yesterday. VastMobiel operates in the recently freed DECT Guard Band 1800Mhz frequency, and claims to offer savings of 20-30% over regular fixed or mobile services.
 
Bluetooth, mobile web, Widgets, platform-independent mobile application development tools, app stores, enhanced location awareness, mobile broadband, touchscreens, M2M, and device-independent security are the ten key technologies to watch in 2010 and 2011, Gartnersays.
 
Orange will be the first to air hit US TV show Glee in France, after receiving exclusive rights from Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution. The Golden Globe winning show will air on Orange cinema from the summer.
 
Belgacom has warned customers to ignore letters asking them to pay to update their domain names, stating that letters sent by Domain Renewal Group are fraudulent. The telco told customers it issues domains for free and automatically updates them when they expire, in an e-mail sent late last week.