...it's a holi-, holi-day!
Just to let our readers know that we will not be updating the Total Telecom website on Monday due to the bank holiday in the U.K. We feel that we've earned the rest.
But before we go, here's a quick news snippet:
China Telecom had signed up 1.3 million subscribers to its 3G service as of the end of June, a company executive told Reuters yesterday.
The telco launched 3G services earlier this year.
Palm Pre to hit UK 30 October?
The Palm Pre looks set to launch in the U.K. on Friday 30 October, if rumblings reported by Palm webOS Blog on Friday are to be believed.
Unnamed sources claimed that managers at O2, which announced in July its exclusive deal to sell the Pre across Europe, have been informed of the handset's upcoming release date.
It is understood that the price plans will be the same for the Pre as they are for the iPhone, which says all you need to know about which segment Palm is going after with its latest phone.
Also, I have a sneaking suspicion that if the rumours turn out to be true, and the Pre's tariffs do match those of the iPhone, then it's likely that O2's exclusive Apple deal is set to end at around the same time.
After all, what better way to grab some attention after your competitors start selling your flagship handset than by offering a choice of dazzling devices on the same price plans?
Unnamed sources claimed that managers at O2, which announced in July its exclusive deal to sell the Pre across Europe, have been informed of the handset's upcoming release date.
It is understood that the price plans will be the same for the Pre as they are for the iPhone, which says all you need to know about which segment Palm is going after with its latest phone.
Also, I have a sneaking suspicion that if the rumours turn out to be true, and the Pre's tariffs do match those of the iPhone, then it's likely that O2's exclusive Apple deal is set to end at around the same time.
After all, what better way to grab some attention after your competitors start selling your flagship handset than by offering a choice of dazzling devices on the same price plans?
Motorola to unveil first Android handsets 15 September
Motorola looks set to finally unveil its first batch of Android devices, after a press invitation was sent out by the handset maker bearing the operating system's distinctive green robot logo.
The invitation is to an event in London on 15 September, but beyond that - and the logo pictured on the right - details are scant.
It's no secret that Motorola has been busy working on Android-powered handsets, and it looks like the industry is about get its first look at the raft of new phones aimed at reviving the company's fortunes.
The head of Motorola's mobile devices division and co-CEO Sanjay Jha said during the company's second quarter results presentation in late July that Motorola is planning to launch two Android phones in time for Christmas 2009, with several more planned for the first quarter of 2010.
"Smartphones are the future of this division at least in 2010," he said at the time.
For all intents and purposes Motorola looks like it's betting on a winner.
The smartphone segment is one that is likely to show continued healthy growth in mature mobile markets for the foreseeable future; plus there is a lot of buzz surrounding Google's Android platform and whether it can mount a serious challenge to the likes of Apple, Windows Mobile, RIM and Nokia.
However, this hasn't gone unnoticed, and now PC makers including most recently Dell are looking to smartphones as a possible way of generating fresh revenues at a time when computer sales are sluggish, meaning competition is only going to increase.
So, come 15 September all eyes will be on Motorola to see if it has finally designed a handset that can measure up to the success brought about by the now legendary RAZR.
Will it be make or break for the once mighty Moto? Email nick.wood@totaltele.com to let me know what you think!
The invitation is to an event in London on 15 September, but beyond that - and the logo pictured on the right - details are scant.
It's no secret that Motorola has been busy working on Android-powered handsets, and it looks like the industry is about get its first look at the raft of new phones aimed at reviving the company's fortunes.
The head of Motorola's mobile devices division and co-CEO Sanjay Jha said during the company's second quarter results presentation in late July that Motorola is planning to launch two Android phones in time for Christmas 2009, with several more planned for the first quarter of 2010.
"Smartphones are the future of this division at least in 2010," he said at the time.
For all intents and purposes Motorola looks like it's betting on a winner.
The smartphone segment is one that is likely to show continued healthy growth in mature mobile markets for the foreseeable future; plus there is a lot of buzz surrounding Google's Android platform and whether it can mount a serious challenge to the likes of Apple, Windows Mobile, RIM and Nokia.
However, this hasn't gone unnoticed, and now PC makers including most recently Dell are looking to smartphones as a possible way of generating fresh revenues at a time when computer sales are sluggish, meaning competition is only going to increase.
So, come 15 September all eyes will be on Motorola to see if it has finally designed a handset that can measure up to the success brought about by the now legendary RAZR.
Will it be make or break for the once mighty Moto? Email nick.wood@totaltele.com to let me know what you think!
...and on to the next issue of Total Telecom magazine
We're now starting work on the October issue of Total Telecom magazine, and this will also include our annual Global 100 ranking of the top telecoms operators globally. It's a must-have supplement if you want to be able to entertain your friends and family with in-depth facts about operator standings in the world! Seriously, we spend months collating the information that enables us to put this ranking together, so hope you find it a useful read.
Otherwise we've already had huge interest in our planned analyses of next-gen broadband and unified communications in the magazine. Media & Entertainment will focus on online advertising, and the challenges that market is facing in the current climate. The October cover story will provide an analysis of the US mobile services market - a timely and thoroughly interesting topic given recent developments, such as Sprint's acquisition of Virgin Mobile USA and the FCC's planned review of how competitive the market really is.
The issue will be published on 1st October.
Thanks!
Anne Morris,
Editor
Otherwise we've already had huge interest in our planned analyses of next-gen broadband and unified communications in the magazine. Media & Entertainment will focus on online advertising, and the challenges that market is facing in the current climate. The October cover story will provide an analysis of the US mobile services market - a timely and thoroughly interesting topic given recent developments, such as Sprint's acquisition of Virgin Mobile USA and the FCC's planned review of how competitive the market really is.
The issue will be published on 1st October.
Thanks!
Anne Morris,
Editor
Total Telecom magazine - hot off the press
Total Telecom magazine has just gone to press with its September issue following the summer lull, so watch out for your copy in your post/inboxes in the coming weeks. It includes an extremely fascinating analysis of the fibre network funding debate by Joanne Taaffe (cover story), while our "Focus on Asia" section covers 3G in China, mobile in Japan and IPTV in India, as well as an assessment of current investment opportunities in the region.
Elsewhere our technology guru Roy Rubenstein takes a close and critical look at the issues surrounding subscriber data management systems, and the privacy issues that operators face when they look to upgrade their SDM systems. I tackle mobile TV business cases in Media & Entertainment, a very interesting and timely subject as increasingly more TV services are launched, while services remain difficult to monetise. Our news analysis section tackles network vendor strategies in the face of the increased dominance of Ericsson and Huawei, mobile broadband services, content delivery services and the increased traction with m2m services. Roy also provides a close and personal look at the challenges now being faced by the traditionally innovative vendors in Israel.
Hope you enjoy the read!
Elsewhere our technology guru Roy Rubenstein takes a close and critical look at the issues surrounding subscriber data management systems, and the privacy issues that operators face when they look to upgrade their SDM systems. I tackle mobile TV business cases in Media & Entertainment, a very interesting and timely subject as increasingly more TV services are launched, while services remain difficult to monetise. Our news analysis section tackles network vendor strategies in the face of the increased dominance of Ericsson and Huawei, mobile broadband services, content delivery services and the increased traction with m2m services. Roy also provides a close and personal look at the challenges now being faced by the traditionally innovative vendors in Israel.
Hope you enjoy the read!
Review: Is HTC's Hero any match for the iPhone?
HTC's Hero marks the handset maker's latest and most emphatic Android-powered effort to tempt consumers away from shelling out for the all-powerful iPhone, and thanks to it's sleek design, new interface and impressive features, it's in with a good chance.
The front of the phone is dominated by a 3.2-inch touchscreen, leaving just enough room for a small speaker, a row of buttons including call start and end, a home button, menu, back and search, and the small trackball that we've come to expect from HTC's Android devices.
Then there is the 'chin' at the bottom of the phone, which HTC says is designed to make the Hero more comfortable to hold both in your hand and to your face. It certainly serves no other purpose, unless you count dividing opinion as a purpose - a quick office poll was split between those who thought it was stylish, and others who thought it made the Hero look old-fashioned. If anything, at least it sets it apart from the multitude of touchscreen candy bar handsets to have hit the market in the last 18 months.
The touchscreen's 320x480 resolution displays information very clearly, and the screen itself is coated with a similar type of oil-resistant material as the iPhone's, although inevitably it still gets smeared with grubby fingerprints.
The Hero's touch QWERTY keyboard is just big enough for the average pinkie...<more>
The front of the phone is dominated by a 3.2-inch touchscreen, leaving just enough room for a small speaker, a row of buttons including call start and end, a home button, menu, back and search, and the small trackball that we've come to expect from HTC's Android devices.Then there is the 'chin' at the bottom of the phone, which HTC says is designed to make the Hero more comfortable to hold both in your hand and to your face. It certainly serves no other purpose, unless you count dividing opinion as a purpose - a quick office poll was split between those who thought it was stylish, and others who thought it made the Hero look old-fashioned. If anything, at least it sets it apart from the multitude of touchscreen candy bar handsets to have hit the market in the last 18 months.
The touchscreen's 320x480 resolution displays information very clearly, and the screen itself is coated with a similar type of oil-resistant material as the iPhone's, although inevitably it still gets smeared with grubby fingerprints.
The Hero's touch QWERTY keyboard is just big enough for the average pinkie...<more>
Unicom denies latest iPhone rumours
China Unicom on Thursday denied reports that it plans to begin selling iPhones in September after buying 5 million of the handsets from Apple for CNY10 billion ($1.46 billion).
A statement issued by the operator's Guangdong branch and reported by Trading Markets denied the rumours; however, the same report claimed that the two companies have agreed on all the major terms for introducing the coveted device to China, and that they are close to reaching a final deal.
An earlier report by International Business News claimed that China Unicom's head of customer development in Guangzhou told local media that the first batch of iPhones would go on sale in the operator's retail outlets as well as Unicom's 3G stalls in branches of Carrefour.
"The price of the 8GB standard iPhone is set at about CNY2,400 and the 16GB may be sold at CNY4,800," said Yu Zaonan, in the report.
As rumours go it's one of the more convincing ones since one of Unicom's employees complete with job title has blabbed about how much an iPhone will cost when they finally go on sale.
Plus, it is understood that Apple's strategy of striking revenue-sharing deals with local operators is not permitted by Chinese authorities, so maybe we will see it change tack in order to get the iPhone on the shelves in China.
Rest assured when Apple and Unicom finally go public, you'll be able to follow the full story on Total Telecom.
A statement issued by the operator's Guangdong branch and reported by Trading Markets denied the rumours; however, the same report claimed that the two companies have agreed on all the major terms for introducing the coveted device to China, and that they are close to reaching a final deal.
An earlier report by International Business News claimed that China Unicom's head of customer development in Guangzhou told local media that the first batch of iPhones would go on sale in the operator's retail outlets as well as Unicom's 3G stalls in branches of Carrefour.
"The price of the 8GB standard iPhone is set at about CNY2,400 and the 16GB may be sold at CNY4,800," said Yu Zaonan, in the report.
As rumours go it's one of the more convincing ones since one of Unicom's employees complete with job title has blabbed about how much an iPhone will cost when they finally go on sale.
Plus, it is understood that Apple's strategy of striking revenue-sharing deals with local operators is not permitted by Chinese authorities, so maybe we will see it change tack in order to get the iPhone on the shelves in China.
Rest assured when Apple and Unicom finally go public, you'll be able to follow the full story on Total Telecom.
Bon chance, Mike, it's Nortel your fault...
It came as no surprise to read that Mike Zafirovski has finally stepped down from Nortel Networks. It can only be imagined that the last few years must have been a pretty torrid time for the former Motorola executive, culminating in Nortel now being forced to sell off its key operations.
Zafirovski took on the CEO role back on October 2005 when Nortel was already in trouble, ahead of the mega mergers that saw Alcatel unite with Lucent and Nokia with Siemens Com. Even as far back as then analysts strongly recommended that Nortel should merge with someone else to gain the size it needed to compete: now the other vendors want Nortel but only parts of it, as the company enters into some sort of "cash in the attic" exercise to flog off any valuable trinkets still remaining.
I always thought Zafirovski was brave to take on the role (albeit no doubt handsomely rewarded for his efforts). I met Nortel year after year at 3GSM/MWC, and each time I felt that the story was the same: "Yes we believe we have reached the end of our financial restatements", and "yes, we're on the brink of recovery and are getting our house in order/seeing the light at the end of the tunnel", were the ongoing messages. The company had already suffered years of financial problems before Zafirovski took the helm, and some of its key former executives had, it seemed, been engaging in accounting trickery. Now, Zafirovski departs, defeated but unbowed, thwarted by yet another financial crisis and a tough competitive landscape.
We'll have to wait and see where he'll go next. Surely he must be sick to death of trying to haul back vendors teetering on the edge of the abyss; maybe he'll try an operator role this time?
Zafirovski took on the CEO role back on October 2005 when Nortel was already in trouble, ahead of the mega mergers that saw Alcatel unite with Lucent and Nokia with Siemens Com. Even as far back as then analysts strongly recommended that Nortel should merge with someone else to gain the size it needed to compete: now the other vendors want Nortel but only parts of it, as the company enters into some sort of "cash in the attic" exercise to flog off any valuable trinkets still remaining.
I always thought Zafirovski was brave to take on the role (albeit no doubt handsomely rewarded for his efforts). I met Nortel year after year at 3GSM/MWC, and each time I felt that the story was the same: "Yes we believe we have reached the end of our financial restatements", and "yes, we're on the brink of recovery and are getting our house in order/seeing the light at the end of the tunnel", were the ongoing messages. The company had already suffered years of financial problems before Zafirovski took the helm, and some of its key former executives had, it seemed, been engaging in accounting trickery. Now, Zafirovski departs, defeated but unbowed, thwarted by yet another financial crisis and a tough competitive landscape.
We'll have to wait and see where he'll go next. Surely he must be sick to death of trying to haul back vendors teetering on the edge of the abyss; maybe he'll try an operator role this time?
O2 has more connections than BT - so what?
Ofcom's 2009 communications market report published on Thursday contained a plethora of statistics, including one about O2's subscriber numbers that left me more than a little perplexed.
"During 2008 O2 (including Tesco Mobile) overtook BT to become the U.K.'s largest provider of telecoms connections; at the end of 2008 there were 21.5 million active O2 (and Tesco Mobile) subscriptions compared to 20.6 million BT lines and integrated services digital network (ISDN) channels," said Ofcom.
Great, but what's their point?
Granted these days BT and O2 are competing more directly for broadband customers, but the latter's mobile users still make up the bulk of its total subscriber base, and the last time I checked, BT doesn't operate its own mobile network.
The core offerings from each telco are aimed at capturing entirely different areas of the market - I doubt BT's Ian Livingston will lose much sleep over O2 UK's overall customer base, which is made up of more than 20 million mobile customers and less than half a million DSL users.
So, Ofcom has correctly pointed out that O2 has more customers than BT, which makes about as much sense as saying that more people buy potatoes from Sainsbury's than eat Haagen Dazs.
"During 2008 O2 (including Tesco Mobile) overtook BT to become the U.K.'s largest provider of telecoms connections; at the end of 2008 there were 21.5 million active O2 (and Tesco Mobile) subscriptions compared to 20.6 million BT lines and integrated services digital network (ISDN) channels," said Ofcom.
Great, but what's their point?
Granted these days BT and O2 are competing more directly for broadband customers, but the latter's mobile users still make up the bulk of its total subscriber base, and the last time I checked, BT doesn't operate its own mobile network.
The core offerings from each telco are aimed at capturing entirely different areas of the market - I doubt BT's Ian Livingston will lose much sleep over O2 UK's overall customer base, which is made up of more than 20 million mobile customers and less than half a million DSL users.
So, Ofcom has correctly pointed out that O2 has more customers than BT, which makes about as much sense as saying that more people buy potatoes from Sainsbury's than eat Haagen Dazs.
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