Swisscom launches Bluewin TV mobile
Swisscom has launched its mobile television service, Bluewin TV mobile, in Switzerland to become one of the first European providers to offer high-quality television experience to its mobile customers. Working together, Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks enabled this service with their leading-edge mobile TV technology, services and expertise.Bluewin TV mobile was launched on May 13 with quality comparable to that of the customers — home TV. The service is made available through a network based on the Digital Video Broadcast for Handheld (DVB-H) standard and can be watched on DVB-H-enabled mobile devices. Swisscom provides its customers with a range of subscription plans and Nokia N77 devices.
For this project, Swisscom’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Swisscom Broadcast chose Nokia’s Mobile Broadcast Solution, while Nokia Siemens Networks integrated the mobile television platform with Swisscom’s systems and provided a broad range of services, including project management, network and architecture planning, security and implementation.
“With the time constraints of the project, it was essential for Swisscom Broadcast to rely on one partner offering a solution based on open standards which can guarantee the end-to-end interoperability of the whole solution, from the DVB-H back-end system to the mobile devices” says Olivier Anthamatten, Head of Strategic Projects at Swisscom Broadcast.
With Bluewin TV mobile, featuring high-definition picture quality and excellent sound, the viewers have a choice of 20 channels, including SF1, TSR1 and Eurosport. An electronic program guide and an easy navigation key allow people on the move to always stay on top of the news.
Swisscom is one of the first DVB-H service providers in Europe and worldwide. Bluewin TV mobile marks a further step in the Group’s multimedia strategy and offers customers on the move the same viewing experience as with their TV at home.
Swisscom’s DVB-H broadcasts reach some 44 percent of the Swiss population, mostly in the area of Basel, Berne, Geneva, Zurich and Lausanne. Customers outside the DVB-H coverage area or without DVB-H handsets can receive Bluewin TV mobile on the Vodafone live! portal using UMTS/EDGE, which covers 99.8 percent of the population.
The solutions offered by Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks are based on the open DVB-H standard. They allow short implementation time as well as end-to-end capability, combining the equipment, services and devices to create a unique solution for mobile TV service providers, covering both mobile TV broadcast and 3G streaming (unicast). Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks work with more than 30 operators worldwide on DVB-H implementations. Commercial launches include Finland, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam and most recently Indonesia. The European Union has selected DVB-H as the definitive technology for digital and mobile broadcasting.
Posted on 19th May 2008
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The latest survey of GSM/EDGE network deployments by GSA, the Global mobile Suppliers Association, highlights continuing expansion of GSM/EDGE networks and services across the globe. The survey results are summarized in a new EDGE Fact Sheet, confirming that EDGE networks are now commercially launched in 147 countries, compared to 113 countries in May 2007.The GSA survey identified 363 EDGE network commitments in 165 countries (May 2007 = 287 commitments, 142 countries), including 313 EDGE commercial network launches in 147 countries (May 2007 = 223 launches, 113 countries).
T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced that the company has taken the first commercial step in the rollout of its third-generation (3G) wireless network by launching its UMTS/HSDPA network in New York City. T-Mobile plans to continue the rollout of its 3G network across major metropolitan markets through the year. By year’s end, T-Mobile expects its high-speed data network will be available in those cities where a majority of its subscribers currently use data services.”The launch of our 3G network comes at a time when 3G phones and services are more affordable, capable and appealing to our consumer marketplace than ever before,” said Cole Brodman, chief development officer, T-Mobile USA. “We benefit not only from the economic scale of 3G, but also from the extensive commercial experience of 3G in our European markets. Today, T-Mobile USA customers already have among the highest adoption of data and messaging services in the industry. Through our 3G network, we look forward to delivering a rich portfolio of new and meaningful services to enrich our customers’ lives.”
GSA, the Global mobile Suppliers Association, confirms a massive rise in the number of HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) devices introduced onto the market. GSA’s latest HSPA Devices Survey identifies 637 HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) products now launched, representing an annual growth of 150%. The number of suppliers increased from 62 to 110 in the same period. The survey incorporates product launch announcements at recent trade shows including CES, Mobile World Congress, CeBIT and CTIA.GSA’s HSPA Operator Commitments Survey in March 2008 reported that 116 commercial HSDPA operators i.e. 62%, support downlink data speeds of 3.6 Mbps peak or higher, and 38 operators (over 20%) who had launched 7.2 Mbps peak or higher. 190 HSDPA devices support a downlink capability of 3.6 Mbps peak. 128 devices have been launched which support, or can be upgraded for a high-speed downlink capability of 7.2 Mbps peak.
3G Americas today announced that by the end of 2008, there will be more than half a billion mobile wireless subscriptions to the GSM technology family including EDGE and UMTS/HSPA in the Americas, according to forecasts by Informa Telecoms & Media. Tremendous growth was posted in the year 2007, as the GSM family of technologies once again grew its market share as the number one mobile wireless technology in the Western Hemisphere, with a 64% regional share of market.GSM is the only technology deployed in every country in the Americas, and continues its upward course in the number of subscriptions and share of market. In 2007, there were 110 million additional subscriptions for the GSM technology family in the Western Hemisphere, totaling nearly 420 million GSM/UMTS subscriptions. It is forecast by Informa that GSM/UMTS subscriptions in the Western Hemisphere will substantially increase, reaching 636 million by the end of 2012, including 186 million subscriptions for UMTS/HSPA mobile broadband service.
The total number of 4G subscribers worldwide, including both LTE and WiMAX, is expected to exceed 90 million in 2013, but a number of milestones must be passed en route, according to a new forecast from ABI Research. At the end of 4Q 2007, says the firm, there were nearly 3.4 billion mobile subscribers worldwide, with 2.7 billion on GSM/EDGE/GPRS networks.Worldwide WCDMA subscriber numbers hit 180 million in 4Q 2007. ABI Research expects migration to HSPA+ to begin in early 2010, and migration to LTE will commence by the middle of the same year. Vice president Asia-Pacific Jake Saunders comments, “We forecast the total number of WCDMA subscribers (including HSPA) to approach 720 million in 2013.”
Dell’Oro Group, a source for market information about the networking and telecommunications industries, reported today that the worldwide mobile infrastructure market grew more than $850 million in the fourth quarter of 2007, over the previous quarter. While GSM continued to be the dominant contributor to this growth, WCDMA is finally gaining traction and is poised to have a very strong 2008.”All signs point to a breakout year for the WCDMA market in 2008,” stated Scott Siegler, Analyst of Mobility Infrastructure research at Dell’Oro Group. “First, the fourth quarter recorded a record number of Node B shipments, 70 percent more than the year ago quarter. Second, nearly 90 percent of all WCDMA networks have been upgraded to HSDPA. This is a critical point because these networks now provide average practical download speeds of nearly ten times those of GSM EDGE networks. It is these faster download speeds that will provide incentive for subscribers to transition to WCDMA services in order to support their experiences with data intensive applications such as YouTube, music downloads and photo sharing,” Siegler added.
Sony Ericsson today announced two high-performance additions to its popular Cyber-shotTM phone range with the launch of the C702 Cyber-shot(TM) and C902 Cyber-shot(TM). The two phones, packed with the latest camera technology, make it effortless to take perfect pictures of those spontaneous moments - day or night, at a bar or the beach - and instantly share them with friends and family. Sony Ericsson C702 Cyber-shotTM - Take pictures everywhere* Splash and dust resistant* - perfect for your active lifestyle
HSL (Hay Systems Ltd), an independent mobile network operator and provider of mobile services, today announced that they have commenced a major project to deliver a GSM/GPRS/EDGE femtocell primarily suited for consumer use in a residential setting.HSL plans to market the HSL 2.75G Femtocell to existing BTS vendors, directly to mobile network operators and additionally licensing hardware and software intellectual property. The femtocell will also be used in HSL’s own network in the UK. Software running on the femtocell and the associated Base Station Controller (BSC) is being developed by HSL with the hardware and lower layer software being designed by a 3rd party specialist.
ip.access, the award-winning market leader in femtocell and picocell technologies, today announced that Cisco has made an investment in the company. Terms of the investment were not disclosed.Already cash-positive with its existing 2G picocell business, ip.access has secured funding from an impressive array of industry supporters for its breakthrough Oyster 3GTM femtocell, which is currently in trials with major mobile network operators globally. Existing ip.access investors include Scottish Equity Partners, Rothschild Gestion, Intel Capital, Amadeus Capital Partners, ADC and Motorola Ventures.
With the recent approval of Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology specifications by the leading global wireless standards organization 3GPP, LTE is on target and continuing its momentum as the next phase of technology development for the GSM family of technologies, according to industry association 3G Americas.”3G Americas has consistently supported the 3GPP standards for the GSM family of technologies and we applaud the progress of the LTE standard. LTE is a dynamic OFDM-based next generation technology with a great future. 3G Americas is committed to not only today’s global leading standards of GSM, EDGE and UMTS/HSPA but also to the innovation that LTE provides our industry,” stated Chris Pearson, President of 3G Americas.
Following the recent 3GPP industry standardization of EDGE Evolution, Ericsson has restated its commitment to launch EDGE Evolution, as software upgrade of existing infrastructure, by 2009.
Slovenian greenfield operator, Tusmobil, has selected Nokia as its GSM/EDGE core and radio network supplier. Nokia will also operate the Tusmobil network allowing the operator to focus its management activities on building the Tusmobil image, mobile services creation, and customer acquisition. With Nokia’s support Tusmobil will be able to quickly enter the Slovenian mobile market and offer a wide range of services right from the network launch, which is expected to take place in May 2007.
Nokia 6110 Navigator: A navigation-enabled mobile phone designed for the mass market. The Nokia 6110 Navigator brings together GPS (Global Positioning System) and AGPS (Assisted Global Positioning System) functionality with always-on mobile connectivity in a feature-rich, compact device. The Nokia 6110 Navigator is expected to begin shipping in the second quarter of 2007 with an estimated retail price of 450 Euro before subsidies or taxes.The Nokia 6110 Navigator features full personal navigation experience with integrated maps, routing and navigation available with the click of the phone’s one-touch Navigator key. With the Nokia 6110 Navigator, consumers can quickly and easily view their current location on the map, search for destinations, find specific routes, or locate services such as restaurants, hotels or shops that are nearby. Featuring full turn-by-turn 3D navigation, the Nokia 6110 Navigator suggests the best route to follow to reach a location by car or on foot. Clear instructions by voice guidance and turn arrows on a map ensure finding the fastest way to the destination.