The $34 billion Sprint-Nextel merger (Google News & NPR), would create the 3rd largest cellular operator with 39 million subscribers. Reports indicate the anticipated merger may indeed have a cable television component. For cable operators and “Sprint-tel”, the issue may not be so much WiFi Vrs WiMax, but WiFi AND WiMax.
PacketCable is a CableLabs-led initiative to define a common platform to deliver advanced real-time communication services, such as voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP).
Built on top of the industry s DOCSIS 1.1 cable modem, PacketCable networks use IP technology with built-in QOS. PacketCable Multimedia Terminals incorporate the QOS and have jacks for a couple of phone lines. A WiFi cable modem service combined with a WiFi/Cell phone could open up new markets for both cable operators and cell providers. Cell phones could be used inside or out.
Replacing twisted pair. Permanently.
Sprint-tel would allow cable operators to offer cellular phone services - without helping a fiber optic competitor like SBC (Cingular) or Verizon (the 1st and 2nd largest) cellular carriers.
What’s required is a CDMA/WiFi handset like the KDDI phone (right).
Homes and offices would use a PacketCable/WiFi modem to connect. When customers are home, their mobile phones uses the Wi-Fi link, rather than connecting to a cell site. It’s faster and cheaper. Reception in the home would be better. Atheros chips inside cellphones are one possibility. Intel “smartphones” are another.
The same phone(s) could be used on the Nextel/Sprint system. Consumers could enjoy a “one number” voice service, collapsing their cell phone and home phone together, simplifying today’s multiple voice mail and email accounts.
Death to twisted pair.
WiFi/Cell phones, along with PocketPCs and handheld wireless game machines (running VoIP software), could expand the broadband market — and go mobile.
We used PhoneScoop’s feature finder to look for cell phones with WiFi and CDMA. We found several GSM/WiFi phones but no CDMA/WiFi phones (yet). Not to worry. There are many EV-DO cellphones available now. Adding WiFi is inevitable.
NTT DoCoMo is offering the NEC N900iL, a combination Wi-Fi/cell phone. The N900iL handsets, made by NEC, will enable free calls and instant messaging over IEEE 802.11b WLANs and standard cellular calls, at regular rates, on DoCoMo’s WCDMA 3G network, called FOMA.
- The KDDI CDMA/WiFi phone (in orange, above), features 3G, CDMA, 802.11b Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 1.2, along with web and email software. Has a CF slot and a mini SD slot. One model uses Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition for PocketPC and the other uses the phone version, said KDDI.
Both units are based on a 520MHz Intel PXA270 CPU backed by 128MB of SDRAM and 64MB of ROM. The screen is a 2.8in 240 x 320 job, and there’s a VGA digicam.
Samsung Electronics has a mega-pixel camera phone with an internal hard drive. The SPH-V5400 boasts a 1.5-gigabyte hard drive that far outruns conventional rivals’ 100 megabyte capacity. It can store up to 300 MP3 files or 1,000 images and store 3.5 hours of video.
The phone features functions such as an MP3 player, e-book and Korean-English / English-Korean dictionaries. Cellphones like these could download music, photos and video quickly with a WiFi connection. Samsung continues to innovate, producing sophisticated camera phones with multi-megapixel cameras and employs aggressive marketing in both domestic and overseas markets.
Pantech & Curitel have a three megapixel cameraphone/TV/digital video recorder. It includes a full gigabyte of memory inside and bundles it with an external mini docking complex attachment that lets you you turn each handset into a combination TV/digital video recorder/FM radio.
- PocketPC/WiFi Phones, like the HP iPAQ h6315, Qtek 9090 or Motorola MPx offer WiFi as well as cellular connections in Europe. Sprint’s Audiovox PPC-6600 features Bluetooth, SDIO card slot, EV-DO, a VGA camera and the full suite of Windows Mobile software. Run Pocket Skype. A mobile WiMax client could follow in a year or two enabling mobile, push-to-talk videophones. No invention required.
- The Treo 650 ($499), is a Palm device with an integrated cell phone, but has no WiFi option for its SD slot, (yet). It probably won’t be long.
- Dell’s Axim X50 Pocket PC ($399) features built-in WiFi and a 520Mhz processor as well as SD and CF slots. The non-WiFi version costs $299 while the deluxe 50v ($449), has a 480 by 640 VGA screen.
- Tapwave’s Zodiac, a $400, Palm-based game platform, now has a Wi-Fi SD card (review) and an e-mail application. It suppliments the Zodiac’s built-in Bluetooth. Now you can access e-mail, surf the Internet, or chat online wirelessly over an 802.11b connection.
The charcoal gray Zodiac 2 handheld comes with 128MB of RAM, USB cable, web browsing, MP3 playback, video playback, image viewing, word processing, calculator and a flip cover. It can read eBooks from eReader.com.
Wi-Fi support comes through palmOne’s Wi-Fi SD cards and new software drivers for SanDisk which are compatible with the SDIO-enabled of Zodiac’s two SD slots. A Zodiac using SanDisk’s combo WiFi/256 Meg card ($149), could leave one slot open.
Nintendo’s new DS handheld ($149), has been a hot seller since it was first introduced just a few weeks ago. The DS sold more than 500,000 units during Thanksgiving week, representing more than 90 percent of all units available in stores across the United States. No voice, but who cares.
- Sony’s Playstation Portable, due in the United States the first quarter of 2005 for around $200 will be able to play back H.264 video, along with MP3 and ATRAC encoded audio files and includes built-in WiFi. No voice. Yet.
When Sprint and Nextel combine their 2.6 GHz MMDS spectrum, then a national broadband wireless footprint will be enabled.
Supporters of 802.20 seem to be jumping ship recently to 802.16e which has the additional advantages of unlicensed bands, compatibility with 802.16 fixed wireless and backing from major chip companies like Intel and Fujitsu.
Intel threatens to build 802.16e into laptops and handsets by 2007.
Where ever you go. There you are.
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