CTIA WIRELESS 2008, the $500 billion global wireless industry’s largest show opens today at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Running April 1-3, it brings together all industries affected by wireless technology with attendees from more than 125 countries and more than 1,200 exhibitors showcasing devices, infrastructure, entertainment and business applications.
Keynote speakers including mobile operator CEOs Arun Sarin of Vodafone, Lowell McAdam of Verizon Wireless and Dan Hesse of Sprint Nextel, as well as Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of Virgin Group; Marco Boerries, president of Yahoo! Mobile; Robert Bach, president of Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division; and chief executives from Alcatel Lucent, Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks and Nortel.
“This is our biggest year ever,” said Robert Mesirow, CTIA vice president and show director. This year’s show will feature three conference tracks: Mobile Blueprint, Mobile Lifestyles and Mobile “Customer-ization” as well as educational sessions.
Show Highlights:
- Road to 4G: This experiential zone will allow attendees to interact with the new mobile technologies and devices.
- International Pavilions: Canada, China, Finland, India, Ireland, Korea, Spain, Taiwan and the UK will present companies on the exhibit floor showcasing the latest advances in wireless communications.
- Specialized Summits: CTIA will host a wide range of in-depth specialty summits, including Mobile Entertainment LIVE!, the Converged Services Summit, Marketing — The Mobile Channel, the Tower Technology Summit, Andrew Seybold University and the Smartphone Summit.
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Fashion in Motion: A couture-style technology fashion show featuring the latest wireless devices, accessories, smart fabrics and fashions with live runway shows.
- Green Initiatives: CTIA making it easy for attendees to recycle their retired mobile devices onsite and when they return home.
Some of the announcements at CTIA include:
- TruePosition today announced the TruePosition Hybrid Location Solution. a mobile positioning method combines network-based and handset-based location technologies for improved performance for all location-based services. It can incorporate a combination of location technologies such as Cell ID (CID), Enhanced Cell ID (ECID), Angle of Arrival (AOA), Uplink Time Difference of Arrival (U-TDOA), and Assisted GPS (A-GPS) to ensure optimum accuracy across every type of environment and condition—urban, suburban, rural, indoors, in-vehicle, in-motion and stationary. TruePosition can have two location technologies such as A-GPS and U-TDOA operate simultaneously, and then mathematically combine the calculations to obtain enhanced results.
- Networks In Motion announced AtlasBook Navigator, a new software platform enabling people to bypass traffic jams, explore a new town, plan social activities and find cheap gas. It’s available to wireless carriers to implement into their own branded mobile phone navigation applications.
- NextWave Wireless announced that Cheetah Wireless, a wireless mesh network solutions provider, has upgraded its Las Vegas broadband Wi-Fi infrastructure with NextWave’s micro cell and pico cell base stations along the Las Vegas Strip – both inside and outside the world’s largest casinos, hotels and convention centers. Together, NextWave and Cheetah Wireless will offer improved indoor/outdoor Wi-Fi accessibility. NextWave’s xRF technology is said to dramatically increases signal penetration through the Las Vegas Strip’s dense steel and glass high rise structures.
- NextWave will demonstrate its mobile WiMAX semiconductor and MXtv technology while Huawei will showcase its WiMAX portfolio that will integrate NextWave’s MXtv Macro-Diversity Multicast and Broadcast technology.
- Fox Mobile Entertainment announced the launch of the Fox Entertainment Mobile Network, a mobile web portal that includes FOX, FX, SPEED, National Geographic Channel, and Fox Reality Channel and over 30 mobile web sites for top-ranked programming such as The Simpsons, 24, Family Guy, Nip/Tuck, NASCAR and Dog Whisperer. All content can be accessed by mobile users on their mobile phone’s web browser at FoxMobile.com.
- Spirent Communications announced new products targeted at WiMAX and LTE developers. They support bi-directional MIMO and beamforming testing on the industry leading Spirent SR5500 Wireless Channel Emulator, which is used for testing wireless receivers.
- Mobile games from Cellufun are available now through AOL’s mobile portal and will be offered on a free, ad-supported basis. Advertising inventory will be sold by Platform-A’s Third Screen Media.
- The WiMAX Forum announced it projects more than 133 million WiMAX users globally by 2012. Their study estimates 70 percent of the forecasted WiMAX users by 2012 will utilize mobile and portable WiMAX devices to access broadband Internet services.
- Samsung Telecommunications America will showcase its latest U.S. handsets and technology, as well demonstrate its converged devices, the latest in WiMAX technology and much more.
- Microvision will demonstrate pico projector prototypes and a handheld accessory that can project large images onto any surface. The company hopes to integrate it inside cell phones and other consumer devices.
- Wilson Electronics is introducing its cellular booster product: the SignalBoost Mini-Amp Kit. Designed for use in cars, trucks, and RVs, this plug-and-play kit reduces dropped calls and extends signal range for all Cellular and PCS carriers. A magnet-base antenna attaches to the roof and communicates with the cell site, while Wilson’s Cell Phone Cradle features a built-in antenna that re-broadcasts the amplified signal inside the vehicle.
- Sling Media announced SlingPlayer Mobile for UIQ on Symbian OS. Separately, Sling Media is announcing that its existing SlingPlayer Mobile for S60 on Symbian OS will soon support Nokia’s popular N95 8GB, which will also be demonstrated at CTIA.
- BlueTree Wireless Data will announce its BT-6000 cellular modem, which is designed specifically for fixed cellular data applications for the Telemetry, SCADA, Business Continuity and Landline Replacement markets.
- mimoOn, a leader in software defined radio (SDR) solutions, announced an end-to-end LTE software solution. The company offers two versions of its SDR LTE product: one customized for base stations, picocells, and femtocells; and the other for client devices such as data cards, mobile phones, wireless modules and wireless modems.
- Wayfinder announced its Wayfinder Active application in the U.S. and Canada, a free GPS application for mobile phones with a unique combination of maps, GPS recording and statistics. It’s designed for people who enjoy outdoor activities.
- Thin Multimedia is thinMobile Ad, which shows a banner advertisement while a user is viewing a video or listening to audio content.
- AirWalk Communications introduced EdgePoint, its advanced CDMA IP femtocells for home and small office use.
- RADWIN announced its upcoming, high-capacity sub-6GHz radio system, the RADWIN 2000, for backhaul needs of today’s and tomorrow’s networks (3G, 4G, WiMax).
- Sierra Wireless announced an enhancement to its line of AirLink MP rugged in-vehicle modems. The new MP 595W, MP 880W and MP 881W modems, shipping later this quarter, include an 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi hotspot and full routing capabilities. The MP 880W and MP 881W support HSUPA networks, while the MP 595W supports EV-DO Revision A networks. The in-vehicle modems are built to withstand the rugged environments of the public safety, transportation, and field service industries.
The Wireless Association announced today that as of December 2007, there were more than 255 million wireless users in the United States, with a year-over-year increase of more than 22 million subscribers.
The industry’s 12-month record for subscriber growth was reached in 2005, when 25.7 million new users came online.
