Telecom Cook Islands Ltd. - 14 October 2011 - New services & upgrades for Pukapuka

Telecom Cook Islands Ltd. - 14 October 2011 - New services & upgrades for Pukapuka

14 October 2011 - New services & upgrades for Pukapuka

Telecom Cook Islands today announced the successful installation of GSM mobile network equipment in Pukapuka providing mobile coverage to the Island for the first time. Customers on Pukapuka can now use Telecom’s e-service to top up their prepaid mobiles. Since early this year they have been able to use the other e-service products - e-calling and e-WiFi.

A team of Telecom’s technicians and engineers flew to Pukapuka on 29 September to install the Mobile network and e-topup at the existing Telecom facility which was built and commissioned back in 1993.

The upgrade to Pukapuka comes after the recent success of the new cell sites in Mangaia, Manihiki and Mauke, where the services were welcomed enthusiastically by the people.

Chief Technology Officer Rob McFadzien said “We have invested a lot of time and effort into getting mobile services effectively up and operational in the Outer Islands. As one of our core initiatives, this project was completed and officially launched 12 October 2011, and the team has done exceptionally well to get this up and running. We are delighted for the people of Pukapuka, and today were overwhelmed by the high demand for starter packs, new mobiles, new SIMs and top-up.”

Rob took several photos of the installation work on Pukapuka and was then able to use hi s phone to email these to Rarotonga over the new mobile network. “That’s the beauty of mobile data service” he said. Mobile data is available on Telecom’s new post –paid mobile plans.

Mobile customers on Pukapuka can now send 500 texts to friends and family around the Cook Islands and the World for just $10, which is the best texting deal in the Pacific Islands. Customers anywhere in the Cook Islands can call from their landline to mobiles in Pukapuka for the same price of calling a mobile in Rarotonga (just 38 cents a minute).

Telecom is committed to improving mobile coverage throughout the Cook Islands. Next on our Outer Islands list is Atiu (by Christmas), and Mitiaro by Easter 2012. We’re also planning to erect more towers around Rarotonga to improve coverage in some areas.

Fujitsu Develops Technology Enabling Speech-Based Information Retrieval from Smartphones

Fujitsu Develops Technology Enabling Speech-Based Information Retrieval from Smartphones

Kawasaki, Japan, October 13, 2011 — Fujitsu Laboratories Limited today announced the development of speech interface technology that enables users to retrieve a variety of information by simply speaking into a smartphone, without having to look at the smartphone's display.

After listening to a synthesized speech read the latest news and other information, users can articulate the information that they would like to learn more about. The software will then read details about the topic and other related information (Figure 1). By taking advantage of this technology, users who are driving or working and need to keep their eyes and hands free can use various information services without having to look at or touch the smartphone's display.

Background

Currently, most smartphones and other mobile devices are operated by the user touching the handset while looking at its display. However, mobile devices are also employed in other situations—such as walking, driving, and working—where users must keep their eyes and hands focused on the task at hand. In such scenarios, users can benefit from speech recognition technology that understands human speech and speech synthesis technology where devices are able to read text aloud.

In recent years, by employing devices to remotely access datacenters, where an abundance of computing resources can be utilized, it has become possible to develop speech recognition and synthesis technologies that handle a larger lexicon than has previously been possible on stand-alone devices. This has led to high expectations for the delivery of new and innovative services.

Fujitsu Laboratories has developed industry-leading technologies that include, professional-level quality speech synthesis technology, as well as speech recognition technology that can eliminate background noise while picking up on only the user's voice. The company is currently aiming to enable new speech interfaces, including the development of datacenter-based speech recognition and synthesis technologies.

Huawei to Launch Industry First Multi-mode SON Solution

Shenzhen, China, 13 October, 2011： Huawei, today released its industry first multi-mode SON (self-organizing network) solution named SingleSON. The solution is capable of automatically managing multi-mode and multi-layer networks, to improve O&M (operation and maintenance) efficiency and ensure smooth evolution to future technologies.

With the rapid development of new mobile technologies, wide popularity of smart devices, and increase in data usage, networks are becoming increasingly complex. Of primary concern to all operators is the need to reduce the cost of O&M and improve the efficiency.

David Wang, President of Wireless Network Product Line, Huawei, said” As the best business partner of operators, Huawei accepts this challenge to reduce operation and maintenance costs together with our customers. Huawei’s innovative SingleSON solution is committed to building a self-organizing network which can realize self-configuration, self-optimization and self-operation and support central or distributed deployment according to different network scales”.

SingleSON improves the efficiency of O&M throughout the network life cycle, for example in the case of a breakdown, the time taken to resume service is reduced from days to minutes. Adopting SingleSON enables the throughput at the cell edge to be enhanced by 30% which ensures the same network experience as users receive when they are in the cell center. Huawei’s SingleSON is compatible with future-oriented technologies and is capable of evolving to serve the future multi-mode heterogeneous network which is composed of macro and micro base stations.

SingleSON forms part of Huawei’s vision for a GigaWorld, further details will be announced soon.

Augere awards India's first 4G/TD-LTE contract to Ericsson

Augere awards India's first 4G/TD-LTE contract to Ericsson

· Augere selects TD-LTE technology to offer 4G services to consumers in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh under its ZOOSH brand

· Partnership with Ericsson to provide Augere with end-to-end TD-LTE solution including managed services in 14 cities in these two states

· World's second-largest telecom market to enjoy benefits of mobile broadband with TD-LTE

· LTE-enabled 4G speeds to improve user experience of wireless broadband including web, online gaming, video streaming and social networking even while on the move.

Consumers in India are one step closer to experiencing the fourth generation of mobile telecommunications through TD-LTE technology. Augere, a pioneer of 4G wireless broadband with 4G licenses covering more than 500 million people in emerging markets in South Asia and Africa has selected Ericsson's (NASDAQ:ERIC) latest-generation radio base station, the RBS6000; state-of-the-art Evolved Packet Core technology and microwave transmission. This will enable Augere to offer broadband services under the ZOOSH brand to residential and business customers in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

LTE enhances the end-user experience and enables the rapid transfer of large amounts of data. With increased speed and decreased latency, consumers can enjoy a wide range of applications such as internet surfing, online gaming, social media and video meetings. LTE also has the capacity to meet future demands for new and enhanced mobile internet applications.

To ensure optimal network performance, Ericsson will also be responsible for providing managed services and network operations for three years. Ericsson will plan, design, build, operate, maintain and provide spare-parts management for the 4G network for Augere. The contract includes the supply, installation and commissioning of the network.

Lars Stork, CEO, Augere Wireless Broadband India Private Ltd said, "We are delighted to be one of the first wireless broadband service providers to announce our plans for the launch of 4G services in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. LTE is a new technology that will enable us to offer high speed and quality customer experience through a 4G wireless broadband service. India today offers one of the most exiting growth opportunities globally in wireless broadband services and we believe LTE will provide us with a network to offer a customer experience in line with the core values of our brand ZOOSH. Our global telecommunications experience and strong local partnerships are geared up to deliver Broadband service in underserved markets enabling our customers to get highs peed and reliable access to the Internet. We welcome the selection of Ericsson as our Indian network partner, a global leader in the LTE space. We are confident that this partnership will create the foundation that will support us in providing a fast and reliable customer experience only second to none and be moving us a step closer to our 'Broadband for All' vision."

Fredrik Jejdling, Head of Ericsson in India, says: "Ericsson is proud to partner with Augere for the introduction of 4G-based TD-LTE services in India. Mobility and broadband are among the main elements of Ericsson's vision of a Networked Society. With LTE and TD-LTE, the mobile broadband experience will reach the next level. It is exciting to see India, one of the world's largest telecom markets, planning the next steps for mobile broadband."

Taiwan Mobile and RIM Launch BlackBerry 7 Smartphones in Taiwan

Taipei, Taiwan - Taiwan Mobile and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today launched two new BlackBerry® smartphones based on the BlackBerry® 7 Operating System (OS). Powered by the latest BlackBerry software (including Chinese language support), the new BlackBerry® Torch™ 9860 will be available from Taiwan Mobile tomorrow and the BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 can be pre-ordered through Taiwan Mobile at the same time.

Featuring RIM’s next generation hardware and software platforms, these new BlackBerry 7 based smartphones offer users a choice of two attractive designs and deliver the ultimate in communications, multimedia and productivity.

The new BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone ever, offering both a large keyboard and brilliant touch display. The BlackBerry Torch 9860 introduces an all-new, all-touch design featuring the largest display on a BlackBerry smartphone to date.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 and BlackBerry Torch 9860 both support Chinese characters within the user interface and various applications, and both smartphones also support popular Chinese input methods.

“Taiwan Mobile is committed to bringing a variety of BlackBerry smartphones to enhance our customers’ mobile life,” said Paul Huang, Vice President of Taiwan Mobile. “The new BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the best-in-class full QWERTY smartphone while the BlackBerry Torch 9860 is our most up-to-date all-touch smartphone. We believe these new products will appeal to both business users and consumers.”

“We’re pleased to bring the new BlackBerry 7 smartphones to Taiwan,” said Urpo Karjalainen, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific at Research In Motion. “The BlackBerry solution offers an industry leading mobile communications experience that customers love and we think they will be thrilled by the faster performance, enhanced browsing, richer multimedia and localized support delivered by the powerful new BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Torch smartphones.”

India’s Idea Cellular Makes the Switch To Smoothwall RF Feeder Cable | CommScope

India’s Idea Cellular Makes the Switch To Smoothwall RF Feeder Cable

HICKORY, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Idea Cellular Ltd., India’s third largest wireless operator, has chosen to reap the benefits of CommScope’s superior performance smoothwall RF feeder coaxial cable, replacing most use of traditional corrugated copper cabling in its network.

In choosing HELIAX® FXL smoothwall cable, Idea will utilize the high performing coaxial cable in their base station sites in India. The FXL smoothwall cable, already installed in more than 100,000 sites throughout India and in use in nations around the world, is delivering a new level of benefits in wireless network performance and reliability compared to its corrugated copper predecessor HELIAX VXL.

Featuring a patented microcell dielectric and foam-filled inner conductor, HELIAX FXL offers the advantages of:

Faster and Easier Deployments - Lighter, stronger and flexible cable

Cost Savings - Less tower loading, lower freight costs and minimal maintenance

Superior Performance and Efficiency - Lower attenuation, helping data move faster and more efficiently across networks

Reliability and Consistency - Field proven, excellent weather resistance

Competition for subscribers is intense in the rapidly expanding Indian wireless marketplace, raising the stakes for operators as they balance the need for the highest performance in their networks while keeping costs low.

“HELIAX 2.0 FXL smoothwall cable from CommScope is a great choice for operators and OEMs in India because of its superior performance and cost efficiency as compared to standard corrugated copper cable,” said Stan Catey, senior vice president and general manager, Cable Products, CommScope. “The smoothwall cable is built to ensure the operator receives a consistent quality connection, plus it offers a significant immediate cost savings over corrugated copper cable.”

With more than 100 million feet already deployed worldwide, HELIAX FXL cable is paving the way for an eco-friendly communications infrastructure in India and around the world. The smoothwall cable recently won the Golden Award for Green Communication Energy-Efficiency Technology in China. Compared with traditional all-copper cables, HELIAX FXL is more energy-efficient, durable and has greater flexibility. In addition, it requires less electric power and fuel to manufacture and transport. And, with its aluminum outer conductor, it is less prone to the theft issues that have been affecting network components made entirely from copper.

“Throughout our relationship, CommScope has always produced quality, durable cables that help us reach out to our customers with the latest and most innovative technology,” said Anil Tandan, chief technology officer, Idea Cellular Ltd. “Deploying HELIAX FXL smoothwall cable enables us to evolve our wireless networks while remaining conscious of its energy footprint.”

In response to the discontinuation of HELIAX VXL, CommScope has made significant investments to localize FXL cable production at its manufacturing center in Goa, India. Additional production facilities supporting FXL are strategically located in North America and China.

Airtel Bangladesh and DBBL signs M-commerce deal

[Dhaka, September, 2011]: Airtel Bangladesh Limited, the fastest growing telecom operator in Bangladesh, signed an agreement with Dutch Bangla Bank Limited on September 12, 2011 to introduce M-commerce Services to a larger segment of population. The signing ceremony was held at the Banani corporate head office of Airtel Bangladesh.

Within 8 months of launching the brand, airtel has engaged into this partnership, which is going to facilitate mobile customer with banking at their fingertips. With this initiative, existing & new Airtel customers will be able to open bank accounts and avail banking services; additionally existing DBBL mobile banking customers can get serviced at Airtel outlets. Airtel subscribers will now be able to conduct their financial transactions by using their hand held mobile device through a convenient and affordable process. This partnership will be aimed at making the concept of inclusive banking a reality for customers in Bangladesh.

T. Mr. A.S.M. Sakib Sikder, Head of legal of Airtel and Mir Mominul Huq, VP & Head of Mobile Banking Division of DBBL inked the deal on behalf of their respective organization. Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Airtel, Mr. Chris Tobit and Mr. K. Shamshi Tabrez, Managing Director of DBBL exchanged the signed documents in presence of Chief Service Officer & Head-M Commerce of airtel, Ms. Rubaba Dowla and Deputy Managing Director Mr. A. K. M. Shirin from DBBL. Chief Sales & Marketing Officer Mr. Abhay Seth and Chief Financial Officer Mr. S.K. Mukhopadhyay from Airtel Bangladesh Ltd were also present during the signing ceremony.

Managing Director and CEO of Airtel Bangladesh said, “This is a great opportunity for us to facilitate our valued customers with the best-in-class technology to conduct their everyday financial transactions. Dutch Bangla Bank Ltd had already established themselves as one of the most technologically capable banking corporation in Bangladesh and Airtel is privileged to have partnered with them in this fine endeavor.”

Huawei Unveils World’s First 40G PON Prototype

Beijing, China, 10 Oct, 2011: Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, today launched the industry’s first 40G PON (Passive Optical Network) prototype. The 40G PON system was jointly tested and certified by Huawei and the China Telecom Beijing Research Institute earlier this month.

The system uses wavelength division multiplexing technology that allows a 40 Gb/s downstream transmission rate and a 10 Gb/s upstream rate, with no change to legacy GPON/XGPON optical distribution networks (ODN). The system also supports a 1:512 optical splitting ratio and a transmission reach of 20 kilometers. Huawei’s 40G PON system will enable telecom operators to integrate future upgrade and evolution initiatives with existing GPON deployment plans, offering them more control over the total cost of operation throughout the entire life cycle of an optical access network.

“As telecom operators worldwide rush to implement optical fiber deployment strategies, a key question is how to build sustainable optical access networks that can evolve and grow into the future,” said You Yiyong, President of Huawei's Access Network Product Line. “Huawei continually strives for customer-oriented innovation in the optical access sector and to provide telecom operators worldwide with premium products and future-proof solutions that help them increase their return on investment and grow in a fast changing world. The launch of the first 40G PON prototype is testament to this commitment.”

“Huawei's 40G PON system is highly compatible with existing GPON and XGPON systems and its transmission convergence layer maximally leverages existing GPON and XGPON structures,” said Dr. Frank J. Effenberger, Huawei’s chief optical access technology expert. “We are pleased to note that Huawei’s solution has gained wide-ranging support from international standardization organizations like FSAN and ITU-T.”

Huawei's SingleFAN solution and related offerings now service over one-third of the world’s broadband users, offering ultra-broadband access services and enriching lives through communication.