A technology discourse
THE MOBILE INFRASTRUCTURE MARKET appears to be experiencing an uptick that may or may not be a sign of better things to come. Technology upgrades come in cycles, and although the upgrade cycle for high-speed downlink packet access is just beginning, the upgrade cycle for CDMA 1X EV-DO is nearing its culmination. There's more ying and yang to consider: IP multimedia subsystem implementation offers some hope for increased spending on infrastructure projects, but at the same time, ongoing network operator consolidation is reducing the number of potential clients for vendors. And where do mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) fit in? Here's some of what Wireless Review has overheard:
“Some MVNOs will become less and less virtual, and more and more like real network operators. The market is crowded, and you need to stand out not just by reselling. You need to begin launching your own platforms, and that includes things like [home location registers] and switches.”
— Noah Bloom, director of marketing, Blueslice Networks
“We're seeing a lot of RFPS for unlicensed mobile access technology right now because a lot of the wireline telcos are trying to control mobile substitution. But we're trying to move beyond the capabilities that the UMA standard specifies.”
— Steve Shaw, director of marketing, Kineto Wireless.
“Everything is moving to an IP environment in the interest of creating a multi-purpose, multi-access network. That is where a lot of the new innovation is happening now. It all has to do with how you manage that kind of environment.”
— Mikael Stromquist, Ericsson
“We think UMA may have a brief window, and the voice call continuity specification in IMS may eventually be an alternative.”
— Jim Grams, chief technology officer at Azaire Networks, former Cingular Wireless executive
“Our research and development people are sometimes working on concepts that may be nine or 10 years away. They are now thinking about 2015.”
— Stromquist, Ericsson
“Wi-Fi is a wrinkle in the process of mobile data expansion. At Cingular, we were wringing our hands about it. Do you fight Wi-Fi or do you embrace it? The fact is that just one access network will not be sufficient in the future. You need to embrace as many as possible and maintain a high-touch relationship with your customers. Embrace these other forms of access, but offer them as if they were your own.”
— Grams, Azaire Networks.
