Lecture Series on Wireless Communications by Dr.Ranjan Bose, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Delhi.
For more details on NPTEL, visit http://nptel.iitm.ac.in
Duration : 0:51:0
08
Sep
Reitek – The present and future of Convergent Communications
Author: admin // Category: Mobile Communications
The present and future of Convergent Communications
HiPath MobileConnect
Delivering on fixed mobile convenience
Fixed Mobile Convenience is central to Siemens’ Open Communications strategy, enabling enterprises to communicate and collaborate with any device on any network, in any IT environment. HiPath MobileConnect enables Fixed Mobile Convenience with a truly seamless extension of Mobile Communications beyond the enterprise walls. Read more at: http://www.siemens.com/us/open/mobileconnect
Duration : 0:1:42
03
Sep
Mobile Services for Near Field Communication
Author: admin // Category: Mobile Communications
Mobile Services for Near Field Communication
Unboxing Video of the Nokia X6, brought to you by (beyrouti.wordpress.com) Special Thanks to “Impact Porter Novelli” …..
Duration : 0:4:57
The answer to the question asked in the title is, yes. But only if it makes sense. It will make sense for some people to use prepaid cell phones. For others it will make sense to stay on the contract model, especially if there are several people on one plan.
Many of the large cell phone service companies now offer prepaid cell phone plans–when formerly, all they offered were the standard contract model, for which you sign up for two years and get stuck in the cycle of upgrading to a new phone and of course signing another contract.
There are a lot of different routes to take when you are looking for alternatives to the traditional contract model. Prepaid cell phones or pay-as-you-go options may just be the way for you to go in terms of your Mobile Communications.
AT&T merged with Cingular and they now bill themselves as having the largest network in the United States. This may be true. Whatever the case may be, there are also several other competitors that you can look at to try to find the best deal for you and your family.
Boost mobile is definitely a contender for your business as is the Alltel network. Virgin Mobile also operates on a pay-as-you-go cell phone model, so this may be a viable option for you as well.
Boost Mobile offers one great feature, which is the free walkie-talkie service from one user to another. This is included in all plans. Virgin Mobile is the British company owned by Richard Branson. It is a very youth oriented company, as is Boost Mobile, and has some good options for younger cell phone users.
The truth is you can sort of customize your cell phone plan to be close to how you actually use it. You don’t have to get stuck with a whole bunch of minutes you don’t use at the end of the month.
As you can see, there are many well known companies that you can find prepaid cell phone plans with. The company you choose completely depends on what you want out of your mobile phone.
The beauty of the prepaid model as opposed to the contract model is that there is no commitment (other than what you spend on the actual phone) so it is fairly painless to move from one service to another if you are dissatisfied with the service.
All companies that offer prepaid cell phone plans require you to use a phone that works with their service. The cell phone itself may be pricey, but generally there are many different models to choose from.
Using a prepaid cell phone means that you do not have to undergo a credit check from the company or sign a long term contract–but this doesn’t mean it’s the right option for you.
People who are on a shared plan and have a lot of minutes each month or carryover minutes often find the best deal by signing a contract and using that model of service. Another perk to this type of service is you are often offered a free cell phone or a discounted newer model when you sign up for a new contract.
You want to take out your cell phone bills over the past several months and see how many minutes you use consistently, and take into account things like mobile to mobile free usage, how many carryover minutes you get, the cost of a new phone, and the other costs and fees involved.
If it makes sense, make the switch to prepaid. You can always sign another contract later!
Chris Crowe
http://www.articlesbase.com/cell-phones-articles/reasons-to-switch-to-a-prepaid-cell-phone-561901.html
24
Aug
Sim Free Phones: it Can’t Get Easier Than This
Author: admin // Category: Mobile Communications
Connectivity is the essence of our mortal lives, as we cannot live in the isolated world. With the passage of time, man has evolved many easier and convenient ways to communicate and because of that, our big world has shrunk into a unit, which is well-within our reach. Moreover, advent of mobile phones has brought some revolutionary changes and other substantial benefits in our lives. Consequently, many exciting features merged with the mobile phones, but their main usability is connectivity, which has really brought unprecedented changed in our world. To have a mobile phone has also become a lot easier, as network service providers come with some well-focused technological options like Sim free phones. As far as technological options are concerned, the network service providers offer some clear-cut solutions to suit the needs of the mobile phone users.
There are some popular options like code division multiple access (CDMA), global system for Mobile Communications (GSM), time division multiple access (TDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA) and last but not the least is integrated digital enhanced network (iDEN). However, all these technologies are truly best in themselves, but the GSM technology is the most advanced and because of that seventy percent of mobile users are using this technology. One of the hot aspects of GSM technology is SIM free phones. Actually, SIM free phones are those phones, which can be availed without taking a connection or line. It is because of the usability and excessive demand that the SIM free phones are not offered by a particular network service provider.
A user can easily purchase any handset, which is available under the SIM free phone banner, and afterwards, he can use the SIM card of any of the service provider. Though, the Tri-band SIM free phones easily work on any GSM network service throughout the whole world, but the user needs to insert a SIM with a compatible frequency, which operates in that particular area or vicinity. When it comes to use and applications, the SIM free phones are bit different from pay-as-you-go and contract mobile phones. Sim free phones offer more flexibility to the mobile phone users, as they are not bound with any particular network. Therefore, user can easily switch over to another network as per his needs and financial capability. This flexibility really proves a boon for the frequent travellers, as they can easily use the SIM free phones by purchasing the SIM card of that particular country. So, go mobile without hassles and also with much needed flexibility, as it really cannot get easier than this….
Caitlin Lucy
http://www.articlesbase.com/communication-articles/sim-free-phones-it-cant-get-easier-than-this-85107.html
An introduction into Cell Site Analysis
Technical Background of Cell Site Analysis by Simon Steggles – Mobile Phone Forensics
Cell phones, (or Mobile phones) used today are transceivers which use little power. They combine both a transmitter and a receiver. Although most cell phones, (or Mobile phones), are used to provide a telephone service for the public, they are still radio transmitters and receivers. Because of this, mobile phones, (or mobile phones), behave in the same way that traditional radio equipment does. Mobile phones operate through networks, (which in the UK are run by O2, Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile). These networks are GSM, (Global Systems for Mobile Communications), and are built around an array of transmitters, receiving stations which cover nearly all of the United Kingdom. Many other countries follow this similar rule; however, they may have different networks run by different companies, (Verizon, AT&T etc).
These transmit and receive stations (or beacons), are also known as ‘Cell Sites’. Each cell site consists of multiple receivers and transmitters and of course the relevant aerials associated with each one. These sites are often on masts, can be sited above police stations, schools or other tall buildings, (giving clearer transmissions, therefore clearer line of site transmission).
Each cell site has a reference number and name. Using this information, one can state exactly the area of the cell site. From this we can pin point to a very small area if the suspect phone has been used in this area.
Whenever a mobile phone is ‘on’, it scans the radio frequencies assigned to it by its designated network provider, and then links up the cell that gives it the best coverage. This process is called registration, and is of course necessary for the networks so that they can direct incoming or outgoing calls to the correct phone. When travelling, (for example), a phone may move from one cell site to another. This is achieved by the phone evaluating the signal at all times, and switching over to the appropriate best one. This is also logged by the networks and is known as a ‘handover’. The handover also ensures a continuation of the call, rather than the requirement to redial every time a new better cell site is found.
Network providers positioned their cell sites after carrying out extensive testings on the frequency, geographical position, and potential transmission/reception hazards. Extensive maps of these tests are kept by the network providers, showing the specific cover of each transmitter and receiver.
Even when mobile phones are not executing a call, they are still logged on the network providers systems, ready for their next call/message. This information is not stored historically, however when a call is made or received, it is. When a phone is ‘live’ i.e. switched on and connected to the network providers, it is possible to track it by the non recorded records which get switched on manually.
Geographical locations can be specified for a mobile phone by referring to the call detail records, (CDR’s). This can give you information of which cell site was being used. From checking the records about the specific site in question, it is then possible to find out about if the aerial was a full 360 degrees, or an azimuth of 120 degrees, (these can vary). If the call was coming from aerial 3 on a cell site, then it is right to assume that the specific geographic location of that cell phone is now only a third or the original area it was thought to be in, (e.g. If a call was made from the south of a cell site, then it is likely that the mobile phone was within a reasonable, (varies) distance from the south of that cell site).
Things to take into consideration:
1. Cell Site Analysis is not a proven science. Even if a mobile phone was used in position A, to the south of a cell site, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the phone was actually there. It could well be anywhere up to a theoretical 35Kms away if all the cell sites between the phone and the used cell site had achieved maximum usage, (cell sites can only accommodate a finite amount of traffic at one time) or are not in service.
2. The cell site chosen is not necessarily chosen by the phone, it may be the network ‘re-directing’ the phone to a ‘not so busy’ cell site.
3. Geographical locations may also prevent the usage of a cell site, (large building in the way, dense woodland etc).
The latest system for mobile phones is 3G, (third generation). This relies on UMTS, (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), a faster data transfer system using Duplexing technologies. In the UK 5 licenses were won for the ability to provide these services. These network providers are 3G Technologies, Hutchinson 3G, Orange, Vodafone, O2 and T-Mobile. Although a different style/type of service, UMTS is recorded in the same way as traditional GSM. Handover occurs in the same way between UMTS and GSM as GSM to GSM.
Simon Steggles MBCS
Director
disklabs®
t +44 (0)1827 50000
f +44 (0)1827 66666
m +44 (0)7973 210 895
w http://www.disklabs.com
w http://www.computer-forensics.co.uk
w http://www.mobilephoneforensics.com
w http://www.satnavforensics.com
e mailto:simon.steggles@disklabs.com
Disklabs
http://www.articlesbase.com/cell-phones-articles/cell-site-analysis-a-brief-introduction-135935.html
22
Aug
Technological Advances and Environmental Benefits of Plastic Cards
Author: admin // Category: Mobile Communications
It is hard to imagine how modern society would cope without using plastic cards in everyday life. Most adults these days use a plastic card at least once a day, whether it is a membership card for the gym, payment with a credit card, a loyalty card in retails shops – the list goes on. Technological advances in plastic cards have not only meant that the uses of them have become broader, but have also brought environmental benefits as customers can now re-use their plastic cards instead of throwing them away.
O2 is a leading provider of mobile services and have taken advantage of the benefits of using plastic cards with their customers. O2 offer communications solutions to customers and corporates in the UK and Ireland. They also have integrated fixed / mobile businesses in Germany, the Czech Republic (Telefónica O2 Czech Republic) and the Isle of Man (Manx Telecom). In addition, O2 has established the Tesco Mobile and Tchibo Mobilfunk joint venture businesses in the UK and Germany respectively. O2 also owns Airwave O2, which supplies secure digital communications to the emergency services and other public safety organisations.
PCC has been a supplier of top-up cards to O2 for many years. John Ashcroft, PCC’s strategic client director, explains “The pre-paid client base has been an important part of O2’s growth in the UK mobile market. The top-up card has been a key media driving the pre-paid revenues for O2″.
Initially, board based scratch-cards were used as the key media to top-up mobile phones. The cards were individually printed with a code, which was then covered by a scratch panel. Each card was then individually wrapped, with cards either flow-wrapped in links, or wrapped in collated packs. PCC produced many millions of these cards for O2 during this period, and continue to do so for other mobile operators around the world.
As the British mobile market evolved, the use of scratch cards reached an all-time high. It was then that O2 took the decision to start using reusable plastic cards, in an effort to reduce costs and benefit the environment.
Michael Williamson of O2 explains “The board scratch cards were thrown away after each use. The evolution of technology allowed O2 to introduce plastic e top-up cards, which are kept by the customer and reused each time a phone top-up is initiated. As well as facilitating cost reduction for the business, the plastic card means that O2 has a constant brand presence in the customer’s wallet”.
Each plastic top-up card is personalised with a unique number, which in turn is linked to a mobile phone when used for the first time. Variants of the cards have been distributed with new mobile phones, through retail outlets and post offices and individually to clients throughout the UK. PCC has produced over 100 million of these cards, which have been a huge success for O2.
“The card has become a vital part of the top-up process, providing the direct link between the customer and the network” said John Ashcroft. “Product quality is key – each card directly represents O2 in the eyes of their customers. There is no compromise where quality and accuracy is concerned”.
PCC continues to be a key card partner for O2. Michael Williamson continues “PCC continues to offers the product and service levels that a household name like O2 requires. “
http://www.pcc.uk.net
Thea Monk
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/technological-advances-and-environmental-benefits-of-plastic-cards-271284.html
Mobile operations of telcos are progressively overtaking fixed line operations. This is largely due to fixed-line operators not having introduced significant new products, services or cost-saving technologies in the same way that mobile operators have. However, despite retaining their role as cash cows for incumbent operators, fixed and mobile voice services are progressively being overtaken by broadband. Increasingly, operators will need to take a holistic view of the market, necessitating a total review of their business models.
While high growth rates have been maintained globally until the present time, there is a massive shift taking place away from growth in developed markets to growth in the new emerging markets such as India, China, Africa and Latin America. By 2005, global growth stood at around 20%. Based on 2 billion subscribers, this is a massive development, and growth could lead to 5 billion subscribers over the next 15 to 25 years.
As more participants enter the mobile market, competition is increasing, with a subsequent decrease in prices and increase in services offered. To maintain the high growth of the mobile market, and counter falling prices, mobile carriers have started to offer services previously the domain of the fixed operators, and the fixed operators have had to respond.
In developed markets, mobile call charges are falling by 15%-20% per annum. While several countries in this market still see high growth in new mobile subscribers, they also see their overall revenue flattening because of the drop in call charges, as well as the fact that new subscribers are, in general, low-usage customers. As would be expected, markets with strong competition have seen a considerable drop in mobile call charges in developed markets through significant price competition around capped price plans. The others have retained declining but relatively high ARPUs. Since 2002, the low priced countries in this market have seen a levelling out of the mobile charges as they approach fixed call charges. These countries are stimulating further growth by developing mobile value added services.
In the new emerging markets, services are available for as low as $5 a month and call charges as low as 1 cent or even less per minute, with handsets available for $30 and 2nd hand ones even lower. It is easy to understand why the emerging market is seeing a mobile explosion.
Prepaid mobile services have rapidly increased their share of the total mobile market and are virtually the only option in emerging markets.
The future of MVNO remains uncertain, they are providers of mobile services independently from the operator that is supplying the network. With more competition and new services, operators will have to consider better MVNO deals in order to grow the market.
lack of success of new 3G services, that followed the already slow uptake of dedicated mobile data systems that were developed in the 1990s, is a clear indication that interest in traditional mobile data is still limited. WAP, GPRS, MMS, 1X and other developments over the past few years certainly have not changed the situation. Current mobile technologies are not well suited for economically viable business models for mobile data. WiMAX might challenge mobile data towards the end of the decade, but the mobile industry is trying to fight back with HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access).
The lack of suitable infrastructure has hampered the growth of mobile data. As with voice applications, the emerging nextgen (NGN) platforms are going to have a major impact. While it still needs to deliver, IMS is an example of such NGN developments. Mobile voice communications will consolidate in mature markets but continue their spectacular growth in developing countries, mainly Africa. However, mobile data, beyond SMS and particular countries such as Japan and Korea, will remain a niche market business and will grow into IP-based WiMAX services towards
Josephine Jenno
http://www.articlesbase.com/strategic-planning-articles/the-future-of-voice-technology-99020.html