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“It’s about three words: Nokia is back.”

Admin — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 08:00:04 +0000

Following announcements that Nokia executives are undergoing a restructure, the organisation have released three new smartphones which they are confident will place them back at the top of the telecommunications market. The organisation has pledged to fight hard on behalf of customers, in an increasingly competitive market.

The new phones (E7, C7 and an updated C6) were unveiled at the Nokia World conference in London. It is thought that they will go some way to beat competition by rival organisations RIM, Google and Apple. A spokesperson from the firm, Niklas Savander, conceded that Nokia have been struggling to stay ahead of the market.

Savander commented: “That is about to change. Today we shift into high gear in Nokia’s fight back to smartphone leadership. In the last quarter people bought more Nokia smartphones than Apple and Android combined. We do not aim to copy our rivals. Offering people just one model will inevitably lead to compromises.”

“We will continue to offer a range of devices to meet different needs, tastes and budgets. We will continue to expand the availability of smartphone features because everyone – not just the well off – deserve access to the Internet. We are not going to apologise for not being Apple, Google or Samsung. We are Nokia. It is about three words: Nokia is back.”

Nokia has lost a fourteen percent market share over the past year, despite still owning half the market in a number of European countries. Nokia currently sell approximately 250,000 smartphones every day. Savander commented: “That’s more smartphone sales than any other company by far. Period.”

Nokia’s new smartphone products look set to provide a much-needed boost to their ailing market share, by placing their product suite up there with rivals such as Apple and Google.

New network partnership will encourage enhanced service

Jenny Sanderson — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:10:58 +0000

Telecommunications giants Orange and T-Mobile have announced that their customers will soon be in a position to ‘hop’ between both mobile networks. The move has been revealed following the recent merger of the two companies, which sees over thirty million customers coming together.

The announcement heralds the start of a number of benefits which customers of the two networks may experience, as the organisations draw together in the wake of the merger. By combining the strengths of both firms, it is thought that customers will see a greatly enhanced service, overall. At the moment, the network hopping service will be available for 2G signals only, which means that people who use the web for their mobile services will not benefit from the change.

The new service, called ‘free roaming’, will be available to customers of the two organisations from early October. People will have to sign up in order to benefit. As soon as they have registered their device, users will be able to move between one network and the other, in the event that they are experiencing reduced signal from network coverage. The concept mirrors the technique used by people when they take their mobiles abroad.

Shaun Collins from the research company CCS Insight commented: “Outside of the South-East [of England] there has been a constant perception that T-Mobile is an underperforming network. The network coverage is becoming a key battleground between the major UK networks. The network coverage advantages of the merger [between Orange and T-Mobile] were always the most important part of it.”

A spokesperson from Everything Everywhere, the company that runs Orange and T-Mobile in the UK, commented: “Phones will automatically switch to whichever of the two networks has the strongest signal mid-call. We also have plans to roll it out to 3G services. When we do, Orange customers will be able to use a 3G network owned and operated by Mobile Broadband Network Limited (MBNL), a joint venture company owned by Three and T-Mobile. Everything Everywhere will be adding Orange sites to the network it shares with Three in the course of time, and Three customers will get access to a significant proportion of those as they are added.”

Mobile giants announce the possibilities for HD phone calls

Jenny Sanderson — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:12:23 +0000

Telecommunications specialists Orange have announced that they will now be providing HD telephone calls for their customers. The company are now offering an enhanced standard of calls nationally, following a trail to provide HD services for telecommunications customers. The service will be available to anyone in the UK who owns an HD mobile.

Orange trialed HD phone calls over the course of June, and perfected the service. The new technology doubles the range of frequency used to make calls, improving the quality, while making no impact on network services or performance. The technology utilises a speech encoder which was piloted by the Three network earlier this year. It is designed to minimise the impact of external sounds, isolating voice sound from peripheral background noise.

Customers wanting to benefit from the new technology must purchase a new handset which is enabled for it, although existing Orange customers will be getting the new service free. Sony and Nokia are already in the process of installing the software on their handsets, and people currently in possession of mobile styles including the Nokia 5230, Nokia X6, Nokia E5 and Samsung Omnia Pro already have access to the technology.

Although the new service promises to enhance the way calls are made, it will have no effect upon reception for mobiles. This means that there could be a delay before all customers within the UK benefit from the service. Future plans for Orange include the replacement of ISDN lines by audio interviews.

The chief executive behind Orange’s new service commented: “Although what we use our mobile handsets for has evolved significantly in the past few years, the way we make mobile calls hasn’t changed a great deal since the 1990s. We’re offering customers a revolutionary new calling experience.”

Microsoft founder sues over patent

Andy Russell — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:30:22 +0000

News reports are suggesting that Paul Allen, one of the founders of Microsoft is undertaking legal action to sue a number of IT organisations for infringing patents which he set up in the 90s. Allen will be taking action against eleven firms, including Apple, Yahoo, Facebook, Google and eBay. He is claiming that technology which was first developed by his firm has been utilised by the companies.

Allen suggests that the patents relate to how search engines and online commerce is undertaken, and is accusing the online giants of stealing the methodology.

Google have commented: “This lawsuit against some of America’s most innovative companies reflects an unfortunate trend of people trying to compete in the courtroom instead of the marketplace. Innovation – not litigation – is the way to bring to market the kinds of products and services that benefit millions of people around the world.”

Similarly, A Facebook statement suggests that the action is “Completely without merit.”

Allen is protecting four patents which he established in order to protect technology which supports browsers in locating information, enabling advertising or using video to promote services. He also claims that his company funded a number of projects which resulted in the creation of Google. A spokesperson for Allen commented:

“We will be determining the precise figure for damages as this progresses. We will do whatever is necessary. This is an important step. It is the first time that Paul Allen has filed a suit like this. Some of the technology developed by people working for Paul Allen a decade ago is now key to this search and e-commerce space. It is part of our daily life on the web and has shown itself to be of value to the industry today .We are not asserting patents that other companies have filed, nor are we buying patent originally assigned to someone else. These are patents developed by and for Interval.”

Other companies being tackled for breach of patent include AOL, YouTube, Netflix, Office Depot, OfficeMax and Staples.

UAE bans Blackberry services amid security threats

Jenny Sanderson — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 09:32:15 +0000

A news agency within the United Arab Emirates has stated that the country is going to suspend some mobile services for the Blackberry device, over concerns that they pose security threats to the country. As of October, the report claims, Blackberry handsets will be suspended from use, or even banned altogether.

UAE officials have concerns over national security as data from Blackberry devices is managed offshore by foreign organisations. With over 500,000 Blackberries in use within the UAE, an outright ban could cause a great deal of inconvenience and public unhappiness.

The concerns about Blackberry use focus in particular upon spyware, which the state telecoms regulator (TRA) is alleged to have attempted to install on the Blackberry headsets. As a result, the TRA have concluded that the gadgets are not safe for use within the UAE. The manufacturers of the Blackberry (Research in Motion) have had runs-ins with the UAE before. In 2007, the TRA demanded access to encrypted networks in an attempt to monitor all data sent on Blackberry handsets.

The recent issues with Blackberry use are thought by many to come from the UAE government’s anger at not being able to monitor Blackberry data. An outright ban is being considered. Critics are suggesting that the recent discussion about banning the device within the UAE is an attempt by the TRA to force Research In Motion to hand over the security codes for Blackberry devices, so the government can begin to monitor e-mails sent and data received by users.

It is thought that Research In Motion will be completely unmoved by the UAE’s actions, as the country only creates a small amount of revenue for the manufacturers.

TRA Director General Mohammed al-Ghanem has commented:”It’s a final decision but we are continuing discussions with them. Censorship has got nothing to do with this. What we are talking about is suspension due to the lack of compliance with UAE telecommunications regulations.”

Phone users urged to check security capabilities

Admin — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 09:00:15 +0000

Research undertaken by security experts in the telecommunications industry has revealed that many mobile phone systems are at risk from people listening in to private conversations. The findings have led to security experts calling for people to check with their operators to ensure that the platforms which house mobile phone services are thoroughly safeguarded against illicit listening.

Mobile security weaknesses were revealed by the use of a tool which monitors security systems used by operators, and expose those service providers who are not doing enough to keep their systems safeguarded against attack.

The security tool, which is called ‘Airprobe’, has the ability to check the safety of networks. The technology was first used in 2009, and has been much refined since then. Karsten Nohl, the lead security researcher on the project, presented the tool and the findings of the research at a US conference held this week.

Nohl commented: “We do want people to go out and study how secure these networks are and to put pressure on the operators to improve. We’ve built tools that interface with cellular telephone communications. Without these innovations, the call cracking project would have got nowhere.”

“Just generating the key table would have taken 100,000 computer years and storing it would have taken 100 petabytes. Defeating such an attack would be easy for operators, if they have installed an appropriate software update. We want to enable users to test whether their operator has installed the patch,” he said. “If not they should call them up or send a letter.”

GSMA, The industry body for the mobile phone industry, responded to his comments: “Since 2007 reports of an imminent GSM eavesdropping capability by hacking groups have been common and operators have been monitoring this for some time. The technical challenges of eavesdropping remain considerable. We have seen very little evidence that the hackers are able to overcome them. Operators could quite easily change the way that calls were set up and handled in their networks to thwart eavesdropping. GSMA remains convinced that the practical risk to customers is very low and spreading fear and panic amongst mobile users is inappropriate and regrettable.”

Phone giants question the legitimacy of DEA

Jen — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 06:30:33 +0000

Mobile communications service providers BT and Talk Talk have requested a review in to the Digital Economy Act, according to a new report. The two firms which provide internet services have asked that the High Court undertake a clarification of the new act prior to implementation, claiming that the act was pushed through parliament just before the election, in order to gain acceptance of it without challenge.

The Digital Economy Act relates to issues of online piracy, aiming to reduce the occurrence of piracy with a view to increasing the UK’s revenue from digital sales. It has called for people who repeatedly share files online to be banned from using the internet, and enable politicians to remove websites which deal with online piracy.

Even though the practice of sharing files online leads to millions of pounds worth of lost revenue to the music industry within the UK, BT and Talk Talk have joined forces to contest the act. The companies have expressed that the act was passed without being carefully considered, and that the implications of the act were not closely thought through. They believe that the act contravenes basic freedom for individuals using the internet.

Due to the act being passed just before the dissolution of parliament, it was subjected to much less scrutiny than average. Talk Talk and BT are suggesting that this means it was not adequately considered before it became law.
Ofcom have confirmed that the implications of the act will not become apparent until 2012, when the ability to suspend people’s internet usage will be enforced.

The act targets ISPs with 400,000 or more subscribers, meaning that BT and Talk Talk are at risk of losing customers, as pirates switch providers to smaller firms with lower ISPs. Speaking out against the act, the two firms have queried whether the new rules contravene EU privacy legislation, which states that service providers should not be penalised for the way in which consumers utilise content.

Smartphone data deals to be scrapped by phone companies

Admin — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 07:30:02 +0000

Many UK phone companies which currently offer unlimited data plans for smartphones are looking to cap data usage in the UK. O2, Vodafone and Three have all announced that they intend to limit data usage, in a move which coincides with the recent launch of the Apple iPhone.

O2, which operated as Apple’s exclusive partner in the UK for Apple’s iPhone, has just brought in a cap of 1GB each month for new contracts signing up for the service. Vodafone and Three are following suit, suggesting an agreement across the companies to reduce data use through devices. Rather than attempt to offer better deals in a competitive market, the decision has sparked a debate as to whether the phone companies have concerns about the possibility of networks being clogged by large data downloads.

Orange have had an imposed 750MB limit since they began to provide iPhones in 2009, which they term their ‘fair usage’ policy. Most of the providers offer variable data packages depending upon the type of contract which users sign up to when they purchase their smartphones, between 500MB and 1GB monthly. This is meant to cover up to 1,000 emails with attachments, or up to 300 MP3 downloads.

The launch of better, faster smartphones has led to rapid data consumption, with people streaming more and more information on their gadgets. This has created a ripple in the mobile industries, as companies rethink their original packages in an effort to reduce congestion from numerous users downloading data at the same time.

O2 currently lets users know when they are getting close to their limit, via text. Once a user has reached their personal limit, they are not allowed to surf, and functionality is limited to the sending and receipt of emails. They have provided a top-up service where users can purchase additional data allowance, at £5 for 500MB. While most people who own smartphones do not reach their monthly allowance of data, it seems that mobile phone companies will have to act quickly to ensure that their capabilities for provision of service can meet the demand created by enhanced smartphone functionality.

Microsoft confirm iPad rival…more or less

James Oliver — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:35:10 +0000

Online rumours have been rife for months regarding Microsoft’s imminent announcement of their iPad rival. The dual screen tablet named ‘Courier’ has not actually been spoken of directly by anyone at Microsoft until this week.

A blog post on the Microsoft Jobs website has specifically made reference to the rumoured tablet computer, much to Microsoft’s dislike.

The post read: “Do you already know everything about Project Natal and the Cloud?..Then check out some of the online chatter surrounding new releases of Windows Phone 7 Series handsets, Internet Explorer 9 and the forthcoming Courier digital journal.”

This leak comes in the same week that a Microsoft senior executive mentioned the Courier on his Twitter page. So it is safe to say that a rumour has now become a reality as the inevitable Microsoft answer to an Apple product comes to fruition.

Microsoft are being very “Apple-esque” in their refusing to comment on any rumours or speculation regarding the Courier. The rumour-mill has suggested that they have setup a secret group of experts to work on the device (presumably they are waiting for the release of the iPad so that they can produce a product that offers what Apple’s does not.)

Reports suggest that the Courier is likely to go on sale toward the end of this year and it will run the Tegra 2 operating system which is the same system that powers Microsoft’s Zune HD.

It would seem that no matter how hard Microsoft try to be like Apple it is proving a fruitless task as they cannot even keep a ‘secret’ product close to their chests.

Nokia to Sue Apple

James Oliver — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:20:04 +0000

Mobile phone giant, Nokia is to sue apple in an attempt to extract royalty payments they claim they are owed by the computer manufacturer. Nokia’s story is that a number of their patents were infringed by Apple in the manufacture of the iPhone. Analysts have estimated that they think Nokia might be looking for as much as one or two percent of the price of an iPhone in royalties, backdated to the launch of the device, obviously. That shakes out to a maximum of $12 dollars per iPhone. Apple have so far sold more than 30 million units, meaning they could stand to pay as much as $400 million dollars.

Apple recently posted profits of $1.67 billion for the last quarter so $400 million is actually a relatively small amount when viewed in the context of the galactic the sums of money flying about in the computer industry.

Of course, it’s unlikely that this amount of money will ever actually change hands between the two companies. What’s more probable is that if it is proven that Apple have violated copyright, some sort of arrangement will be reached behind closed doors and we’ll ever find out the amount. Spoil-sports.

What does the Orange/T-Mobile Merger mean for the iPhone?

Matt Thomas — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:00:50 +0000

So, now that there’s going to be a giant single mobile phone provider, will Apple decide that they’ve hitched their star to the wrong wagon, or will they stand by their existing deal with O2?

Well, at this stage it would seem like the new company would be in a very good state to push for that, especially as their new business will have the best 3G coverage in the country, which would be very attractive to iPhone users. Orange boss Tom Alexander is certainly in a bullish mood, stating that ‘It does put us into a very, very strong position. 3G coverage is really important for supporting devices like the iPhone.’

Even so, I wouldn’t dump your O2 contract just yet, the deal has yet to be approved by regulators and even if it is ratified, it will likely be 2012 before the new company actually takes shape in any meaningful sense. Even so, the move will have given the decision makers at Apple food for thought when it comes to the iPhone.

T-Mobile merges with Orange

Jenny Sanderson — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:00:22 +0000

In a move that has had financial professionals rubbing their hands with glee (for the first time in a while), Orange and T-Mobile have announced plans to merge, creating the biggest mobile phone company in the UK, with approximately 40% market share. The move is thought to have been prompted by increasingly hostile market conditions and mounting difficulties when it comes to turning a profit from customers.

The move will lead to a huge reduction in costs for both companies as they take advantage of enhanced economies of scale. It will also, in all likelihood, lead to sweeping job cuts across the industry, with call centres and branch jobs likely to be hardest hit. It is thought by industry analysts that prices at the customer level will fall in the short term, though many consumer advocacy groups are worried that the reduced competition will lead to customer service issues in the long term.

Even though both parties seem 100% committed to the move, it could still be scuppered by the regulators, who usually don’t like to allow any company to acquire more than a 25% stake in an industry.

Is Palm spying on Pre Owners?

Jenny Sanderson — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:55:40 +0000

According to a blog post written by a Unix-literate Palm Pre user, the resurgent manufacturer could be collecting data on their users without permission. Joey Hess told technology blog, ‘The Reg’ that after ‘rooting’ his pre so that he could see all the files in the OS he noticed log files indicating that the system was uploading files and information about his usage of the phone.

According to Hess, the information palm is harvesting includes fairly basic information like what apps you are using, how long you’re using them for, when those apps crash. However, somewhat more troublingly, the system is also uploading GPS information about where phone users are at any given time, a situation about which Hess seemed very worried indeed, “It seems both unnecessary and a large privacy risk.”

In response, Palm had this to say…

“Our privacy policy is like many policies in the industry and includes very detailed language about potential scenarios in which we might use a customer’s information, all toward a goal of offering a great user experience. For instance, when location based services are used, we collect their information to give them relevant local results in Google Maps. We appreciate the trust that users give us with their information, and have no intention to violate that trust.”

Touchstone. Overpriced?

Jenny Sanderson — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:09:46 +0000

Across the tech blogs, not least this one, recently you’ll have seen a lot of information about the Palm Pre and the cool touchstone charging device that works with it. In case you haven’t been about recently, the touchstone is a piece of kit that can charge your Palm Pre wirelessly, all you have to do is rest it on top and it uses something called ‘inductive charging technology’ to top up the juice on your phone.

The wireless charger has caused quite a stir, the buzz generated around it leading Palm to believe that they can get away with charging the hefty price of $70 for the device. This has shocked people slightly, since at the end of the day, cool or not, it is just a charger, something that comes free with every other phone. The feeling that this price may be just a little unreasonable has been underlined by the recent revelation that the device actually only costs a mere $5 to make, in terms of components.

A 1,400 percent mark up is a big margin in anyone’s book and has been taken by some as evidence that Palm are nervous about their ability to make back the huge outlay already poured into their make or break device.