The Failure of 3G Hurts Apple and Its Competition

By 24/7 Wall St. Monday, May. 11, 2009

A poster touting applications available for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch hangs from a metal support at the Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco. Apple says it has 25,000 apps in its app store and there's one for "just about anything."

Paul Sakuma / AP

The inadequacy of 3G networks to carry data and video for large numbers of handsets simultaneously is hurting the performance of the Apple (AAPL) iPhone. The problem only starts there. The weakness of 3G networks has also likely undermined the consumer's opinion of new products from RIM (RIMM), the Samsung Instinct, and a host of new products from market leader Nokia (NOK).

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None of the consumer electronics companies banking on 3G to drive handset sales to pre-recession levels are going to be able to count on their carrier partners for services that will show off the best features of phones that can download and manipulate files, access the internet, and play video. (See pictures of the iPhone.)

The Wall Street Journal reports that the iPhone is so feature rich that "the resulting growth in downloading and Web browsing will strain AT&T's network." AT&T is not alone. Sprint (S) and Verizon Wireless (VZ)(VOD) are up against the same problems.

The promise of 4G wireless networks, which should operate at speeds five to ten times faster than 3G, may be years away. Sprint is testing WiMax ultra-fast broadband in several cities, but there is no guarantee that the technology will work in nationwide rollout. AT&T and Verizon are preparing technologies which are supposed to offer similar results. (See the top ten gadgets of 2008.)

The handset and cell industries face a particularly vexing problem. The current 3G networks are not powerful enough to allow consumers with advanced handsets to take advantage of all of their features, especially networks strained by huge transfers of data to and from handsets. It is a problem that cannot be solved soon enough to keep customers from being disappointed because the phones they have purchased will not work well on the services they have subscribed to.

— Douglas A. McIntyre

source

GPRS/EDGE hybrid Satellite modem UPDATE: 5/2/2009

We recently tested our new GPRS/EDGE hybrid Satellite modem and saw consistent 80Kbps uploads (AT&T) and 170Kbps uploads (T-Mobile) with consistent 1.1+ Mbps downloads (AMC-15/EchoStar Fixed Satellite Corp.)

One test conducted = requesting a 100Mb file

Satellite received: 106976 kB
GPRS/EDGE received: 46 kB
GPRS/EDGE sent: 153 kB

The AT&T signal had t only 2 bars. The T-Mobile was at 5 (do you hear me now?). The SW-20 GPRS/EDGE modem comes with an external antenna and it helped out.

We have been testing for a week and should have more results shortly. Our manufacturing/engineering partners will be in from Europe on Tuesday, so we're all excited to get things kicked off very soon i.e. FCC certification, evaluation units in, etc.

Imagine a low latency, mobile & easy to install system which can be used anywhere that you have GPRS cellular data available.

I just received some .75 Prodelins from SatEng, and they are beautiful.

Concept of the geostationary communications satellite

Have you ever wondered how satellite communications got its start? Thanks to Wikipedia, we have the story. Also, please download the companion piece written by Arthur C. Clarke, the father of satellite Technology - HERE. (Special thanks to the Clarke Foundation)

From Wikipedia

Geostationary orbit

Main article: Geostationary orbit

Clarke's most important scientific contribution may be his idea that geostationary satellites would be ideal telecommunications relays. He described this concept in a paper titled Extra-Terrestrial Relays — Can Rocket Stations Give Worldwide Radio Coverage?, published in Wireless World in October 1945.^[68] The geostationary orbit is now sometimes known as the Clarke Orbit or the Clarke Belt in his honour.

However, it is not clear that this article was actually the inspiration for the modern telecommunications satellite. John R. Pierce, of Bell Labs, arrived at the idea independently in 1954 and he was actually involved in the Echo satellite and Telstar projects. Moreover, Pierce stated that the idea was "in the air" at the time and certain to be developed regardless of Clarke's publication. In an interview given shortly before his death, Clarke was asked whether he thought communications satellites would become important; he replied

"I'm often asked why I didn't try to patent the idea of communications satellites. My answer is always, ‘A patent is really a license to be sued.' "^[69]

Though different from Clarke's idea of telecom relay, the idea of communicating with satellites in geostationary orbit itself had been described earlier. For example, the concept of geostationary satellites was described in Hermann Oberth's 1923 book Die Rakete zu den Planetenräumen^[70] (The Rocket into Interplanetary Space) and then the idea of radio communication with those satellites in Herman Potočnik's (written under the pseudonym Hermann Noordung) 1928 book Das Problem der Befahrung des Weltraums — der Raketen-Motor (The Problem of Space Travel — The Rocket Motor) sections: Providing for Long Distance Communications and Safety^[71] and (possibly referring to the idea of relaying messages via satellite, but not that 3 would be optimal) Observing and Researching the Earth's Surface^[72] published in Berlin. Clarke acknowledged the earlier concept in his book Profiles of the Future.^[73]

WildBlue Completes Agreement to Lease Ka-band Capacity From EchoStar

By: PR Newswire

Mar. 26, 2009 11:52 AM

Additional Capacity Will Allow WildBlue to Serve More Customers In High-Demand Rural Areas in U.S. through 2009 and Beyond.

DENVER, March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- WildBlue and EchoStar Satellite Services, a division of EchoStar Corporation (Nasdaq: SATS) today announced that the two companies have completed an agreement for WildBlue to lease additional Ka-band capacity from EchoStar. This additional capacity comes from EchoStar's currently leased in-space satellites.

WildBlue anticipates additional capacity will become available in the second half of 2009, delivering the same speeds and quality of service enjoyed by current WildBlue customers. New customers who are provisioned on the new capacity from EchoStar will have the same WildBlue package options available to them and use the same equipment as current WildBlue customers.

"This agreement with EchoStar allows us to keep pace with the increasing demand for WildBlue broadband service in rural America today," said David Leonard, CEO of WildBlue. "As the demand for high-speed Internet service in remote areas continues to grow, we intend to utilize every resource available to us to provide the capacity to meet that demand. This is just a first step in our plan to add more capacity to the WildBlue network. There are additional options currently being explored."

According to WildBlue, the additional capacity will allow its dealer network to continue selling high-speed broadband access in many areas of the continental U.S. where customer demand has been highest. WildBlue is currently working on adding additional capacity to its network to meet the demands in future years.

To find out more about WildBlue's fast, reliable Internet service call 1-866-WILDBLUE (1-866-945-3258) or visit www.wildblue.com.

About WildBlue

WildBlue Communications, Inc. was established to provide broadband access to consumers and small offices in rural areas and small cities. Service is available in the contiguous United States. More information on the company is available at www.wildblue.com.

About EchoStar Satellite Services

EchoStar Satellite Services is a business unit of EchoStar Corporation (Nasdaq: SATS) and provides a highly reliable network that is available for backhaul, aggregation and distribution of video, audio and data content domestically and internationally. EchoStar also offers the ViP-TV platform providing IPTV solutions for telco and cable operators. EchoStar represents a significant source of Ku-band and Ka-band satellite capacity and spacecraft operation services with access to a fleet of eight satellites, sophisticated ground-based teleport facilities, and an expansive terrestrial backhaul network crisscrossing the U.S. along with 24-hour Traffic, Technical Operations and Satellite Access Centers staffed by highly trained engineers and technicians. For more information on EchoStar Satellite Services or for occasional or full time satellite bandwidth, contact 866-359-8804 or email efss@echostar.com.

Press Contacts:

WildBlue: Bryan Bjerke, Paulsen Marketing, 605-336-1745, bryan@paulsenmarketing.com

EchoStar: Marc Lumpkin, 303-706-5236, marc.lumpkin@echostar.com.

SOURCE WildBlue Communications, Inc.

Avail Media scoops up IP-Prime customers

March 29, 2009 — 11:47pm ET | By Dan O'Shea

Related Stories

• EchoStar chases IP-Prime customers
• Avail Media reports strong growth
• IP-Prime's fall raises further questions
• National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative's Forrer: IP-Prime to go prime time

Last week, EchoStar made overtures to the IP-Prime wholesale IPTV customers of SES Americom, and now Avail Media is touting its own success winning over telcos that up until now have been using IP-Prime. Avail Media, another IPTV wholesaler, announced that it has so far converted nine IP-Prime customers, including BEK Communications Cooperative of North Dakota.

SES Americom is ending the IP-Prime service later this year, a move it announced late last year. Avail Media and EchoStar are among some of the companies that have been vying to replace SES Americom in the hearts of IP-Prime telcos.

For more:
- Here's the Avail Media press release

Related articles
EchoStar last week announced a program targeting IP-Prime customers
SES Americom announced the demise of IP-Prime last December

What's in the Box?

Applying for Broadband Grants through RUS

Created by Anna M. Gould (EDUCAUSE) on March 12, 2009

Yesterday’s blog focused on the broadband grant process at the Department of Commerce’s NTIA program. Today we take a look at the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) program. It should be noted that both departments issued a joint request for information and notice of public meetings, which will allow the public to submit comments on the broadband initiative.

At Tuesday’s conference, the USDA’s Assistant Administrator for Telecommunications Programs, Dave Villano, said 75% of the designated stimulus money must be used in rural areas to foster rural economic development. The RUS program may distribute up to $2.5 billion for grants, loans, and loan guarantees. And unlike its counterpart at the Department of Commerce, RUS already has two existing programs for appropriating funding for broadband. Because of the existing programs, they are expected to keep many of their process and eligibility rules in place.

Similar to the NTIA, RUS will publish a Notice of Funding Available (NOFA) in the Federal Register. They are also expected to have three notices of funding, which should give interested parties more time to apply for grants over the next few months. In other words, no one is expecting that all of the money will be awarded in the first wave of acceptances. The first NOFA is expected around the April-June 2009 timeframe.

More Information on RUS Broadband:

• Applicants may apply for both RUS and NTIA grants; however, restrictions may apply on how the money is distributed for projects.
• Unlike the NTIA’s September 2010 deadline, RUS does not have a deadline for distributing money. However, they are expected to conduct their three waves of grant distribution over the next 18 months.
• The current loan and grant programs at RUS focus on providing funding for “construction, improvement, and/or acquisition of facilities or equipment to expand broadband services to rural communities.” (Source: Dow Lohnes)
• Under current law, RUS must give priority to those entities proposing to provide service to areas lacking any service over applicants looking to expand access or broadband options.
• The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act- the economic stimulus - allows the RUS to also prioritize applications based on: 1) if they provide choice of providers, 2) if they provide accessibility to the highest number possible of rural residents currently without any broadband access, and 3) if they were prior RUS borrowers.
• Though RUS may distribute money through loans and grants, it is believed that most of the economic stimulus funding will be used for grants.
• Currently, grant applicants must demonstrate that they are able to provide broadband access to areas that currently do not have access. Furthermore, they must be willing to supply service to “critical community facilities,” such as schools, libraries, and health centers. Finally, they must offer broadband to all businesses and residences in their service area, and provide ten publicly available computers for at least two years. These requirements are listed under current rules for broadband grants and may or may not apply to ARRA grants.
• RUS applications have been prioritized based on how rural an area may be (40% of an application’s score), economic need in the proposed area (30% of the score), and the benefits a community may receive if provided with broadband access (30% of the score). (Source: Dow Lohnes)
• While RUS already has established rules and processes, it is worth mentioning that the USDA may adjust some of its rules for ARRA funding. The USDA is encouraging all interested parties to submit feedback through the NTIA web site.
  

SOURCE