by Alastair Brydon
on 28 February 2014
One of the highlights of 3GPP Release 12 is the introduction of LTE Device-to-Device (D2D) discovery and communication. Release 12 is only the start, but ultimately D2D will create a host of new service opportunities, while also achieving significant performance and efficiency benefits in LTE networks. It does this by enabling mobile devices to discover…
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by Alastair Brydon
on 12 December 2013
Following a low-profile launch by Three in December 2013, all four of the UK mobile network operators now offer 4G LTE services to at least some of their subscribers. While early impressions of LTE data services are favourable, I have heard mixed reviews about the quality of voice calls for LTE subscribers in the UK,…
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by Alastair Brydon
on 24 March 2013
The latest “Evolution to LTE Report” from the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) includes, among other things, a (very short) list of Voice over LTE (VoLTE) launches around the world. Over two years ago I expressed my concern at the lack of long term solutions for voice over LTE. While the situation is gradually becoming clearer, there is…
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by Alastair Brydon
on 30 January 2013
At this month’s International Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2013) in Las Vegas, Verizon Wireless announced plans to launch a video broadcast service based on eMBMS, the LTE variant of the 3GPP Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS). Amid reports that a number of network operators are considering eMBMS, Verizon took the opportunity of CES to demonstrate…
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by Mark Heath
on 22 December 2011
In May 2011, I wrote my article ‘Will Mobile Messaging Revenues Decline?’, in which I discussed declining messaging revenues experienced by Vodafone Spain. As I reported, in the year to March 2011, there was a 13.8% decline in mobile messaging revenue compared with the previous year, from GBP400 million to GBP345 million. The publication by…
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by Mark Heath
on 14 December 2011
The BBC’s iPlayer has driven substantial traffic growth in fixed Internet networks in the UK. However, its impact has been artificially constrained on mobile networks by the restriction that iPlayer could only be viewed on mobile devices via a WiFi connection. This week, an update to the BBC’s iPlayer application on Apple iPhones and iPads…
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by Mark Heath
on 15 September 2011
Now that LTE deployment is increasing, significant differences are emerging in the marketing approaches being followed by mobile network operators. At one extreme, Vodafone Germany is targeting LTE at competing with fixed broadband services. LTE provides mobile network operators with the ability to support significantly higher usage than possible with HSPA networks, by reducing the…
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by Mark Heath
on 19 July 2011
As fixed broadband heads towards market saturation in Europe, mobile broadband services are continuing to ‘steam ahead’ in some countries. The rapid take-up of mobile broadband services is slowing the growth in fixed broadband penetration. For the second year in a row, Finland has experienced a decline in fixed broadband penetration. Across Europe as a…
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by Alastair Brydon
on 18 July 2011
Voice revenues of mobile network operators are under intense pressure from a combination of competition and regulation. Strong growth in mobile data revenues is now essential, in order to reverse falling ARPUs. Mobile network operators must look beyond mobile messaging for this growth, since mobile messaging (particularly SMS) revenues may decline, as they face competition…
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by Mark Heath
on 15 July 2011
My analysis of the latest data from the European Commission for the penetration of mobile broadband dongles and datacards across Europe reveals that: Finland continues to have the highest penetration of dongles and datacards – at 30.6% of the population in January 2011 leading European markets have experienced substantial further growth in mobile penetration a…
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