Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Telefónica Previews "Frigo" Application Platform

Telefónica unveiled "Frigo" -- a new service that it has developed that lets customers access, manage and enjoy apps on any mobile phone, tablet, netbook, mobile PC, set-top box TV and many other homescreen devices.


Frigo's idea is to create an "anywhere" applications folder that automatically backs itself up and shares resources across the cloud to any authorized device. Frigo uses Qualcomm's Xiam recommendation engine to enable Telefónica to provide customers with content, services and offers uniquely tailored to their individual needs and interests across all of their connected devices. Ericsson's Mobile Service Delivery Platform (MSDP) solution powers Frigo's application store elements.


Frigo works across a number of operating systems -- including Android, Windows Mobile, Java and Symbian -- and is being launched this year in seven Telefónica territories: Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Spain and UK.


Telecom Italia also plans to launch Frigo in April.


Telefónica said Frigo supports the aims of the Wholesale Applications Community (WAC) -- the alliance of telecommunications companies committed to building a global open applications platform.


Tanya Field, Director of Telefónica's Mobile Data Group, said: "The real value offered by Frigo with regards to multi-platform is ‘all my stuff, anywhere, anytime'. The outcome for users will be true ownership of their apps and content through a personalised and consistent service that can be accessed and enjoyed on the device of their choice. Frigo also opens up opportunities to reach and retain vast new segments of customers because it is not restricted to specific, high-end devices and smartphones."http://www.telefonica.com31021

Altair Looks to TD-LTE Trials with Alcatel-Lucent

Altair Semiconductor announced that its TD-LTE chipset, alongside Alcatel-Lucent's LTE infrastructure, has successfully completed interoperability (IOT) testing and will take part in several upcoming TD-LTE field trials in India and China.


TD-LTE operates in unpaired spectrum.


"TD-LTE, specifically in emerging markets, represents the highest growth potential for LTE in the coming years, and is a strategic focus area for Altair," said Eran Eshed, Co-Founder and VP of Marketing and Business Development at Altair Semiconductor. "After more than a year of close collaboration with Alcatel-Lucent on commercializing our respective TD-LTE products, we feel confident in our ability to meet the performance and maturity expectations of our carrier customers, with a solution that also meets the aggressive price targets of carriers in these markets."http://www.altair-semi.com

Vodafone Extends Support for Télécoms Sans Frontières

The Vodafone Foundation will extend EUR 1 million in support to the disaster relief agency Télécoms sans Frontières (TSF) under a three year partnership. Télécoms sans Frontières specialises in bringing wireless communications to affected areas to help humanitarian relief agencies coordinate their efforts and to enable displaced families to make a three minute call to reassure loved ones.


Vodafone has also been trialling a portable GSM network that could help TSF and relief workers in the wake of a disaster. Vodafone, working alongside Huawei at its Mobile Innovation Centre in Madrid, have developed a prototype portable GSM network that can be set up to handle free local calls among relief workers in less than 40 minutes. The equipment can be packed into three suitcases, which can be transported on commercial flights, avoiding the inevitable delays that surround cargo deliveries of bulkier equipment.
http://www.vodafone.com
http://www.tsfi.org/

Telefónica O2 Germany Picks NSN and Huawei for LTE

Telefónica O2 Germany has selected Huawei and Nokia Siemens Networks as its main technology partners for its LTE network. The carrier plans to begin marketing LTE service during Q2 2011.



Huawei Technologies will be the supplier in Southern and Western Germany and Nokia Siemens Networks in all other areas of the O2 network. The rollout in the rural areas is already in progress.



Since September, O2 already operates LTE pilot networks in Munich / Ebersberg and in Halle / Teutschenthal. In these areas, large-scale friendly user tests have been carried out since December. They involve several hundreds of O2 customers and non customers testing the new technology at home free of charge for several months.



"Finally the time has come: LTE is bringing fast Internet to the country as well. Thanks to our high speeds, customers in rural regions can now also watch videos online, download large data packages and play computer games, says René Schuster, CEO of Telefónica O2 Germany. "Covering these white spots is only the first step. As soon as the requirements of the Federal Network Agency are being fulfilled, we will offer LTE800 in the cities also. This could even happen in only a few months."

http://www.o2online.de/

ZTE Confirms 18 TD-LTE Trials and Contracts

ZTE has secured 18 contracts to supply TD-LTE solutions globally. These contracts are for trial and commercial networks in 12 countries across Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS, or the former Soviet Republics) and the Asia Pacific region, including India.



ZTE noted that it is actively cooperating on Interoperability Tests with mainstream chipset providers such as Qualcomm, Innofidei, Altair, Sequans and ST-Ericsson.



KPN will conduct an LTE technology in Germany and Belgium with ZTE.



In addition, the E-Plus Group will launch a TD-LTE field trial in Germany in Q1 2011. The trial is based on 2.6 GHz spectrum that E-Plus acquired in the German spectrum auction. China Mobile, with its leading position and rich experience in the operation and maintenance of TDD networks, will provide technical support to this trial. ZTE will provide base stations developed on the advanced SDR platform and co-siting solution of LTE FDD/TD-LTE.http://www.zte.com.cn

Rogers Begins LTE Trials in Ottawa

Rogers Communications commenced a Long Term Evolution ("LTE") wireless network technical trial in the Ottawa area. The tests will validate how LTE technology performs across a variety of spectrum frequencies in urban, suburban and rural environments, as well as actual throughput speeds, performance quality and interoperability with our existing HSPA+ network.



Separately, in its quarterly financial reports, Rogers reported that wireless network revenue growth was fuelled by data revenue growth of 32% and net subscriber additions of 123,000. Wireless data revenue now comprises 31% of wireless network revenue. The carrier activated a record 635,000 additional smartphones during the quarter, of which approximately 29% were for subscribers new to the company. http://www.rogers.com

Verizon Advances Enterprise Identity Management

Verizon announced an enhanced set of Enterprise Identity Management services to help businesses authenticate the identities of employees, partners and customers.



The enhanced suite of services, which is delivered "as-a-service" via the cloud, aims to reduce the complexity and risk associated with identity management programs.



Verizon currently manages 25 identity programs for countries around the globe, and in November the company announced a massive program with the U.S. medical community to issue identity credentials to 2.3 million health care professionals to help physicians manage online access and the secure exchange of confidential patient information.




"For the most part, we have found that authentication methods used by enterprises today are either inadequate or difficult and expensive," said Peter Tippett, Verizon vice president of security and industry solutions. "Until now, there's been no single service that delivers a total-solution offering that includes the critical features -- such as registering users, providing identity proofing and issuing identity credentials -- required to truly meet the needs of today's enterprise."



Verizon also announced the creation of an Identity Advisory Board, which will give Verizon's enterprise clients the opportunity to work collaboratively in addressing their needs to better manage the identities of workers, increase transparency for transactions and strengthen data protection. The board plans to synthesize the input received to create new features and capabilities that meet the requirements of today's distributed enterprise.

http://www.verizon.com
http://www.verizonbusiness.com

AT&T Adds Web Application Firewall Service

AT&T introduced a new web application firewall service, a network-based firewall and a secure e-mail gateway service all aimed at meeting corporate network security compliance requirements. The company also announced it has received ISO 27001 certification, a globally recognized confirmation of trustworthy and effective information security practices.



AT&T Web Application Firewall Service -- a fully managed security service that combines Web Application Firewall technology with expert management and 24x7x365 security monitoring to help protect Web applications and their underlying systems. The service helps customers protect their Web applications without interrupting legitimate traffic. It also facilitates customers in complying with Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard 6.6 requirements by aiding automated web application scanning and detecting vulnerabilities in web-facing application code.



AT&T Network-Based Firewall Service -- newly enhanced new self-servicing capabilities for customers including the ability to directly manage aspects of their security policies in real-time through a convenient online portal as well as the ability to download policies into a convenient PDF format for use with compliance audits. These new features are designed to increase productivity and effectiveness by providing customer administrators with more direct control over security requirements and resources.



AT&T Secure E-Mail Gateway service -- newly enhanced with new Data Leakage Prevention (DLP) capabilities, off-site archiving, and encryption features to help customers comply with data privacy and retention regulations, meet legal discovery requirements, and implement data loss prevention measures.http://www.att.com/security

4 Minute Video: LTE Security Gateway



LTE networks leverage all-IP backhaul from cell sites to the packet core. But does this IP topology introduce security risks? RadiSys' Jeff Sharpe discusses the new class of LTE Security Gateways that address this challenge.http://www.radisys.com