Spreadtrum Debuts Single-Chip MultiMode TD-LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM Baseband Modem

Spreadtrum Communications debuted its first TD-LTE baseband modem in 40nm CMOS silicon. The chip integrates multiple communication standards into a single-chip design, including multiband TD-LTE and TD-SCDMA and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM. It achieves downlink speeds of 100 Mbps and uplink speeds of 50 Mbps and supports 5, 10, 15 and 20 MHz channels and 2x2 MIMO. The SC9610 is currently progressing through field trials in China in tandem with customer design-in activities. Sampling is underway.


“Our single-chip multi-mode TD-LTE solution is a highly integrated platform specifically designed for the communication standards in use in China,�? said Dr. Leo Li, Spreadtrum’s president and CEO. “We are launching our solution as China Mobile begins more extensive trials domestically. The depth of experience we bring in TD-SCDMA products, combined with our early leadership in China’s 4G network evolution, positions Spreadtrum as a long-term leading provider of multimode baseband solutions.�?

http://www.spreadtrum.com

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Lantiq Samples System-Level Vectoring Chip

Lantiq announced first customer shipments of its VINAXTM IVE1000 System-Level Vectoring Engine chip.


The company said its new VINAX IVE1000 represents a major milestone for the deployment of vectoring in the field. The chip is an integrated ASSP solution suitable for volume deployment of system-level vectoring solutions supporting up to 384 VDSL2 lines.


The implementation supports full cancellation and partial cancellation of crosstalk in copper bundles. Specifically, Lantiq's VINAX IVE1000 uses advanced signal processing techniques to cancel Far-End Crosstalk (FEXT) between any of the VDSL2 lines in a copper bundle. This enables service providers to achieve 100 Mbps symmetrical and beyond, according to the company.
In addition, Lantiq said its technology enables up to 20% system power savings in a fully-vectored system (compared to non-vectoring) as a result of optimal balancing of transmission power.


The VINAX V3 enables “vectoring ready"? VDSL2 line cards (which support ADSL2/2+ through VDSL2 30MHz standards), requiring only a remote software upgrade when the VINAX IVE1000-based central vectoring card is added at the CO or in a local cabinet. Connected to a vectoring standard-compliant CPE device such as the Lantiq XWAY VRX200, this combination allows the implementation of a complete end-to-end vectoring solution. Lantiq’s XWAY VRX200 CPE device is “vectoring ready" today, as such only a simple software upgrade is necessary for full vectoring functionality.


Lantiq noted that is VINAX Vectoring System is compliant with and is capable of supporting all features defined in ITU G.993.2 (VDSL2), G.993.5 (G.vector) and ITU G.997 (G.ploam). The solution applies to all VDSL2 profiles and supports up to 384 VDSL2 ports by cascading multiple VINAX IVE1000 devices. This high level of scalability, coupled with the compelling features offered by the VINAX V3 chipset, results in a solution that is ideally suited to a wide range of applications such as MDU, MSAN and DSLAM.
http://www.lantiq.com

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Microsoft: Unifying Windows 8, Windows Phone, Xbox 360

In his last keynote address at CES, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said Windows 8 is on schedule for delivery later this year. The company's new "Metro" user interface will be the unifying element across Windows 8, Windows Phone, Xbox 360 and tablets. Some highlights of the event:

• Xbox 360 is first in console sales with more than 66 million worldwide.



• Xbox LIVE is the biggest social entertainment network in the living room with nearly 40 million Xbox LIVE members.



• Microsoft has sold over 18 million Kinect controller units so far. Kinect is coming to Windows 8. Microsoft has a host of enterprise customers developing corporate Kinect applications, including United Health Group, Toyota, Telefonica, Mattel, American Express United Health Group, Toyota, Telefonica, Mattel, and American Express. A commercial SDK for Kinect will be released next month.



• Microsoft's Skype division carried over 300 billion minutes of voice and video traffic last year.



• Windows Phone has more than 50,000 published apps.



• Ford has shipped more than 4 million vehicles equipped with Ford Sync powered by Microsoft.

http://www.microsoft.com

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IEEE Approves 1905.1 Draft Standard for Home Networking

The IEEE 1905.1 Working Group has approved the Hybrid Networking (P1905.1) draft standard.


The HomePlug Powerline Alliance hailed the approval, saying the approval marks a significant step forward for home networking.


IEEE 1905.1 is a software abstraction layer for unifying wired and wireless home networks. It leverages widely adopted standards, including the IEEE 802.11 standards for Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.3 for Ethernet, IEEE 1901 for Powerline and MoCA for Coaxial Cables. 1905.1’s common interface enables applications and upper layer protocols to be “agnostic�? to the underlying home networking technologies, and data packets can be communicated according to quality of service (QoS) priorities. IEEE 1905.1 also simplifies network setup by providing common procedures for adding devices, establishing secure links and managing the network.


“Consumers want the best of both worlds – the in-home mobility of wireless and the reliability and coverage of wired networks – so creating a single industry standard for hybrid networking is a significant step forward. This will provide the capability for service providers, product manufacturers and retailers to offer more interoperable solutions to customers, reducing the complexity and cost of network installations,�? said Paul Houzé of France Telecom-Orange and chair of the IEEE 1905.1 Working Group.


“Hybrid products that combine Wi-Fi, HomePlug, MoCA or Ethernet technologies are already sold in many retail stores today. The IEEE 1905.1 standard enables seamless communication from one medium to another and is an important step towards mass deployment of hybrid networking products,�? comments Rob Ranck, president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance.
http://www.homeplug.orghttp://grouper.ieee.org/groups/1905/1/

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IEEE Forms Power Matters Alliance to Pursue Wireless Charging

IEEE will form a new Power Matters Alliance (PMA) dedicated to remaking consumers’ daily interaction with power as wireless, environmentally sound, and smart. The PMA will develop the suite of "Power 2.0" standards covering the entire consumer power ecosystem, such as mobile, computing, in-car, consumer electronics, smart batteries, household power, and power-in-public-places. Additionally, Power 2.0 will enable interaction of software and services with power.


“IEEE has been a leader in the advancement of power since its earliest days, when electricity was just beginning to become a major force in society, to today where we have more than 100 active standards or standards in development specifically related to power,�? said Judith Gorman, managing director, IEEE Standards Association.
http://www.ieee.org

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Sprint Unveils its First 3 LTE Devices

Sprint unveiled the first 3 devices that will operate on its forthcoming 4G LTE network: the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the LG "Viper", and the Sierra Wireless Tri-Network Hotspot. Pricing and release dates were not disclosed. Approximately 15 4G LTE devices are currently on track to be launched in 2012 including handsets, tablets and data cards. Sprint will continue to sell its WiMAX-based devices.

http://www.sprint.com/4GLTE

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HTC's Titan II LTE Windows Phone Packs 16MP Camera

HTC introduced its fourth LTE smartphone -- the TITAN II Windows Phone for AT&T.


The HTC TITAN II features a 4.7-inch super LCD capacitive touchscreen display as well as a 16-megapixel camera with a wide-angle lens, autofocus, dual LED flash, red eye reduction, image stabilization, a backside-illuminated sensor and a physical camera button.


The device is powered by Qualcomm’s 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S2 processor and a 1,730mAh lithium ion battery .

Pricing was not disclosed.
http://www.htc.com

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Nokia Lumia 900 LTE Coming to AT&T

Nokia unveiled its latest Lumia 900 LTE Windows phone -- built exclusively for AT&T and promising data downloads of up to 50 Mbps on the carrier's LTE network and up to 21 Mbps on the HSPA+ network.


The Nokia Lumia 900 boasts a 4.3-inch AMOLED ClearBlack display and is powered by a 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8055 + MDM9200. It runs Windows Phone Release 7.5 – Mango Commercial Release 2 (Mango + LTE).


Pricing was not announced.

http://www.nokia.com

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Juniper Cuts Q4 2011 Guidance -- Weak SP Router Sales

Citing weaker router sales to service providers, especially U.S. operators, Juniper Networks pre-announced lower than expectations results for Q4 2011.


Juniper now expects Q4 2011 revenue to be in the range of $1,110 to $1,120 million, compared to the company's prior expectation of $1,160 to $1,220 million. Non-GAAP EPS is now expected to be in the range of $0.26 to $0.28 per diluted share, compared to the company's prior expectation of $0.32 to $0.36. In addition, product book-to-bill was approximately 1.


"2011 was a record year of revenue for Juniper, even though our fourth quarter revenue was weaker than expected due to service provider demand," said Kevin Johnson, chief executive officer of Juniper Networks. "We remain committed to our strategy of innovation in high-performance networking as we continue to manage costs and drive excellence in execution."


Full results are expected after the market close on January 26, 2012.
http://www.juniper.net

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CES: AT&T Unveils 6 Android LTE Devices

At the AT&T Developer Summit in Las Vegas, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph de la Vega unveiled five smartphones and one tablet powered by 4G LTE and the Android platform. These include:

• Samsung Galaxy Note -- features a 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED screen (1280x800) a uniques "S Pen" input device.



• Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket HD -- features a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED screen, as well as a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor for ultra-smooth game play and video playback.



• Samsung Exhilarate -- constructed from 80 percent recycled post-consumer materials and features eco modes and tools such as an Eco calendar and calculator. The Exhilarate also boasts a four-inch touchscreen Super AMOLED display, front and rear facing cameras, voice recognition and access to AT&T U-verse Live TV.



• Pantech Element -- a $299.99 LTE Android tablet (with a two-year contract), it is also waterproof. It features an 8-inch display, front and rear-facing cameras, and a rich web experience with full HTML and PC-like tabbed browsing.



• Pantech Burst -- features a 4-inch Super AMOLED display -- it will be offered for just $49.99 with a two-year contract.

AT&T will be the first carrier to offer Sony’s first-ever 4G LTE smartphone and first smartphone to be sold under the Sony brand in the U.S.


In addition, Nokia confirmed that it will offer its first LTE-enable smartphone in North America on the AT&T network. Microsoft's Steve Ballmer also made an appearance at the AT&T keynote to promote forthcoming LTE-enabled Windows phones.


http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=22235&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=33667

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TE SubCom Upgrades 9,500km Trans-Pacific Cable to 40G

TE SubCom has completed the first 40G upgrade in an undersea cable system more than 9,500km in length. The upgrade increased the existing cable system’s capacity by 22 x 40G.


"Completing the first long-haul system upgrade from 10G to 40G highlights our advanced capabilities and commitment to providing the highest density cable systems being built. Further, the project is an important step forward for the industry, as it sets a new standard for upgrading existing subsea cable systems and paves the way for moving toward 100G achievements," stated David Coughlan, CEO of TE SubCom.
http://www.subcom.com

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AT&T Offers M2M Application Platform powered by Axeda

AT&T has signed a multi-year agreement with Axeda covering its cloud-based, M2M Application Development software platform.


The AT&T M2M Application Platform powered by Axeda includes:

• The Axeda Platform, which allows developers to build and manage applications for almost any type of connected device in a highly secure environment and includes a framework to integrate M2M data with ERP/CRM business systems.



• Axeda Connected Product Management Applications enable users to remotely access and service connected products, distribute software and content, and manage usage and configuration data.



• M2M connectivity to link a company’s assets to applications created on the Axeda Platform, using the customer’s choices of communication methods (Internet, WiFi, and the AT&T network).



• Cloud services for deploying and scaling applications, practically eliminating the need for investment in back-end server hardware and infrastructure.

The announcement was made at the AT&T Developer Summit at CES in Las Vegas.
http://www.att.com
http://www.axeda.com

• Axeda is based in Foxboro, MA.

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