Current Analysis provided coverage of the 2009 GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The world's biggest mobile-focused trade show, Mobile World Congress pulls in thousands of visitors and exhibitors marketing their offerings and, more importantly, their vision of the market. To sort through these potentially conflicting messages - and determine their impact on the near-term competitive landscape - Current Analysis had a full complement of analysts on-site covering the entire wireless value-chain: mobile infrastructure, mobile services, mobile devices, enterprise mobility. Highlights from Show Update reports appear below. Clients with subscriptions to the respective modules can read the full report by clicking the Client Access links. |
| Mobile World Congress 2009 Analyst Show Flashes | |
| ► | Iskratel & GENBAND Enable Metro Networks IP Services Infrastructure - Feb 19, 2009 - Iskratel and GENBAND announced the successful interoperability of the SI3000 CS softswitch and GENBAND’s G9 Converged Gateway in what the vendors described as a tested and approved solution in a short time that could have long-term benefits. |
| ► | T-Mobile Hits All Bases with Multiple Widget Stores Wireless Services - Europe - Feb 19, 2009 - T-Mobile’s widget story at MWC this year was all about partnerships; the iPhone App Store, the Android Market and an ‘integrated marketplace’ with the Ovi Store. The operator’s own branded Widget Gallery story is still moving too slowly, however. |
| ► | Transmode and NEC Team Up; Target Fixed and Mobile Operators Optical Infrastructure - Feb 18, 2009 - Transmode and NEC announced a reseller partnership coincidentally during the Mobile World Congress to let mobile operators know that they are teaming up on a backhaul solution. However, mobile expertise might be a harder sell for Transmode. |
| ► | Orange Unveils ‘Orange Care’ Roadmap Wireless Services - Europe - Feb 18, 2009 - The real-incentive ‘device recycling’ service is the most noteworthy feature of the new, umbrella Orange Care program, but lofty references of ‘the first truly end-to-end care solution’ with a ‘three-tiered level of service’ overstate the case. |
| ► | Harmonic Looks to Establish Mobile Video Harmony Digital Media Infrastructure - Feb 18, 2009 - Harmonic is leveraging the MWC 2009 event to promote its converged video delivery solutions for mobile video applications and looks positioned to continue its momentum into future mobile video application opportunities. Still, it must execute. |
| ► | NSN Assures Operator Services with New Managed Offering Telecom Infrastructure Services - Feb 17, 2009 - NSN announced a new offering for service operations and assurance. Leveraging its investments in people, places and platforms, NSN hopes to climb the managed services value chain by inserting itself at the heart of its customers’ businesses. |
| ► | Nokia Unveils Ovi Store – More Than Just Another App Store Wireless Services - Europe - Feb 17, 2009 - Consolidating all Nokia content platforms into a single distribution channel is an important step in the evolving Ovi media content service strategy. The level of operator buy-in, particularly in the billing context, is impressive. |
| ► | Orange Proliferates Application Storefront Options to Exploit the Long Tail Wireless Services - Europe - Feb 17, 2009 - While others are consolidating their content storefronts, Orange will proliferate the options to appeal to segments. This announcement sees Orange both extend an existing storefront, and launch a new one to nurture Signature loyalty. |
| ► | Ericsson Goes in with Zain for Broadband Services in Developing Countries Consumer Broadband Services - Europe - Feb 17, 2009 - Ericsson goes off the beaten track at this year’s Mobile World Congress by highlighting its innovative zero footprint partnership with mobile operator Zain and The Millennium Village Project, at the expense of traditional high tech announcements. |
| ► | Telefónica España Shoots for Differentiation with Portable Mobile WiFi Hotspot Product Enterprise Mobility - Europe - Feb 17, 2009 - Telefonica Espana will launch a unique offer in the Spanish market for portable mobile WiFi during H1 2009. Built-in location-based and mobile applications add value, but Telefonica must create a clear offer to make the launch successful. |
| ► | ZTE Unveils Unified Service Development and Management Solution IP Services Infrastructure - Feb 13, 2009 - With the introduction of its Unified Open Environment (UOE), ZTE is covering both tracks in the operator transformation movement. The UOE’s strength is that it is designed to enable both operators and third-party developers to create new services. |
| ► | Nortel Sends Message That It Fully Supports Carrier IP Service Infrastructure Gear IP Services Infrastructure - Feb 13, 2009 - By heralding the addition of new features and promoting future upgrades to its core VoIP and multimedia platforms, Nortel is letting the world know that its carrier IP services infrastructure gear will be a part of the company’s solution set. |
| ► | Tekelec Expands EAGLE Platform and Unifies Portfolio IP Services Infrastructure - Feb 12, 2009 - Though the launch of the EAGLE XG is largely a rebranding exercise for Tekelec, it carries significant value in that it strongly enforces the company’s mantra of being a builder of bridges between legacy and next-generation environments. |
| ► | NSN Matches RAN Upgrades with New Core Kit Wireless Infrastructure - Feb 10, 2009 - NSN is preparing for LTE, announcing new GSM-to-LTE base station capabilities and following them up with new packet core assets. Given competitor packet core upgrade plans, the move was clearly necessary – but not necessarily sufficient. |
| ► | Acme Packet Evolves SBC to Meet Needs of 3G/4G Mobile Broadband IP Services Infrastructure - Feb 11, 2009 - The undisputed champion of the fixed SBC market, Acme Packet is looking to extend its title to include mobile networks. Recent enhancements to its Net-Net family of products suggest that success in the mobile arena is within the company’s grasp. |
| ► | ip.access Takes Our Suggestion, Launches 3G Picocell Wireless Infrastructure - Feb 10, 2009 - ip.access can count itself a 2G picocell leader. It’s launched a 3G femtocell, with a rumored, major-league operator deal. It was only natural that the vendor would leverage this expertise and momentum to launch a 3G picocell. |
| ► | NSN Takes Our Suggestion, Unites 2G, 3G and 4G in Flexi Wireless Infrastructure - Feb 9, 2009 - Nokia was one of the first vendors to promise multi-standard base stations. NSN’s Flexi Multimode, in turn, carried this forward to LTE operations. Its Flexi Multiradio, however, puts NSN on a better competitive footing by including GSM/EDGE. |
| ► | Aepona Teams with TDC to Push Network as a Service Business Model IP Services Infrastructure - Feb 9, 2009 - With the deployment of the Universal Service Platform at TDC Aepona pushes its case that an SDP doesn’t have to come from an industry heavyweight to attract the interest of top-tier operators looking to transform their IP services infrastructure. |
| ► | Anevia Launches Integrated Solution to Support Mobile TV Snacking and Feasting Digital Media Infrastructure - Jan 23, 2009 - Anevia’s integrated offering takes the mobile video infrastructure market head-on, but the company is taking on larger rivals with incumbency bundling their video processing, streaming, serving, and content delivery network management solutions. |
