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.
Links to highlights from Show Update reports appear below. Clients with subscriptions to the respective Services can read the full report by clicking the Client Access links.
| Current Analysis Show Coverage Highlights |
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MWC 2011: Customers Rule (Part II)
IP Services Infrastructure - Advisory Report - Mobile World Congress 2011 revealed the next-generation of policy control. The latest breakthroughs, somewhat paradoxically, involve the imposition of linkage between first- and second-generation policy control properties. - 3/2/2011 - Client Access |
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MWC 2011 CurrentCast: The Important MWC 2011 Trends and Events
Service Provider Infrastructure - Advisory Report - Looking forward to CTIA Wireless in Orlando, we need to ask about the important takeaways from Mobile World Congress. Beyond the event and theme roundups, what were the most important trends? What were the most important events? - 3/2/2011 - Client Access |
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MWC 2011: The Mobile Ecosystem Roundup
Mobile Device Silicon - Advisory Report - With exhibitors spanning the length of the wireless telecom food chain, there was no shortage of hot topics coming out of Mobile World Congress this year. Unifying them were three standouts: traffic management, monetization, and differentiation. - 3/2/2011 - Client Access |
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MWC 2011: Customers Rule (Part I)
IP Services Infrastructure - Advisory Report - With customer satisfaction now the undisputed number one objective for the telecommunications industry, Mobile World Congress 2011 was essentially a love sonnet composed by operators to their subscribers. - 2/25/2011 - Client Access |
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MWC 2011: Microwave Backhaul Specialist Roundup
Mobile Access Infrastructure - Advisory Report - While not always getting as much attention as larger wireless infrastructure vendors, microwave backhaul specialists used MWC 2011 to introduce new products aimed at increasing the overall efficiency and capacity of an operator’s network. - 2/25/2011 - Client Access |
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MWC 2011: Telecom Vendor Services Roundup
Telecom Vendor Services - Advisory Report - Despite the bias implicit in its name, Mobile World Congress has taken SuperComm’s place as the de facto global telecom tradeshow. To this end, telecom vendor services have emerged as one, admittedly of many, key themes discussed in Barcelona. - 2/24/2011 - Client Access |
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MWC 2011: RAN Roundup
Mobile Access Infrastructure - Advisory Report - This year, the biggest MWC announcements around RAN developments happened before the show, not at it. However, this doesn’t mean notable RAN announcements were absent. - 2/24/2011 - Client Access |
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MWC 2011: So Long and Thanks for All the Android Pins
Consumer Devices - Advisory Report - There were three major device themes at this year’s Mobile World Congress: Android everywhere, the continued explosion of tablets, and mobile social networking. Lurking behind the scenes were the Nokia/Microsoft shotgun marriage, and Apple. - 2/24/2011 - Client Access |
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MWC 2011 Trend Round-Up: Servicing the Emerging Smartphone Mass Market
Consumer Services Europe - Advisory Report - If there was one dominant theme at MWC 2011, it was the near-term emergence of the ‘smartphone mass market’. Orange and Deutsche Telekom showed the most commitment in terms of servicing this new segment. - 2/23/2011 - Client Access |
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MWC 2011: Mobile Core Roundup
Mobile Access Infrastructure - Advisory Report - Vendors spent the past few years preparing operators for 4G launches with new mobile packet core products, This year’s news out of Mobile World Congress was subdued but pointed to functionality – if not architectural – evolutions. - 2/22/2011 - Client Access |
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MWC 2011: Small Cell Roundup
Mobile Access Infrastructure - Advisory Report - Going into Mobile World Congress, consensus was that small cells would be a big topic. The consensus was right. Combined with active antennas from some vendors, the message is of architecture innovation – with business model innovation included. - 2/22/2011 - Client Access |
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MWC 2011 Trend Round-Up: Contactless Mobile Payments Arrive
Consumer Services Europe - Advisory Report - NFC-based contactless payments systems are on the cards for 2011, and while many obstacles to effective deployments still exist, mobile operators in several European countries are now committed. Further developments emerged during this year’s MWC. - 2/22/2011 - Client Access |
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For the Enterprise, Mobile Device Management Takes Center Stage
Enterprise Mobility - Advisory Report - MWC 2011 was rife with demos and announcements of solutions from a broad swath of the mobile ecosystem to support the anticipated growth in mobile apps and devices within the global enterprise segment. MDM and M2M were key areas of focus. - 2/22/2011 - Client Access |
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A Heroic Attempt By Carriers to Carve Out an Apps Strategy – Meet the WAC
Enterprise Mobility - In their continued battle to avoid the dumb bit pipe awaiting any carrier that is unable to adapt to massive over-the-top service providers, carriers and vendors are joining together to develop a telco-centric WAC apps store. - 2/22/2011 - Client Access |
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E-Plus Gets on Converged TD-LTE/LTE FDD Bandwagon
Mobile Device Silicon - E-Plus touts its decision to use its 2.6 GHz spectrum to deploy TD-LTE services in Germany as a key element of its converged TD-LTE/LTE FDD deployment efforts. Converged TD-LTE/LTE FDD deployments will have a major impact on global spectrum moves. - 2/18/2011 - Client Access |
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Can 3LM Use the Android Platform to Achieve E2E Mobile Management Headway?
Mobile Device Silicon - 3LM, fresh off its acquisition by Motorola Mobility, unveils an impressive set of partners to drive its Android enterprise platform toward delivering E2E mobile management capabilities to enterprises, but faces a heavily crowded field. - 2/18/2011 - Client Access |
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T-Mobile Spells It Out with WiFi
Consumer Services Europe - The increasing importance of WiFi supporting cellular MBB was a key MWC 2011 theme. T-Mobile’s own WiFi statement best captured this mood, with ‘partnership’ and new business models implicit. - 2/17/2011 - Client Access |
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T-Mobile Gets Serious About Mobile Commerce
Consumer Services U.S. - T-Mobile will launch a payment solution, Mobile Wallet, using NFC technology next year which should cement its presence in the consumer’s lifestyle and boost its advertising revenue. It however offered no details on partners and compatible phones. - 2/16/2011 - Client Access |
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Marvell Harbors 3G Global Ambitions
Mobile Device Silicon - Marvell unveils its PXA978 product combining 3G UMTS, TD-SCDMA and HSPA on a single chip along with advanced graphics and application processing capabilities to address global 3G mobile devices opportunities, but faces channel challenges. - 2/16/2011 - Client Access |
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MWC 2011 Flags Key Changes in Mobile Data Roaming
Consumer Services Europe - Advisory Report - Mobile data roaming announcements from Orange and T-Mobile underline new priorities in this market. ‘Cost control’ is a key marketing message for the emerging ‘smartphone mass market.’ - 2/16/2011 - Client Access |
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Deutsche Telekom Targets Mobile Payments
Consumer Services Europe - Deutsche Telekom joins competitors in moving in on the mobile payments space with an NFC-based launch. Its plans hold much potential, but as with other deployments, the business case remains unproven and operational models complex. - 2/16/2011 - Client Access |
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Microsoft Promises to Update Windows Phone 7 Eventually
Consumer Devices - Microsoft traditionally provides mobile OS updates at Mobile World Congress, and while the big news was its hookup with Nokia, the company still wanted to provide an update on future updates. Sadly, it didn’t have much to say. - 2/15/2011 - Client Access |
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Juniper’s Open, Partnership Approach to Mobile Video Optimization
Digital Media Infrastructure - Juniper extends its video infrastructure reach by adding mobile video optimization capabilities to its Media Flow portfolio with Openwave’s Media Optimizer software integrated into its MX 3D routers, but still lacks a comprehensive architecture. - 2/15/2011 - Client Access |
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WAC Confirms In-app Billing Support and Brings Big Names to the Table
Consumer Services Europe - WAC is heading in the right direction with the promise of in-app billing. This demonstrates an understanding of business model change in the developer market, but WAC 3.0 must deliver. - 2/15/2011 - Client Access |
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Can Nokia and Microsoft Cross Bridge Over Freezing Waters?
Mobile Device Silicon - Nokia and Microsoft forged an alliance that bears the potential to shake up Nokia’s recent reversals and poor showing in the smartphone arena, and give Microsoft a key role in driving mobile OS development, but history does not favor the alliance. - 2/15/2011 - Client Access |
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Cisco Mixes Mobile Traffic and Video Optimization into Videoscape – Does it Blend?
Digital Media Infrastructure - Cisco’s extension of Videoscape with its MOVE framework attacks both the network and content sides of the optimization equation, something few rivals are positioned or attempting to address, yet the initial focus on OTT content is limiting. - 2/15/2011 - Client Access |
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Fujitsu Announces Managed Smartphone Services
Business Network and IT Services - Fujitsu announces the Q2 launch of a bare-bones global Managed Smartphone extension of its Managed Workplace service to secure and manage a range of mobile devices. However, it will primarily appeal to existing Fujitsu infrastructure customers. - 2/14/2011 - Client Access |
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Sony Ericsson Is Finally Ready to Come Out and PLAY
Consumer Devices - It is late, and the Xperia PLAY does not do much that a regular Android phone cannot do. Still, game controls change the nature of gameplay, and the commitment to Verizon Wireless is a gigantic step in the right direction for Sony Ericsson. - 2/14/2011 - Client Access |
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Orange Launches In-Store Expert Assistance
Consumer Services Europe - Orange is addressing the smartphone issue few other MNOs are discussing – how to monetize the tremendous support challenge a ‘mass market smartphone’ user base will require. - 2/14/2011 - Client Access |
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Acme Packet Extends SBC Platform with Diameter Signaling Control
IP Services Infrastructure - Thoug the Acme Packet Net-Net Policy Director is a new product, Acme Packet has done a good job of leveraging the functionality of its market-leading SIP-based SBC and applying it to Diameter-related issues now confronting operators. - 2/14/2011 - Client Access |
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Qualcomm Goes Big on P2P Networking – But Do We Need a New Tech?
Mobile Device Silicon - Qualcomm’s FlashLinq promises peer-to-peer device communication a la WiFi Direct, but with mobile network connectivity thrown in. More importantly, its AllJoyn project promises to find a use for the technology. - 2/9/2011 - Client Access |
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Nokia Siemens Networks Launches Multivendor LTE Certification Program
Telecom Vendor Services - Nokia Siemens Networks adds a LTE certification program with plans to have 4,500 of its own staff certified by 2011. However, exactly what Nokia Siemens Networks plans to certify in a market characterized by standardization is unclear. - 2/9/2011 - Client Access |
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Ericsson’s AIR Brings the Radio and Antenna Closer - but Does it Bring Ericsson Closer to the Small Cell?
Mobile Access Infrastructure - Ericsson’s antenna integrated radio unit – aka AIR – promises operators easier network installations and improved power consumption, yet how this fully fits into the vendor’s small strategy remains to be seen. - 2/9/2011 - Client Access |
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Nokia Siemens Networks Enhances its End-to-End Energy Solutions Offering
Telecom Vendor Services - Nokia Siemens Networks adds a Managed Energy Services component to its End-to-End Energy service offering. A continuing focus on energy efficiency highlights a commitment to the space, but references would help to make the sale. - 2/8/2011 - Client Access |
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What to Expect from Mobile World Congress – IP Services Infrastructure
IP Services Infrastructure - Last week, our European Consumer Services team answered the question: what themes do you expect to emerge at Mobile World Congress? This week, it’s time to get a view from the network – specifically the services layer and IP services infrastructure. - 2/8/2011 |
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What to Expect from Mobile World Congress – Mobile Access Infrastructure
Mobile Access Infrastructure - Last week, our European Consumer Services team answered the question: what themes do you expect to emerge at Mobile World Congress? This week, it’s time to get a view from the network – specifically the radio access network. - 2/8/2011 - Client Access |
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Alcatel-Lucent Goes “Radical” with lightRadio – Maybe Too Radical?
Mobile Access Infrastructure - Despite growing market share, Alcatel-Lucent still hasn’t broken into the ranks of competitors such as Ericsson, NSN and Huawei. lightRadio could deliver the differentiation to help, or confuse operators used to traditional network architectures. - 2/7/2011 - Client Access |
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CurrentCast: What to Expect from Mobile World Congress - Consumer Services
Consumer Services Europe - “What interesting themes do you expect to emerge at Mobile World Congress?” It’s an oft-repeated question in the run up to the industry’s annual get-together in Barcelona. A discussion with our European Consumer Services team provides the answer. - 2/4/2011 - Client Access |
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Nokia Siemens Networks Beefs Up Flexi RAN Family
Mobile Access Infrastructure - Leading into this year’s MWC, Nokia Siemens Networks announced additions to its Flexi RAN family that promise LTE-A support along with increased capacity and a small cell solution. However, specifics around capacity claims still must be provided. - 2/3/2011 - Client Access |
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ZTE Heralds EPC Strengths – With Key Details Lacking
Mobile Access Infrastructure - In order to raise its EPC profile, ZTE’s claim of MME and SGW performance records is understandable, though the numbers do not stack up on paper and lab tests are only as good as the assumptions and procedures backing them. - 2/1/2011 - Client Access |
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Ericsson Demonstrates Commercial Ready HSPA+ Just in Time for the Big Show
Mobile Access Infrastructure - Ericsson’s three HSPA+ demonstrations using commercial ready gear show the vendor remains committed to the technology, and is ready to deploy. Single-carrier 42 Mbps HSPA+ should attract operators looking to maximize spectrum assets. - 2/1/2011 - Client Access |
