Mobile Networks Snapshot: LTE and WiMAX Deployments Go Head-to-Head as the 4G Technology Battle Begins Tweet

December 2009 saw the first commercial launch of LTE networks, with TeliaSonera the first service provider in the world to offer the service in Stockholm and Oslo. 2010 promises to see the commercial launch of several LTE networks, including large operators such as Verizon Wireless in the United States and NTT DoCoMo in Japan. With voice standards still in development and a lack of compatible handsets, however, we can expect these networks to carry only data traffic for some time to come.

As LTE deployments begin to pick up pace, WiMAX continues its steady progress. ABI Research analyst Bhavya Khanna says, “While LTE does promise data speeds greater than 50Mbps, they have yet to be achieved by live or trial networks, whereas mobile WiMAX is now a tried and tested standard.” Several operators, including Sprint in the United States, have chosen to go with WiMAX as their 4G network of choice. ABI Research reports 164 mobile WiMAX networks in trial or commercial operation at the end of 2009, compared to just over 100 LTE trials.

In addition, the total number of network contract announcements for mobile WiMAX tracked by ABI research was 242, compared to only 38 for LTE. With the planned launch of several WiMAX devices in 2010, including handsets from smartphone maker HTC, it looks likely that this technology will co-exist with LTE for some time to come.

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Motorola Tops New ABI Research Passive UHF Handheld RFID Reader Vendor Matrix Ranking Tweet

Motorola Inc. has been ranked at the top of the latest Vendor Matrix released by ABI Research.

Convergence Systems Limited (CSL) and Psion Teklogix Inc. claimed the second and third spots in the company’s new worldwide evaluation of passive UHF RFID handheld reader vendors.

The Vendor Matrix is an analytical tool developed by ABI Research to provide a clear understanding of vendors’ positions in specific markets. Vendors are assessed on the important parameters of “innovation” and “implementation” across several criteria unique to each vendor matrix. Although taken into consideration under certain criteria, product performance benchmarking is not a focus of this Vendor Matrix.

”Mobile computing, bar code scanning, and RFID are highly complementary technologies and major strengths for Motorola, helping drive handheld product innovation within the organization,” states Michael Liard, RFID Practice Director. “The company’s global reach, partner/customer support capabilities, installed base, and an approach to RFID that cuts across many industries while addressing the needs of verticals all helped bolster the overall implementation score relative to the competition.”

For this particular matrix, under "innovation," ABI Research examined the vendor’s product offering mix and the readers’ overall designs, GUI and/or user input configuration, and critical performance enhancements such as battery life expectancy, antenna design, and wireless connectivity options. The vendors’ industry leadership, influence, and knowledge transfer were evaluated, as well as their perceived strength and innovation in engineering.

Under "implementation," ABI Research scrutinized the vendors according to the following criteria: manufacturing capabilities and strategy; pricing strategy and perceived price-to-value quotient; overall market position, leadership, and strength; perceived strength within verticals and/or applications targeted/served; persistent market presence and experience; partner strategy, approach, and support capabilities; scope of distribution channels; and go-to-market strategy and approach.

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Nearly 846 Million Pay TV Subscribers in 2014 Tweet

Despite a depressed economy, global pay TV markets continue to grow. According to the latest market data from ABI Research, they will expand by a quarter from 2009 to 2014.

Industry analyst Michael Inouye says that, “Cable will remain the largest pay TV platform, satellite the second-largest and telco TV the smallest (DTT aside), but the latter will show the fastest growth, more than doubling its share by 2014, albeit starting from a much smaller base. Most of the subscribers captured by telco TV will be lured away from cable services.”

The growth of pay TV services is driven by three major factors: the ongoing digital transition and a parallel rise in demand for premium content, new operators and offers, and new features such as interactivity, video on demand (VOD), and personal video recording (PVR).

“Interactivity is a feature mainly found in mature markets,” notes Inouye. “It’s a way to try and keep subscribers who have other options. While one might expect advanced services of this kind to spread gradually from these mature markets to developing ones, the relatively low per-subscriber revenue available in some countries like China and India may prove to be a hurdle to the expansion of additional features/services.”

Pay TV market growth is occurring in spite of some opposing factors. Chief among these is the availability of low-cost alternatives and substitutes such as digital terrestrial television (DTT) especially those that pair free-to-air (FTA) content with broadband content/VOD. Online content such as that provided by Hulu, YouTube, Netflix, Vudu, and the BBC iPlayer also poses challenges.

“Pay TV providers will ultimately develop strategies best suited to their respective markets,” Inouye concludes. "Generally speaking, however, in still-developing markets often the focus is on areas such as offering additional digital channels and HD content, as well as VOD, pay-per-view, and PVR. In more mature markets, there is growing interest in developing new features and services including interactivity and in-home networking.”

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Spending on Retail Technology Systems Will Exceed $20 Billion in 2014 Tweet

Even as the recession has taken its toll on retail sales, retailers have continued to invest in retail technology. The retail technology hardware market, consisting of integrated point of sale (POS) systems, payment terminals, POS barcode scanners, POS printers, and electronic article surveillance systems, managed to continue growing during 2009, while many retailers experienced declines in sales as consumers tightened their purse strings.

In its new market study “Next Generation Point of Sale Systems and Retail Technology,” ABI Research forecasts that growth in this market will continue for the foreseeable future as retailers invest in the latest technology. ABI Research anticipates retail technology spending will grow to nearly $21 billion in 2014, from $14.8 billion in 2009.

The study finds that continuing growth in retail technology systems shipments and revenues will be driven by global demand for technologies needed to meet rapidly evolving security standards, as well as retailers’ demands for highly efficient and customer-friendly technology.

According to research director Larry Fisher, “Retailers look to technology to enhance the customer experience, drive customer loyalty, reduce costs, and to become more efficient at managing inventory, space and human resources. It is also a way to stay competitive as peers look to achieve the same goals.”

Fisher continues, “Retail technology vendors fared well despite the recession, as retailers maintained their long-term technology investment plans. Additionally, the outlook is positive for retail technology, as retailers in emerging countries look to emulate the successful implementation of technology in more-developed nations.”

The new market study focuses on several key retail technologies, and examines the market drivers behind the growth in this large market sector. Much of the report is focused on the hardware aspects of the technology market, including customer-facing systems such as point of sale systems, payment terminals and peripherals. It includes forecasts through 2014.

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Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 - Games - Part two Tweet

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 - Games - Part two

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Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 (Unlocked): Unboxing and Hands On Tweet

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 (Unlocked): Unboxing and Hands On

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U.S. CELLULAR TOPS J.D. POWER AND ASSOCIATES CALL QUALITY RANKING FOR THE NINTH CONSECUTIVE TIME Tweet

U.S. Cellular customers in the North Central Region continue to enjoy the highest quality calls on their wireless phones, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Wireless Call Quality Performance StudySM – Volume 1.

For the ninth reporting period in a row, U.S. Cellular has received the J.D. Power and Associates award for overall call quality in the North Central Region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio. In addition to experiencing less static/interference, U.S. Cellular customers in this region have fewer problems with initial call connection and dropped or disconnected cell phone calls, according to the study.

"Our customers depend on us to keep them connected to loved ones every single day," said Mike Irizarry, executive vice president and chief technical officer for U.S. Cellular. "What’s more, reliable service is an absolute necessity for businesspeople on the go, emergency first responders and so many others across the U.S. Our customers trust us to deliver the absolute best experience."

Conducted twice a year, the J.D. Power and Associates Wireless Call Quality Performance Study measures the number of problems experienced with wireless call quality in seven customer-impacting factors: dropped/disconnected calls; static/interference; connection on first try; voice distortion; no echoes; no immediate voice mail notification; and no immediate text message notification.

"This is certainly an achievement to be proud of. But at the end of the day, awards and statistics aren’t what is most important to our customers,” said Irizarry “What matters most is that when they need their cell phone to work, it does."

About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

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