Eight mobile technologies to watch

Research company Gartner has published a list of eight mobile technologies that it says will have an impact on mobile strategies and policies over the next couple of years:

1. Bluetooth 3.0,
2. User Interfaces,
3. Location Sensing,
4. 802.11n WiFi,
5. Display Technologies,
6. Mobile Web and Widgets,
7. Mobile Broadband and
8. Near Field Communication.

[Press release]

Mobile companies could keep 3G licences forever

The Sunday Times says mobile companies will be allowed to keep their 3G licences permanently if they commit to new broadband plans expected in the next few days from communications minister Lord Carter. He's expected to tell the UK telecomms industry that it needs to provide broadband service to every home in the country. The 3G licences cost a total of £22.5 billion in 2000 but are only valid for 20 years. [Source: TimesOnline.co.uk]

Vodafone achieves 16Mbps mobile broadband speed

Vodafone has achieved download speeds of 16Mbps during mobile broadband trials in Spain. It's now aiming to achieve 21Mbps in the next few weeks, which would mean consumer speeds of around 13Mbps. The tests combined new HSPA+ and 64QAM technology along with MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) - multiple antennae on base stations and data devices. 64QAM and MIMO both require new HSPA+ mobile broadband devices, so these speeds won't be available on any current mobile equipment. [Press release]

3G, smartphones and dongles will help sales in 2009

Although the mobile phone industry saw just 7% annual growth in 2008 - and a 5% year-on-year drop in device shipments is expected to be shown in the final quarter - ABI Research says there are still a few rays of sunshine (their words, not mine) for 2009. Sales of 3G devices worldwide are expected to exceed 50% of all mobile phones in 2009, with smartphone sales also expected to grow along with USB modems. [Press release]

3G laptops over-hyped according to report

The short-term importance of laptops and netbooks with built-in 3G or WIMAX capabilities has been significantly over-estimated, according to a new report from Disruptive Analysis. It says end-users currently favour external plug-in equipment, such as USB 'dongles', and will continue to do so for several years. However, it says devices with 'embedded' mobile broadband will eventually overtake separate modems, although not all wireless-equipped devices will have their built-in service activated. [Press release]

Vodafone chasing German cable TV company?

Vodafone is apparently thinking about acquiring Germany’s largest cable company Kabel Deutschland. Vodafone already offers fixed-line and broadband services via Arcor; buying Kabel Deutschland would enable it to offer fixed-line, broadband, mobile and TV services in Germany. [Sources: RapidTVNews.com; BroadbandTVNews.com]

O2 cuts mobile broadband prices for prepay users

O2 has priced its new prepay USB broadband modem at £29.99, with data charges starting at £2 a day for 500MB, rising to £7.50 a week for 1GB or £15 a month for 3GB. It's describing it as the "UK’s leading priced mobile broadband Pay & Go service". The deal also includes unlimited access to over 6,000 WiFi hotspots across the UK through The Cloud. [Press release]

Ofcom report shows UK top for mobile broadband coverage

Ofcom has published its third annual International Communications Market Report, which looks at take-up, availability and use of broadband, landlines, mobiles, TV and radio in a number of countries. Some of the key mobile-related points include:

• HSDPA mobile broadband availability covers 87% of the UK population; the highest of all 16 countries surveyed.
• In all of the countries covered by the report, total mobile revenues last year were higher than fixed-line voice and broadband combined.
• Mobile call volumes grew by 21% in the UK during 2007. However, increases in call volumes have not been matched by corresponding increases in retail revenue.
• Text messaging volumes increased by 36% in the UK, 90% in Poland and over 100% in the US and Canada.

[Ofcom report]

Carphone confirms broadband business review

The Carphone Warehouse has published its half-year results. Excluding figures from Best Buy Europe, which now manages the Retail and Distribution business, group revenues were £697 million compared to £711 million in the same period last year. The biggest surprise - or not, depending on whether you heard the rumours at the weekend - was that the board is reviewing the Group’s structure, which may lead to the retail and broadband businesses being separated. They'll tell us more in Spring 2009. [Press release]

Carphone planning to sell TalkTalk?

There are reports that The Carphone Warehouse is soon going to announce plans to split its fixed-line phone and broadband business from the rest of the company. It's expected that the split will take place towards the end of next year. [Sources: TimesOnline.co.uk; Telegraph.co.uk]

Tiscali broadband being bought by Sky?

After interest from a number of telecomms companies - including Vodafone and The Carphone Warehouse - it looks as though Tiscali's UK broadband customer base will be sold to BSkyB. [Source: TimesOnline.co.uk]

10% of mobile broadband customers say they were mis-sold

In the week that Vodafone was criticised by the ASA for its "light years ahead" mobile broadband advertisement and 3 admitted problems with its mobile broadband service, O2 has published research that says over one in ten mobile broadband users feel that they were mis-sold. The main source of irritation is the cost of the service, with nearly a third complaining that the ongoing cost was higher than expected. One-fifth were upset that they were unable to use mobile broadband where they wanted it despite being told that there would be coverage - and 13 per cent were frustrated there was no returns guarantee if the service wasn’t right for them. Needless to say there's a sales message in here. O2 has revamped its mobile broadband offering by cutting costs, creating a new coverage checker and offering a 50-day Happiness Guarantee. [Press release]

Regulation plus credit crunch risks damaging telecoms industry says trade body

ETNO, the European Telecommunications Networks Operators' association (which represents Europe's telecoms and electronic communications operators) says the current economic situation means regulation should be gentler - otherwise investment in new technology might not happen. In particular, it said a priority for the next few years should be investment in fixed and mobile broadband networks. [ETNO CEO summit; ETNO General Assembly]

Almost a quarter of broadband homes to be mobile-only by 2013

Almost a quarter of broadband-equipped homes will be mobile-only by 2013, according to a report from telecoms advisors Analysys Mason. They say that by 2013, 47% of European broadband subscriptions will use mobile networks and nearly a quarter of broadband-equipped sites will only use mobile technology. [Press release]

A different kind of Google phone

A new satellite communications company - O3b Networks - is aiming to provide high-speed, low-cost communications for billions of people in emerging markets. The venture is backed by financial and operational support from Google, cable operators Liberty Global and HSBC. It plans to offer voice and broadband services by using satellite technology for the main 'backbone' of the network. Service activation is scheduled for late 2010. The company's name - O3b - reflects its aim of connecting developed countries with the “other three billion” people who have limited internet access. [Press release]

Prepay services are key to mobile broadband growth

Telecoms consultancy Ovum says mobile operators should use prepaid offerings to make the most of mobile broadband in Q4 2008 instead of expecting mobile broadband to replace fixed-line services. Its new report says fixed broadband penetration across Western Europe is too high for mobile broadband to compete on speed or capacity. The company adds that the number of customers willing to commit to a lengthy contract for mobile broadband will shrink. [Sources: Cellular-News.com; Telecoms.com]

50 million mobile broadband users worldwide

The GSM Association says there are now over 50 million mobile broadband users worldwide - and they're expecting the number of users to be growing at more than 4 million a month by the end of the year. This compares with just 11 million users last year. Their figures are based on the number of High Speed Packet Access users who are connecting via 191 compatible mobile networks around the world. Current UK sales of USB Mobile Broadband dongles are said to be over 100,000 per month. [Sources: Press release; Mobile News]

3 given best mobile broadband award

Independent comparison site Top 10 Broadband has announced its first annual broadband awards. 3 won the award for best mobile broadband provider, with O2 and Vodafone also featuring in the awards. The site, which launched in January 2007, is funded by commission payments on broadband sales. [Press release]

Orange launches laptop-and-broadband deal

Orange has launched its ‘connected’ product range with a deal that combines mobile broadband with a laptop on a monthly contract. The offer, which will be available online and from Orange shops, adds an Asus Eee PC900 laptop and 3G dongle to the Orange 'Internet Everywhere' mobile broadband service for £25 a month on a two-year contract. The Carphone Warehouse and 3 are already offering similar deals. [Press release]

We're communicating more but paying less

Ofcom's Communications Market Report 2008 reveals that consumers are spending more time using communications services than in previous years but are paying less for them. 86% of UK adults now own a mobile phone, making 99 billion minutes of outbound calls in 2007 – a rise of 91% in the number of minutes and 48% in the number of connections since 2002. Around 6% of UK internet users aged 16 or over (around 4% of all over 16s) are using mobile broadband. 44% of UK adults use text messaging every day, compared to 36% who regularly use the internet. At the other end of the scale, 25% of adults never use text messaging and 28% never use the internet. [Ofcom report]