Wireless technologies research from Sound Partners

We get to grips with the realities of wireless technologies, to understand their real impact and the opportunities and threats they will create. Organisations within the industry are now confronted by a raft of emerging technologies, including:

• indoor base stations (e.g. picocells and femtocells)
• enhancements to cellular technologies (e.g. HSPA+, 3G LTE and CDMA2000 EV-DO Revision B)
• mobile TV and radio broadcasting networks (e.g. DAB-IP, DVB-H, MediaFLO and TDtv)
• core network developments (e.g. IMS)
• broadband wireless technologies (e.g. WiMAX)
• short-range wireless technologies (e.g. WLAN, Bluetooth, NFC and UWB).

 
For operators, there is a compelling case for femtocells provided that they target the right segments with the right propositions

Picocells and femtocells (small, low-cost, indoor cellular base stations) are a major new development for wireless networks. Success with femtocells is not guaranteed, and a focus on low-cost voice telephony could prove disastrous. In our new report, Femtocells in the Consumer Market: business case and marketing plan, we study the business case for femtocells in order to pinpoint the circumstances in which femtocells are commercially viable. We define compelling consumer propositions and marketing plans for this exciting new technology.

Watch our new webinar Femtocells in the Consumer Market: the business case. 

Opportunities for WiMAX will be few and far between

The growing availability of WiMAX equipment and the early announcement of a number of deployment plans have led to a surge of interest in WiMAX and its potential to complement or disrupt fixed and wireless broadband services. In the report The Business Case for WiMAX, we get to grips with the real opportunities with WiMAX for existing and new network operators. The report models the business case for WiMAX in a number of potential deployment scenarios, including a developing market urban area, a developed market rural town and a developed market urban area.
 

Many mobile TV broadcasting options will not be financially viable

As consumer demand for mobile TV and radio increases and broadcasting services begin to emerge during 2006, there will be strong competitive pressures on mobile operators to respond. However, there is a strong chance that mobile users will not spend a substantial amount on mobile TV and radio services, or video-on-demand and other mobile broadcasting services. Given this, operators have to choose how to deliver such services with care. The report Evaluating the Options for Mobile TV and Radio Broadcasting in Western Europe evaluates the realistic deployment options for each of the mobile broadcasting technologies. It identifies the options most likely to be commercially viable for different operator types and circumstances.
 

3G LTE could dramatically enhance the capabilities of 3G networks from 2009

Amid growing interest in alternative technologies, such as DVB-H and WiMAX, 3G is set to fight back with 3G LTE, which could dramatically enhance the capabilities of 3G networks from 2009. The report Prospects for the Evolution of 3G and 4G studies the options for the evolution of 3G networks, focusing on the forthcoming 3G LTE and 4G standards. It evaluates the realistic capabilities of 3G LTE in terms of throughput, capacity, latency and cost per Mbyte. By modelling a typical network, it quantifies the practical gains that will be achieved by 3G LTE and the service mixes that it will be able to support.

IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) will be widely adopted within five years

IMS is an open, standardised, relatively easily-deployed network architecture that enables more flexible control and billing of multimedia services delivered by IP networks using SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). Shrouded in technical complexity and hype, IMS is being heavily promoted by vendors as the “next big thing” for both fixed and mobile operators, claiming diverse service opportunities and cost benefits. The report Delivering Strategic Benefits with IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) explains what IMS is, what its commercial potential is and where operators can best use it.