Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Mobile applications: 32 billion will be downloaded in 2012

This year, 32 billion will be downloaded mobile application in the world, representing a growth of 38% compared to that recorded last year (23 billion). In all, consumers will spend $ 26.12 billion in mobile applications and games, which means 30.7% more than achieved last year, reveals a study from Strategy Analytics.

The survey determines that the mobile plans will generate $ 82.8 billion for the telecoms world. Worldwide revenue with music and videos on mobile devices also have strong momentum and, respectively, will be U.S. $ 16 billion and $ 2.84 billion. Advertising within mobile apps and games, in turn, Reach $ 2.9 billion.

The data are part of the Strategy Analytics forecasts the worldwide market for mobile media. The company anticipates that data plans and mobile navigation will generate U.S. $ 82.8 billion in revenue for operators in the world this year.

Also according to the consultancy, spending on applications by advertisers in the United States and Western Europe, where there is high concentration of smartphones in the hands of consumers with high incomes should exceed spending on display ads on mobile sites.

For the Pyramid, Brazil wants to be "actor" in the global LTE

By the end of 2015, Brazil will have more than 18 million subscribers 4G LTE, despite the skepticism of some operators about the country's ability to popularize the technology, clears study of Pyramid Research.

According to senior analyst consulting, Vinicius Caetano, despite the telcos think that the country is not ready to use the new generation, since the 3G is not reached maturity, the option of the government to accelerate the arrival of LTE seems right. "LTE is still in its infancy in the world. And Brazil will follow this growth," he maintains.

The time is up and delicate. The director of 4G Americas, Erasmo Rojas, for example, says that the government was bold enough to put on notice of the auction 4G - scheduled to take place on June 12 - six Brazilian cities that will have to operate LTE in April 2012. According to Rojas, is a term very tight for the planning and engineering for the installation of networks, "he maintains. The arrival of LTE in Brazil and the impact of 4G business is the theme of the 12th Rio Wireless 2012, held on 21 and May 22, in Rio de Janeiro

Fixed / mobile: Anatel restores reduced rates of Oi

With favorable decision of the Superior Court of Justice, the Anatel has restored the values ​​of rates of Oi - the act was posted on Friday, 20/4 in the Diário Oficial da União

In practice, returns to claim a reduction of 10.78% in value of fixed-mobile calls, according to Resolution 576/2011. Were also restored to the values ​​of Hi interconnection (VU-M) - Act No. 1055/2012 and No. 1480/2012.

The Hi managed to stop the reduction of tariffs through a decision of the the Federal Court of Rio de Janeiro, but the agency appealed to the Supreme Court. According to Anatel, is therefore guaranteed cumulative reduction of 27% of fixed-mobile connections during 2012/2014 for all utilities.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Rural area will have access to the Internet by 2015

In early June, when the Anatel to auction the 450 MHz band, Brazil will have an indication of how the debt will meet with the country's rural access to telecommunications - and especially the Internet. Remember that by "rural" the agency believes the localities in radius up to 30 km from district headquarters.

The idea is to use this frequency band, which, in theory, allows transmissions with range up to 50km, to carry voice and data services to remote areas of the country. The operators argue that the provision of services in these areas is poor and sparsely populated, so far, been reluctant to acquire this frequency.

Hence the strategy of offering the first track on the lot and if there is no winner, selling it so married to another band, 2.5 GHz This is much more to be coveted by the frequency of services designed for fourth generation 4G , or LTE, able to effectively provide broadband on mobile devices.

So, either way will result in the fulfillment of obligations related to attendance in rural areas - where they live Anatel estimates about 30 million Brazilians, most of them even without access to telephone service.

The coverage of these regions will be staggered until December 2015. By June 2014, 30% of the municipalities should have offers Internet access, a high percentage to 60% by December of that year and 100% at the end of next year.

There is clearly nothing that can be called broadband. The initial goal is for speeds of 256 kbps to 128 kbps for download and upload in franchise packages with 250 MB of data. In 2017, the rate will rise to 1 Mbps (256 kbps upload) and the franchise to 500 MB.

"We know that 256 kbps is a low speed, but also have to remember we're talking about where today there is no access," said the rapporteur of the announcement, Councillor Marcelo Bechara.

Wireless broadband up to 100 Mbps arrives in Brazil in a year

The new generation of mobile telecommunications will arrive in Brazil within a year, at least in the cities of Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and Fortaleza - and probably still in Recife and Salvador. They are the host cities Confederations Cup.

This new generation, called 4G or LTE (Long Term Evolution of English) has as its main gimmick the ability to transmit data at speeds well above those currently achieved in 3G. In theory, peak of 100 Mbps for operation in bands of 20 MHz

For the schedule of the announcement of the 2.5 GHz band - a frequency that will be used for 4G services - by the end of 2013 the list of cities will be expanded to Cuiabá, Curitiba, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre and Sao Paulo, which together eat 6/1 completes the headquarters and branch offices of the World Cup 2014.

Despite the requirement for a fast pace of service deployment, the target coverage headquarters and branch offices in these cities will be slightly different. As a general rule, the Anatel finds that a city is served when you have 80% coverage in your area. These will be accepted the percentage of 50%.

Before the World Cup in June, but all the capitals and cities with over 500,000 inhabitants should also have service offerings in LTE. By the end of 2015 and 2016 will be included towns with up to 200 000 and 100 000 inhabitants, respectively.

In the case of smaller cities - from 30 to 100 thousand inhabitants - companies should at least expand their networks so they can offer 3G services. Remember that part of that coverage was also provided in the auction of third generation, whose schedule is still in progress (will 2018).

Vivo and OI are processed in Sao Paulo to install antennas outside the municipal laws

The Public Prosecutor General of São Paulo has filed a lawsuit against the operators Vivo and Oi due to the installation of antennas for cellular network without the license required by municipal law. The process requires the prohibition of the installation of new antennas without a license, and the withdrawal or regulation of those who are already in operation.

In the injunction is still in trial, the prosecution asks daily fine of $ 10,000 per antenna installed improperly, and compensation for material and moral damages to be reverted to the Urban Development Fund. If upheld the action, operators will have six months to rectify the situation or remove the antenna equipment.


Inappropriate places

According to the prosecution, Vivo has 818 antennas (or Base Station Radio - RBS) located in the municipality of Sao Paulo and licensed by Anatel (National Telecommunications Agency). Of this total, 539 have no installation permit from the city council, or that meet technical, do not obey the rules for use and occupation of urban land. Hi have already have installed 881 base stations, of which 710 were irregular - about 80% of the antennas.

Another problem, says the Prosecutor General of the Municipality, is that some of these antennas are installed in residential areas, near schools, clubs and hospitals, which raises concerns about the health effects of people living in those areas exposed to RF fields.

According to a spokesperson for the City of São Paulo, Hi and live have not been cited because the trial judge ruled that prosecutors might be displayed on any interest in being an author with the City in action.


 

Awakens the interest of telecommunications companies that still do not act in the national market

The president of the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel), João Batista de Rezende, confirmed that the bidding of 450 megahertz (MHz) and 2.5 giga-hertz (GHz) will be published the week of April 23. Proposals should be opened near the day June 10. According to Rao, there is the possibility of the auction include the participation of Brazilian and foreign companies, which does not operate in the domestic market.

"We believe it can, yes, there are competitors out of participating in the auction. And also of Brazilian companies that are not yet mobile service operators, "Rao said during a news conference. "We believe this announcement will be very beneficial for the country because it will offer both for infrastructure and rural to urban," he added.

According to the proposed bidding terms of radio frequency bands 451 MHz to 458 MHz, 461 MHz to 468 MHz and 2.5 GHz to 2.69 GHz, if companies do not appear interested in acquiring the lower frequencies the concession for the 4G (range 4.5 GHz) will be done only linked to a lower frequency.

The difference between low and high frequencies phone is similar to the characteristics of AM and FM radio: the lower the frequency, the lower the signal quality and greater area coverage, the higher the frequency, the higher quality and lower the coverage area .


Thus, higher frequencies are ideal for transmitting large amounts of data into smaller areas (and higher population density, such as large cities), which requires a greater quantity of antennas, investment is offset by greater demand for services. Since the lower frequencies are better suited for rural and remote areas where the population concentration (or demand for services) is smaller.

In order to avoid "adventurers in the 450 MHz band", the Anatel states that, to participate in the bidding, interested companies must make a deposit of 10% of the project, which must mean something between $ 200 million and R $ 300 million. "If they win they will have to pay a performance guarantee of service," added Rezende. According to Anatel, the estimate is that this value is between £ 2.5 billion and $ 3 billion.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Central Bank of Brazil: Regular 'new money' is the biggest challenge of mobile payment

The director of the Central Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Aldo Mendes, adopted a fairly cautious and did not give deadlines for the publication of a regulatory framework for the use of mobile phones as payment. But he admits that the environment today, with more than 257 million active chips in the country - will require new rules, according to the audience: Classes C, D and E, outside the traditional banking system.

Mendes, who attended on Tuesday, 10/04, the 17th edition of Cards Payment & Identification, in the state capital, maintained that the working group - set up last week after a meeting between Communications Minister Paulo Bernardo, and President BC, Alexander Tombini - has started its activities - it has 90 days to define a model - and that issues such as simplicity and banking inclusion are relevant to the definition of the adjustment points.

"I do not set deadlines - even for this group of work - because there are many actors involved in the process - credit cards, banks, carriers and government - but I'm sure simplicity, safety and universality, as well as interoperability between technology platforms, are critical points to be worked, "said Mendes.

Asked about the auto service, the BC director said that a settlement between the parties is always welcome, but to regulate it, yes, the government and BC. And one of the points that can be placed on the table is the creation of a neutral entity to serve as a clearing house for mobile transactions. "This is a model that works in SPB (Brazilian Payments System) and can be a good alternative for the new money that will go into circulation," he said.


Whether the mobile payment is seen for all social classes, including bank is one of the challenges imposed by the government. Both Mendes said that the intention of using the means to simplify the access of families benefiting from social programs such as Bolsa Familia, the financial resources of the cell.

But there are issues to be solved: The main one is the model for the remuneration of agents - banks and operators. You will also need to create templates that simplify access to means of payment - without the need to check facts, as required today for the opening of current accounts. But the fact is that the animosity between banks and telcos are more lenient and it is possible to sit at the table to negotiate.

"The prepaid card with a payment confirmation via SMS, is a clear solution for mobile payment. The Hi have a card in this model even in 2012, in partnership with the Bank of Brazil. But the challenge is to have the simplicity that exists today to buy a prepaid cell. the acquisition of mobile money, which is a new money, is not known today because he simply does not exist yet - lies, in fact, with the money on paper, should be very simple, "said the director of Services and Products Hi, Gabriel Ferreira. "But at the same time will require interoperability of systems to prevent fraud and money laundering," he added.

Have Mauricio Roman, Vivo, says the service pay for the actors will be a reality - but the business does not revenge - but argues that tariffs should not replicate the current model. "The costs should be much lower than those charged today for a DOC, a TED. If not, there is no banking desired. The mobile payment could explode if the agents act in favor of the model. Can repeat the corresponding bank. the phone will be a channel and should be seen as well, "mused the officer.

802.11ac WiFi technology can provide gigabit speed for businesses?

Comments on the 802.11ac are in full swing, but you should not believe everything you read. The latest innovation in WiFi, the 802.11ac still a draft, should be integrated into enterprise WiFi products before 2013 and residential products even sooner.

The standard has been dubbed WiFi Gigabit and, indeed, is what it will be the largest market for WiFi, residential. But is that technology can offer gigabit speeds for business? No way.

Defined only by the frequency of high-capacity 5 GHz (495MHz), the 802.11ac offers a series of new techniques such as advanced modulation and coding, multiuser MIMO channels, and linking. Theoretically, the manufacturers claim can dramatically improve the ability of WiFi will be?

Undoubtedly, the 802.11ac is a great innovation, but like any great innovation, the danger usually is in the details. We present some details that can help demystify the 802.11ac.


 Eight channels space

A major innovation came with the WiFi space 802.11n and the spatial multiplexer, using a technique called MIMO (multiple input, multiple output). With this technology, an access point can send multiple spatial channels for a client to increase its capacity. The specification 802.11n provides up to four spatial channels.

Multiuser MIMO

802.11n presented MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output), which is the use of multiple antennas at the transmitter and receiver in order to increase data traffic without additional bandwidth or higher transmission power. Basically, the system spreads throughout the transmission power for all the antennas more bits per second per hertz bandwidth, with the additional benefit of improved reliability due to the great diversity of the antenna. With 802.11n, MIMO could only be used by a single client at any time. The 802.11ac is an attempt to improve this with the so-called "multi-user MIMO (MU)."

Thus, the access point may transmit 802.11ac two (or more depending on the number of radio stations) spatial channels to two or more client devices. This can represent a great advance, but is optional. And the first 802.11ac chips should not support this function. Furthermore, it is very likely that the MIME-MU not be implemented due to the complexity and configuration of the radio MAC addresses.


 Only 5GHz
Due to the approach adopted by 11AC, to achieve all of this speed (channel binding), it makes sense to support the frequency of 2.4 GHz, which has only three of 11 non-overlapping channels. This is a great news. This means that devices that want 11AC (and everyone should want to) have the ability to 5GHz. Today, a very low percentage of these devices have the ability to transmit at 5GHz, which is a shame. Now, all devices will be required to include this feature.
Linking of channels
A simple and efficient method to increase the speed of any radio communication is to use more often. For people who are not professionals, this is known as bandwidth. To get more bandwidth, 802.11n introduced binding channels: the ability to combine two 20MHz channels to work with only a single channel - basically a longer way to transmit WiFi signals This doubled the rate of transmission available.
When you create and implement a WiFi network to high densities, the preferred option is to use more channels rather than a smaller number of larger channels. Increase the number of devices occupying a single channel within a specific area reduces the efficiency of WiFi, and that's why people like wires, because each device has its own channel and no other device is occupying that channel (copper or fiber). Therefore, we obtain an immense transmission rate.
The adoption of 802.11ac in homes is a different case. It is preferable to link the channel to the 160MHz, because few devices are trying to access a single AP.
The situation is different in business. There, many APs are needed to support hundreds or thousands of users, and these APs must be allocated to different channels, as far as possible.
Ironically, the 802.11ac should prolong the viability of current 802.11n networks. With more and more customers operating in 5GHz, capacity and performance should increase with no impact on the infrastructure. This is the best news of all.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Vivo expands the service offering HSPA +

Vivo will be the first operator in the country to offer HSPA + with national coverage, with the exception of the states of Amapa and Roraima.

The offer will be available in the new plans Vivo 3GPlus Unlimited Smartphone, which comes to meet with the HSPA + network the growing demand for next-generation mobile phones, and Vivo Brazil 10GB Internet, for clients that connect via modems and tablets.

The Live 3GPlus Smartphone Unlimited offers a choice of three options-d 500MB, 750 MB and 2 GB. In the plans of 60 minutes, for example, the client has 500 MB of franchise, unlimited local calls for Vivo and 60 minutes to talk with other operators and local fixed. From the plans of 200 minutes, the user now has 2GB franchise. Packages start at $ 99.00.

In the case of Internet plans Vivo Brazil, the news is the expansion of supply to other states 10GB - modem plans already available for the metropolitan region of São Paulo since November last year.

With sights set on LTE in 450 MHz Anatel should defer the start of coverage

Next Thursday, 12/4, the Anatel intends to adopt the final text of the announcement of the bands 450 MHz and 25 GHz, to be held before the end of May. And although the essence of the proposal sent to the public consultation remains, some deadlines for compliance with obligations will be extended, and the prediction of regional operations with the frequencies.

"The goals certainly exist. What we are evaluating is some level of flexibility. The Confederations Cup and the World, have time to happen, then the deadlines of the host cities have to be maintained. But fit adjustments, including the obligations of the rural areas, "explains the writer of the notice, Marcelo Bechara.

One possibility is to define an intermediate step in the goals related to 4G. For now, until the end of 2015 the cities with more than 100 000 inhabitants should be covered, but this step should be postponed to include before, coverage in cities with more than 200 000 inhabitants.


This intermediate step has been the subject of discussions even with other directors, but the writer wants to change, though, some deadlines for the obligations of the rural area, tied, so the range of 450 MHz "Today we only have 450 MHz CDMA, but with the development of CPqD, it will be optimized, "says the reporter.

The idea is thus a signal to the market a little more time for the start of deployments, so that there mature prototype that CPqD develops equipment for the use of fourth generation - LTE - in the 450 MHz band, the ensure that much higher speeds of today being obtained in the test frequency.

There are limits to this, however. The Presidential Decree with the goals of universal (7512/2011), fixed for December 2015 the deadline for individual access is accessible in the rural area 30 km from the municipal headquarters. That is, on that date all customers in the region mentioned should see their requests serviced installation of lines.