THE bitter battle for supremacy over the mobile internet rumbled on yesterday, with Google accused of being “desperate” and just plain wrong in alleging that two of its rivals are colluding to make money from their patents.
Responding to a complaint filed by Google with the European Commission, Finnish handset maker Nokia said it had a completely separate patent strategy to that of Microsoft, its smartphone partner since early 2011. Their phones, using Windows on Nokia’s Lumia hardware, compete with Android devices running on Google software.
A Nokia spokesman said: “Though we have not yet seen the complaint, Google’s suggestion that Nokia and Microsoft are colluding on intellectual property rights is wrong.
“Both companies have their own intellectual property rights portfolios and strategies and operate independently.”
Microsoft was similarly scathing in an earlier statement, accusing Google of hi-tech hypocrisy.
A spokesman for Microsoft said: “Google is complaining about patents when it won’t respond to growing concerns by regulators, elected officials and judges about its abuse of standard-essential patents, and it is complaining about anti-trust in the smartphone industry when it controls more than 95 per cent of mobile search and advertising.
“This seems like a desperate tactic on its part.”
Google’s European complaint is the latest in a seemingly endless stream of patent lawsuits being filed worldwide as the major players seek to forge a stronghold in rapidly-expanding world of the wireless internet.
Google says Microsoft and Nokia have transferred 1,200 patents to Mosaid, a so-called “patent troll” that makes money by taking legal action over infringements on patents.
Email to a friend
Print this pageFirst Sub-£100 Windows Phone : Nokia Lumia 710 Now Down To £99.90 - Itproportal
Mobiles.co.uk has slashed the cost of the Nokia Lumia 710 to £99.90 with a compulsory top up of £10 on T-Mobile, Vodafone or Orange. The phone is branded but most importantly unlocked.
Still, this not only makes selling the Nokia Lumia 610 a near impossible (and utterly futile task), it also marks the first time when the Microsoft managed to bring down the cost of a decent Windows Phone Mango smartphone to under £100.
The Lumia 610 is not only more expensive but also have a worse hardware compared to the Lumia 710. Half the memory (and the inability to run Skype) combined with a much slower processor (1.4GHz vs 800MHz) plus Nokia is offering six month free of Zune Music pass to Lumia 710 owners, a freebie that's worth nearly £54 which gives you access to download, stream and listen to unlimited tracks, anywhere
Plus, it mounts a formidable challenge to the title of best value for money handset on the market against the likes of the Sony Xperia U, the Orange San Diego or the Huawei Ascend G300.
Source : Mobiles.co.uk
Umniah's high speed mobile internet network covering entire Jordan close to completion - AME Info
During an exclusive interview with "Al Ghad" daily newspaper, Jaghoub added that the Company intends to launch its 3G network - which was integrated in collaboration with two of the largest global Telecom Manufacturers that provide advanced communication equipment and solutions: "Huawei" and "ZTE" - with full coverage of the Kingdom's governorates from the moment the network is deployed. The network will provide enhanced speeds, compared with those of 2Gandearlier versions of 3G technologies.He also explained that the Company chose this timing for the launch because the local communications market is currently at its peak maturity, with increased demand for high speed Broadband Internet services, and an increase in computers and smart phone penetration rates in the Kingdom.
Engineer Al Jaghoub added that since acquiring the 3G license in January of this year, Umniah's engineering team has completed over three quarters of the work required for the construction of the network, including the upgrade of base-stations and cell towers, the modernization of all switching units, and the upgrade of microwave connections with newer ones that supports higher capacities of mobile voice and data communication services.
Coinciding with the deployment of the new 3G network that will double the number of cellular stations on which "Umniah" relies today, and which are in excess of 1500 stations, Al Jaghoub went on to add that the Company is also in the process of completing the Eighth phase of its 2G Network expansion work. He affirmed that there is no conflict between offering 3G services and the fixed wireless WiMAX services, as each service is designed and customized to serve its designated subscribers segment and meets their specific needs. 3G technology fulfills the mobile subscribers' data communication needs, while WiMAX fulfills the needs of home and small office users and users with limited mobility within a specific geographic location.
Al Jaghoub added, "Umniah today owns over 1,500 2G stations that serve subscribers and avail the Company's services throughout the Kingdom, with coverage exceeding 99% of the population, while the 3G network will be offered in most of these stations, thus doubling the number of working stations."
He also stated, "We will be providing our services through all the governorates and cities of the Kingdom, including main highways and numerous villages and communities."
The Company acquired its 3G frequency license earlier this year for JD50 million, securing the 2.1 GHz "Giga Hertz"of spectrum from the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC), in preparation for the rollout of the advanced 3.75G services to its growing base of subscribers. Umniah currently serves over 2.3 million subscribers in Jordan, with a market share of 31%, and one third of the mobile internet market through its "WiMAX" services.
Chief Executive Officer of Umniah, Mr. Ihab Hinnawi, had announced in earlier statements that the Company invested JD100m this year, 50 million of which were paid to the government forthe license,and JD50m to upgrade the network and build the 3G network.
On the engineering details of the construction of the 3G network, Al Jaghoub explained that "the transition of communications operators from 2G services to 3G ones requires an upgraded infrastructure capable of providing high speed data communications, which is what Umniah has achieved. As a pioneer in the provision of advanced 2.75G services at the beginning of its operations, today, it is building a new network that will offer advanced 3.75G services. This entails the construction of advanced 3G stations that have been added to existing stations, along with making full modernization to the antenna systems used to support both technologies together. The Company has also built new switches and upgraded their infrastructure, in addition to upgrading all microwave connections to provide stations with greater connection capacities. Ultimately, this will lead to the provision of exceptional service with the latest technology to our subscribers wherever they are".
On the differences between 2G and 3G in terms of services and speeds, Al Jaghoub explained that 2G was fundamentally designed to provide Voice digital communications and short messages, following which GPRS/EDGE data technology was added, that offered speeds of up to 200 kilobits/second at the time.
However, and according to Al Jaghoub, "3G has adopted more advanced technology, taking data speeds to greater horizons of 7, 14 and 21 megabits per second". He went on to add, "We are now also talking about doubling these speeds in some networks particularly when referring to the advanced 3.75G, and so 3G has enhanced speeds by 50 to 100 times, compared with 2G technologies. This will be offered to Umniah network subscribers as part of the technology we are currently adopting, in support of the Company's strategy to continuously offer our clients the latest services, networks and technologies, to which they are accustomed."
Al Jaghoub further explained, "3Gbegan with high download speeds, at the time called HSDPA, and then high speed technology was added to upload files and send them through the internet, called HSUPA. Now, we are talking about the latest version and higher scopes of speed as part of the HSPA+, which includes high speed uploads and downloads that exceed what was previously offered. This is what we mean when we say we are not offering only 3.5G technology, but rather 3.75G technology, the latest in the region's networks."
Al Jaghoub also confirmed the Company's accurate designs for all aspects of the required infrastructure to guarantee high speeds and capacities for data and voice communications, while providing the highest levels of availability and operation for the network's elements. This will reflect on greater quality of voice and data communications with greater capacities for phone calls, compared with 2G.
"All this means better use and a unique subscriber experience with favorite applications,in addition to making calls on the network, whether at the level of personal calls or emails, or social network applications. It will also reflect positively on the provision of support to businesses, allowing subscribers to be online at all times. We are working diligently on addressing all of these important issues to ensure that our subscribers enjoy communicating through our network" added Al Jaghoub.
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.