Category: Telecommunications

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GSMA to create Connected City experience at Mobile Asia Expo

GSMAVisitors to Mobile Asia Expo 2013 in Shanghai will get to delve in a new Connected City experience. They will be able to stroll down a city street of the future and experience the Connected Life powered by intelligent mobile connections.

The Connected City will build on the success of the Connected City at this year’s Mobile World Congress and draw on developments that have put Asia at the forefront of connected device and service uptake.

 

In partnership with China Mobile, Cisco, Ford Motor Company, Huawei, KT Corp. and SAP, the Connected City will be a life-like urban environment where attendees will experience how these companies are making homes smarter, motoring more intelligent, shopping easier and city living safer in the largest and most forward-thinking mobile market in the world. Each area will bring together the latest in cutting-edge products and services to demonstrate how a connected future, driven by mobile, will simplify and enhance people’s everyday lives.

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IDC: Fiercer competition after 3G rollout in Thailand

IDCThe launch of new 3G data plans by all three Thai mobile operators will introduce broad changes to the competitive dynamics among mobile operators, particularly in how they deal with the mass market segment. 

IDC issued this warning after a review of the price plans and potential market share of the three mobile operators after the release of their 3G service plans.

IDC believes the industry is set for a slew of promotional and pricing competitive pressures in the next six months, possibly resulting in significant churn among the customer base if one of the telco operators does not keep its defenses up.

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New ZTE Grand X2 In smartphone sports Intel Atom processor

ZTE Grand X2 InZTE has launched a new flagship smartphone — the ZTE Grand X2 In — that comes with the Intel Atom processor Z2580 with up to 2GHz, Android Jelly Bean OS, an advanced 8MP camera and 1080p movie and video play back.

Pitched at demanding but value conscious users, it delivers faster webpage loads, application launch times and content download times, as well as amazing graphics capabilities and responsive multitasking.

The smartphone boasts an 8MP socially-smart camera with one of the shortest shot-to-shot times on the market, capable of up to 24 frames per second and no shutter lag. It secures a high image quality in challenging environments with real-time 2x axis stabilisation, and face and smart scene recognition.

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Gartner: APAC led mobile phone growth in Q1

GartnerThe Asia-Pacific region grew 6.4 percent year-on-year in Q1 mobile phone sales, the only region in the world to register growth, according to Gartner.

Worldwide mobile phone sales to end users totalled nearly 426 million units this period, only a slight increase of 0.7 percent from the same period last year. Worldwide smartphone sales hit 210 million units in the first quarter of 2013, up 42.9 percent from the first quarter of 2012.

“More than 226 million mobile phones were sold to end users in Asia-Pacific in the first quarter of 2013, which helped the region increase its share of global mobile phones to 53.1 percent year-on-year,” said Anshul Gupta, Principal Research Analyst at Gartner. “In addition, China saw its mobile phone sales increase 7.5 percent in the first quarter of 2013, and its sales represented 25.7 percent of global mobile phone sales, up nearly 2 percentage points year-on-year.

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IDC: Worldwide tablet market posts strong growth in Q1

IDCWorldwide tablet shipments continue to surge, growing 142.4 percent year over year in the first quarter of 2013 (1Q13), according to preliminary data from IDC Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker. Tablet shipments totaled 49.2 million units in 1Q13, surpassing that of the entire first half of 2012. With growth fueled by increased market demand for smaller screen devices, tablets have shown no sign of slowing down.

Apple outperformed IDC’s most recent projections for the quarter, shipping 19.5 million units compared to a forecast of 18.7 million units. The company, which historically has experienced a steep drop off in first quarter shipments (following strong holiday sales in the fourth quarter), saw some smoothing of that seasonality this year. Number two vendor Samsung also performed above expectations and managed to grow its shipments over the fourth quarter as more of the company’s smaller-sized tablets began to gain traction in the market. Samsung has also used its recent Android smartphone growth to help bring its tablet product line into new markets and channels, leveraging the opportunity to package and bundle. The strong performance of the two market leaders helped drive total shipments to an impressive 49.2 million units for the quarter.

“Sustained demand for the iPad mini and increasingly strong commercial shipments led to a better-than expected first quarter for Apple,” said Tom Mainelli, Research Director, Tablets at IDC. “In addition, by moving the iPad launch to the fourth quarter of 2012, Apple seems to have avoided the typical first-quarter slowdown that traditionally occurred when consumers held off buying in January and February in anticipation of a new product launch in March.”

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GSMA launches NFC Experience for Mobile Asia Expo

GSMASo much hope was placed on Near Field Communication (NFC) technology but Apple’s non-adoption of the technology was a major dampener. A few other mobile vendors, such as Samsung, have included NFC is selected models of their devices.

Keen to drive the technology, GSMA will be showcasing the NFC Experience at Mobile Asia Expo, an interactive experience through which exhibitors, vendors and attendees will be able to use mobile NFC to exchange information and conduct transactions. Mobile Asia Expo will take place from June 26 to 28 at Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre (SNIEC) in Shanghai.

“We’re excited to launch the NFC Experience for Mobile Asia Expo, as it provides attendees the opportunity to experience first-hand the power of NFC technology throughout the Mobile Asia Expo venue, as well as in the Pudong area of Shanghai,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. “We hope that all attendees will take advantage of the many benefits of NFC, from information access and download to retail transactions, among others.”

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IDC: Smartphones top feature phone shipment in Q1

IDCSamsung led the smartphone market as smartphones outshipped feature phones for the first time in Q1. According to IDC (see table below), Samsung not only maintained its pole position but widened its market share lead over Apple in the smartphone market. However, LG showed the most percentage improvement in this category with a 110 percent jump year-on-year.

Top Five Smartphone Vendors, Shipments, and Market Share, Q1 (Units in Millions) 

Vendor

1Q13 Unit Shipments

1Q13 Market Share

1Q12 Unit Shipments

1Q12 Market Share

Year-over-year Change
Samsung

70.7

32.7%

44.0

28.8%

60.7%
Apple

37.4

17.3%

35.1

23.0%

6.6%
LG

10.3

4.8%

4.9

3.2%

110.2%
Huawei

9.9

4.6%

5.1

3.3%

94.1%
ZTE

9.1

4.2%

6.1

4.0%

49.2%
Others

78.8

36.4%

57.5

37.7%

37.0%
Total

216.2

100.0%

152.7

100.0%

41.6%

 

The worldwide mobile phone market grew 4 percent year over year in the seasonally slow Q1. IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker reports that vendors shipped a total of 418.6 million mobile phones in Q1 compared to 402.4 million units in Q1 of 2012 and 483.2 million units in Q4 of 2012.

 

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Gartner: India’s mobile services market to hit US$2.2b in 2013

GartnerIndia’s mobile services market is continuing its growth momentum. According to Gartner, it will increase by 8 percent to hit US$2.2b this year. Mobile connections will grow 11 percent to 770 million in 2013.

“The mobile market in India will continue to face challenges if average revenue per unit (ARPU) does not grow significantly,” said Shalini Verma, Principal Research Analyst at Gartner. “If the prevailing conditions do not change in the Indian telecom market, India will account for 12 percent worldwide mobile connections, but just 2 percent of worldwide mobile services revenue (in constant US$) in 2013.”

Indian telecom operators are faced with two major challenges – growing their profit margin in the face of intense competition and successfully competing with over the top service providers, such as Facebook and WhatsApp.

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ZTE delivers 500 millionth handset

ZTEZTE celebrated the 15th anniversary of its terminals division with the production of the 500 millionth handset, becoming the first Chinese mobile device brand to achieve the landmark.

It plans to promote the Grand S quad-core smartphone and the Grand Memo phablet internationally in the near future, after the two flagship products scored impressive results since their introduction in China this year. The Grand S and Grand Memo represent the state-of-the-art in performance, specifications and industrial design in the global smart devices industry.

Efforts to strengthen ZTE’s brand and engage consumers will be a key part of ZTE’s strategy. The Times Square in New York, the Fukuoka Yahoo! Japan Dome, the London Olympics stadium, and the works of Chinese film director Zhao Baogang are now some of touch-points where ZTE plans to form increased affinity with consumers around the world.

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Gartner: Top 10 technology trends for the energy and utilities sector

GartnerGartner has identified the top ten technology trends affecting the global energy and utility markets in 2013, as the industry faces significant challenges from ongoing environmental sensitivity, changing policymaker attitudes and consumer expectations.

“Searching for successful business models that will address these issues and generate anticipated shareholder returns in uncertain regulatory settings is a top priority for this industry,” said report author Kristian Steenstrup, Vice President and Gartner Fellow. “This is in addition to protecting the security of critical generation and delivery infrastructure, as well as maintaining system reliability with aging physical assets. Public and private utilities are looking at how technology can reduce cost, drive efficiency and enhance competitive advantage.”

According to Steenstrup, what was once considered a conservative and slow-moving industry has seen a wide range of innovation from within and outside the traditional IT organization. He believes that understanding business trends is a crucial requirement for energy and utility organisations to create a successful IT strategy in this market.

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Singapore and Taiwan among world’s Top 10 in IT use

Singapore maintained its second position while Taiwan inched into the final spot in the Top 10 list of the 12th edition of The Global Information Technology Report by the World Economic Forum.

The report’s Networked Readiness Index (NRI) measures the capacity of 144 economies to leverage infocommunications technology (ICT) for growth and well-being.

Finland topped the list by switching place with Sweden, which slid to third.

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Transforming computing experiences from the device to the cloud

IntelIntel has announced new technologies and partnerships aimed at transforming how people experience technology from the device to the cloud. The announcements at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) included details on new data centre product lines based on the 22-nanometer (nm) process technology and the new Intel rack scale architecture, along with details on the forthcoming 4th generation Intel Core processor family.

During her keynote, Diane Bryant, Intel Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Datacentre and Connected Systems Group, underscored the importance of the data centre in enabling amazing personal computing experiences to deliver real-time information and services. She also outlined the steps Intel is taking to provide the hardware and software needed for data analytics to improve the capabilities of intelligent devices and data center infrastructure.

“People are increasingly demanding more from their devices through applications and services whether at home, at work or wherever they may be,” Bryant said. “Intel is delivering a powerful portfolio of hardware and software computing technologies from the device to the data center that can improve experiences and enable new services.”

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ZTE doubled smartphone shipment in 2012

ZTEZTE more than doubled its target shipment of smartphones in 2012. The growth in smartphone sales helped ZTE post a gross profit margin of 16.8 percent in its terminals division in 2012, an improvement of 1.6 percentage points compared to a year earlier.

In the US, ZTE’s smartphone shipments greatly increased due to the company’s focus on high-end markets.  In emerging markets including India, Indonesia, Mexico, Argentina, and Russia, ZTE also achieved fast growth. In 2012, the distributors channel contributed 10 percent of ZTE’s terminal revenue for the first time.

The strong smartphone sales performance helped ZTE record RMB1.87 billion of operating cash flow in 2012. ZTE also posted positive free cash flow and operating cash flow for the first time in three years.

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Gartner: 2.4b PCs, tablets and mobile phones to ship in 2013

GartnerWorldwide shipment of PCs, tablets and mobile phones are expected to top 2.4 billion units in 2013, a 9 percent increase from 2012, according to Gartner. Device shipments are predicted to reach more than 2.9 billion units in 2017. However, the mix of these devices will significantly change over the forecast period.

The proliferation of lower-priced tablets and their growing capability is accelerating the shift from PCs to tablets.

“While there will be some individuals who retain both a personal PC and a tablet, especially those who use either or both for work and play, most will be satisfied with the experience they get from a tablet as their main computing device,” said Carolina Milanesi, Research Vice President at Gartner. “As consumers shift their time away from their PC to tablets and smartphones, they will no longer see their PC as a device that they need to replace on a regular basis.”

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ZTE completes world’s first LTE ground-air broadband test

ZTEAir travellers can look forward to better internet communications while on the air. Last month, Hainan Airlines tested the world’s first  commercial ground-air FDD-LTE-based broadband network on its flight HU7137 from Beijing to Xi’an.

Internet connectivity was available for 70 minutes of the two-hour flight. During the test, engineers were able to complete a variety of online tasks, including real-time video conferencing, instant messaging, microblogging, email, online gaming, and online payments. The downlink and uplink bandwidths were stable and worked at speeds greater than 12Mbps.

The test was conducted in partnership with ZTE. To adapt to the fast-growing online service needs of domestic airlines in China, ZTE initiated in 2011 R&D for the world’s first 4G civil aviation ground-air broadband communication system. The system is designed to provide wireless broadband data transmission channels at a rate of higher than 30-60Mbps on planes flying at various altitudes. The service, which is based on advanced FDD-LTE 4G network technology, allows passengers to access the Internet via a cabin WLAN.

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Master database management system gives telcos the edge

hybrisIn a highly competitive and dynamic market, telcos are increasingly looking at multiple channels to sell their services and products. Many players have turned to personalisation and business analytics in order to retain and win customers.

However, James Chu, Regional Sales Manager for Southeaast Asia and Telco of hybris, believes that taking an additional step will give them the edge.

“We offer our customers one more step – master database management (MDM) system. MDM curates inventory so that customers can find what they want easily and on any device,” he explained.

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ZTE and Intel in next generation smartphone collaboration

ZTEZTE and Intel are collaborating on developing the next generation of ZTE smartphones based on the new Intel Atom Processor Z2580 platform.

The platform’s dual-core processor with Intel Hyper-Threading Technology provides double the compute performance and up to 3x graphics capabilities over the previous generation Intel Atom Z2460 processor while delivering the same battery life.

This latest engagement builds on the multi-year relationship between ZTE and Intel that has already produced the ZTE Grand X IN, ZTE’s first smartphone with Intel Inside.

“Our work with ZTE has been instrumental as we work to expand our portfolio of mobile products and bring to market exciting new designs with Intel Inside, It’s great to work with ZTE on the new family of Intel Atom processors for smartphones and we’re confident that the combination of high performance, competitive battery life and overall value will be appreciated by consumers,” said Hendrik Unkel, Director for Marketing and Business Development at Intel.

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hybris Software raises $30m investment

hybrishybris has secured a $30 million investment to fund growth in emerging markets, strengthen its presence in North America and Europe, address additional verticals, and make strategic add-on acquisitions. 

The new investment comes from Meritech Capital Partners, Greylock Israel and Huntsman Gay Global Capital (HGGC), which has been the company’s largest investor since 2011. George Bischof, a Managing Director at Meritech who led this equity round, has joined the hybris Board of Directors.

Over the past three years, hybris has generated organic revenue growth at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 70 percent, while still generating positive operating cash flows. hybris currently employs more than 600 people.

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Asian mobile players and operators among Global Mobile award winners

The ASUS-made Google Nexus 7 clinched the Best Tablet Award.
The ASUS-made Google Nexus 7 clinched the Best Tablet Award.

Asia is becoming a leading force in the mobile communications space. Mobile product makers Samsung and Asus and mobile operators NTT Docomo, Bharti Airtel and SK Telecom were among the winners at the 18th Annual Global Mobile awards, held at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The Government of New Zealand also nabbed the Spectrum for Mobile Broadband Award.

More than 170 independent analysts, journalists, academics, and subject matter experts and 13 representatives from mobile operators throughout the world participated in the judging of the 2013 awards.

The full list of winners and finalist for the 2013 Global Mobile Awards is available at www.globalmobileawards.com/winners-2013

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Women underserved by mobile financial services providers


GSMAVisaWomen in developing countries represent a significant underserved market and commercial opportunity for mobile financial service providers.

According to the study by the GSMA mWomen Programme and Visa, more than two billion people worldwide, the majority of whom are women, lack access to basic financial services.

The study, entitled, Unlocking the Potential: Women and Mobile Financial Services in Emerging Markets, focused on women in Indonesia, Kenya, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, and Tanzania. It was undertaken to gain additional insight into how financial institutions and mobile network operators can better support the complex financial lives of women at the base of the pyramid.

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New ZTE Grand Memo features Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor

ZTE Grand MemoThe newly-launched ZTE Grand Memo 5.7-inch handset runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors.

It balances the portability of a handset and the larger viewing and easier touch-interaction experience of a tablet. The new phone features a 5.7-inch, high definition, 720 x 1280 display, and a powerful Qualcomm 800 processor with quad-core Krait CPUs and 2GB of RAM. Combined with a 13MP rear-facing camera, 1MP front-facing camera and 1080 HD video playback, this gives users a smooth, high quality multimedia experience that is perfect for gaming and video.

The Grand Memo caters to those who are always on-the-go, with voice-response technology which allows users to answer calls safely while driving, and A-GPS and car-mode navigation system for high quality mapping and directions. It comes with a HD version of ZTE’s Mifavor user interface that is specially designed for smartphones, providing a simpler user experience, and ZTE’s Z Cloud service for the security and access-anywhere provided by cloud services. It also includes a 3200mAh battery for super-long standby time.

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GSMA announces OneAPI Exchange

GSMAGSMA has announced OneAPI Exchange, a new, flexible technical platform that will deliver network capabilities to mobile apps. This latest phase of the OneAPI global initiative, which facilitates closer collaboration between operators and developers, has been undertaken with leading mobile operators including AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, and Vodafone.  OneAPI Exchange will be operated by Apigee.

“The OneAPI Exchange promises to elevate the mobile app experience for consumers,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer of GSMA. “By supporting closer operator-developer relationships and greater cross-carrier interoperability, the platform will lead to seamless access to exciting mobile apps with enhanced features. End users will benefit from operator services they already know and trust, such as billing, messaging and operator identity, embedded within the apps they choose.”

The new initiative incorporates the work undertaken by the Wholesale Application Community (WAC), which was integrated into the GSMA in July 2012. The OneAPI Exchange, which is currently in a working proof of concept form, improves that capability by giving operators the choice of providing developers with either their own customised application programming interfaces (APIs) or standardised APIs. This leads to better flexibility for operators to participate in the OneAPI Exchange programme, according to their own business objectives, while also providing benefits of scale and reach to their developers through API interoperability.

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ZTE debuts world’s first Firefox OS smartphone

ZTE OpenZTE has launched ZTE Open, the world’s first smartphone to run on Mozilla’s Firefox OS open mobile ecosystem. Together with global operator Telefónica, ZTE will first launch the ZTE Open in Spain, Venezuela and Colombia in mid-2013.

The ZTE Open is an entry-level smartphone ideal for young people who are keen to experience the very latest technology, and people on limited budgets looking to make the move from a feature phone to their first smartphone. It features a 3.5-inch, HVGA TFT touchscreen display and has 256MB RAM and 512MB ROM combined with a 3.2MP camera. It supports Bluetooth 2.1, WIFI 802.11b/g/n and AGPS and has a 1200mAH battery.

“ZTE continues to push the boundaries with the aim of bringing customers the very latest that mobile technology has to offer.” said He Shiyou, EVP and Head of ZTE’s Mobile Devices Division. 

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Korean mobile operators KT and SK Telecom win GSMA Chairman’s Award

GSMAKorean mobile operators KT Corporation and SK Telecom have been named the joint recipients of the 2013 GSMA Chairman’s Award. Established in 1996, the award is the GSMA’s most prestigious award and recognises outstanding contribution to the growth and development of mobile communications around the world. This year’s award recognises SK Telecom and KT for their pioneering efforts and leadership in driving the adoption of SIM-based mobile near field communication (NFC) services.

“KT and SK Telecom have been at the forefront of global commercialisation of NFC, catalysing the financial ecosystem for mobile NFC from an early stage,” said Franco Bernabè, Chairman, GSMA and Chairman and CEO of Telecom Italia Group.

“These efforts have not only led to an explosion in demand for NFC-based services domestically, but ensured that the country leads in the worldwide adoption of a single standard for mobile NFC. On behalf of the GSMA, and indeed the entire mobile industry, I commend SK Telecom and KT for their cooperative spirit and a commitment to making life-enhancing new mobile services for users everywhere,” he added.

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Global mobile data revenue to surpass voice revenue by 2018

GSMAMobile operator data revenues will overtake voice revenues globally by 2018, according to a new GSMA report. The mobile data explosion is being driven by a surge in demand for connected devices and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications and is transforming the socioeconomic future of people in developed and developing countries.

The increase in mobile operator data revenues is a global trend across both developed and emerging markets. In 2012, Japan became the first country where data revenues exceeded voice revenues, due largely to the availability of advanced mobile broadband networks and a higher adoption of the latest smartphones, tablets and connected devices.

Data growth has spurred significant advances in connected devices and M2M technologies globally. Four sectors in particular – health, automotive, education and smart cities – are building on the evolution of mobile broadband access and services.

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Intel accelerates mobile computing push

IntelIntel Corporation has announced a range of new products, including a new dual-core Atom SoC (“Clover Trail+”) platform for smartphones and Android tablets, and its first global, multimode-multiband LTE solution that will ship in the first half of this year.

Other disclosures included “Bay Trail” momentum, mobile device enabling efforts, and continued smartphone momentum in emerging markets with the Intel Atom Z2420 processor-based platform.

“Today’s announcements build on Intel’s growing device portfolio across a range of mobile market segments,” said Hermann Eul, Intel Vice President and co-General Manager of the Mobile and Communications Group. “In less than a year’s time, we have worked closely with our customers to bring Intel-based smartphones to market in more than 20 countries around the world, and have also delivered an industry-leading low-power Atom SoC tablet solution running Windows 8, and shipping with leading OEM customers today. Looking forward, we will build upon this foundation and work closely with our ecosystem partners, across operating systems, to deliver the best mobile products and experiences for consumers with Intel Inside.”

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1 in 2 worldwide uses mobile phone

GSMANearly half of the world’s population now uses mobile communications. The number of mobile subscribers now stands at 3.2 billion people and is expected to increase by another 700 million subscribers by 2017. The 4 billion-subscriber milestone will be reached in 2018, according to a new GSMA report.

“The Mobile Economy 2013”, which provides a comprehensive overview of the mobile industry today, outlines the key opportunities and challenges for the mobile industry over the next five years. Developed by the GSMA and A.T. Kearney, the wide-ranging study offers critical insights into the health of the mobile communications industry and details the global enablers needed to spur further investment and growth in the sector. 

“Mobile is a vibrant and evolving industry at the heart of everyday life for billions of people around the world,” said Anne Bouverot, Director General of GSMA. “Mobile has gone beyond being a mere communications tool to one that provides life-enhancing, and in some cases life-saving, services to men, women and children. It’s exciting to look at the possibilities ahead of us as we connect the world’s population to the mobile Internet.”

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ZTE and NVIDIA partner to launch first Tegra 4 super phones

Tegra 4ZTE is teaming up with NVIDIA to deliver the first super phones powered by the NVIDIA Tegra 4 mobile processor, with the first models to be launched in China in the first half of 2013.

Launched at CES in January, the NVIDIA Tegra 4 will enable the ZTE devices to deliver ultra-fast web browsing, improved app load times, more realistic gaming experiences and great battery life – thanks to the processor’s 72 custom NVIDIA GeForce cores and quad-core ARM Cortex-A15 CPU.

Tegra 4 also enables worldwide 4G LTE voice and data support through an optional chipset, the NVIDIA i500 processor. ZTE and NVIDIA are also planning a new LTE super phone using the i500 LTE chipset for blazing-fast networking.

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ZTE launches UniCare service solution

ZTEZTE has launched UniCare, a service solution developed specifically for mobile operators.

UniCare is an end-to-end integrated solution covering the whole network by offering operation assurance aimed at network performance management, service quality management and customer experience assurance, as well as operation consulting aimed at network, service and market development.

“Traditionally, technical services have focused on a specific area of an operator’s business, rather than the whole operation. As a result, they have failed to bring about improvements in operational efficiencies or user experience and have not delivered increased revenues or profits,” said Yang Jiaxiao, Vice President of ZTE. “The UniCare service solution overcomes these failures by providing mobile operators with an overall service assurance for their entire business.”

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GSMA: Mobile drives unprecedented growth in Arab world

GSMAGSMA has published its first in-depth assessment of the impact of the mobile industry on the Arab States, highlighting the explosive growth of mobile services in the region. Based on research from Deloitte, the GSMA Arab States Mobile Observatory details strong regional market competition and falling handset prices, fuelling a 32 percent average annual growth in mobile connections over the past 10 years, soaring from 19 million connections in 2002 to 391 million in 2012.

While highlighting the extraordinary development of the region over the past decade, the report identifies fundamental challenges that put the continued growth of the sector at risk, including limited spectrum availability, high taxation and stifling regulation.

“Mobile communications in the Arab States have transformed society and fostered substantial growth in investment, innovation and productivity,” commented Tom Phillips, Chief Government and Regulatory Affairs Officer, GSMA. “However, there are far greater opportunities that the mobile industry can deliver for the region. Governments need to take action now to increase spectrum availability and stabilise the regulatory environment if they want to continue the momentum and realise mobile’s full potential.”

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ZTE launches Grand Era V985 smartphone in Hong Kong

ZTE Grand Era V985ZTE has launched the Grand Era V985 smartphone in Hong Kong, enabling consumers to enjoy the device’s quad-core powered performance, and a rich media and entertainment experience.

The Grand Era V985’s simple, slim-body styling will appeal to discerning consumers – measuring just 7.9mm thick and weighing 115g. The streamlined design of Grand Era V985 conceals the device’s features. Fitted with the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core 1.5GHz processor, the Grand Era V985 offers superior multitasking performance, fast Web browsing experience, and improved power efficiency for longer battery life.

Equipped with the NVIDIA 12-core Geforce graphics processor, a 4.5-inch Retina screen supporting high-definition videos, a IPS full-view display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 and 326 pixels per inch, and built-in support for Flash videos, the Grand Era V985 delivers best-in-class display quality, and offers user experience matching leading game consoles, meeting the requirements of mobile gamers and online video aficionados.

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ZTE unveils LTE Small Cell backhaul solutions

ZTEZTE has announced a new series of backhaul solutions for LTE Small Cell technology that will enable network operators to meet rising subscriber demand for mobile broadband.

As the increasing use of smart terminals enrich the lives of consumers, network operators face rising challenges. To ensure high-quality user experience, operators need to construct networks that offer dense and miniaturized coverage. Small Cell technology will therefore play a more important role. The deployment of Small Cell networks also places more stringent demands on backhaul technology, with increased emphasis on high capacity, low-cost, security and speed of network construction.

ZTE’s new series of backhaul solutions for LTE Small Cells will help operators address these technical challenges, offering support for a wide range of data transmission methods, including packet bearer network backhaul solution, fixed broadband backhaul solution (through PON, xDSL and Cable), Microwave Wireless backhaul solution, WiFi Non-line-of-sight (NLOS) Wireless backhaul solution and TD-LTE backhaul solution. Operators will enjoy more flexibility and choice in customising their backhaul networks based on their own requirements.

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Samsung opens first Partner Shop in Macau

Shop frontSamsung opened its first Partner Shop in Macau today. Located at No. 63-65 on Avenida do Infante D. Henrique, the stylish and modern shop aims to provide every visitor with the best quality of customer service with unexpected personalised experience.

“As the world leader in consumer electronics and information technology, Samsung is dedicated to introducing innovative products with diversified features and functions to meet customer needs. Further to the launch of two Samsung Partner Shops in Hong Kong last year, Samsung continues to expand its business by launching the first Samsung Partner Shop in Macau,” said Lawrence Chow, Chief Marketing Officer of Samsung Electronics Hong Kong.

Adjacent to various scenic spots, the shop is a one-minute walk from Senado Square and two-minute walk from Grand Lisboa Hotel. With everything under one roof, it lets visitors experience Samsung’s innovative technology and modern digital living.

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Gartner: Worldwide mobile advertising revenue to hit US$11.4b this year

GartnerWorldwide mobile advertising revenue is forecast to reach $11.4 billion in 2013, up from $9.6 billion in 2012, according to Gartner. Worldwide revenue will reach $24.5 billion in 2016 with mobile advertising revenue creating new opportunities for app developers, ad networks, mobile platform providers, specialty agencies and even communications service providers in certain regions.

“The mobile advertising market took off even faster than we expected due to an increased uptake in smartphones and tablets, as well as the merger of consumer behaviors on computers and mobile devices,” said Stephanie Baghdassarian, Research Director of Gartner. “Growth in mobile advertising comes in part at the expense of print formats, especially local newspapers, which currently face much lower ad yields as a result of mobile publishing initiatives.”

“Smartphones and media tablets extend the addressable market for mobile advertising in more and more geographies as an increasing population of users spends an increasing share of its time with these devices,” said Andrew Frank, Research Vice President of Gartner. “This market will therefore become easier to segment and target, driving the growth of mobile advertising spend for brands and advertisers. Mobile advertising should be integrated into advertisers’ overall marketing campaigns in order to connect with their audience in very specific, actionable ways through their smartphones and/or tablets.”

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20,000 to attend 2nd Mobile Asia Expo in Shanghai

GSMA

Mobile Asia Expo will offer more to conference participants in Shanghai from June 26 to 28.

Now in its second year, the expo will include a conference programme featuring CEOs and senior executives from leading companies in Asia and around the world; an extensive exhibition showcasing innovative mobile products and services, including the new Connected City; the App Planet programme for the mobile application development community; a government and regulatory programme; and a variety of other seminars, meetings and educational programmes.

“We are pleased to be returning to Shanghai for our second Mobile Asia Expo,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. “Building on the success of our inaugural event last year, the 2013 edition of Mobile Asia Expo will attract more than 20,000 attendees, including executives and mobile professionals from across the broad mobile communications ecosystem, government officials, technology-savvy consumers. Mobile Asia Expo 2013 promises to be bigger and better, with a range of new programmes and activities for both business and consumer attendees.”

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ZTE forecasts profitable Q1

ZTEZTE expects to report a profit in the first quarter of 2013 as a result of the company’s operational review and strategic realignment efforts.

It is executing its comprehensive strategic review begun last year to sharpen its focus on key products and markets and strengthen cash flow management. ZTE is generating net cash inflows from operations and recorded higher sales collection, achieved increased profitability on new contracts, applied stringent cost controls and recognised investment gains.

Due to delays in the progress of some domestic and international network projects, the recognition of earlier lower-margin contracts and a drop in revenue for terminal products, ZTE may post a full-year net loss attributable to shareholders of the listed company of between RMB2.5 billion and RMB2.9 billion in 2012, a reversal of 221.35% and 240.77% compared to a year earlier.

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Intel delivers broad range of new mobile experiences at CES

Intel plans to accelerate new mobile device experiences across the company’s growing portfolio of smartphone, tablet and Ultrabook offerings.

These include a new smartphone platform for emerging markets, a forthcoming 22nm quad-core SoC for tablets, and more personal and intuitive Ultrabook devices in innovative convertible designs. The plans were shared by Mike Bell, Vice President and General Manager of the Mobile and Communications Group, and Kirk Skaugen, Vice President and General Manager of the PC Client Group at Intel.

“The best of Intel is coming to a mobile device near you,” said Skaugen. “We are set to deliver the biggest increase in battery efficiency in Intel’s history with 4th generation Intel Core processors, while adding broad new human interfaces to computing devices through touch, voice, facial recognition, and gesture-based interactions. We’re also significantly extending the performance and power savings in Atom™ processors as we accelerate our mobile offerings in an unprecedented fashion in 2013.”

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ZTE debuts thinnest 5.0 FHD quad-core smartphone Grand S at CES 2013

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The thin ZTE Grand S – 5.0 FHD LTE

ZTE has announced the ZTE Grand S – 5.0 FHD LTE, the flagship handset in its high-end Grand Series line of products.

The ZTE Grand S is the company’s first FHD smartphone and the world’s thinnest within five-inch FHD quad-core smartphones, enabled by the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor.

Developed by ZTE, the ultrathin body and high definition display of the ZTE Grand S offer consumers the latest in style, quality and functionality.

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NVIDIA unleashes Tegra 4

Tegra 4 announced at CES2013
Tegra 4 announced at CES2013

NVIDIA has introduced NVIDIA Tegra 4 , the world’s fastest mobile processor, with record-setting performance and battery life to flawlessly power smartphones and tablets, gaming devices, auto infotainment and navigation systems, and PCs.

Tegra 4 offers exceptional graphics processing, with lightning-fast web browsing, stunning visuals and new camera capabilities through computational photography.

Previously codenamed “Wayne,” Tegra 4 features 72 custom NVIDIA GeForce GPU cores – or six times the GPU horsepower of Tegra 3 – which deliver more realistic gaming experiences and higher resolution displays. It includes the first quad-core application of ARM’s most advanced CPU core, the Cortex-A15, which delivers 2.6x faster web browsing and breakthrough performance for apps.

Tegra 4 also enables worldwide 4G LTE voice and data support through an optional chipset, the fifth-generation NVIDIA Icera® i500 processor. More efficient and 40 percent the size of conventional modems, i500 delivers four times the processing capability of its predecessor.

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Gartner: Worldwide IT spending to reach US$3.7 trillion in 2013

GartnerWorldwide IT spending is projected to total US$3.7 trillion in 2013, a 4.2 percent increase from 2012 spending of $3.6 trillion, according to the latest forecast by Gartner. The 2013 outlook for IT spending growth has been revised upward from 3.8 percent in the 3Q12 forecast.

Gartner analysts said much of this spending increase is the result from projected gains in the value of foreign currencies versus the US dollar. When measured in constant dollars, 2013 spending growth is forecast to be 3.9 percent.

The Gartner Worldwide IT Spending Forecast is the leading indicator of major technology trends across the hardware, software, IT services and telecom markets. For more than a decade, global IT and business executives have been using these highly anticipated quarterly reports to recognize market opportunities and challenges, and base their critical business decisions on proven methodologies rather than guesswork.

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hybris announces first commerce solution specifically designed for telcos

hybrishybris has announced the industry’s only commerce solution specifically designed to help carriers sell more phones, plans and value-added services on the web and in the store. The new hybris Telco Accelerator comes bundled with the industry acclaimed hybris Commerce Suite and includes capabilities aimed at helping carriers launch fully functional wireless phone commerce experiences that drive higher average revenue per user (ARPU) in as little as three to four months.

“hybris has long been recognised as offering the best multi-channel user experience for selling anything online” according to Ariel Ludi, CEO of hybris. “Now, the hybris Telco Accelerator makes it much easier and faster for wireless carriers to implement a feature-rich commerce solution specifically designed to deliver a rich shopping experience for their customers regardless of channel.”

hybris Telco Accelerator includes the rich set of B2B and B2C commerce functionality rated by both major IT analyst firms as “leader” and among the top 2 or 3 general-purpose commerce platforms in the world – and now tailored for telcos.

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ZTE introduces dual-mode Grand Era LTE smartphone in Hong Kong

ZTE has introduced its first dual-mode LTE smartphone, the Grand Era LTE, in Hong Kong as part of the launch of China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK)’s first commercial converged TD-LTE/LTE FDD network.

The TDD/FDD dual-mode ZTE Grand Era LTE smartphone operates on the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich platform.  It features a 1.5GHz dual core CPU, 1GB of memory and a multi-touch 4.5-inch 1280×720 Gorilla Glass display providing a high quality user experience on high-speed LTE networks.  The device also has a 1780mAh battery and ZTE’s customisable Mifavor User Interface.

In addition, ZTE will showcase its FDD/TDD dual-mode MF93E uFi device and the MF825 data card on the new Hong Kong network. Both devices use Qualcomm’s MDM9215 second-generation LTE chip platform.  The size and average power consumption of the MF93E and the MF 825 have been reduced by nearly a third compared to the first generation LTE devices making them smaller and faster.

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ZTE Grand X with Jelly Bean makes world debut in Indonesia

ZTE has officially introduced the ZTE Grand X with Jelly Bean, its latest smartphone with Android 4.1.1 operating system, in Indonesia.

The ZTE Grand X Indonesia launch was the world’s first ever commercial launch of a ZTE Jelly Bean-based smartphone.
 
The Grand X’s design was inspired by sport cars. The phone has a 1GHz dual-core processor and an IPS panel 4.3-inch screen with QHD (960×540 pixel) resolution. The display delivers better, natural colours compared to AMOLED screens. Furthermore, users can enjoy songs and movies in maximum clarity, thanks to the Grand X’s Dolby ProLogic plus SRS Audio technology.
 

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China Mobile Hong Kong launches world’s first converged TD-LTE/LTE FDD network

The start of Hong Kong’s first TD-LTE/FDD LTE converged network ushered in a new age in the city’s 4G telecommunications market, and unleashed vital impetus to propel the development of TD-LTE services globally.

Chairman of China Mobile Hong Kong, Tiger Lin, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sean Lee, and ZTE Vice President Zhang Jianguo officiated at a large-scale press conference in Hong Kong today to introduce the new service. Live demonstrations showcasing the high-speed data download capabilities of TD-LTE and LTE FDD networks and the seamless hand-over between TD-LTE and FDD LTE networks for online video transmission were conducted at the event.

China Mobile Hong Kong, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Mobile, acquired spectrum in the 2330MHz-2360MHz band for TD-LTE services in February 2012. On July 19, it announced a partnership with ZTE and Ericsson for the construction of the TD-LTE network offering dual-mode connectivity with existing FDD LTE services, giving subscribers a higher-quality 4G user experience and a more robust service.

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ITU accepts ZTE’s GoTa digital trunking standard

ITUThe GoTa (Global open Trunking architecture) digital trunking standard submitted by China was accepted by the ITU (International Telecommunications Union) report on the ITU conference in Geneva, marking another breakthrough in the field of communications standards for Chinese technology developers.

Now the digital trunking standard for the next generation, GoTa was jointly developed by ZTE and Chinese national research departments. A digital trunking system is a mobile communications network – using network-specific handsets communicating over a network just like a mobile phone system – that provides group scheduling command and communications with a high degree of security. It has been widely used by government organisations to provide scheduling and security for events such as Olympic Games, National Games, the European Cup and other major sporting events, as well as in public security, fire, ports, logistics, construction, transportation, forestry, rental, factories, and enterprises as well as for individual requirements.

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GSMA elects new board

Franco BernabeGSMA has elected new board members for the two-year period from January 2013 through December 2014. It also has re-elected Franco Bernabè, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Telecom Italia Group, as its Chairman, and Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and CEO, Telenor Group as its Deputy Chairman, for a second term in these roles.

Bernabè has served as GSMA Chairman since January 2011, overseeing the strategic direction of the organisation, which represents nearly 800 of the world’s mobile operators, as well as more than 230 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem. Baksaas has also served as Deputy Chairman since January 2011.

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Gartner’s Top 5 IT predictions for China in 2013 and beyond

GartnerGartner has published its top five IT predictions for China in 2013 and beyond, as China’s IT market undergoes major transformation, especially in cloud and mobility. Analysts said that although China’s IT market has similarities with the global IT market, it also faces challenges and opportunities that are very specific to the Chinese marketplace.

Enterprise spending on IT in China is forecast to grow from US$117.8 billion in 2013 to reach $172.4 billion in 2016, representing a compound annual growth rate of 8 percent, compared to a global growth rate of 3 percent over the same period, according to Gartner.

“In common with many emerging markets, cloud and mobile initiatives are hot and enterprises are also making progress in adopting virtualisation technologies, a key stepping stone in the journey to cloud,” said Matthew Cheung, principal research analyst at Gartner. “Without the legacy systems that hamper many western enterprises, Chinese organisations have an opportunity to leapfrog in the adoption of new technologies. However, the current hype around cloud could also result in its failure to live up to market expectation in a few years time. In mobility, China is a market characterised by strong local flavors, especially in the fast growing smartphone and tablet markets.”

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Gartner predictions for IT organisations and users for 2013 and beyond

GartnerGartner has revealed its top predictions for IT organisations and IT users for 2013 and beyond.

Gartner’s top predictions focus on economic risks, opportunities and innovations that will impel CIOs to move to the next generation of business-driven solutions. Selected from across Gartner’s research areas as the most compelling and critical predictions, they address the trends and topics that underline the reduction of control that IT has over the forces that affect it.

“The priorities of CEOs must be dealt with by CIOs who exist in a still-turbulent economy and increasingly uncertain technology future,” said Daryl Plummer, Managing Vice President and Gartner Fellow. “As consumerisation takes hold and the Nexus of Forces drives CEOs to certain expectations, CIOs must still provide reliability, serviceability and availability of systems and services. Their priorities must span multiple areas. As the world of IT moves forward, it is finding that it must coordinate activities in a much wider scope than it once controlled, and as a result, a loss of control echoes through several predictions we are making.”

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