Skype has made some partnerships that extend its reach beyond the desktop computer. A logical acquirer of Skype would be an Internet software company, telephony equipment maker or telecom carrier, and recent headlines suggest Cisco might be a natural fit.
Major carriers must overcome the ceiling under which they now find themselves and the growth of their businesses. Solutions lie not in voice-centric mobile devices, but with new non-phone, data-consuming devices like tablets, e-readers and machine-to-machine technology like digital picture frames, personal navigation devices and more.
The number of carrier commitments for LTE has jumped 71 percent in the last six months and the world map for potential LTE service is quickly getting full. WiMAX may be used in some areas around the world, but LTE looks to be the global future.
Amid upcoming competition from next-generation networks, Clearwire is adding prepaid options for its WiMAX service. Although the national network is expected to cover 120 million by the end of 2010, it has cost billions and only attracted 1.7 million customers. Will prepaid speed up WiMAX adoption?
Research In Motion has purchased Cellmania to acquire mobile app store expertise for an undisclosed amount. This purchase follows the recent launch of an improved App World for BlackBerry devices and brings RIM a team experienced in app distribution, carrier billing and mobile storefronts.
As part of a plan that would expand royalty payments from radio stations, the National Association of Broadcasters is looking for the U.S. government to require FM radio tuners in all future phones. There’s merit to both sides, but do you want an FM radio mandate?
We’re adding broadband connections to everything, even our appliances, but as we use the web to see more of the world, we allow advertisers and marketers to see in. Instead of giving up broadband or social networks let’s define our terms for a constructive privacy debate.
The government of Australia has committed $38.9 billion to build an open, fiber-to-the-home network that will serve 93 percent of its citizens, with those in rural areas guaranteed service of up to 12 Mbps. The U.S. can’t replicate that effort but it can learn from it.
Over the last few years Mobile World Congress, the mobile phone industry trade show, has experienced a shift from being about mobile phones to being about always-on connectivity. Mobile broadband has changed the value of the mobile ecosystem and thus the players who care about it.
Updated: Senate Republicans last night backed off a plan aimed at popping the net neutrality balloon floated by the FCC on Monday, according to the Washington Post. This is smart thinking, as there’s still much to learn and a lot less to fear about the proposed regulatory rules than naysayers would have the average person believe. We’re going to be hearing a lot of hyperbole about net neutrality in the coming months, but there are three areas on which readers, the industry and regulators should focus. Read More about The GigaOM Guide to the Net Neutrality Debate
