Operators faced with overloaded 3G and 4G networks would also like to use Wi-Fi offload for users as well as for backhaul data, which is why both the Wi-Fi Alliance and the Wireless Broadband Alliance are working on standards to simplify connection and roaming: Hotspot 2.0 and Next Generation Hotspot (NGH) respectively.
via Wi-Fi roaming: Hotspot 2.0 and Next Generation Hotspot | ZDNet.
Tekelec’s Diameter Signaling Router centralizes routing, traffic management and load-balancing tasks to create an architecture that enables your IMS and LTE networks to grow incrementally to support increasing service and traffic demands. The Diameter solution provides protocol mediation and interworking functions that allow you to manage 2G/3G-to-LTE and LTE-to-LTE roaming seamlessly.
However, the popular texting alternative WhatsApp still has a major security problem. Attackers can compromise other users’ accounts with relative ease, and send and receive messages from another user’s account. In this respect nothing has changed – heise Security was able to successfully repeat its test this morning (Tuesday).
via WhatsApp threatens legal action against API developers – The H Security: News and Features.
WhatsApp Inc. has, however, been in touch with the developers behind the GitHub project WhatsAPI, an open source implementation of the WhatsApp protocol written in PHP and Python. The company has threatened to take legal action against the developers if they do not take the project offline. heise Security has been told by one of the developers that they have decided to acquiesce to this request and to cease working on the API.
Wan Biao, CEO of Huawei Device, has told Reuters he expects the company’s consumer device business to achieve revenue growth of 30 percent next year, while smartphone revenues are expected to grow by at least 40 percent.
That would put the Huawei Device unit’s 2013 revenue target at about US$11.7 billion, as the Chinese vendor has forecast its device sales to hit $9 billion this year. In 2011, Huawei’s device unit generated $6.9 billion in sales, about 22 percent of the company’s total revenues. (See Huawei, ZTE Look to Handsets for Growth.)
via Light Reading Mobile – Wireless Bits – Huawei’s High Hopes for Handsets.
Google said it objected to the Acer device because Aliyun was a “non-compatible” version of Android, meaning that Alibaba allegedly created Aliyun by taking Google’s Android software and making changes to it.
via Google Objects to Acer-Alibaba Phone – WSJ.com.
After Acer postponed the phone’s launch this week, Alibaba issued a statement saying Google had told Acer that it would “terminate its Android-related cooperation and other technology licensing” if the phone was launched. An Acer official confirmed that Google had expressed concerns about the device.
In general, an app should store locally only the data that is required to perform its functional tasks. This includes side channel data such as system logging (see M8 below). For any form of sensitive data, storing plaintext data storage in an app’s sandbox (e.g., ~/Documents/* ) should always be avoided. Consumer-grade sensitive data should be stored in secure containers using Apple-provided APIs.
A prolific family of malware called “FakeInst” tops the charts in toll fraud attacks, which bill victims using premium SMS services. These types of attacks — and malware — have increased from 29% of all mobile malware in the third quarter of 2011 to 62% in the second quarter of 2012.
The only thing my boss said to me was, ‘Chip, the only thing that has to work is the cell phones.’”
That’s why stadiums across the country are partnering with cellular carriers to build Distributed Antenna Systems, or DAS. These are essentially a bunch of antennas spread throughout a building to make sure phones don’t lose their connections to the cellular network when fans walk in the door. But it’s not just phone calls and text messages filling up wireless networks during games. Fans are streaming video, whether from third-party sources or apps created by the home teams to provide replays, different camera angles, or action happening in other cities. Teams are concluding that cellular just isn’t enough, and are thus building WiFi networks to offload traffic from cellular and provide connections to devices that are WiFi-only.
via Why your smart device can’t get WiFi in the home team’s stadium | Ars Technica.
Distributed Antenna Systems connect to the service provider’s network either with a bi-directional amplifier, which uses an outdoor antenna to bring the cellular signal into the building, or a base transceiver station, which is installed inside and is the same type of radio used at cell sites, as explained by the Steel In The Air cellular consultancy. Signals are then distributed throughout the facility with a series of hubs, cables, and antennas.
The distinctions being drawn seem bizarre and arbitrary to many customers who argue that data is data—I paid for it and should control what I use it on, not AT&T. It’s even stranger because AT&T isn’t targeting “video chat” apps with its restriction; it is only targeting FaceTime.What is going on here?
via AT&T, have you no shame? | Ars Technica.
So what’s the solution? Competition plays a key role. While we would prefer a slightly stronger standard for wireless net neutrality, customers generally do have more choice when it comes to wireless carriers than they do in the wired world. Switching isn’t easy, especially in the US world of contract and early termination fees, so the mere existence of competition doesn’t always work magic, but those who want to use FaceTime do at least have the choice of moving to a company like Sprint.
Kymeta is working on a wide range of innovative and highly competitive products for a broad spectrum of applications. Potential applications and target specifications can be found on each product’s page.
via Products | Kymeta.
From: Metamaterials Surface Antenna Technology
mTenna utilizes new reconfigurable antenna technology: Metamaterials Surface Antenna Technology (MSA-T). MSA-T enables wide-angle, all-electronic beam steering from a proprietary, PCB-like surface that can be manufactured using a mature and affordable lithography manufacturing infrastructure.