Jonathan Kramer on Wireless Tower Siting

…none are.
Forrester Research has just released the first in a series of reports on “SmartPhones” concluding that so many mid-range phones now have smart features, it’s hard to define what a really smart phone is these days.
“All mobile handsets are becoming smarter and Internet-capable. Yesterday’s smart high-end phone is today’s midrange phone and tomorrow’s entry-level [...]

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Several recent articles have appeared linking cell phone usage while driving (or merely walking on the streets) to a higher rate of traffic-related deaths.
In an article titled, “Danger of Cell Phone Use: While Walking Or Driving, Cell Phones Increase Traffic, Pedestrian Fatalities” published in Science Daily on March 8, 2009, several new studies about traffic [...]

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In what seems like a frontal assult on MetroPCS and Cricket, T-Mobile has quietly rolled-out a customer loyalty program: If you’ve been with T-Mobile for at least 22 months, you can signup for a $50/month nationwide voice service.
This type of pricing would be an interesting run on MetroPCS and Cricket, which offer all-you-can-eat fixed pricing, [...]

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Sprint is featuring this nifty little Motorola handset, the i365IS, which it says “…is incapable of releasing sufficient electrical or thermal energy to ignite fuel and cause a fire or explosion. Intrinsically safe devices are safe to use in hazardous areas that may contain flammable gasses, vapors or dust.”
Cool!
The basic specifications for this little gem [...]

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OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Feb 06, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE:S) will release its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2008 on Thursday, Feb. 19. The results will be posted at www.sprint.com/investors at approximately 7 a.m. EST. Sprint Nextel management will host a conference call at 8 a.m. EST to discuss the [...]

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Verizon’s new “HUB” device (pictured below) is starting to get some wings.  Specifically, Verizon has inked a deal with Time Inc. so that “Verizon Hub users can now view short-form videos from brands like People.com®, TIME.com®, and RealSimple.com® from Time Inc. brands by simply touching the screen on the Verizon Hub.”
This move make sense from [...]

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Yes, that’s your host imitating the sound you hear in an A.M. radio when your cell phone is on and is near the radio.
I was interviewed last year by O’Reilly Media’s James Turner.  He has an Apple I-Phone which he’s not too happy with.  He interviewed me regarding that buzzing you hear when you place [...]

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The various femtocells being marketed by the major carriers require that they be place near a window.
Huh? They need a good view to not feel along all day?
Actually, it’s because the femtocells need to know where they are installed so that the carriers can (try to) meet the E-911 location requirements.
Femtocells have built-in GPS receivers [...]

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That’s the title of Verizon’s news release dated 1/26/09 regarding their new femtocell.
It seems to me that this is a silly comparison, and one that isn’t anywhere near accurate.
A typical macrocell site costs a carrier something like $250,000 to $350,000 to construct.  And given that the Verizon femtocells don’t provide 3G services such as EV-DO [...]

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February 1, 2009: Verizon Launches the “Verizon Wireless Hub” (it’s version of a femtocell.  What distinguishes Verizon’s offering from its competitors is the combination of in home cordless phone, and the extension of the Verizon wireless network via a built in femtocell site.

The Hub connects back to the Verizon MTSO via any broadband connection.  Pricing [...]

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