This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

This move make sense from a bandwidth perspective since the video download will occur via the customer’s broadband connection required by the HUB, rather than across the Verizon Wireless network.

Verizon is positioning the HUB as a every-data terminal, rather than just a femtocell.

Very, very smart.

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 a cell phone near a radio.

Look, I do a lot of interviews, and frankly, I forgot about my interview by James.

Recently while Googling my name (admit it…you do, too!), I ran across James’s article, which ran at the O’Rielly web site (this is the link).

The neat part of the interview, which also featured Jeff Rodman, CTO and co-founder of Polycom (you know them for their world famous ‘starfish’ business grade speakerphones), is that you listen to the entire 10 minute broadcast by clicking here (opens a new window to play an MP3).

Jonathan

Cell phones regularly transmit update information back to the mobile telephone switching office (MTSO).  This data is sent when you turn on your phone, at regular intervals while the phone is turned on but not in use, and when you turn off your phone.

So why would your phone silently transmit information on a regular basis?  Quite simply, when you turn your phone on, the phone transmits a handshake to let the cell system know that the phone is turned on, and where in the world you are. This is necessary so that the network will (a) stop automatically routing your incoming calls to voicemail, and (b) to let the network know where to find you to complete incoming phone calls.

If you’re roaming outside of your home area, this turn-on handshake will also sometimes initiate a validity check with your home area carrier to see whether you’re authorized to roam.  If you are, then you’ll be able to make and receive calls without interruption.  If not, when you try to make a call, you’ll be forwarded to an automated or manual system to collect credit card data for billing calls while roaming.

Once you’re ‘logged in’ to the network, the phone will regularly transmit a small snippit of data letting the network know that your phone is still turned on and within range.

When you turn off your phone, you’ll notice that it doesn’t immediately go blank.  In the few seconds between the time you press and hold the turn off button, the phone is communicating the shut-down request with the network so that incoming calls will be routed to voice mail.  This is why a caller will immediately go to voice mail when your phone is off, but if your phone is on it will ring a preset number of times before switching to voicemail.

The network technicians can also manually ‘ping’ your phone.  If it responds, the network tech will also be able to identify the cell site receiving your phone, and sometimes the general direction of the signal coming in from your cell phone.   This function is sometimes used to locate missing hikers. The cell phone is pinged, and the return data is used to estimate the location of the phone (and hopefully the location of the hiker).

The accuracy of the location data provided by your phone will depend on several things. The FCC generally requires cell phone operators to provide location information down to about 100 meters when you call 911, but that accuracy can be improved if your cell phone is equipped with a GPS receiver chip and antenna, and the network recognizes that data.

The use of cell phone records in court proceedings is a related discussion, and one that I’ll cover in a separate posting.

Jonathan

You know you need it.

Yeah, it’s the secret FIELD TEST menu buried deep inside your Apple iPhone. Once you reach the menu by ‘dialing’ the code *3001#12345#* and then pressing the send button, you find yourself facing the top level menu of the test mode.

The photo to the left is that top “Field Test” menu screen.

Beneath this menu is a series of screens that provide detailed information about the cell site you’re connected to; the cell system; the current call; and lots more.

Go, ahead, enter the digits. Have fun!

It’s interesting to note that AT&T will give its broadband and U-Verse customers free access at any WiFi-equipped Starbucks, but that’s apparently not true for AT&T’s wireless customers.

AT&T will also provide a flat rate access to its business class customer as part of the deal, and Starbuck’s 100,000 “Partners” (huh?) will get free access at company-owned stores.

Starbucks gets what appears to be an AT&T-managed network to the stores.  This will, no doubt, make POS transaction and ordering information immediately available to Seattle HQ.

AT&T’s Press Release:

More Than 12 Million AT&T, Starbucks Customers to Get Free Wi-Fi Access for a Rich In-Store Experience

New Offering Includes Two Hours of Free Wi-Fi Service Per Day for Starbucks Card Holders Beginning this Spring

All 100,000 U.S.-Based Starbucks Partners to Receive Free Wi-Fi at Starbucks Stores

Seattle, Washington, San Antonio, Texas, February 11, 2008

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) today announced plans to deliver AT&T Wi-Fi^SM service at more than 7,000 company-operated Starbucks locations across the United States. The initiative brings together two of the most recognizable global brands to create a powerful and convenient online experience for consumers and business customers. Starbucks and AT&T will offer a mix of free and paid Wi-Fi offerings at Starbucks stores to meet the needs of both frequent and occasional Starbucks Wi-Fi customers.

The initiative further expands the AT&T Wi-Fi network, already the largest in the United States, to more than 17,000 U.S. hot spots and more than 70,000 globally.

Beginning this spring, Starbucks Card holders can enjoy up to two hours of free Wi-Fi service per day at Starbucks locations offering Wi-Fi access, while more than 12 million qualifying AT&T broadband and AT&T U-verse^SM Internet customers will have unlimited free access to the Wi-Fi service. In addition, more than 5 million of AT&T’s remote access services business customers will be able to access Wi-Fi service at Starbucks locations. AT&T will soon extend the benefits of Wi-Fi at Starbucks to its wireless customers.

“People want to stay connected to their world 24/7, and Wi-Fi hot spots, broadband and wireless make that mobility possible,” said Rick Welday, AT&T chief marketing officer, Consumer. “Laptops and smartphones give us the online mobility we crave, and now millions of AT&T and Starbucks customers will get Internet access free from the comfort of their neighborhood Starbucks.”

“This is what our customers have been waiting for — free Starbucks-quality Wi-Fi,” said Chris Bruzzo, chief technology officer, Starbucks Coffee Company. “Through our new partnership with AT&T, we also welcome their millions of current customers who can now come in and enjoy free Wi-Fi as part of their daily Starbucks Experience.”

As an added benefit for the more than 100,000 Starbucks partners in the U.S., all Starbucks partners will receive free AT&T Wi-Fi accounts allowing them to use the network in Starbucks company-operated locations offering Wi-Fi access.

“Our new relationship with AT&T gives us the opportunity to expand and enhance the range of digital entertainment experiences for our customers as well as our partners, including the continued rollout of the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbucks,” said Ken Lombard, president, Starbucks Entertainment.

In addition to the free Wi-Fi access for qualifying AT&T customers and any Starbucks Card holder, customers will be able to purchase tiered access to the AT&T Wi-Fi network at Starbucks at attractive price points. For a two-hour period, customers will pay just $3.99 per session. Monthly membership will also be available for $19.99 per month, and will include access to any of AT&T’s 70,000 hot spots in 89 countries around the world.

AT&T business customers who subscribe to remote access services can also enjoy unlimited, flat-rate access plans at any Starbucks location offering Wi-Fi service or at other AT&T Wi-Fi hot spots.

Additionally, AT&T is providing Starbucks an enterprise-class network with increased bandwidth and redundancy. AT&T’s underlying network technologies will enable a wide range of business applications and help Starbucks stores operate more efficiently.

“Delivering networking capabilities to help a world-class company such as Starbucks achieve greater business velocity is what we do,” said Welday. “Our work with Starbucks is collaborative innovation at its finest.”

The availability of AT&T Wi-Fi service at Starbucks will take place on a market-by-market basis with store implementation beginning this spring and completed by the end of the year.

 sdfasdf

The likely result is that MCF will continue to pursue a remedy through the courts.

Click Here; to read a Kennebec Journal story on tonight’s proceedings.

For more on the background leading to this point, click on the MCF Communications tab below this message.

The interesting feature of this story is that the elected officials are asking the community’s eligible voters to decide whether to settle the suit, rather than deciding it themselves on behalf of the Town. In an editorial published by an area newspaper, The Kennebec Journal, the editors recount the history of the suit, and talk about a proposed settlement:

“All could have ended right there, peacefully and relatively quietly. Manchester selectmen could have approved the consent agreement, the cellphone folks would have paid a portion of the town’s legal fees and other expenses and life would have gone on. A new cellphone ordinance could have been proposed and adopted.

Instead, town officials took a duck…”

…when the town decided to let the residents decide the issue.

Interesting reading, to be sure.

If you don’t have access to Pacer and would like a copy of the complaint, minus exhibits, please contact me using this form:

Your Name:

(required)

Your Email:

(required)

Subject:

(required)

Your Message:

Send a copy to yourself?

Security Image: