Anite, a specialist in testing technology for the wireless industry and AT4 wireless, a global supplier of testing services for wired and wireless technologies, today announced that AT4 wireless' WiMAX Forum Accredited Lead Test Lab based in Malaga, Spain will use Anite's AS8140 Mobile WiMAX Protocol Conformance Test (PCT) System for the PCT testing of WiMAX mobile devices and base stations.

Anite's Mobile WiMAX PCT Test system is based on IEEE 802.16-2005 Corrigendum 2, Draft 3, as specified by the WiMAX Forum. The system provides for extensive configuration of Physical and MAC layer protocol parameters for certification and development of WiMAX devices through the provision of comprehensive logging of protocol messages, debugging and analysis tools.

The modular design of Anite's AS8140 Mobile WiMAX PCT test system enables the AT4 wireless Lab to perform simultaneous certification testing of multiple devices. This increases the Lab's capacity to perform certification testing and gives flexibility in allowing various combinations of mobile devices and base stations to be tested.

"PCT is a critical part of the WiMAX Forum certification testing process", said Fernando E. Hardasmal, Deputy General Manager, AT4 wireless. "We are delighted to add Anite's Mobile WiMAX test system to our WiMAX certification Lab here in Malaga ."

"The addition of Anite's Mobile WiMAX PCT test system will significantly enhance AT4 wireless' WiMAX certification capabilities" said Jose de la Plaza, Wireless Laboratory Manager, AT4 Wireless. "It further strengthens our position as the lead WiMAX Forum Certification test Lab."

"Anite is delighted that our Mobile WiMAX Protocol Conformance Test system will be used in the lead WiMAX certification Lab." said Praveen Kumar, Vice President, WiMAX Products, Anite. "This will build on Anite's existing relationship with AT4 wireless as the only WiMAX Forum approved provider of Fixed WiMAX^TM PCT certification test systems."

picoChip has announced that it is collaborating with mimoOn to deliver the industry's first complete LTE (Long Term Evolution) basestation reference design. The new PC86xx family of LTE reference designs cover the full range of eNode Bs from femtocells to multi-sector macrocells and is supported on the same common hardware platforms as picoChip's WiMAX products. The system and its MIMO capabilities will be demonstrated at Mobile World Congress 2008 in Barcelona.

LTE is the 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) 4G architecture and has been designed to improve the UMTS mobile phone standard to cope with future requirements. These include improving efficiency, lowering costs, improving services, making use of new spectrum opportunities, and better integration with other open standards. LTE has significant commonality with WiMAX, both being based on OFDMA in the downlink, all-IP architecture together with MIMO and adaptive antenna systems (AAS). The PC86xx builds on picoChip's success as the industry-standard WiMAX reference design, and both standards run on the same common hardware (picoChip PHY plus Wintegra MAC) platforms.

"The cellular world playing field has opened up with the transition to 4G and the battle lines for suppliers have never been more complex. Cellular giants have accelerated LTE at breakneck speed to shut out competing OFDM formats," said Caroline Gabriel, Research Director, Rethink Research. "But WiMAX has shown how new entrants have become credible suppliers even to top tier operators. Some had believed LTE would be less open, but the introduction of such a reference design and common platform will enable many competitors. The industry aristocrats need be concerned – the revolution has begun."

The PC86xx LTE design runs on the same picoChip and Wintegra hardware platforms as the companies' industry standard WiMAX basestation reference designs. As in WiMAX, the family includes PHY and MAC and scales from single-chip femtocell access points (‘Home eNode B') to sophisticated multi-sector carrier macrocells from 1.25MHz to 20MHz. Both TDD and FDD modes are supported. The PHY runs on picoChip PC203 devices and includes OFDMA downlink and SC-FDMA uplink, with support for up to 4×4 MIMO and for AAS. The MAC, running on a Wintegra WinPath2 device includes PDCP, RLC, GTP, ROHC, ciphering / deciphering and RLC, including ARQ.

"mimoOn's expertise enabled the development of this LTE basestation solution – we are proud to be partnering with them," said Guillaume d'Eyssautier, president and CEO, picoChip. "It is crucial that we continue to provide our customers with the ability to develop systems on the latest wireless standards as they become available, to implement software upgrades as those standards are ratified, and to have the flexibility to improve them going forward. That is the picoChip chip advantage."

The LTE reference design empowers OEMs with faster time-to-market and lower development costs as they can focus their resources on adding value and differentiating their products. As a software-defined solution, it is future-proof and can be upgraded as the LTE standard is refined and updated. Finally, the common platform also supports WiMAX, with Wave 2 and MIMO available now, and upgrades for Release 1.x (FDD) and 16m.

"We are pleased to be partnering with picoChip on this next-generation wireless design. For such a powerful device, the picoArray is a dream to develop on," commented Thomas Kaiser, CEO mimoOn. "Designing with such an efficient architecture represents a sheer step in the ease of software integration and product development. As such, we have been able to deliver a very versatile, very flexible LTE solution to meet the needs of manufacturers."

Aricent, the full-service, full-spectrum communications software company, has announced that HighAndes, a developer of audio and video creation software for PCs and mobile devices, has chosen to integrate Aricent's multimedia software with its audio and video editing tool for mobile devices, trakAxMobile. trakAxMobile is a downloadable program that allows consumers to edit and "mashup" videos, slideshows, audio tracks and music mixes on their mobile phones. The application will be on demonstration at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Aricent delivers the video and audio encoding and decoding software to enable trakAxMobile users to seamlessly mix audio, still photo slide shows, video and text. Using trakAxMobile, end users can create their own professional-quality narrated slide shows, sound-tracked videos, ringtones and more. Content can be uploaded and shared online on YouTube, through social networking sites such as MySpace, or via e-mail. trakAxMobile, with the Aricent multimedia engines, is currently available for more than 250 varieties of Microsoft Smartphones and PocketPCs.

"HighAndes chose Aricent because of its proven track record in delivering unique and user-friendly mobile video and multimedia software for consumers," said Catriona Barry, project manager, HighAndes. "Aricent's support allowed us to quickly move our trakAxMobile software to the market. Aricent's encoding and decoding software allows our application to seamlessly blend several different types of media on a mobile phone, an unprecedented achievement for people that spend an increasing amount of time on the go, but still want to share photos and videos with their peers."

"As consumers become ever more sophisticated in their desire for features, mobile device manufacturers are realizing the value of multimedia applications like trakAxMobile," said Sajal Gupta, head of the products business unit, Aricent. "Aricent supports device manufacturers' goal to make their mobile phones deliver excellent experiences, and continuously works with innovative companies like HighAndes to help develop the multimedia applications consumers want to use."

Sitronics, a provider of telecommunications, IT and microelectronic solutions in Russia and the CIS, has announced that its telecommunications solutions business unit, Sitronics Telecom Solutions, Czech Republic, has signed two contracts with MTS-Ukraine (formerly UMC), a leading Ukrainian mobile operators, which provides services to nearly 20 million users. The total value of the contracts is approximately US$ 12.4 million.

Under the terms of these contracts, Sitronics TS, CZ will provide the equipment for MTS-Ukraine's two new mobile transit exchanges and upgrade to boost the overall capacity four existing exchanges utilizing GMSC technology (Gateway Mobile Switching Centre). The new system is expected to be deployed in the middle of 2008.

Sitronics TS, CZ currently provides the MTS Group with its MEDIO range of products (digital switching platforms), as well as with FORIS NG (an OSS/BSS solution for telecommunications operators) and TENNET (a Next Generation Network solution).

Mikhail Minkovsky, Chief Technology Officer of Sitronics, commented: "We continue to expand our cooperation with MTS-Ukraine, a subsidiary of the largest mobile operator in Russia and the CIS. These new agreements demonstrate the high quality and competitiveness of our products and solutions. We are pleased to once again be able to deliver our services to the MTS Group as its telecom equipment provider."

Andrew Dubovskov, General Director of MTS-Ukraine, added: "MTS-Ukraine was the first mobile operator in Ukraine. We have been working on the technical improvement of our network and connection quality for over 15 years. MTS-Ukraine has a number of joint projects with Sitronics and we are pleased to have an opportunity to expand this cooperation."

Comstar, the combined telecommunications operator in Russia and the CIS, has announced that it has started building a wireless broadband network based on the 802.16e standard WiMAX technology in the Republic of Armenia. The project is expected to be completed in the second part of 2008.

The creation of the wireless broadband network will be implemented on the basis of Cornet, an Internet services provider in the Republic of Armenia and a part of Comstar Group. Cornet has a license to use 3.6-3.8 GHz frequency range throughout the territory of Armenia.

As a result of the tender in December 2007, Airspan Networks (US) was chosen by Comstar as a provider of equipment for the base stations.

24 base stations are expected to be built during the first stage of the WiMAX project in Armenia. The data transmission will be implemented via rented fibre-optic lines, as well as through radio bridges and radio relay channels. Comstar will also install two data transmission nodes based on Cisco's technology, which will connect the network in Armenia to the main internet channels.

The later stages of the project development presuppose an increase in the number of base stations in order to expand the coverage, as well as building new proprietary communication lines to the backbone.

Comstar intends to use its WiMAX network to provide high speed internet access, multimedia content delivery, voice services (VoIP), data transmission and the capability of creating virtual private networks (VPN) for residential and corporate subscribers.

Sergey Pridantsev, President and Chief Executive Officer of Comstar UTS, commented: "WiMAX is one of the most advanced and promising technologies which allows providing clients with a very broad range of telecommunications services. We intend to launch the network this year and, therefore, become the first and the largest wireless broadband internet operator in Armenia."

Motorola, Inc.  today announced it is exploring the structural and strategic realignment of its businesses to better equip its Mobile Devices business to recapture global market leadership and to enhance shareholder value. The company’s alternatives may include the separation of Mobile Devices from its other businesses in order to permit each business to grow and better serve its customers.

“All of our businesses have exceptional people, products and intellectual property and the ability to achieve category leadership in their markets,” said Greg Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are exploring ways in which our Mobile Devices Business can accelerate its recovery and retain and attract talent while enabling our shareholders to realize the value of this great franchise.”

The company does not intend to discuss developments with respect to the exploration of strategic alternatives unless or until its Board of Directors has approved a definitive transaction or the process is otherwise complete. There can be no assurance that any transaction will occur or, if one is undertaken, its terms or timing.

Arieso, the wireless network planning and optimisation provider, has completed research for UK industry regulator Ofcom's report on "Application of spectrum liberalisation and trading to the mobile sector". Using its automated cell planner tool ariesoACP, Arieso was asked to evaluate a representation of a typical network at a number of different radio frequencies to ascertain whether or not operators will need more sites to maintain standards at higher frequency bands. 

Arieso produced a standardised configuration model of a 3G network and analysed its performance over three different frequencies: 900MHz, 1800MHz and 2100MHz. The company was asked to determine the minimum number of sites and the minimum investment necessary to design a network to satisfy specific key performance indicators.

Arieso analysed 3G network performance across the three frequency bands and against four different capacity loads, from light to heavy. In each case Arieso was challenged with identifying what could be done in order to best achieve the required level of performance.

The results of Arieso's research highlighted that, by switching to the lower frequency band, operators could deploy with significantly fewer base-stations and still serve the same volume of traffic over the same geographical area. The research provided important background information for the development of Ofcom's policy proposals on the liberalisation of 2G spectrum.

Francesco Saffioti EMEA Sales Manager Arieso commented, "It was imperative that the representations used in the research were in line with best practise." Saffioti continued, "Working with Ofcom is obviously a huge compliment to Arieso and further demonstrates the competency and intelligence of our products."