Written by: Eric Peterson
I wasn’t there, so I might never know for certain what was discussed when SMS grew out of being an idea into a full-fledged service. Nor do I know what kind of expectations were put on it when SMS was first launched. I would assume, however, that anybody with an interest in radio or wireless communications would have thought it a fascinating notion. But massive appeal? Who would’ve guessed? It is certainly exciting to see how SMS has developed, and I can’t help but wonder what new, unforeseen applications it can or will yet be used with.
Ericsson Instant Talk—Ericsson’s push-to-talk solution for ordinary consumers/subscribers—might well be the next “SMS”. Its initial application and allure are substantial enough, but here we also have a potential springboard for numerous other promising services. Time will tell, but this is my gut feeling.
Telecommunication is fun, and I am sure that we have barely even seen the beginning. That is part of the appeal of being in this business. Consequently, I had to smile when I read recently about an order from fixed network operator Telefónica de España for fixed cellular terminals (FCT) based on the GSM standard. “Besides voice and fax,” the article said, “users must also be able to use the Internet, enjoying the same performance as from fixed telephony.” What you can’t know without having seen the article is that the solution introduces modern telephony to rural parts of Spain. So now even the rural population can benefit from modern communication!
Earlier this year, Ericsson also announced its Expander program, which has been developed especially to help operators to tap into new-growth markets—for example, rural areas and developing countries where the majority of the population is made up of low-income subscribers. Finally, a viable business case for taking modern telecommunications services to the rest of the world!
In this issue of Ericsson Review, you can read about Ericsson Instant Talk and Ericsson’s Expander program for GSM (the entire Expander program comprises GSM and CDMA). You can also read about
• the Mobile Packet Backbone Network (Mobile-PBN), which is a verified reference network design that optimally integrates GPRS and WCDMA with site and backbone IP infrastructure;
• stand-alone products that support the design of synchronization networks—network synchronization is also part of the Mobile-PBN offering;
• energy efficiency enhancements in radio access networks—Ericsson has thoroughly assessed the life cycles of its systems to see where and how it can reduce operating costs and impact on the environment. This, in turn, has led to several product enhancements, in particular, in radio access networks, where energy consumption is greatest; and
• Ericsson’s Public Ethernet solution, which has been developed using standard Ethernet technology and incorporates the reliability, quality of service, security and manageability necessary for a public telecommunications network.
In short, this issue of Ericsson Review presents a nice balance of relevant and timely articles. Enjoy!
[First published in Ericsson Review no. 01, 2004]
