Network Technology
Network Technology

Network Technology

Is Mobile WiMax Ready to Compete

The Nikkei Electronics Asia monthly magazine for June has an interesting article focused on the future potential, and challanges, for mobile WiMax. One of the key areas of consideration is the so-called power added efficiency (PAE) of this new platform, which is deemed a serious concern. There are several major players gearing up for launch with the 802.16e standard, in Japan and elsewhere, so the equipment makers would certainly seem to have their hands full in order to increase performance.

Google Android GPS Application

Rafael Spring, and his partner, Max Braun, were thoughtful enough to ping us here at WWJ with an interesting tip. They have created a 3d-navigation and location targeting system, code named Enkin, as a submission for the first round of the Google Android Developer Challenge. The pair are students of Computational Visualistics in Koblenz, Germany and started this project when they were in Japan for robotics research. See their video and very detailed .pdf after the jump.

KDDI Eyes Method for Advanced Mobile

KDDI Corp. intends to maintain the CDMA 2000 method, used for the current 3G mobile service offerings, for voice communications in future advanced mobile services, company officials have said according to JiJi press. For data transmission, however, KDDI plans to adopt the Long Term Evolution, or LTE, technology, an internationally supported method to be compatible with the wideband code division multiple access, or W-CDMA, mobile method now used by its rivals NTT DoCoMo and Softbank Mobile the officials said.

DoCoMo Achieves 250Mbps Downlink

DoCoMo has announced their latest speed trials in the march towards Super 3G or so-called LTE technologies. According to the press release they have refined the experimental system using an actual wireless environment near its R&D labs in Yokosuka Research Park to record a downlink transmission rate of 250Mbps in the 20MHz bandwidth, the maximum under new Super 3G standards. DoCoMo is continuing to test connection handover from one base station to another, and the functionality of applications in indoor and outdoor environments.

UQ Selects Fujitsu's Mobile WiMAX

Fujitsu has announced that its outdoor base station for mobile WiMAX, BroadOne WX300, was selected by UQ Communications for the company’s nationwide WiMAX services infrastructure in Japan. UQ is jointly owned by KDDI, Intel, JR East, Kyocera, Daiwa and the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, and intends to begin offering commercial WiMAX service in Japan starting in 2009 according to the press release issued by Fujitsu.

Japan Launches (Big) Kizuna Satellite

KIZUNA (WINDS) was recently launched from the Tanegashima Space Center with the goal to establish the world’s most advanced information and telecommunications network. It will enable high-speed, large-volume data transmission, allowing ultra-fast domestic and international Internet-based communications with an expected network speed and capacity much higher than anything achieved previously, according to the JAXA announcement. The proposed system aims for a maximum speed of 155Mbps downlink and 6Mbps uplink for households with 45-centimetre dish, and ultra-high speed 1.2 Gbps connection for offices with five-meter antennas.