Subject: [NEXTEL-1] News & Analysis 4Mobility - 25 October 2002

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2002 04:16:10 -0400

Today's Topics:

1. Handset Sales Down
2. UWB Causes Less Interference
3. Don't Count Microsoft Out In The Handset OS Race
4. Picture Mail Over 50% of Subscribers From J-Phone
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Handset Sales Down

Handset sales may remain lower than 2000 highs. However, color screens should drive the
numbers up from last year for next couple of years. Also, when Java and BREW handsets and
camera phones reach momentum we should see sales move up. I believe we will see good sales
for the next few years.

The News [Image]

Wireless phone sales ringing slower
By Dawn Kawamoto Staff Writer, CNET News.com

Owners of mobile phones are slow to replace old phones with new ones, despite a drop in
the average selling prices for handsets, according to report released Thursday. Wireless
subscribers are replacing phones every 18 months on average, compared with a average
replacement rate of every 16 months in 2000, according to a study by J.D. Power and
Associates. The study surveyed more than 5,000 households. Additionally, the percentage of
customers who received a free phone with a new wireless service subscription jumped this
year to 28 percent, from 20 percent in 2000.

More @ http://news.com.com/2100-1033-963244.html?tag=cd_mh
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UWB Causes Less Interference

I believe the existing 802.11 and wireless operator stake holders will continue to keep
UWB down but over time it will become a major wireless technology. This FCC study confirms
what the UWB industry has been saying--it causes almost no interference to licensed
services. We will probably see a UWB power increase in a few years. In the meantime the
802.11 camp will have a head start that may be hard to overcome in the wireless LAN and
home entertainment space.

The News [Image]

Ultrawideband gets a break
By Ben Charny Staff Writer, CNET News.com

A new study suggests a wireless technology called ultrawideband causes less interference
for bandwidth neighbors than first believed. In fact, common household appliances like
laptops or microwave ovens are more of an interference threat than ultrawideband (UWB),
according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) study.

The study stops short of making any recommendations to the FCC. "The (FCC) recognizes the
growing importance of GPS in everyday life," Stephen K. Jones, an FCC researcher, wrote in
the preamble to the study's findings. "However, the FCC is also committed to fostering the
development of promising new radio communications technology."

More @ http://news.com.com/2100-1033-963101.html?tag=cd_mh
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Don't Count Microsoft Out In The Handset OS Race

Right now Microsoft is about last in the handset applications language race. The PDAs are
ahead for now but Java and BREW should pass them up in no time. Microsoft will keep
working this space to get a place in it. If Java and BREW are big winners I believe
Microsoft will pore more resources in faster. It will be fun to watch and will help the
wireless industry with better and better products.

The News [Image]

Orange to launch Microsoft phone
By Reuters

Orange is set to let the cat out of the bag next week, announcing the release of its new
handset - codenamed 'Canary' - using Microsoft's wireless software French-owned mobile
operator Orange will launch a colour-screen handset in Britain on 22 October which will be
one of the first to use Microsoft software, a source close to Orange said on Friday. A
prototype model seen by Reuters allowed a user to view streaming video clips from
Ananova...

More @ http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2124137,00.html
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Picture Mail Over 50% of Subscribers From J-Phone

You probably already know I am a big believer in picture mail. This report emphasizes how
big picture mail can be as a content (bytes over the wireless network) and handset driver
for the wireless industry. First, we get really good camera phones in the U.S. Then, the
wireless operators need to get enough camera phones into innovators hands to show everyone
how cool and useful they are. In a couple of years this can be really big.

The News [Image]

Japan's J-Phone camera-phone users top 7 mln
By Reuters

      Japanese mobile phone operator J-Phone Corp said on Thursday the number of its
     camera-phone users had topped seven million, or more than half of its user base,
               underscoring continued demand for the latest telecoms trend.