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Editor's Perspective
The death and life of paging
by Dan O'Shea
March 30, 2004
When news of the merger between Metrocall and Arch Wireless crossed the wire yesterday, my first reaction was utter surprise--not surprise at the fact that the nation's two largest paging operators were merging, only surprise that paging companies even still exist. Didn't they die the lonely death of insignificance when portable e-mail devices like the BlackBerry became popular, or when carriers started offering basic short message services?
This point of view was corroborated by Adventis analyst Andrew Cole, who noted that the merger is a sort of last-ditch effort by major paging companies to retain their competitive relevance against mobile carriers that are using messaging and data services to greater effect.
So, paging is dying. Or is it? The rise of mobile messaging (SMS, MMS and e-mail on the go) suggests that paging as an art form once most practiced by field sales people and guys who wanted near-constant updates of baseball scores is actually enjoying a renaissance. Today's increasing use of broadcast messaging and polling over mobile carrier networks is taking a cue from an earlier generation of paging companies that offered, and still offer, similar services.
It appears the traditional mobile and paging worlds are at long last converging. If there is anything mobile carriers can learn from paging companies beyond the viability of messaging as a communications medium, it's that the devices we use for messaging shouldn't get overloaded with information--unless we want it that way. Wireless2Web, a messaging technology company that has its roots in the paging industry, knows a little something about this, having developed a new technology called LinkPush. The solution allows messages sent to mobile devices to be viewed as hyperlinks. Users can choose to click the link to download further message content to the device, or save their device memory and power for other pursuits.
What can paging companies learn from this convergence? Mostly that it's unavoidable. Traditional paging firms need new services to stay competitive, and the more these services resemble advanced mobile messaging capabilities, the better. Of course, they could try to offer voice service through MVNO relationships with wireless carriers. But, everyone knows that adding new value in wireless is all about data and messaging. Voice is probably dead.
doshea@primediabusiness.com
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Top News
Starent signs carrier, partner deals
March 29, 2004
Starent Networks, maker of a mobile packet gateway that provides the interface between wireless networks and core IP networks, has signed Verizon Wireless Puerto Rico as the vendor's latest carrier customer.
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Verizon Wireless learns from SK Telecom
by Dan O'Shea
March 26, 2004
Verizon Wireless and Korean carrier SK Telecom announced at this week's CTIA Wireless 2004 trade show that they would collaborate in a strategic partnership to assist one another on wireless multimedia business issues, including deployment of CDMA 1X EV-DO architecture and 3G multimedia services.
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Reporter's Notebook
AT&T Wireless certifies Telular
by Dan O'Shea
March 24, 2004
ATLANTA--Telular Corp. said at Wireless 2004 that AT&T Wireless has approved two of the vendor's products for use on its GSM/GPRS network, following quality testing.
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Boston Communications breaking out of prepaid mold
by Vince Vittore
March 15, 2004
ATLANTA--Boston Communications Group, which made most of its reputation in the prepaid wireless environment, this week is demonstrating for the first time its Mobile Guardian application that lets carriers offer real-time Web-based management controls to customers.
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Kodiak links with Lucent
by Vince Vittore
March 24, 2004
ATLANTA--Kodiak Networks announced at CTIA that it has signed an agreement with Lucent Technologies to offer wireless carriers a push-to-speak solution combining Kodiak's RTX System with Lucent's CDMA2000 infrastructure.
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Spirent automates 1X mobile IP and P2T testing
by Tim McElligott
March 24, 2004
ATLANTA--Spirent Communications introduced a new Push-to-Talk Over-the-Air Test System this week, along with an APEX C2K Applications Performance Test Platform that automates 1X Mobile IP application testing. The products also were demonstrated at the CTIA show in Atlanta
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T-Mobile fund invests in BelAir
by Dan O'Shea
March 24, 2004
ATLANTA--The T-Mobile Venture Fund, which is managed by the T-Venture financing arm of Deutsche Telekom, announced during the Wireless 2004 trade show that it is investing $2 million in wireless mesh networking vendor BelAir Networks, bringing BelAir's total funding to about $24 million.
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TESSCO initiates auto replenish program
by Vince Vittore
March 24, 2004
ATLANTA--TESSCO Technologies this week at CTIA launched a program under which it will automatically ship wireless product inventory on a weekly basis to retail outlets based on their reported sales.
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Tyco takes wireless power beyond Infinity
by Chip Howard
March 24, 2004
ATLANTA--Tyco Electronics Power Systems this week debuted two products targeting wireless applications at CTIA's Wireless 2004, as well as announcing an agreement with Midtronics, a provider of battery management technology, to help monitor the integrity of its customers' networks.
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C-Level
Boyd promoted to promotional role
March 30, 2004
Virgin Mobile USA has promoted long-time employee Peter Boyd to vice president of promotions and partnerships. In his new role, Boyd will coordinate Virgin Mobile USA's promotional and channel marketing
efforts, including the execution of special events, sponsorship initiatives and partnership opportunities.
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