PCIA Impacts President-Elect Obama’s Infrastructure 2.0 Initiative

  From www.pcia.com press release

Download Report here www.ntia.doc.gov/broadbandgrants/comments/1EA7.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 21, 2009

TIA Forecasts 3.1 Percent Loss for ICT Industry in 2009 

First Overall Decline TIA Has Ever Predicted, but Recovery to Begin in 2010 as Broadband Stimulus Funds Are Injected Into Economy

Washington, D.C. – For the first time in its 23 years of forecasting for the information and communications technology (ICT) industry, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) is projecting a 3.1 percent decline in revenue for the overall global ICT market in 2009 due to global economic conditions. In the U.S., revenue will suffer a 5.5 percent decline in 2009.

At a press conference held today, TIA released the 2009 ICT Market Review and Forecast, TIA's annual market intelligence report filled with data and analysis. (Watch a Webcast recording that includes the narrated presentation and a question and answer session.)

While revenue will remain weak in 2010, with a modest 1.2 percent increase, the longer-term outlook is much brighter. Globally, TIA projects a strong rebound for the ICT industry after 2010, citing a 6.4 percent revenue growth in 2011 and a 7.9 percent increase in 2012.

For the U.S., telecommunications revenue is expected to decrease by 6.4 percent in the next two years, but rebound by 14.4 percent during 2011-12. The effects of the current Stimulus Package, which carves out investment dollars for broadband, will enable growth throughout the ICT industry and beyond.

"Broadband will be a driver for recovery in all areas, from healthcare IT to smart grid technology, public safety networks to education, as well as for businesses and consumers," said Grant Seiffert, TIA President. "While TIA was instrumental in obtaining the $7.2 billion for broadband, other funding for energy, health IT and R&D will also spur recovery, especially in reviving some of the hundreds of thousands of jobs lost recently. The sum of increased productivity and revenue amongst all other industry segments whose growth broadband deployment contributes to is often underrated and perhaps immeasurable."

Growing demand for high-volume data applications is driving all segments, say the independent, unbiased analysts at Wilkofsky Gruen Associates who help to develop the Market Review & Forecast. Despite the recession, TIA predicts that wireless and business data revenue will grow by 73 percent during the next four years to $110 billion in 2012 from $64 billion in 2008.

Further analysis shows that economic recovery during 2011-12 will be driven by pent-up demand for equipment upgrades. Growth in data traffic will strain network capacity and stimulate investment; availability of financing will fuel investment; and broadband growth will expand the platform for VoIP and IPTV.

Recognizing that comprehensive market intelligence is more critical than ever for ICT companies positioning themselves to survive -- and thrive – when the economy begins to rebound, TIA is offering an interactive version of the Market Review & Forecast as part of the new TIA Market Intelligence Service. TelecomTV is collaborating with TIA in offering the new online service, augmented by value-adds such as news updates, webinars, industry analyses and more.

TIA's ICT Market Review & Forecast includes:

• Detailed activities and metrics from prior years
• Projections, trends and anticipated performance for short-term (upcoming year) and mid-term (3-5 years out)

The target audience includes equipment manufacturers, service providers, software vendors, content providers and the media. Sectors covered in the publication include:

• Landline
• Wireless
• Enterprise
• Network equipment
• Broadband
• VoIP
• Data transport
• Internet access
• Green ICT (to be delivered separately)

About TIA
The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents the global information and communications technology (ICT) industry through standards development, advocacy, tradeshows, business opportunities, market intelligence and world-wide environmental regulatory analysis. With roots dating back to 1924, TIA enhances the business environment for broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite and unified communications. Members' products and services empower communications in every industry and market, including healthcare, education, security, public safety, transportation, government, the military, the environment and entertainment. TIA co-owns the SUPERCOMM^® tradeshow and is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Visit tiaonline.org.

TIA's Board of Directors includes senior-level executives from ACS, ADC, ADTRAN, Alcatel-Lucent, ANDA Networks, ArrayComm, AttivaCorp, Avaya, Bechtel Communications, Inc., Cisco Systems, Corning Incorporated, Ericsson, Inc., GENBAND, Inc., Graybar, Henkels & McCoy, ILS Technology, Intel Corporation, Intersect, Inc., LGE, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, Panasonic Computer Solutions Co., Qualcomm, Research In Motion, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corporation, Tellabs, Tyco Electronics, Ulticom, Inc., and Verari Systems. Advisors to the Board include FAL Associates, Orca Systems and Telcordia Technologies.

When looking for ways to energize your career, remember that it is the little things that make a big difference over the long run.

Many people scoff at the simple advice that is repeated by the top business authors, coaches and consultants. They rationalize that things that sound easy will not have any meaningful impact, and thus they make no changes in how they live their life.

Imagine it this way: If a pilot takes off from Newark Airport (in New Jersey) and aims his plane toward Los Angeles he is heading west. A slight change in course, just one or two degrees, will make no visible impact on how people on the plane (or on the ground) would view the destination of the aircraft when he crosses over Pennsylvania. But that slight change in direction will take the plane toward Portland, Oregon.... NOT L.A... over the four hour flight.

Los Angeles is a very different city than Portland. I have spent time in both places, and while both are fine cities, they are not the same in most respects. The life you would live and the things you would experience in either city are unique.

Over the long haul your life, your career, your relationships, etc... are equally effected by the little changes that you make now. Too often people want instant visibility to how these adjustments will recreate their future. With no clear view, they get discouraged and decide to do nothing.

Look at the art of sending handwritten notes. Sending five in one week may not have any impact on your career. Sending five a week for a year would mean 250 notes in a year that people would receive from you where you express your enthusiasm for meeting them or gratitude for their assistance. Still, maybe nothing. But what if you undertook the small effort of five notes a week for ten years? Do you really believe that if you sent 2500 handwritten notes to business professionals you encounter that there would be no impact?

How about reading books? If you read ten career / business books a year it might not have mean anything in year one. But over 20 years that would be 200 books. Could the information from 200 business books add to your body of knowledge and make you more valuable to your employer or future employers? I think yes.

Change course now and you will see the value over the next decade. Or stay on your current course. It is your choice (if you feel like you are on the right path, then good for you!... that is NOT a bad thing!!). If you want long term changes, then take action.

Have A Great Day.

Are you responsible for network security? Have you heard of BT-Americas?  BT-Americas is a division of British Telecom, a global leader in advanced telecommunications, IT, wireless, and network solutions.

They are quietly building their US presence using "narrowcast" marketing, which emphasis their thought and solution leadership position in network security.  Check them out on Twitter or Linked in.

Bruce Schneier is their CTO and is well know for his books on secret codes and "Secrets and Lies" on computer and network security.  Bruce's blog is www.schneier.com/blog.  Kevin Moss, director-BT Americas blog may be read at (mosske.blog-spot.com)

Over the past couple of months, I have had the good fortune of meeting with several BT executives while attending www.telecomcouncil.com events in Silicon Valley.  Derek Kerton and his team do an amazing job presenting industry leading technologies and the people behind the technology.  During Telecom Council's recent "Connected Home" presentation, Rob Hull, BT Innovation Group provided thought provoking insights on the wireless/wireline/content business models being deployed in the UK. 

I encourage readers to visit the blogs above, check out their white papers and keep an eye out for BT's stealth marketing plan.  Their career center may be found at http://www.btplc.com/Careercentre.

On March 30, 2009, Xchange Magazine reported that Dell had entered the service provider market by launching a MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) service in Japan.  Dell reportedly will be using NTT Docomo's network.  For those not familiar with MVNO launches, they were the craze in the US several years ago with Disney, Virgin and others seeking to leverage their brand names to market wireless services to loyal customers and niche markets.  Suffice it to say that MVNOs have not exceeded expectations; however, that was before smartphones, real broadband wireless service and netbooks.

The basic concept of an MVNO is that company will sign a "resell" agreement with a wireless carrier like AT&T, Sprint or Verizon and then the MVNO will be responsible for all customer marketing, sales, customer service and billing using their own brand name versus that of the wireless carrier.

To learn more about Dell's plan, please see article below from Xchange Magazine.

The Dell MVNO

Dell Computer is in a tough spot. As better wireless networks are built out, traditional desktop sales are faltering and losing ground to laptops, netbooks and even smartphones. The latest idea the computer-maker has to capitalize on the dawn of ubiquitous wireless broadband is forming an MVNO, according to reports.

The idea is to “offer notebooks with bundled HSPA access and call plans,” said Caroline Gabriel, analyst at Rethink Research. “In this new strand of the MVNO model, the network owner provides a connection and reaps a fee, usually based on data usage, but remains invisible to the end user – with the twist on traditional MVNOs being that the brand belongs to the device.”

An example of this would be the Amazon Kindle eReader: Amazon.com signed up as an MVNO in order to provide an integrated ability in the device to do wireless book downloads. End users don’t see an incremental charge for the network; Amazon pays the carrier out of the revenue from book downloads.

Sprint-Nextel Corp. has said that it is looking for similar relationships among gadget-makers interested in providing embedded 3G – something that could supercharge digital picture frames, portable gaming devices and more.

Of course, notebooks are a far cry from single-purpose devices that can monetize MVNO data usage via download subscriptions or even pay-as-you-go downloads. Gabriel notes that the Dell MVNO-ready laptops will have built-in HSPA cards, be priced between $500 and $2,000, and will ship with fixed amount of mobile broadband access that customers can replenish with a credit card.

Dell’s MVNO will reportedly launch in Japan on the NTT DoCoMo network, and will expand to other countries from there.

Dell also has been eyeing the smartphone market, but hasn’t been able to get to market with an offering yet.

With few revenue growth options, Verizon and ATT will be bundling netbooks into data subscriber plans.  The battle ground for consumer subscribers is shaping up nicely with Apple, Google, HP, Dell, Acer, Verizon, and ATT competing for the high ground.  By the way, don't count out Sprint/Clearwire/Cisco combination.....

Couple of key stats or articles for consideration:

• Business Week reported this week the following headline - "ATT and Verizon Wireless Bet on Netbooks- Facing cell-phone saturation, carriers are turning to inexpensive netbooks, and not-so-inexpensive monthly data plans, for future growth"
  
• According to CTIA,  87% of the US population is a wireless subscriber - 270 million wireless subscribers overall.
• See the article below for an update on netbook market share.  Thanks www.thinkpads.com

Netbooks get almost 20% market share, Acer surpasses Dell

by John Hobbes, posted 05/15/09 9:11 AM

Oh how times have changed: <$500 tiny laptops are taking market share hand over fist and Dell is sinking further in a hole.

According to a recent report from research firm DisplaySearch, netbooks have taken almost 20% of the notebook market in Q1 2009. Not surprisingly, almost half of all netbooks were sold in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Asia), compared to 26% for North America.

HP is still leading the pack for overall notebook sales, but underdog Acer has moved up from its #3 position to pass Dell for #2. This is no surprise when you consider that Acer’s netbooks accounted for more than 30% of that market.

What is a bit surprising is how bad Lenovo is hurting. They are fifth in sales for Q1 09, falling behind Toshiba even. I have a feeling there will be a radical move of some kind soon, to end the hemorrhaging here. Does that mean a radical new product, or a radical restructuring of the business? Unfortunately it could be either…

   The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers has over 50 chapters nationwide and offers numerous opportunities to sharpen your saw (training and certification), network and get involved at the local and national level. Visit www.scte.org today to learn more.  

One of the hallmarks of SCTE is the "Cable Tech" games held by various chapters across the country. This is your opportunity to test your might against others.  Below is a recap of the most recent "Cable Tech" games held by the Texas Gulf Coast Chapter. Charlotte Strong is the President ad offers the following commentary (three cheers for the overall winner - James Turner from Time Warner Cable in San Antonio):

"I am the President of the Texas Gulf Coast Chapter of SCTE.  On April 23, 2009, we hosted our first annual Cable Tech Games.  The hugely successful event was held at the National Guard Armory in Corpus Christi.    We had almost 100 attendees (97 signed in).  Ten teams represented four different MSOs and one contracting firm: Charter Communications, Cable One, Grande, Time Warner Cable and COI Inc.  Thirty-eight participants traveled from Kerrville, Beaumont, San Antonio, Harlingen, Port Aransas, and from Corpus Christi.   They  competed in Cable Jeopardy, and the winner, Jimmy Smith from Time Warner, Kerrville won with a total of 2900 points. Gilbert Cuellar from TW Corpus Christi took home the gold in Cable splicing.  Top honors in meter reading went to Joesph Jones of TW Beaumont and MTDR reading went to James Turner of TW San Antonio.  The overall winners were: James Turner, from TW San Antonio,  with Silver and Bronze medals going to Kent Armstrong and Lonnie Conner respectively, both from Charter Communications in Portland, Texas.  Lonnie also won first place in optical splicing. The vendor hosts spent time teaching  participants how to read faults using a TDR; using a signal level meter, how to measure and record the input and output levels of a “black box” (box has a tap, DC, and splitter inside).  They must determine tap and DC values and match to the appropriate schematic.   Coax and optical splicing are games participants enjoy as they race against the clock.  The “unofficial” cable game using an OTDR to determine events and termination of fiber cable is popular with many of the participants as this is their first exposure to this type of task.  Participants claim that the networking opportunities as well as the learning opportunities and competitive fun make the Cable Tec Games an event they will return to year after year.

The event was followed by a fabulous Mexican food spread of chicken and beef fajitas and all the hot sauce, chips, guacamole, rice and beans you could eat!  Everyone is talking about making it bigger and better next year!

For information about the Texas Gulf Coast Chapter of SCTE, contact Charlotte Strong at charlotte.strong@twcable.com  or Neomi Gonzales at neomi.gonzales@twcable.com  or go to the SCTE Website http://www.scte.org/devams/cgi-bin/Chapterdll.dll/Info?chaptercd=TXGC ."

Charlotte Strong

About SCTE

The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) is a non-profit professional association that provides technical leadership for the telecommunications industry and serves its members through professional development, standards, certification and information. Since 1969, SCTE has continually expanded its resources and services to meet the changing needs of its members in a rapidly evolving industry. Today more than 14,000 CTOs, engineers, system operation managers, technicians, and field operations personnel from the U.S. and 70 countries worldwide depend upon SCTE to deliver the tools they need to maintain their competitive edge. SCTE has more than 68 chapters and meeting groups, and over 3,000 cable telecommunications professionals hold SCTE technical certifications. The Society continues to serve its diverse membership and the industry by offering a wide variety of educational programs and services.

The SCTE Standards Program provides an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited forum for the development of technical specifications supporting the cable telecommunications industry. It is also recognized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). SCTE standards cover a wide range of industry needs from F connectors to protocols for high-speed data access over cable to digital program insertion. More than 140 MSOs, vendors and allied organizations are SCTE Standards Program members.

Click here to view a brief SCTE overview presentation

The economic crisis has many complexities. Job security and career paths can be turned upside down, leaving many people feeling unsure about their future.In times like this it is important that we get back to the basics. In good times and in bad, all opportunities come from people. Having a network and establishing a clear personal brand can make the difference.People are NOT a commodity. You cannot just assume that if you go out and meet people that they are part of your network. Real relationships...

Read More "Back to Basics"

Arden Media Company (www.ardenmediaco.com) acquired RCR Wireless News, a 27 year old, industry leading wireless publication.  Arden Media also operates Telecomcareers, ITjobs.net, Tech&Jobs Magazine and Tech&Jobs Expo.

To read full press release, please visit www.rcrwirelessnews.com.

What would you like to see in RCR Wireless News in the future?  Shout out!

 By Thom Singer, professional speaker and author of five "power networking" books   

“I never apologize for the word 'networking' or for the 'act of networking'. When done properly it brings much value to everyone involved" -- Marny Lifshen, co-author, "Some Assembly Required: A Networking Guide for Women"

Networking is one of the most important things that people can do to find a job or advance their career.  People do business with those they know, like and trust… so it is important that you have a strong network if you want to uncover opportunities.

But many are uncomfortable with the idea of networking.  They fear that others might judge them for their efforts.

Do you ever find yourself being shy about networking? Are you a little embarrassed to tell others that you are going to a networking event or that you belong to networking organizations?

Many people have misconceptions about networking involving cheesy happy hours in hotel ballrooms with free beer and crappy fried snacks. While some networking events meet that description on various levels, the power of creating business relationships has nothing to do with drink tickets, food and handing out your business cards.

Networking is about cultivating connections with other people that allow you both to prosper. What is embarrassing about discovering the soul of another human being and looking for ways to make their life better? What makes someone shy about mutually assisting each other in the quest for success?

I think those who are really "embarrassed" have been mis-lead to believe that networking is a selfish act. They have been taught to go out and find people who can become a one-way resource without them needing to provide value in return. It is those who are "takers"... or fear that they are "takers" who have real issues with the concept of networking.

Thus I encourage you to go out and network.... but be a giver! Look for ways to connect those in your network with others whom can help them achieve success. The funny thing is the more you give, the more you will get. People LOVE to help those who help others.

But do not attempt to keep score or your will become disappointed. You will often give more than you get... but so what? The act of giving (and helping someone) is in itself a victory. Do not help someone expecting them to help you. Maybe they will... maybe they will not. It is not about that one particular person returning a favor, but it IS about the universe rewarding you over the long run.

Stop all the games about networking, or hiding your efforts... just go out and make things happen. It is not a sin in any religion to meet people and become a positive light in their lives. So why, why, why be shy?  Help others and everyone will win.

Have A Great Day.

thom


Thom Singer is a professional speaker, business consultant and the author of five books on the topic of the power of business relationships and networking.  More information at www.thomsinger.com.
 

by Chris Nolter writing for The Deal Pipeline
Updated 05:43 PM EDT, May-08-2009

Shareholders of Telephone and Data Systems Inc. will hold a forum this week on Monday to discuss gripes about the management of the Chicago company.

Southeastern Asset Management Inc. announced some of the topics it plans to address at the May 14 forum in a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing. TDS' annual meeting follows on May 21.

The Memphis firm, which manages shares for Longleaf Partners Fund, said in the filing, "we believe the company is at a critical juncture and poor decision-making can severely damage opportunities to recognize the company's value."

TDS is a wireline phone and broadband service provider, which owns a controlling stake in U.S. Cellular Corp. The family of CEO LeRoy T. Carlson Jr., son of the company's founder, owns a controlling interest in TDS.

Southeastern has argued that the company trades at a discount to similar companies. The firm wants management to put TDS and U.S. Cellular up for sale. Alternately, Southeastern wants TDS to simplify its capital structure by folding its common and special common shares into a single class of stock. The firm also said TDS should buy back shares.

TDS vice president of corporate relations Mark Steinkraus declined to comment on Southeastern's arguments. He said that all of TDS' views are expressed in SEC filings, and that the company has a practice of not commenting on filings such as Southeastern's. He said that TDS has met with shareholders who have voiced concerns about the telecom's strategic direction.

TDS announced an agreement with one critical shareholder, Mario Gabelli's Rye, N.Y., firm Gamco Asset Management Inc., in April. Gamco had planned to nominate four of its own directors at the annual meeting but agreed to support TDS' slate.

Steinkraus said that until recently, he was not familiar with the group hosting the event, The Shareholder Forum.

"I've never heard of it before getting a letter from its principal," he said. "I've been doing investor relations for over 30 years."

Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. analyst Chris King said TDS stock "definitely trades at a discount." The market values the company at 3 to 4 times Ebitda, he said. Many of its peers trade at 4 to 5 times Ebitda, and some incumbent phone companies with high-yield, high-dividend capital structures are close to 6 times Ebitda.

"The general consensus is that the Carlson family is not interested in selling, and they control the show," King said.

While the shareholders' arguments generally have merit, the analyst said, they aren't new. TDS has taken some steps to reduce its market discount, such as exiting stakes in other telecoms and related hedging instruments.

"Those are all kind of positive ideas by and large," King said. "I don't think they are likely to happen as long as the Carlson family controls the company."

TDS declined to field questions about shareholder disputes during its May 6 earnings call but said it would discuss the matter directly after the call. The company said it wanted to focus on items in its financial reports since it had its financial and operational teams assembled.

"We're going to take that call afterwards," Steinkraus said during the call.

The upcoming annual meeting will be Web cast. Last year's meeting was not.

"We weren't clear everybody was going to act in the most professional manner," Steinkraus said. He added that the meeting did proceed, with attendees having the chance to air their views. Talks with shareholders have continued since then.

"It's not like we shut down," he said.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes employment trends guides from time to time.  Recently, they published a career guide for Information Technology.  This guide PDF may be downloaded  at http://tinyurl.com/Trends-in-IT.  Below is the "Nutshell" and "Snippet" summary from the BLS website.

Telecommunications is part of the "Information" industry sector per the BLS.

—NUTSHELL:
Like most industries, information technology has had job gains and losses. This article discusses IT workers; their employment, both past and projected; and ways to prepare for these occupations.

- Snippet

Amari and Aaron have always loved computers. Both planned to enroll in the computer science department at their local universities and pursue careers in information technology. But now, as high school graduation draws near, neither student is sure what to do.

Amari and Aaron are not alone in their uncertainty. In recent years, students, workers, and jobseekers have received mixed signals about the job market for information technology. Periods of strong job growth have been punctuated by brief periods of employment declines. Optimism about information technology, commonly referred to as IT, as a career field has been tempered by concerns about job security and competition abroad.

But, as this analysis shows, the IT field continues to offer opportunities for jobseekers who have the right skills and training. The good news for Amari and Aaron is that most IT occupations are expected to remain in high demand and have strong job growth. Here’s an overview of some information technology occupations; a discussion of past employment, future prospects, and education and training for IT workers; and sources of more information.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting on April 9th that the US had over 3 million job openings; however, stated that many of these jobs are going unfilled due to training requirements.

For more information, please visit the BLS website at http://tinyurl.com/3-million-job-openings

Below is the BLS overview statement:

JOB OPENINGS AND LABOR TURNOVER:  FEBRUARY 2009

     On the last business day of February, there were 3.0 million job
openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.2
percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of
Labor reported today.  The job openings rate and the hires rate (3.3
percent) were little changed in February, with both remaining low.
The total separations rate (3.6 percent) was also essentially
unchanged in February.  This release includes estimates of the number
and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm
sector by industry and geographic region.

Job Openings
     Job openings were essentially unchanged from January to February,
although the number of job openings has trended downward since mid-
2007.  At 3.0 million in February, monthly openings were down 1.8
million, or 38 percent, since the most recent high in June 2007.  The
job openings rate changed significantly in February only in
manufacturing, where it edged up. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies Telecommunications as part of the Information Industry Sector. Below is a listing of all industries included in NAICS 51 (North American Industry Classification System)

The information sector consists of these subsectors:

• Publishing Industries (except Internet): NAICS 511
• Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries: NAICS 512
• Broadcasting (except Internet): NAICS 515
• Telecommunications: NAICS 517
• Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services: NAICS 518
• Other Information Services: NAICS 519

For more information about the Telecommunication sector, please visit http://tinyurl.com/Telecommunications-BLS-GOV

Significant Points about the Telecommunications sector

• Telecommunications includes voice, video, and Internet communications services.
• Employment will grow because technological advances will expand the range of services offered.
• With rapid technological changes in telecommunications, those with up-to-date technical skills will have the best job opportunities.
• Average earnings in telecommunications greatly exceed average earnings throughout private industry.

Goods and services. The telecommunications industry delivers voice communications, data, graphics, television, and video at ever increasing speeds and in an increasing number of ways. Whereas wireline telephone communication was once the primary service of the industry, wireless communication services, Internet service, and cable and satellite program distribution make up an increasing share of the industry.

Industry organization. The largest sector of the telecommunications industry continues to be made up of wired telecommunications carriers. Establishments in this sector mainly provide telecommunications services via wires and cables that connect customers’ premises to central offices maintained by telecommunications companies. The central offices contain switching equipment that routes content to its final destination or to another switching center that determines the most efficient route for the content to take. These companies also maintain the cable network that connects different regions of the country as well as foreign countries, and forms the backbone of the industry. While voice used to be the main type of data transmitted over the wires, wired telecommunications service now includes the transmission of all types of graphic, video, and electronic data mainly over the Internet.

These new services are made possible through the use of digital technologies that provide much more efficient use of the telecommunications networks. One major technology breaks digital signals into packets during transmission. Networks of computerized switching equipment route the packets. Packets may take separate paths to their destination and may share the paths with packets from other users. At the destination, the packets are reassembled, and the transmission is completed. Because packet switching considers alternate routes, and allows multiple transmissions to share the same route, it results in a more efficient use of telecommunications capacity as packets are routed along less congested routes.

The transmission of voice signals requires relatively small amounts of capacity on telecommunications networks. By contrast, the transmission of data, video, and graphics requires much higher capacity. This transmission capacity is referred to as “bandwidth.” As the demand increases for high-capacity transmissions—especially with the rising volume of Internet data—telecommunications companies have been expanding and upgrading their networks to increase the amount of available bandwidth.

Cable and other program distribution is another sector of the telecommunications industry. Establishments in this sector provide television and other services on a subscription or fee basis. These establishments do not include cable networks. (Information on cable networks is included in the section on broadcasting, which appears elsewhere in the Career Guide.) Distributors of pay television services transmit programming through two basic types of systems. Cable systems transmit programs over fiber optic and coaxial cables. Direct broadcasting satellite (DBS) operators constitute a growing segment of the pay television industry. DBS operators transmit programming from orbiting satellites to customers’ receivers, known as minidishes. Establishments in the cable and other program distribution industry generate revenue through subscriptions, providing Internet access, providing phone service, and advertising sales. They also charge fees for pay-per-view or video-on-demand programs.

Wireless telecommunications carriers, many of which are subsidiaries of the wired carriers, transmit voice, graphics, data, and Internet access through the transmission of signals over networks of radio towers. The signal is transmitted through an antenna into the wireline network. Increasing numbers of consumers are choosing to replace their home landline phones with wireless phones. Other wireless services include beeper and paging services.

Resellers of telecommunications services are another sector of the telecommunications industry. These resellers lease transmission facilities, such as telephone lines or space on a satellite, from existing telecommunications networks, and then resell the service to other customers. Other sectors in the industry include message communications services such as e-mail and facsimile services, satellite telecommunications, and operators of other communication services ranging from radar stations to radio networks used by taxicab companies.

Recent developments. Telecommunications carriers are expanding their bandwidth by replacing copper wires with fiber optic cable. Fiber optic cable, which transmits light signals along glass strands, permits faster, higher capacity transmissions than traditional copper wirelines. In some areas, carriers are extending fiber optic cable to residential customers, enabling them to offer cable television, video-on-demand, very high-speed Internet, and conventional telephone communications over a single line. However, the high cost of extending fiber to homes has slowed deployment. In most areas, wired carriers are instead leveraging existing copper lines that connect most residential customers with a central office, to provide digital subscriber lines (DSL) Internet service. Technologies in development will further boost the speeds and services available through a DSL connection.

Changes in technology and regulation now allow cable television providers to compete directly with telephone companies. An important change has been the rapid increase in two-way communications capacity. Conventional pay television services provided communications only from the distributor to the customer. These services could not provide effective communications from the customer back to other points in the system due to signal interference and the limited capacity of conventional cable systems. Cable operators are implementing new technologies to reduce signal interference and increase the capacity of their distribution systems by installing fiber optic cables and improving data compression. This allows some pay television systems to offer two-way telecommunications services, such as video-on-demand and high-speed Internet access.

Cable companies are increasing their share of the telephone communications market by using high-speed Internet access to provide VoIP (voice over Internet protocol). VoIP is sometimes called Internet telephony, because it uses the Internet to transmit phone calls. While conventional phone networks use packet switching to break up a call onto multiple shared lines between central offices, VoIP extends this process to the phone. A VoIP phone will break the conversation into digital packets and transmit those packets over a high-speed Internet connection. Cable companies use the technology to offer phone services without building a conventional phone network. Wireline providers’ high-speed Internet connections also can be used for VoIP and cellular phones are being developed that use VoIP to make calls using local wireless Internet connections. All of the major sectors of the telecommunications industry are or will increasingly use VoIP.

Wireless telecommunications carriers are deploying several new technologies to allow faster data transmission and better Internet access that should make them more competitive with wireline carriers. With faster Internet connections speeds, wireless carriers are selling music, videos, and other exclusive content that can be downloaded and played on cellular phones. Wireless equipment companies are developing the next generation of technologies that will allow even faster data transmission. The replacement of landlines with cellular service should become increasingly common because advances in wireless systems will provide ever faster data transmission speeds.

Are you ready for LTE?

Freescale Semiconductor

Do you remember the first time you got your hands on one of the next-generation smartphones that combines email, wireless web browsing and traditional phone functionality? For many, this was an impressive experience. Now consider the prospect of using such a device with Internet connectivity speeds as fast as today’s broadband-enabled desktop.

The appeal of this kind of performance in the context of today’s mobile devices is compelling. But that’s only part of the story. The fact is, next-generation mobile broadband technology is on the horizon and approaching fast. As a result, consumers can look forward to more than just faster internet connectivity on their existing mobile devices – they can expect performance levels that enable creation of entirely new classes of mobile products and services that dramatically boost productivity, improve public safety and enhance enjoyment of digital entertainment.

Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is one of the leading wireless standard candidates expected to deliver this kind of game-changing performance. But the technology presents more than just attractive user experiences – it also represents a huge business opportunity for the service providers, equipment manufacturers and semiconductor suppliers who bring LTE to life. Leading mobile carriers and service providers worldwide are currently working to complete the buildout of networks capable of supporting LTE. Carriers in Asia are expected to begin offering commercial LTE service as soon as late 2009, and firms serving North America and Europe are not far behind.

Although different configurations of LTE are planned for deployment in specific global regions, all LTE variants are expected to ultimately deliver speeds of up to 326Mb/s downlink and 86Mb/s uplink, and support channel bandwidths from 1.25 MHz to 20 MHz. LTE is expected to deliver this kind of performance in large part because it is designed to provide as much as four times the spectral efficiency of networks based on previous wireless generations. This allows LTE networks to deliver more bits of data into the same amount of spectrum as older standards, resulting in faster data speeds and increased capacity. And LTE provides this higher bandwidth while reusing existing spectrum that is being used by current-generation networks.

LTE is based on a simplified, all-IP network architecture that boosts the volume of data that can travel across a network and enhances network efficiency. This increased efficiency is especially appealing to network operators, who expect LTE to lower operating and capital expenditure costs, since the simplified architecture requires fewer (but more integrated) infrastructure equipment installations.

Greater flexibility is another benefit of LTE. With LTE, network operators can operate within a broader range of frequency bands, as well as deliver connectivity across smaller amounts of spectrum in cases where a particular usage model might require lower bandwidth.

The potential of LTE is significant for consumers, as well as for the telecommunications industry and its entire supply chain. In the years ahead, LTE promises tremendous opportunities for the people and organizations best able to harness the promise of this compelling technology.

 

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