Datacomm Research Company

Why Wigig will be a wireless game-changer

Why Wigig will be a wireless game-changer

The new high-speed short-range wireless standard promises a bandwidth bonanza for users

WiGig is a relatively new wireless technology that lives in a part of the radio spectrum (60GHz) where bandwidth is extraordinarily plentiful. The FCC has allocated 14GHz of spectrum — from 57GHz to 71GHz — for unlicensed use. That’s more new spectrum for consumers than all of the spectrum previously allocated for consumers.

WiGig is first and foremost a shot in the arm for Wi-Fi. WiGig began as an independent development effort, but is now managed by the Wi-Fi Alliance. Last year, the Wi-Fi Alliance began certifying products based on the WiGig standard (802.11ad). WiGig will relieve congestion in the Wi-Fi bands at 2.4GHz and 5GHz by giving Wi-Fi users an alternative band with 20 times as much spectrum. WiGig also offers extra-wide channels (more than 2GHz wide) for bandwidth-intensive applications such as super-fast file transfers, screen-sharing and virtual reality.

Engineers have long known that the higher you go in the radio spectrum the more bandwidth there is. Why didn’t we take advantage of this fact sooner?

Survival strategies for a hyper-regulated economy

Software automation and mobile communication can ease the pain of regulatory compliance.

Federal regulations increase the cost of doing business, and can be a disincentive for anyone thinking about starting a business.

Fortunately, there are technology solutions that can take some of the sting out of regulatory compliance and even turn it to advantage. Many regulations involve collecting information and informing consumers — tasks that can be largely automated using software and mobile devices. The data gathered can often be used to fine-tune operations and better serve customers.

During his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump promised to eliminate the most daunting rules and scale back regulations. Specifically, Trump called for a government-wide review and, more recently, suggested that two existing regulations be eliminated for each new regulation enacted.

Mobile operators won’t find safety in content deals

Mobile operators won’t find safety in content deals

Mobile operators need to look at reinventing their operations instead of content deals if they want to guarantee future success.

AT&T wants to acquire Time Warner and Verizon Communications wants to buy Yahoo because they believe delivering news, sports and movies to the small screen is the best way for mobile operators to ensure their long-term success. Mobile communication service has become a commodity and operators have known for a long time they need to do more than just provide “dumb pipes” if they want to continue prospering.

On the surface, everything appears to being going well for the U.S.’ four largest mobile operators. Both AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless have more than 100 million subscribers each, while T-Mobile US and Sprint have more than 50 million customers each. However, the mobile industry is in constant flux. Within the next five years, mobile operators are expected to begin deploying fifth generation wireless technology. And mobile operators know from experience that innovative companies can disrupt their businesses. When Apple burst into the mobile phone business with the iPhone in 2007, it broke up the handset makers’ exclusive club, and put operators in the unaccustomed position of having to negotiate for sales rights.

Threats to mobile operators’ businesses are very real. Cellular telephone was originally developed for automobiles, but today mobile phones are mainly used indoors. Competitors offering low-cost service relying primarily on Wi-Fi hot spots and only secondarily on cell towers are springing up everywhere. These include small independent companies such as Republic Wireless, Google’s Project Fi, cable TV operators and city governments offering “municipal Wi-Fi” service.

Why mobile operators need a digital makeover

Why mobile operators need a digital makeover

Mobile operators are still using business support systems architected in the early 1990s. They need to become digital service providers delivering digital user experiences.

The global mobile phone business is booming. Up until recently, operators had their hands full rolling out 4G services and upgrading users to the latest smartphones. Going forward, operators will face growing threats from Wi-Fi, over-the-top (OTT) services and innovative solutions not yet on their radar screens. Pressure to seize partnership opportunities will increase.

To meet these challenges, mobile operators must acquire new skills: the ability to quickly design and launch new services, to gather information and act on it in real time, and to create more compelling user experiences.

The problem for most mobile operators is that they are still using a business support system architecture developed in the early 1990s. Back then, voice generated almost all of their revenue, there were few smartphones, and opportunities to partner with content suppliers and app developers were practically nonexistent.

Bluetooth Beacons Will Spawn $10 Billion Market by 2020

Press Releases

New Datacomm Research Report:
Bluetooth Beacons Will Spawn $10 Billion Market by 2020

Disposable Beacons Will Create Explosive Demand for Software and Services

June 2, 2015 – St. Louis, Missouri – Bluetooth beacons are changing the way people shop, work, and play by linking places and things in the physical world to the Internet. However, beacon sales are only a small part of the opportunity. The big money will be made building beacon ecosystems. That is one of the conclusions of Datacomm Research Company’s new 127-page study, Bluetooth Beacon Business Opportunities, 2015-2020.

“We identified thirty-two different markets for Bluetooth beacons cutting across diverse applications including shopping, manufacturing, maintenance, and advertising,” said Ira Brodsky, author of the report. “All of the indicators suggest that Bluetooth beacons will be very successful. Many vendors are betting that Bluetooth beacons will play a leading role in revitalizing retail store sales. Some have found compelling applications in areas such as facilities management and mining. Others believe that Bluetooth beacons will help consumers keep track of keys, remotes, children, and the elderly,” he added.

How 5G Wireless Will Alter the Competitive Dynamics Between Mobile, Cable TV, and Wireline Service Providers

Press Releases

New Report from Datacomm Research and Rysavy Research:

How 5G Wireless Will Alter the Competitive Dynamics Between Mobile, Cable TV, and Wireline Service Providers

August 1, 2017 – St. Louis, Missouri – Business Wire – Leveraging millimeter wave spectrum, small cells, and the higher spectral efficiency of 5G, mobile operators will achieve the capacity gains needed to successfully compete with fixed broadband service providers. That is a key conclusion of the 55-page report, Broadband Disruption: How 5G Will Reshape the Competitive Landscape, released today by Datacomm Research and Rysavy Research.

“Our research indicates that 5G networks have the potential to leapfrog the capacity of cable operators’ HFC networks,” said Peter Rysavy, principal author of the report. “We show how to calculate the throughput per square kilometer for wireless and cable networks, and analyze all of the key variables,” he added.

Restaurant Chains’ Mobile and Online Revenue Will Triple Within Five Years

Press Releases

New Datacomm Research Report:
Restaurant Chains’ Mobile and Online Revenue Will Triple Within Five Years

Retailing Increasingly Demands Dual Online and Physical Presence, Integrated Marketing

May 20, 2014 – St. Louis, Missouri – You can’t download your dinner, but you will order food, pay checks, and do much more with your smartphone. That is one of the conclusions of Datacomm Research Company’s new 118-page study, Good Food and Drink and Connected Technology, 2014-2019.

“The restaurant business is going digital,” said David Strom, co-author of the report. “Online ordering is generating billions of dollars of business for chains including Pizza Hut, Domino’s, and Papa John’s. Mobile payments account for a significant percentage of Starbucks’ revenue. A growing number of restaurant chains offer electronic gift cards and rewards. And chains such as Chili’s and Applebee’s are deploying tablet computers to all of their tables,” he added.