Uncategorized - Written by Paul Artiuch on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 11:14 - 3 Comments
Peer to peer mobile networks
As if telecommunications companies don’t have enough to worry about with increased competition from cable companies and free services such as Skype, a new peer to peer mobile calling model is making headlines. A Swedish company called TerraNet has devised a way to use modified handsets to connect directly to other phones while simultaneously routing mobile traffic for other users. This effectively disintermediates telecommunications companies that own the base towers which route mobile traffic.
As each handset has a range of about 1km the mesh network could quickly cover large sections in rural areas. The system still faces several problems including the lack of available frequencies and bandwidth to carry calls in high usage areas. The company is betting that these can be resolved over time.
TerraNet’s technology is ideal for developing countries that do not yet have a telecommunications infrastructure. Pilot projects are already underway in Tanzania and Ecuador. While the concept is facing opposition from established mobile companies, handset makers are seeing an opportunity to capture more of the value. In fact Ericsson, a large phone manufacturer, has already invested over $6 million in the company.
3 Comments
Dan Herman
I have two empty cans and some string, will Ericsson invest in me?
Robert J. Lanier SLO
Aloha Dan Herman,
The above comment was funny and showed your age.
“I have two empty cans and some string, will Ericsson invest in me?”
Our generation when young had no teck and these were fun. I am 58. Then the next generation made multi-millions conning us out of stocks that did nothing but evaporate.
My wife, a physician, (also a Ph.D. from Stanford)did Pap Smears. The slides were inserted into a blue plastic case with a lengthwise flip lid. My six year old daughter took one and made a cell phone. She wrote and glued numbers into the inside. It was smaller and lighter than anything available. A teck marvel. Okay she forgot the string. Now kids sit all day playing these idiot computer games.
My wife refused to get a cell phone. We did live in Hawaii two years and swam together four days a week.
One day a visitor asked to use our land line phone. AT&T 100 model. She said, “It has a redial button.” I asked him what he did? An undergaduate and Masters from CalPoly in Computer Science. I work linking X software with Y software for networks. (Oracle and HP?)
“So you know about the redial?”
Robert J. Lanier
always fun to rib the kids.
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On the face of it, the concept would seem to rely on a Goldilocks density of handsets. Ericsson are probably being smart (or sneaky if you happen to not like them). Whether $6m is a lot or a hedge bet is arguable.