You are currently browsing the Alan Spicer Marine Telecom Blog weblog archives for June, 2009.
30. June 2009 by admin.
This just in…
A customer endorsement regarding an installation this year of the Ericsson W25 on their sailing yacht. This customer also got a 1 year consulting and support agreement and is entitled to unlimited consulting and support by telephone and email for the E W25 system and any related communications onboard the sailing yacht.
Dear Alan Thank you for your useful bulletins which we always enjoy reading.
Our Ericsson set up worked so well in the Bahamas and we have spoken about it to so many people who have been impressed with our system. Today I have forwarded on your latest email to a couple in Brunswick who are planning to upgrade their system. We have given them your contact details also. Hopefully they will make contact. Keep up the good work.
William $ Frances SpouseYacht Alexia
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29. June 2009 by admin.
Ericsson W35 Sale
Ericsson W35 Sale starts June 29th. For 10 days only the following pricing will apply:
E W35 - $725.00 - wait, price dropped again $625.00
Shipping to U.S. and Canada Locations - $20.00 - wait shipping now free: $0.00
* Antennas and coax cables, if needed, will cost you additional. These units work on land / temporary site / automobiles / marine - sail yacht - motor yacht, and provide HSPA (HSUPA, HSDPA) 3G Internet + Cellular Voice to Analog Telephone Devices and PBX Systems. These units basically let you carry the Internet with you everywhere you go (10-28vDC power or 110vAC power required) and share with multiple users via wired or wifi connections. I’ve already called this the E-Phone (Everybody Phone) because it allows not just you (iPhone) to get on, but others as well [if you let them!]
* Sales within Florida will incur Sales Tax. This sale is valid for Blog readers only. You must mention this blog for the sale to be valid. Previous Quotes, local installations - do not qualify. Internet / Telephone Sales only. Call for information.
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Alan Spicer Telecom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
http://www.mobilebroadbandrouter.biz/
http://www.backupvoiceandinternet.com/
+1 954 683 3426
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29. June 2009 by admin.
Get some of those hard-to-reach hotspots wether you’re at anchor or just too far away for some reason. Bring out the Big Gun.
Give those hotspots, and your hotspot router (hopefully one of our MWB’s) what they want! More signal on target to the hotspot - and more receive signal to your hotspot router. (* Of course you *know* you’ll have to aim this thing.) We normally do Omni-Directional antennas on yachts. This is precisely so that you don’t have to aim the antenna. But *sometimes* you end up with your boat in a spot too far from civilization. You just cannot reach the hotspots because they are out of range. Some of you may know from old CB Radio days or from Ham/Amateur Radio - that using directional antennas is often beneficial. Often it’s the only way to get a signal through (receive and send.) Obviously gain antennas do so by taking away from somewhere else. In an Omni antenna you pull in the vertical-beamwidth and instead of wasting signal up and down you concentrate more on where the target is. The same thing goes with Yagi antennas but taking a step further and also pulling in the horizontal-beamwidth. So now you concentrate not only on vertically where the target it - but horizontal as well. Instead of listening all around 360 degrees you listen only 30 degrees. On transmitting instead of wasting power 360 degrees around - you concentrate your power on a much narrower area. This isn’t for everybody - because you will have work a bit to aim the antenna. But if you are more than a couple miles off shore at anchor - or you are somewhere where the needed wifi signal is just too weak. This can help. I only recommend this as a backup antenna. Not as your main WiFi antenna. Hook it up and use it when you need it.
2.4 GHz 15 dBi Yagi Antenna - 12in N-Female Connector
Rugged and Weatherproof
12in low-loss coax lead terminated with a N-Female connector
30° beam-width & DC Short lightning protection
Light weight, UV-stable & UL flame rated radome
Includes tilt and swivel mast mount
Can be installed for either vertical or horizontal polarization
antenna is supplied with a 60 degree tilt and swivel mast mount kit
* You find the place to put it. It needs a mast (pole) to mount it on. Details available on request.
* Note: If you already have our MWB WiFi Hotspot Sharing Router System (if you don’t you’re at the right place to get one anyway…) then it has an “Align Antenna” feature that will give a Real Time colorful signal strength indication - which would be excellent for aiming one of these Big Gun antennas. If you have wireless onboard that covers topside you could carry a laptop up with you to aim the thing.
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Alan Spicer Telecom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
http://www.mobilebroadbandrouter.biz/
http://www.backupvoiceandinternet.com/
+1 954 683 3426
Posted in WiFi Hotspot and Onboard WiFi Wireless | No Comments »
29. June 2009 by admin.
* Alan Spicer Marine Telecom sells and supports the installation and use of a Marine Wireless Bridge (WiFi Hotspot Sharing Router) for Sailing and Motor Yachts. Here is a customer feedback on the MWB.
Hello Alan,
We are currently at Harbor Island and docked at the Harbor Island marina which is the most southern marina here. The MWB is working well. We have purchased an Internet connection from the marina that is provided by Island Web Cafe Internet, IWC Internet. $150 per month and it test out at 400 for both upload and download. We have a signal in the -50db’s.
We have installed several ‘Magic Jack’ devices and are very happy with the VoIP service. There is a restaurant at the end of the dock that gives free wifi, but their signal is in the -80dbs. I am curious about experimenting with some directional antennas some time.
I will try to keep you informed about how the internet holds up with a boat full of guest surfing and using VoIP.
Tom
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Alan Spicer Telecom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
http://www.mobilebroadbandrouter.biz/
http://www.backupvoiceandinternet.com/
+1 954 683 3426
Posted in WiFi Hotspot and Onboard WiFi Wireless | No Comments »
26. June 2009 by admin.
After months of speculation, Microsoft has announced pricing for Windows 7: Come October 22, you’ll be able to snag a spanking new copy of Windows 7 Home Premium edition for $199, or $119 for an upgrade from XP or Vista. There’s also a two-week deal, starting today, for customers who want to preorder the Home Premium version for just under 50 bucks. But what if you don’t want to fork over the cash or go through the hassle of an OS installation? In that case, Rick Broida has some tips on how to simulate Windows 7 features without actually getting a new operating system (see “Windows 7 Look and Feel on a Vista or XP Machine”). Turns out, a lot of the Windows 7 advantages Microsoft is touting are available right now, if you’re willing to do some tweaking and judicious downloading. Give it a try and tell us what you think.
–Editorial Director Steve Fox
Windows 7 Look and Feel on a Vista or XP Machine
http://www.pcworld.com/article/166938/article.html?tk=nl_bex_h_topstories
Rick Broida, PC World
Jun 21, 2009 9:00 pm
(read the article at the link above.)
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Alan Spicer Telecom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
http://www.mobilebroadbandrouter.biz/
http://www.backupvoiceandinternet.com/
+1 954 683 3426
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26. June 2009 by admin.
This was also posted on:
http://www.mobilebroadbandrouter.biz/
Alan Spicer Marine Telecom really shines on Remote Support
Alan Spicer Marine Telecom has been providing remote consulting and support for sail and motor yachts for several years. ASMT assists M/Y Unforgettable on installation of Onboard Network and WiFi Hotspot Broadband Sharing Router System.
Alan Spicer Marine Telecom provides Consulting, Sales, and Support for Broadband Mobile Routers … a lot of times this is on marine vessels such as Sail and Motor Yachts.
ASMT today assisted the M/Y Unforgettable by telephone remotely - and has been assisting that vessel through several phone calls this week regarding the installation of a WiFi Hotspot Broadband Sharing Router and onboard Wireless Network system.
Todays call involved some troubleshooting - including disassembly of the WiFi Hotspot Sharing Router - checking status LED’s and finally in determining that a network cable was bad causing the routers sharing functionality not to work.
ASMT has a yearly consulting agreement: http://www.marinetelecom.net/consulting.html - with the M/Y Unforgettable. A WiFi Hotspot Sharing Router, Marine Gain Fiberglass Antennas system and Coax Cable, and onboard 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz access points were sold and shipped to the vessel. Some pre-configuration and testing was done - but further setup was needed onboard the boat. This was all accomplished by remote consulting via telephone and email.
ASMT can save other customers money by do-it-yourself project consultation for entire site or boat networks - a provide them with the expertise in Broadband Mobile Routers and Onboard Networking to get it done.
Contact: Alan Spicer
+1 954 683 3426
communications@marinetelecom.net
http://www.marinetelecom.net/consulting.html
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24. June 2009 by admin.
Alan Spicer Marine Telecom, along with International Marine Electronics for “Marine Electronics” services and support, provides the Tag Team System of:
3G Cellular Internet and Voice (to your PBX or Analog Telephone Equipment)
WiFi Hotspot Sharing System (longer range WiFi Hotspot shared onboard your yacht)
* Combined into your onboard wireless and wired network (or we’ll create one) to give you two least-cost choices for Internet (and voice via cellular) wherever you travel with your vessel. Cellular is a fixed monthly cost per month - usually around $60.00 for the Internet side of it (3G) plus whatever voice plan you choose. WiFi Hotspots are often free for guests of a marina - including yachts, and otherwise is relatively inexpensive even when pay per week or month - and… is usually very fast and… and International Standard.
This way you can use Cellular 3G in the US. Switch to WiFi where there isn’t cellular Internet coverage or outside of the U.S. where many marinas and such offer WiFi Hotspot access.
* Some yachts have VSAT or other satellite system such as Fleet33/55/77, Fleet Broadband, or Mini-VSAT. We can add our tag team system into those environments as well - and in many cases save you money on the Satellite Usage Bill. Many satellite services are configured for Pay-per-usage. So you use them only when that’s the only option and you must get on the Internet.
**** Alan Spicer Marine Telecom and Bryan of Internation Marine Electronics tag team on expertise … and Tag Team the Internet Access Options with WiFi Hotspot Sharing + Cellular 3G Sharing (with the bonus of Cellular Voice to your PBX or Analog Telephone system.)
Contact:
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Alan Spicer Telecom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
http://www.mobilebroadbandrouter.biz/
http://www.backupvoiceandinternet.com/
+1 954 683 3426
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24. June 2009 by admin.
Cell Life > A Primer on LTE - Long Term Evolution
April 6th, 2009
LTE or Long Term Evolution is a 4G wireless technology and is considered the next in line in the GSM evolution path after UMTS/HSPDA 3G technologies. LTE is espoused and standardized via the 3GPP or 3rd Generation Partnership Project members. 3GPP is a global telecommunications consortium having members in most GSM dominant countries. 3GPP specifications are based on GSM evolution path of wireless communications. GSM is the most prevalent wireless standard in the world and has maximum number of subscribers globally.
The impact of LTE is so big that even powerful carriers which were on the alternate CDMA path like Verizon Wireless of United States, have decided to go with LTE in their next generation 4G evolution. Firms like Verizon and MetroPCS of USA have all but dumped the CDMA technology path almost dealing a blow to the CDMA owner Qualcomm, although the latter is much more diversified so it is not really short of business models.
LTE vs WiMAX
Whereas WiMAX emerged from the WiFi IP paradigm, LTE is a result of the classic GSM technology path. LTE is behind in the race to 4G with WiMAX getting an early lead with the likes of Sprint ClearWire and several operators in Asia opting to go with WiMAX in the near term. So where WiMAX has a speed to market advantage, LTE has massive adoption and GSM parenthood to back it up.
It is widely believed by market analysts that LTE will win ultimately but WiMAX will find adoption in frontrunner communities and niche business models which tend to take up technology faster. WiMAX vendors will have you believe that speed to market is too important to ignore. History suggests otherwise in case of wireless industry. It is also believed that ultimately, wireless industry will figure out a way to wed the two 4G technologies so the end product in few years might be a nice amalgam.
So ultimately, what standard an operator uses might be a moot point in the long run. The inter-operability would be just too great to get hung up on the wireless standard. The fact that both WiMAX and LTE are all-IP means that a cross-connection will be a piece of cake at some point in future.
In terms of speed, Fixed WiMAX lacks LTE in speed but Mobile WiMAX may catch up with LTE on this front. For an overview on WiMAX, refer to our post “A Primer on WiMAX“.
LTE Technology
LTE builds on 3GPP family which includes GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) etc. LTE is an all-IP standard like its peer WiMAX. LTE allows for rich applications and business models which include ultra-high speed voice, video and data. It also enables integration with the classic internet infrastructure which is all-IP based.
HSPA (High Speed Packet Access), the 3G GSM standard popular over near-term, offers uplink speeds of 11.5 MBPS and downlink of 28 MBPS. Whereas LTE offers 75-100 MBPS Uplink speeds and 250-300 MBPS downlink speeds. Compare this with 20 MBPS U-verse speeds of AT&T wired broadband network U-verse and 50 MBPS speeds in Verizon FIOS TV service. In a nutshell, LTE will beat the fastest wired broadband delivery High Def TV today (in USA) by order of 1 to 4 or 1 to 2 depending on which wired broadband we are talking about. That said, many carriers like AT&T believe that HSPA and its faster cousin HSPA+ will compare well with early WiMAX speeds and so there is no rush to LTE yet for these kind of carriers.
Some key characteristics of LTE are described below :
LTE Applications
LTE will enable applications previously unheard of. Wireless ubiquity is a given. All consumer devices. communication and computing resources may be enabled on the wireless network courtesy of chipmakers like Intel who are eagerly building in WiMAX and LTE in future chipsets which will be embedded in all sorts of technology devices that one can imagine. Social Networking and human-technology interaction (HTI) will take on a new meaning. Human-technology interface and resultant communication could be as seamless and as effortless as the Tom Cruise movie Minority Report makes it out to be (ok we are bragging a bit now).
Web 4.0, if you will, may just comprise the Wireless as an integral element of the hyper-connected world via LTE and WiMAX enablement. Broadband TV might not need wired cables anymore and new MVNO service providers may emerge who enable wirelessly driven TV and broadband internet. Business users might exchange massive amounts of data while on the go at the flick of a button (or touch). Interacting with your Flickr and Picasas photo streams from mobile devices might be a breeze. Games will cross wired / wireless domains and mobile location will figure in the gaming context naturally. Location-based may take a new meaning with location being the true IP beacon determining the application context in a flash, thereby offering a ultra-personalized mobile experience to the user.
LTE Timeline
Operators are just now fully deploying 3G using WCDMA or UMTS/HSPDA. WiMAX is coming in via ClearWire in USA and several operators like BSNL in India and many others in Middle East and Africa. The first LTE deployment in USA is with relatively tiny MetroPCS which may just beat the big 3 LTE carriers (AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile) in the race to 4G. Verizon is claiming 2010 LTE deployment and AT&T is taking a more patient approach and states that LTE is in 2011-12 timeframe. China is unique, as usual. They have taken the TD-SCDMA 3G route which is a “unique to China” standard. Chinese 4G strategy is not clear still. India is more LTE centric like the West with major carriers like Airtel and Vodafone adopting the LTE route. LTE in India is many years away as India’s regulator TRAI has not even awarded the 3G spectrum licenses yet.
Japan, we won’t even go there..
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Alan Spicer Marine Telecom is interested in technology developments and solutions for Satellite, Cellular, WiFi, and other wireless means that can be used for mobile communications on land and sea. ASMT serves a lot of marine customers but also serves businesses and individuals with fixed location and land-mobile applications as well.
—
Alan Spicer Telecom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
http://www.mobilebroadbandrouter.biz/
http://www.backupvoiceandinternet.com/
+1 954 683 3426
Posted in Cellular Voice and Internet | No Comments »
24. June 2009 by admin.
Ericsson Hopes to Accelerate LTE Roll-out With Patent Deals
Mikael Ricknäs, IDG News Service
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 9:10 AM PDT
Ericsson has signed its first license agreements for patents essential to next-generation mobile networks based on LTE (Long Term Evolution), it said on Tuesday.
The individual deals and their respective terms are confidential, so Ericsson won’t name the companies that are now working on products that will support LTE, according to Gustav Brismark, vice president for patent strategies and portfolio management at Ericsson. But both infrastructure and end-user devices are included, he said.
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Alan Spicer’s Note: Long Term Evolution, LTE, is reportedly the next generation of cellular broadband … both voice and Internet. It should be what will be called 4G. I think that most cellular companies will converge into this technology - where they are now different (EVDO/CDMA, GSM/UMTS) … and hopefully that will help end users and businesses to be able to choose their carrier and use whatever cellular compatible device they want to. Perhaps this will make more unlocked devices (like the current Ericsson W25 and W35 are unlocked) available and give everyone both equipment and carrier choices to make for themselves.
Speeds will no doubt increase on Internet with 4G … wether they actually let much of that get to end users remains to be seen. With current shared bandwidth and monthly 5 Gigabyte Limits on users … I’m a little leary as to if this will actually change things much? We’ll have to wait and see.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3GPP_Long_Term_Evolution
LTE (Long Term Evolution) is a set of enhancements to the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) which will be introduced in 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 8. Much of 3GPP Release 8 will focus on adopting 4G mobile communications technology, including an all-IP flat networking architecture.
Overview
LTE provides downlink peak rates of at least 100Mbit/s, 50 Mbit/s[1] in the uplink and RAN (Radio Access Network) round-trip times of less than 10ms. LTE supports flexible carrier bandwidths, from 1.4MHz up to 20MHz as well as both FDD (Frequency Division Duplexing) and TDD (Time Division Duplex).
The goals for LTE include improving spectral efficiency, lowering costs, improving services, making use of new spectrum and reformed spectrum opportunities,[1] and better integration with other open standards. The architecture that will result from this work is called EPS (Evolved Packet System) and comprises E-UTRAN (Evolved UTRAN) on the access side and EPC (Evolved Packet Core) on the core side. EPC is also known as SAE (System Architecture Evolution) and E-UTRAN is also known as LTE.
The main advantages with LTE are high throughput, low latency, plug and play, FDD and TDD in the same platform, improved end-user experience and simple architecture resulting in low operating expenditures. LTE will also support seamless connection to existing networks such as GSM, cdmaOne, W-CDMA (UMTS), and CDMA2000.[1]
While 3GPP Release 8 has yet to be ratified as a standard, much of the standard will be oriented around upgrading UMTS to 4G mobile communications technology, which is essentially a mobile broadband system with enhanced multimedia services built on top.
The standard includes:
A large amount of the work is aimed at simplifying the architecture of the system, as it transits from the existing UMTS circuit + packet switching combined network, to an all-IP flat architecture system.
Carrier adoption
Most carriers supporting GSM or HSUPA networks can be expected to upgrade their networks to LTE at some stage:
Despite initial development of the rival UMB standard, which was designed as an upgrade path for CDMA networks, most operators of networks based upon the latter system have also announced their intent to migrate to LTE, resulting in discontinuation of UMB development.
(More of this available at the link above on Wikipedia.)
Alan Spicer Marine Telecom is interested in technology developments and solutions for Satellite, Cellular, WiFi, and other wireless means that can be used for mobile communications on land and sea. ASMT serves a lot of marine customers but also serves businesses and individuals with fixed location and land-mobile applications as well.
—
Alan Spicer Telecom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
http://www.mobilebroadbandrouter.biz/
http://www.backupvoiceandinternet.com/
+1 954 683 3426
Posted in Cellular Voice and Internet | No Comments »
17. June 2009 by admin.
I put some additional comments on my Ericsson W35 web page - and I though it was worth a blog post. At least if only for those that appreciate my sense of humor
By the way … you can use an iPhone’s WiFi capability to use the Internet via an Ericsson W35 box. But the point is with the EW35 you can share both the 3G Internet and the Voice capability of your Cellular Service - in many types of vehicles (vessels, yachts, …) and that’s a whole lot better than being selfish with your own fancy iPhone, right????
Make sure you visit the W35 Page: http://www.marinetelecom.net/Ericsson_W35 or at least tell a friend to go visit it. Thanks!!!!
Introducing the Ericsson W3x Series - Mobile Broadband Router for WCDMA/HSPA Mobile Networks (also known as Fixed Wireless Terminal - FWT or Fixed Cellular Terminal FCT. W35 has voice capability, the W30 does not. That’s the two models available.The Ericsson W35 - 3G Internet and Cellular Voice Router Now with High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) all part of the High Speed Packet Access Technologies (HSPA) - Alan Spicer is the U.S. Ericsson Go-To Guy on Land, Land Mobile, and Yachts - Marine. Noone will know more about Ericsson W30 and W35 than Alan Spicer. Get your land / business / remote service / marine - Ericsson W35 questions answered. You get personalized service here. I really answer the phone. No music on hold. No customer service or sales phone queue to wait on hold in. These units can run on 10-28vdc (as well as 110vAC) so RV, Commercial Service Vehicles, Remote Sites, Home telephone and Internet, as well as our old standby Marine Sail and Motor Yachts are all viable and cost saving uses for Ericsson W35. Call now and find out more. This is a solution for FIXED, PORTABLE, or MOBILE (marine) Fast Internet and Cell #1 Line for your PBX (or to analog telephone sets.) Provide voice and Internet to your whole vehicle or vessel. Call +1 954-683-3426. Hey Alan… I really need a break on the price (below). Yah? Alright well call me. You can’t get a break on the price if you don’t call. Call right now and give me your reason for needing a break on the price. Who knows - if it’s a good enough reason… I might actually go for it.
A lot of people get an iPhone. A lot of people want an iPhone. (And there’s nothing wrong with that.) But I believe more in an Ephone. Rather than getting a 3G iPhone and sharing it with nobody… how about an “Everybody Phone” and Share it with those around you. Installed in a vehicle (land or marine vessel) the Ericsson W35 can share 3G Internet with everybody in that vehicle. Installed in a home or office it can share 3G Internet with everybody in that home or office. Installed on a construction site it can provide everybody on that construction site with 3G Internet. Oh, and it provides “Office or Home Style Voice Telephone Jacks” for regular telephone gear. Try that with a Magic Jack. It won’t happen. How about an Amazing Mobile Magical Telephone Jack? (Magic Jack is a registered trademark of - well whoever owns the trade mark. iPhone is a registered trademark of, ummm, those Apple Folks.) Ephone if it’s anyones trademark well this is just a parody … it really means “Everybody Phone” or “Ericsson Magic Mobile Internet and Voice Phone”. Everybody Phone (Ericsson W35) can connect to PBX inputs or regular telephones using standard RJ11 phone connections. Any questions? Call +1 954 683 3426.
See my Blog about this: http://blog.marinetelecom.net
The Ericsson W35 Brochure is here: AlanSpicer-Ericsson_W35_Brochure.pdf
The Ericsson W35 Owners Manual is here: AlanSpicer-W3x_userguide.pdf
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Alan Spicer Telecom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
+1 954 683 3426
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