Nokia Siemens Networks

Want to get married in Vegas? There’s an app for that, says NSN

We’re hearing a lot these days about how carriers are seeing their average revenue per user (ARPU) go down with the advent of unlimited voice and data plans, so they will have to make their money partnering with developers of smartphone applications or themselves offer integrated services.

At SuperCOMM 09, I heard from Michael Mullineaux, marketing manager at Nokia Siemens Networks, who demonstrated an application that would combine location with e-commerce and book an evening in Las Vegas from a mobile device.

Huawei and mobile infrastructure: Taking on the heavies

Didn’t we discuss Huawei just last week in the optical arena? Yes we did. Now everybody’s talking Huawei in mobile infrastructure, and not just as the low-cost Chinese telecom equipment purveyor category. Huawei did its time as the low-priced spread, and now grudging respect, even fear among competitors is growing.

The most recent Infonetics Research report on mobile and LTE equipment asked service provider decision-makers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pac what criteria they use when choosing a mobile infrastructure vendor. The bottom line is that Huawei is on everyone’s radar for good technology and good value for the price, and ZTE is on the rise, too, according to Stephane Teral, Infonetics principal analyst for mobile and FMC.

Infonetics notes that Huawei is overtaking Alcatel-Lucent on many fronts and is nipping at Nokia Siemens Networks’ market position in the mobile infrastructure space. It’s true, however, that the service providers all named NSN in their top three mobile infrastructure vendor lists, and that Ericsson got the highest ratings for service and support (nice news for two vendors that had disastrous quarters).