A
call to action to network operators
Abstract: The convergence of
computing and communications is upon us. What this concept implies
for network operators is that the wireless industry can soon
expect demand for wireless data services to increase, driven
by mobile computer users. Operators have an opportunity to get
their networks ready and potentially capitalize on this demand.
Bluetooth technology is expected to be a key enabler of this
convergence by solving a major ease of use obstacle for mobile
end-users. Bluetooth technology allows for the replacement of
proprietary cables that connect one digital device to another
with a universal short-range radio link. Mobile computers, cellular
handsets, network access points, printers, PDA’s, desktops,
keyboards, joysticks and many other devices can be embedded
with Bluetooth radios. Once ubiquitously deployed in mobile
devices, Bluetooth technology has the potential to take wireless
data usage to a new level. The first products enabled with Bluetooth
technology are expected to appear on the market as soon as the
first half of 2000.
The implications for the wireless data services industry are
large. The advent of Bluetooth technology is coming at the same
time that a new generation of faster, lighter, lower cost and
more powerful mobile computers and cellular handsets arrive.
At the same time there is growing public acceptance of data
applications such as e-commerce. Operators have an opportunity
to capitalize on these developments if they are ready. The removal
of the ease-of-use obstacle should help drive up demand for
data services, but operators need to address other major obstacles
– low data transmission speeds, lack of awareness and lack
of marketing of data services.
Network operators can view the deployment of Bluetooth technology
as a potential call to action to focus on data. They can upgrade
their network infrastructure to newly available higher speed
data technologies, and expand their marketing of data services.
Operators can prepare to build their customer base beyond voice,
and be ready to reach and serve a broader market of mobile data
customers.
This paper complements the presentation by Intel Corporate
Vice President Stephen Nachtsheim at the 1999 GSM World Congress,
where he will describe the impact of Bluetooth technology on
GSM terminals, mobile computing, cellular data services, applications,
and the wireless market segment. Mr. Nachtsheim will also demonstrate
the technology. This paper is available at the Mobile Data Initiative’s
website: http://www.gsmdata.com/cannespaper.htm.
Overview:
This paper presents a description of the key environmental
issues driving wireless data, the evolution of the mobile computers,
Intel’s and industry efforts to make wireless data accessible
and easy to use through Bluetooth technology, and a call to
action for network operators.
Introduction
- Issues driving wireless data
The cellular industry has been very successful in marketing
voice services to businesses and consumers. This highly competitive
industry seems to agree that the next big opportunity for wireless
networks will be differentiation based on data and multimedia
services. Several factors have converged to create this opportunity.
On the computing side, advances in mobile technology and price
reductions have turned mobile computers into practical and cost
effective tools for mobile business users. On the communications
side, the robust data capabilities of GSM technology have made
it possible for a business user to plug a cellular phone into
a mobile computer and gain access to the Internet and corporate
networks.
However, several obstacles have thus far prevented more widespread
adoption of mobile data services by end users. Chief among the
obstacles is that mobile data computing has been frustratingly
complex to connect and configure. Other major obstacles have
been the low data transmission rate and the unavailability of
data services globally. Mobile devices themselves have been
expensive and cumbersome for mobile users. The security of data
transmitted wirelessly has always been a concern to users. Finally,
potential customers often have not known of data services’
existence.
This picture is about to change dramatically because solutions
to these obstacles are here. These are expected to act as a
catalyst to the growth in demand for mobile data, and to accelerate
the convergence of computing and communications. The implications
are large for network operators, with the creation of new opportunities
to address the needs of an increasingly mobile world.
Intel has been active in driving the mobile computer market
segment to address customers’ needs. As part of our effort
to increase the value of our mobile products and improve ease
of use, we continue to help develop and promote new capabilities.
One of these, known as Bluetooth technology, will have a tremendous
impact on mobile computing and communication as we know it today.
Bluetooth technology and standards will allow for the replacement
of proprietary cables that connect one device to another with
a universal short-range radio link. Bluetooth radio links built
into both the cellular phone and the computer would replace
the cumbersome cable used today to connect a mobile computer
to a cellular phone. The first Bluetooth technology-enabled
products are expected to appear as soon as the first half of
2000.
Bluetooth technology is being developed through the combined
contributions of the members of the Bluetooth Special Interest
Group founded by Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Nokia and Toshiba. As
of October 1998 about 200 members had signed up. The Bluetooth
SIG is seeking to make it available worldwide in high volume
production of devices including mobile computers, handsets,
PDA’s, network access points and many other devices.
The implications of untethering computing and communications
devices are significant. Bluetooth technology will change the
way mobile communications terminals and mobile computers interact,
and more broadly, it may change the way we communicate and compute.
It is expected to create new uses for computing and communicating
devices, and create a myriad of opportunities for new applications
and data services. Network operators can realize these potential
opportunities by readying their infrastructures and offering
innovative new services to users.
The
evolution of the mobile computers
The data services market segment is primed to grow. Among the
biggest factors leading up to this are major developments in
mobile computers over the last two years. These have mainly
been in the arenas of market segmentation, data connectivity,
price and performance. As a result of these advances, demand
for mobile computers has been overwhelming - the Intelā
Pentiumā II for mobile computers
ramped faster than any previous CPU, either mobile or desktop.
Market segmentation: As with cellular phones and desktop
computers, market segmentation is occurring among mobile computers.
From the mobile end user perspective, this means that a range
of form factors and prices are now available for very powerful
mobile computers.
In addition to the full-sized professional notebooks, there
are now several new form factors to choose from: performance/mainstream,
thin and light, and the mini notebook. The latter device weighs
less than three pounds by incorporating a scaled-down keyboard
and LCD screen, and by using external CD-ROM drives and other
peripherals. Business users purchase mini-notebooks primarily
as a second PC, to use for e-mail, Internet access and calendar
applications when they are away from the office. Some of these
devices are the size of a videocassette, an ideal platform for
mobile data users.
Data connectivity: Current mobile computers are easier
to connect and use than before, thanks in part to new generations
of software that incorporate mobile features and efforts such
as the Intel-founded Mobile Data Initiative. Connectivity and
ease of use will be taken to the next level once devices are
embedded with Bluetooth radios.
Price: Mobile computers have become much more affordable
in the last two years. The average purchase price points have
been dropping, and lower price points are emerging. The steady
reduction in the costs of LCD displays and other components,
as well as improvements in process technology in microprocessor
manufacturing, have allowed prices to drop. An Intel® Pentium®
II processor-based mobile computer that provides great performance
for standard business applications can now be purchased for
well under $2,000. In addition, Intel’s Wired for Management
initiative has reduced the total cost of ownership by making
notebooks easier to manage in a corporate environment.
Performance: Mobile computers now rival desktop systems
in performance. When you combine the latest Intel® Pentium®
II processor with greatly improved LCD displays, graphics capabilities,
several gigabyte hard drives, improved batteries and many other
features, you have a high end system that allows mobile users
to work and access information, wherever and whenever they want
to.
Advances in process technology have had a huge impact on mobile
performance. Probably the most relevant advance is the
continued voltage scaling that silicon technology has offered
over the last few years. This enables increased performance
with lower power consumption.
Security has always been a major concern for users considering
wireless data computing, and the industry has striven to address
this issue. The latest generation of mobile devices includes
enhanced security and authentication features, and more are
planned. The rapid increase in e-commerce activity in the past
year is perhaps testament to some alleviation of security concerns.
Bluetooth technology
On the connectivity and ease of use side, the computing and
communications industries have been struggling with the question
of how to eliminate the last cumbersome cable – the data
connection cable between the cellular phone and the mobile computer.
There were several conditions for a successful solution. The
solution had to be global, inexpensive, use little power, and
provide high bandwidth to accommodate the data and multimedia
content required and demanded by notebook users.
Since no solution yet existed and nothing was on the drawing
boards of the cellular industry to address these requirements,
a new paradigm was required. A proposal was made to bridge the
notebook and cellular phones by integrating into each a short
range radio in the free 2.4GHz spectrum. This concept is the
basis for the Bluetooth technology industry initiative.
Bluetooth technology was designed for and will be optimized
for use in mobile devices. Mobile computers, cellular handsets,
network access points, printers, PDA’s, desktops, keyboards,
joysticks and virtually any other device can have Bluetooth
radios integrated into them. First generation Bluetooth radios
will use tiny radio-frequency transmitters, no larger than 1.0
by 0.5 inches, that can run off a watch battery for months.
Power considerations are always important for battery-powered
mobile devices, and Bluetooth’s low power modes are planned
to meet those requirements with less than 0.1 W active power.
And since Bluetooth is designed for both computing and communications
applications, it is designed to support high quality simultaneous
voice and data, with robust data transfer rates of up to 721
Kbps.
Bluetooth technology is being developed through the combined
contributions of the members of the Bluetooth Special Interest
Group. Intel brings architectural knowledge, advanced
silicon technology, manufacturing expertise and software components
to the group. Ericsson contributed the basic radio technology.
Nokia is contributing the radio technology and mobile handset
software. IBM and Toshiba are developing a common specification
for integrating Bluetooth technology into mobile devices. In
addition to the founding members of the special interest group,
about 400 additional
companies have signed up as adopters to support the technology
and to ensure that Bluetooth radios will be implemented in many
different devices. Bluetooth SIG members are very pleased with
the unprecedented level of cross industry commitment to this
initiative.
Bluetooth technology is being developed as an open specification,
and will be licensed royalty free to all companies who sign
up to become members of the Bluetooth initiative. This open
specification will allow a quick proliferation of the technology
through a wide range of mobile products and devices. The first
products with Bluetooth radios integrated in them to be available
as soon as the first half of 2000.
Among the most promising aspects of Bluetooth technology are
the ease of use it offers mobile computer users and the new
uses it makes conceivable.
Ease of use and new uses
Freeing users from the challenges of finding connectors and
cables to link their computing devices is just one of the ways
Bluetooth radios will make mobile computing easier.
Bluetooth architecture will allow "hidden computing"
usage models. What does this mean? It refers to the ability
to use one device to perform a function while the other connected
device necessary to aid in the function is "hidden"
- stored in a briefcase or pocket, or out of sight, for instance.
For example, users will be able to write an e-mail message on
their mobile computer and be able to send it wirelessly without
removing their handset from their pocket. Another example could
be that a user would translate e-mail messages into speech and
listen to them over a handset while in a taxi, with the handset
connected via a Bluetooth radio to a mobile computer in the
trunk.
Another example of hidden computing might be the ability for
devices to synchronize with each other when they are within
range. One important capability of Bluetooth architecture will
be to allow automatic synchronization of information such as
an e-mail application, calendar or address book, for example,
when they are within range of each other.
Many others uses can be imagined. As the technology development
continues, we expect to see new ideas that we have not even
imagined to this point.
With a mobile computer and mobile phone each integrated with
a Bluetooth radio, users will be able to wirelessly access the
Internet or corporate intranet from a mobile computer at speeds
similar to PSTN, ISDN, or xDSL connections, once the right network
infrastructure has been put in place by operators. There will
be no more need for special cable connectors to a mobile phone,
LAN line, or phone line. The only requirement is for the mobile
computer to be within range of an access point such as a handset.
A call to action
to network operators
The developments described above in mobile computing technologies
and ease of use are expected to make wireless data ubiquitous.
This may translate into continuous growth for the mobile computing
and communications market segments. But this growth can only
be realized if there is a data "dialtone", and if
customers know that it’s there and that it will meet their
data needs.
In order for network operators to potentially capitalize on
these developments, they could make themselves ready. Bluetooth
architecture addresses the ease-of-use aspect, but cannot remove
the major network obstacles – low data transmission speeds,
lack of awareness and lack of availability of data services
globally.
Network operators should view Bluetooth technology deployment
as a potential call to action to upgrade their network infrastructure
to newly available higher speed data technologies such as HSCSD,
GPRS and EDGE, which are in trials now, and already being deployed
by some networks in mid-1999. These will boost speeds to over
100 Kbps, which is expected to be a major incentive for customers
compared to the currently available speed of 9.6 Kbps.
Network operators should also start building their customer
base of data users now and begin to think differently about
how they emphasize their services. Many customers today have
no idea that they can connect their handset to their mobile
computer and have access to data services. As industry analyst
Andrew Seybold recently said regarding data, "it could
be a significant windfall for network providers who are interested
in obtaining and keeping new customers." (Seybold’s
Outlook, August 1998.) Operators can prepare to build their
customer base beyond voice customers, and be ready to reach
and serve a broader market of mobile data customers.
For more information on Bluetooth technology, attend the presentation
and demonstration by Intel’s Steve Nachtsheim on February
25, 1999 at the GSM World Congress in Cannes, France.
Or visit these websites:
http://www.gsmdata.com.
http://www.bluetooth.com
