News

Choice of UMTS, Bluetooth and WiFi for CeBIT visitors

The ether is jammed at Cebit this year, with exhibitors providing wireless access to the Internet over a variety of cable-free standards, including Bluetooth, WiFi and third-generation UMTS networks

Standard 11 megabit connectivity was provided by a variety of official and semi-official providers of 802.11b networks, with the chief offering being provided by WECA, "Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance" the promotional body which makes sure that different products actually all work to the same standard - and the same interpretation of the standard.

The "WiFi Exchange" booth provided a free login, with bugs. The Newswireless Net was able to browse the Web, but found Telnet blocked, as was FTP and SMTP and even POP3.

Connectivity was provided by Nomadix, but although they had tech staff at the show, they were unable to diagnose the problem. Our reporter found it salutary to compare this problem with the ease with which he had been able to connect to a recent convention "unwired" by Enterasys - going to show that there's more to setting up a wireless LAN than plugging an access point into a hub.

The Bluetooth Exchange wasn't quite so well organised, with several quite small exhibitors set up with working hubs, in some cases with 100m range; but no Internet connection.

Proxim was demonstrating its 11a standard, with evaluation cards available to allow visitors to trial wireless at 50 megabits per second. Unfortunately, the cards were only available to those who were prepared to fill out a credit card payment form. As the Newswireless Net reporter listened, one irate would-be evaluator remarked: "What exactly do you think I might do with a stolen 11a card in Europe, where 11a hubs don't exist and their use is actually illegal?"

It was even harder to trial UMTS, but it was there, with Alcatel inviting the visitors "to surf on a real-life 3G/UMTS network and to experience 3rd generation mobile applications and services." This had the advantage of being available throughout the fairground.

The UMTS network deployed at CeBIT featured Alcatel's Evolium radio and core solutions, providing live UMTS coverage not only to Alcatel's booth but also to other 3G telecommunication players such as MobilCom and Mitsubishi. Live UMTS applications were demonstrated, "such as videophony on 3GPP-compliant UMTS handsets with circuit switched connections at 64 Kbps, Mobile Internet Applications, MPEG4-based video streaming or real-time and interactive gaming in packet switched connections reaching up to 384Kbps."

To achieve this full 3GPP UMTS coverage, Alcatel provides a complete end-to- end UMTS network based on a core-network located in the Paris area which comprises its Alcatel 1000 MSC/HLR, SGSN & GGSN and a radio infrastructure comprising various Node B's (UMTS Base Station) located in CeBIT, reports 3G Newsroom

Your Newswireless Net reporter failed to find any DECT-based Internet links at the show. As any visitor to Hannover will know, this proves nothing except that the fairgrounds are too big to find things in easily, even if you know they are there, somewhere.