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Tech news: in brief

Nortel to drive down Wi-Fi development cost

Nortel Networks has teamed up with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and BT Innovative Wireless Technology to test a new communications architecture that could lower the cost of building Wi-Fi networks by up to 75 per cent. The new wireless local area network platform comes from so-called 'peer-to-peer' and 'ad hoc' networking research at Nortel's Ottawa Wireless Technology Lab. This new set-up includes an access point architecture - built with smart antennae, integrated routers, and adaptive routing and security capabilities - that performs high-speed wireless transmission to fixed-line broadband networks. This minimises the need for expensive, wired backhaul connections like T1 lines.

New standard to close mobile data system gaps

The pending 802.20 Wi-Fi standard will help alleviate many of the shortcomings of mobile internet deployments, according to a new Visant Strategies study. Mobile carriers are expected to use the standard to offer high-end data services. 'The 2.5G and 3G technologies will still do very well since most people use their handsets for voice, and operators have already invested billions, in many cases, into these technologies, but 802.20 represents the potential to capture high-margin business and heavy bandwidth data users with moderate capital investment,' said Visant analyst Andy Fuertes. He forecast 30 million 802.20 users worldwide by 2009.

Ericsson, Winbond seal new Bluetooth deal

Swedish communications firm Ericsson has signed a licensing agreement with semiconductor maker Winbond Electronics, enabling the Taiwanese firm to develop complete Bluetooth gear. Winbond can tailor Ericsson's Bluetooth chip technology, which allows seamless voice and data connections between a wide range of devices through short-range digital two-way radio connections, for major applications such as human interface devices, headsets and mobile phones. Ericsson said Winbond's global presence would help speed up the adoption of Bluetooth system applications worldwide.

Lucent pushes technology linking 3G with hotspots

Lucent Technologies has formed an alliance with Top Global, the mainland's leading supplier of public Wi-Fi systems, to jointly market a technology that integrates 3G cellular networks with wireless local area networks. The Top Global system, called 3G MobileBridge, allows telecommunications services operators to link 3G networks with public Wi-Fi hotspots. This means business users and consumers can use their Wi-Fi-enabled devices in truly mobile environments such as trains and buses. Top Global and Lucent will collaborate to ensure the compatibility of 3G MobileBridge with Lucent's CDMA2000 and UMTS/W-CDMA mobile networking equipment.

Nokia unveils plan to crack fake product ratings

Mobile phone giant Nokia has outlined a battle plan against unsafe, low-quality counterfeit products. Tens of thousands of counterfeit products have been seized in recent raids in Belgium, Britain and other countries in the European Union, bringing the global number of seized and destroyed products this year to more than five million. As a result of these raids, authorities have gained valuable leads on a counterfeit network, enabling them to begin immediate actions against those involved. Nokia said consumers were unknowingly being fooled into buying unsafe, low-quality batteries.

Bank of East Asia relies on WatchGuard security

The Bank of East Asia, one of Hong Kong's largest banks, with assets of $189 billion, is building a fault-tolerant network security platform using appliances from Seattle-based WatchGuard Technologies. WatchGuard's Firebox Vclass internet security appliances will cover portions of the bank's international operations, which number 130 offices worldwide, enabling it to offer virtual private network connections, internet telephony and video-conferencing services.These are expected to enhance internal communications and spur cost efficiencies.

Taiwan chip giant builds data warehouse system

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest supplier of made-to-order chips, expects to improve its manufacturing and marketing set-up by developing a data warehousing system. Phase one of this project took seven months to complete and has started running. TSMC said its system, based on technology from business software vendor Teradata, was designed to help improve operational efficiency and customer relationships.

Nortel forms partnership with Macau operator

Telecommunications services provider CTM and Nortel Networks plan to pursue government and enterprise communications networking projects in Macau under their new alliance. CTM has signed up with Nortel to distribute and resell its portfolio of routers, switches, media gateways, application servers and other networking gear in Macau.

EDS renews support for card-processing centre

The National Credit Card Centre of Taiwan has awarded information technology services firm EDS a new five-year contract to support its operations. Formed by Taiwan's Ministry of Finance in 1983, the centre is the island's largest credit-card processing organisation.

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