Wireless & Communications

Everything Everywhere is set to launch the first fourth generation (4G) mobile service in the UK by the end of the year. Initially set to roll out in 16 cities the company said that it would continue the rollout into 2013, with the aim of providing 4G to 98% of the UK by 2014. 4G coverage is currently being tested in London, Birmingham, Cardiff and Bristol ahead of the launch later this year. Other cities to get the high-speed connectivity will include Belfast, Derby, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Newcastle, Sheffield and Southampton.

CommScope has evolved its optical access network products by offering a new PON (Passive Optical Network) solution to the industry that can accommodate both EPON (Ethernet Passive Optical Network) and GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) technologies. The industry has recognised this technology standard as important to delivering IP and Ethernet services and business communications.

Fujitsu Semiconductor Europe (FSEU) has announced a new member to its FerVID family of chips for RFID tags. The MB89R112 series uses ferroelectric memory (FRAM) for fast write speeds, high-frequency rewritability, radiation tolerance and low-power operation. With a 9 KB memory, the series also offers tailored solutions for factory automation and medical equipment as well as for embedded and industrial applications.

Aeroflex Limited and the China Mobile Research Institute (CMRI) have announced that a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the two for co-operation covering both Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) technologies. Under the agreement CMRI and Aeroflex will co-operate on testing technologies for LTE and LTE-A. This will include testing and verification of LTE functionality and performance, as well as LTE-A key technologies such as carrier aggregation, eICIC, UL-MIMO, etc., using the Aeroflex TM500 Test Mobile and EAST500 Capacity Test System product families.

Samsung and Sony have used this year’s IFA trade show in Berlin to unveil a host of new devices. Samsung has launched a new range of Android and Windows-powered touch screen devices while Sony unveiled a new 20-inch (51cm) Android-powered device which it said was "splash-proof" and thinner than its previous models. It also launched a computer - designed to run Windows 8 - that comes with a sliding hinge that enables the device to switch between tablet and laptop modes.

A blood glucose monitor concept for diabetics that’s simpler to use, less cumbersome to carry and has a third of the environmental impact of traditional devices has been developed by Cambridge Consultants. The concept is the latest result of ‘Ecovation’, an approach that has been developed to integrate environmental considerations into radical concept generation process.

Toshiba Electronics Europe (TEE) and Panasonic Industrial Devices Sales Europe (PIDSEU) have announced that they are cooperating on a highly integrated module that will enable users to add Bluetooth connectivity to devices easily and efficiently. Target applications will include industrial, automation, medical, personal sport and fitness equipment.

Samsung Electronics has successfully demonstrated the clear reception capabilities of LTE Broadcast services using evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (eMBMS) technology using Anritsu’s Rapid Test Designer (RTD) and MD8430A to simulate the LTE network environment.

Integrated Device Technology has announced that it has added a low-band RF mixer that enhances the user’s mobile connectivity experience by reducing intermodulation distortion in the crowded frequency spectrum for 4G LTE, 3G, and 2G systems.

Access IS has supplied 350 2D future proof boarding gate readers (BGRs) to Alaska Airlines.  The  airline previously used handheld boarding gate readers to capture barcodes, including those presented on mobile phones.