USA: Sovereign Bank, N.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of Santander Holdings USA, Inc., has launched a new consumer banking application bringing mobile banking services to their customers' Apple and Android devices.
Using the Sovereign Bank Mobile App gives customers on-the-go access to:
* Account balances and activity including deposits, withdrawals and interest accrued.
* Transfers between accounts.
* BillPay functions such as scheduling recurring and one-time payments or checking payment status.
* ATM/branch locator.
* One-touch customer service.
"Delivering great banking products and services is our top priority. We believe the intuitive interface and convenient features specific to the Sovereign Bank Mobile App will really be appreciated by our customers," said Nuno Matos, MD of Retail Banking. "And this is just the beginning. We're committed to continually enhancing the app's features and functionality in order to meet the changing preferences of banking consumers."
Customers can download the free app to their iPhones and iPads from the Apple App Store or to their Android devices from the Google Play Store.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Mobile app for monitoring and incentivizing use of clean cookstoves in India
INDIA: Qualcomm Inc., through Qualcomm Wireless Reach, Nexleaf Analytics, in collaboration with the Energy and Resources Institute New Delhi (TERI), Project Surya and the UK Department for International Development (DFID), have worked together on the development of SootSwap, a mobile application for monitoring the use and incentivizing the adoption of clean cooking technologies.
Approximately 3 billion people depend on traditional cookstoves for their cooking needs. The Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 estimates that four million people die each year as a result of inhaling the smoke produced by cooking over these open fires.
Switching to clean-burning cookstoves can reduce the amount of firewood used in open fires, as well as the amount of smoke indoors and outdoors. This could lead to improved health for the women and children who have shown to be the most exposed to the smoke.
At a cost of approximately $50-$100 (Rs. 2700 – Rs. 5500) each, clean cookstoves are currently unaffordable for the estimated three billion people worldwide living on less than $2 a day. Registered carbon credit programs are beginning to provide financial incentives for reducing carbon emissions through the use of clean cookstoves.
Estimates suggest that a family could earn enough money selling carbon credits on the carbon market to directly finance the purchase price of a clean cookstove within two to five years through a loan. However, it is difficult and expensive to verify the reduction in carbon emissions produced by clean cookstoves, making it a challenge to apply carbon credits to the use of improved cooking technologies.
Approximately 3 billion people depend on traditional cookstoves for their cooking needs. The Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 estimates that four million people die each year as a result of inhaling the smoke produced by cooking over these open fires.
Switching to clean-burning cookstoves can reduce the amount of firewood used in open fires, as well as the amount of smoke indoors and outdoors. This could lead to improved health for the women and children who have shown to be the most exposed to the smoke.
At a cost of approximately $50-$100 (Rs. 2700 – Rs. 5500) each, clean cookstoves are currently unaffordable for the estimated three billion people worldwide living on less than $2 a day. Registered carbon credit programs are beginning to provide financial incentives for reducing carbon emissions through the use of clean cookstoves.
Estimates suggest that a family could earn enough money selling carbon credits on the carbon market to directly finance the purchase price of a clean cookstove within two to five years through a loan. However, it is difficult and expensive to verify the reduction in carbon emissions produced by clean cookstoves, making it a challenge to apply carbon credits to the use of improved cooking technologies.
Nokia 105 affordable colour screen phone
INDIA: Nokia announced the launch of its most affordable phone - Nokia 105, taking a step further in its ‘Connecting the next billion and beyond’ strategy.
Nokia 105, priced at Rs 1,249, is a colorful introduction to the Nokia range for first time buyers and is lowest priced color screen entry phone available in the Indian market. The new handset is available in a choice of cyan or black and features a color screen, which make it distinctive when compared to other phones at its price point.
A successor to the highly successful Nokia 1280, which sold more than 100 million units in its lifetime, the Nokia 105 offers high quality handset design and everyday essentials like FM radio, a speaking clock and flashlight, making it ideal for first-time buyers.
Nokia 105, priced at Rs 1,249, is a colorful introduction to the Nokia range for first time buyers and is lowest priced color screen entry phone available in the Indian market. The new handset is available in a choice of cyan or black and features a color screen, which make it distinctive when compared to other phones at its price point.
A successor to the highly successful Nokia 1280, which sold more than 100 million units in its lifetime, the Nokia 105 offers high quality handset design and everyday essentials like FM radio, a speaking clock and flashlight, making it ideal for first-time buyers.
4G Americas reports 100 million LTE connections worldwide
USA: 4G Americas reports that the number of LTE connections worldwide will pass 100 million this week, according to estimates by Informa Telecoms & Media, with the US and Canada capturing 57 million subscriptions of that global total. There are 172 operators in 70 countries with LTE networks and more than 250 commercial LTE networks are expected by the end of this year.
"Canada and the U.S. continue to outpace the world in LTE connections with a hefty 57 percent of all LTE connections," stated Chris Pearson, president of 4G Americas. "We are pleased to report that 20 Latin American operators have commercially deployed LTE networks and the number of connections in the region is quickly increasing."
Global
* 172 commercial LTE networks today; 250 commercial LTE networks expected by the end of 2013.
* Over 450 total commitments to LTE deployment by wireless operators to date.
* 68 million LTE connections at the end of 2012; 100 million as of May 2013, representing an increase of nearly 50 percent in five months.
* Nearly a doubling of connections forecast in 2013 to 134 million LTE connections.
* LTE connections are forecast to reach 1 billion by early 2018.
North America
* 22 commercial LTE networks deployed in Canada and US.
* 38 million LTE connections at the end of 2012; 57 million LTE connections as of May 2013 with 57 percent global market share.
Latin America
* 20 commercial LTE networks in 9 countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Paraguay, Puerto Rico and Uruguay.
* More than 136,000 LTE connections (May 2013)
* Forecast 2 million LTE connections at the end of 2013.
"Canada and the U.S. continue to outpace the world in LTE connections with a hefty 57 percent of all LTE connections," stated Chris Pearson, president of 4G Americas. "We are pleased to report that 20 Latin American operators have commercially deployed LTE networks and the number of connections in the region is quickly increasing."
Global
* 172 commercial LTE networks today; 250 commercial LTE networks expected by the end of 2013.
* Over 450 total commitments to LTE deployment by wireless operators to date.
* 68 million LTE connections at the end of 2012; 100 million as of May 2013, representing an increase of nearly 50 percent in five months.
* Nearly a doubling of connections forecast in 2013 to 134 million LTE connections.
* LTE connections are forecast to reach 1 billion by early 2018.
North America
* 22 commercial LTE networks deployed in Canada and US.
* 38 million LTE connections at the end of 2012; 57 million LTE connections as of May 2013 with 57 percent global market share.
Latin America
* 20 commercial LTE networks in 9 countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Paraguay, Puerto Rico and Uruguay.
* More than 136,000 LTE connections (May 2013)
* Forecast 2 million LTE connections at the end of 2013.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Android and iOS combine for 92.3 percent of all smartphone OS shipments in Q1
USA: Android and iOS, the number one and number two ranked smartphone operating systems (OS) worldwide, combined for 92.3 percent of all smartphone shipments during the first quarter of 2013 (1Q13) as Windows Phone crept past BlackBerry for 3rd place.
According to the International Data Corp. (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, Android smartphone vendors and Apple shipped a total of 199.5 million units worldwide during 1Q13, up 59.1 percent from the 125.4 million units shipped during 1Q12.
"Underpinning the worldwide smartphone market is the constantly shifting operating system landscape," noted Ramon Llamas, research manager with IDC's Mobile Phone team. "Android and iOS accounted for more than the lion's share of smartphones in the first quarter, but a closer examination of the other platforms reveals turnaround and demand for alternatives. Windows Phone has benefited from Nokia's participation, and BlackBerry's new BB10 devices have already hit a million units shipped in its first quarter of availability."
"Windows Phone claiming the third spot is a first and helps validate the direction taken by Microsoft and key partner Nokia," said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. "Given the relatively low volume generated, the Windows Phone camp will need to show further gains to solidify its status as an alterative to Android or iOS."
Smartphone OS highlights
Android remains the leader in the smartphone operating system market, increasing its market share despite the seasonality working against the entire smartphone market in the first quarter. Samsung was once again the clear leader among all Android smartphone vendors, commanding 41.1 percent market share.
Following Samsung was a long list of vendors with single-digit market share, and an even longer list of vendors with market share less than one percent. The intra-Android competition has not stifled companies from keeping Android as the cornerstone of their respective smartphone strategies, but has upped the ante to innovate proprietary experiences.
Apple iOS marked its largest ever first quarter volume on the strength of its iPhone shipment volumes, yet the operating system posted a year-over-year decline in market share and lower year-over-year shipment growth than the overall market.
Although demand remains strong worldwide, the iOS experience has remained largely the same since the first iPhone debuted in 2007. That appears ready to change as online rumors and speculation predict a massive overhaul of the user interface when iOS 7 debuts.
Windows Phone posted the largest year-over-year gain among the leading operating systems, more than doubling its size from a year ago. Nokia was largely responsible for driving these volumes higher, accounting for 79 percent of all Windows Phone shipments during the quarter. Since Nokia began shipping Windows Phone devices, the company has shipped a total of 20.3 million units and grown the footprint worldwide to include address multiple market segments.
Meanwhile, other vendors continue to offer Windows Phone devices, but mainly as an alternative to their signature Android devices. Still, the gains made by Windows Phone demonstrate both end-user demand and OEM support.
BlackBerry realized double-digit declines from a year ago, but this masks the progress that the company has made since then. In its first quarter of availability, BlackBerry formally introduced and shipped more than a million units running on its new BB10 platform, a significant breakthrough for the company. At the same time, BlackBerry still relied on its BB7 smartphones for the majority of its shipment volume, which, due to their lower prices, were well received within key markets.
Linux saw continued decline in shipment volumes to start off the year, reaching levels not seen since 1Q10. The lower volumes were not completely unexpected, as most vendors have switched to Android and Samsung, Linux's biggest OEM supporter, readies the debut of its first Tizen-powered smartphones for later this year.
This is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the open-source operating system, as multiple platforms, including Mozilla, SailFish, Tizen, and Ubuntu are expected to introduce or launch their first smartphones in the coming months.
Symbian recorded the largest year-over-year decline compared to any other operating system. The decline for Symbian-powered smartphones was expected as its primary OEM supporter Nokia has transitioned to Windows Phone and Japanese vendors have moved to Android. Although shipments continue to decline, IDC believes that Symbian shipments could continue into 2014, but in drastically lower volumes.
According to the International Data Corp. (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, Android smartphone vendors and Apple shipped a total of 199.5 million units worldwide during 1Q13, up 59.1 percent from the 125.4 million units shipped during 1Q12.
"Underpinning the worldwide smartphone market is the constantly shifting operating system landscape," noted Ramon Llamas, research manager with IDC's Mobile Phone team. "Android and iOS accounted for more than the lion's share of smartphones in the first quarter, but a closer examination of the other platforms reveals turnaround and demand for alternatives. Windows Phone has benefited from Nokia's participation, and BlackBerry's new BB10 devices have already hit a million units shipped in its first quarter of availability."
"Windows Phone claiming the third spot is a first and helps validate the direction taken by Microsoft and key partner Nokia," said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. "Given the relatively low volume generated, the Windows Phone camp will need to show further gains to solidify its status as an alterative to Android or iOS."
Smartphone OS highlights
Android remains the leader in the smartphone operating system market, increasing its market share despite the seasonality working against the entire smartphone market in the first quarter. Samsung was once again the clear leader among all Android smartphone vendors, commanding 41.1 percent market share.
Following Samsung was a long list of vendors with single-digit market share, and an even longer list of vendors with market share less than one percent. The intra-Android competition has not stifled companies from keeping Android as the cornerstone of their respective smartphone strategies, but has upped the ante to innovate proprietary experiences.
Apple iOS marked its largest ever first quarter volume on the strength of its iPhone shipment volumes, yet the operating system posted a year-over-year decline in market share and lower year-over-year shipment growth than the overall market.
Although demand remains strong worldwide, the iOS experience has remained largely the same since the first iPhone debuted in 2007. That appears ready to change as online rumors and speculation predict a massive overhaul of the user interface when iOS 7 debuts.
Windows Phone posted the largest year-over-year gain among the leading operating systems, more than doubling its size from a year ago. Nokia was largely responsible for driving these volumes higher, accounting for 79 percent of all Windows Phone shipments during the quarter. Since Nokia began shipping Windows Phone devices, the company has shipped a total of 20.3 million units and grown the footprint worldwide to include address multiple market segments.
Meanwhile, other vendors continue to offer Windows Phone devices, but mainly as an alternative to their signature Android devices. Still, the gains made by Windows Phone demonstrate both end-user demand and OEM support.
BlackBerry realized double-digit declines from a year ago, but this masks the progress that the company has made since then. In its first quarter of availability, BlackBerry formally introduced and shipped more than a million units running on its new BB10 platform, a significant breakthrough for the company. At the same time, BlackBerry still relied on its BB7 smartphones for the majority of its shipment volume, which, due to their lower prices, were well received within key markets.
Linux saw continued decline in shipment volumes to start off the year, reaching levels not seen since 1Q10. The lower volumes were not completely unexpected, as most vendors have switched to Android and Samsung, Linux's biggest OEM supporter, readies the debut of its first Tizen-powered smartphones for later this year.
This is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the open-source operating system, as multiple platforms, including Mozilla, SailFish, Tizen, and Ubuntu are expected to introduce or launch their first smartphones in the coming months.
Symbian recorded the largest year-over-year decline compared to any other operating system. The decline for Symbian-powered smartphones was expected as its primary OEM supporter Nokia has transitioned to Windows Phone and Japanese vendors have moved to Android. Although shipments continue to decline, IDC believes that Symbian shipments could continue into 2014, but in drastically lower volumes.
Multi-device shared plans available to 5 percent of worldwide mobile subscriber market
SINGAPORE: ABI Research’s latest mobile Internet pricing tracker reinforces the notion that there are essentially five mobile Internet pricing models in operation: the Tiered Usage Pricing Plan; the All You Can Eat Data Plan; the Unlimited Plan with Speed Restriction; the Data Surfing Time Plan; and the Multi-device Shared Plan.
Although much talked about, Multi-device Shared Plans are relatively novel with approximately only 5 percent of mobile subscribers having the option to subscribe to Multi-device Shared Plans. Of the addressable market, 15 percent can choose from All You Can Eat Data plans, but 66 percent only have recourse to the traditional Tiered Usage Pricing model.
“Mobile operators should be prepared to adopt novel pricing models in order to boost subscriber adoption and therefore incremental revenue. Multi-device Shared Plans have helped operators like Verizon in the US to boost revenue per account,” stated Jake Saunders, VP for Forecasting. “Pricing plan diversification can help to optimize the fit of pricing plan versus disposable income groups,” added research associate Marina Lu.
Operators such as T-Mobile Germany, Telecom Italia, and Reliance of India have put in place a mix of different pricing plan models to serve the different needs of customers. ABI Research is expecting more operators to introduce the Multi-device Plan as a way to stimulate the 4G LTE market. In Europe, the Vodafone Group is aiming to bring in the plan by the end of 2013.
Although much talked about, Multi-device Shared Plans are relatively novel with approximately only 5 percent of mobile subscribers having the option to subscribe to Multi-device Shared Plans. Of the addressable market, 15 percent can choose from All You Can Eat Data plans, but 66 percent only have recourse to the traditional Tiered Usage Pricing model.
“Mobile operators should be prepared to adopt novel pricing models in order to boost subscriber adoption and therefore incremental revenue. Multi-device Shared Plans have helped operators like Verizon in the US to boost revenue per account,” stated Jake Saunders, VP for Forecasting. “Pricing plan diversification can help to optimize the fit of pricing plan versus disposable income groups,” added research associate Marina Lu.
Operators such as T-Mobile Germany, Telecom Italia, and Reliance of India have put in place a mix of different pricing plan models to serve the different needs of customers. ABI Research is expecting more operators to introduce the Multi-device Plan as a way to stimulate the 4G LTE market. In Europe, the Vodafone Group is aiming to bring in the plan by the end of 2013.
Chunghwa Telecom Global expands North American network with CoreSite
USA: CoreSite, a premier provider of network-dense, cloud-enabled data center solutions and the CoreSite Mesh, today announced that Chunghwa Telecom Global (CHT Global) is expanding its presence with CoreSite across North America.
CHT Global, a US subsidiary of Taiwan's largest telecom provider, is extending its network to CoreSite's One Wilshire campus in Los Angeles and establishing a new east coast hub at CoreSite's Northern Virginia facility.
The bi-coastal deployment will boost CHT Global's service offerings, connectivity options and coverage in North America. It will enable CHT Global to deliver coast to coast US connectivity to its customers in Asia and further increase the company's global carrier footprint.
CoreSite's customers will benefit from an enhanced gateway to the Asia Pacific region, direct connections to CHT Global's service offerings, and an expanded community of global media and finance companies through the CoreSite Mesh.
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