Aquilonis helps you sync critical data on real time basis

Friends, this post is from my associate, Ms Usha Prasad! Read on!!

Are you looking for state-of-the-art products to run on your mobile handset which you feel is useful in your day-to-day life. Then, Aquilonis’ suite of mobile products/solutions is the right choice for you!

Bangalore-based Aquilonis, a mobile software products and solutions company, caters to the needs of vastly popular mobile platforms such as Windows Mobile, iPhone, Symbian, Palm, Android, Blackberry (RIM), etc.

Most solutions developed by Aquilonis are platform agnostic and have been proven in diverse areas like healthcare, gambling, advertising, enterprise mobility, calling card, etc. Its most recent product ‘Cross-Platform Management Suite’, a software suite for Smartphone operating systems, allows users to access their phone’s features remotely that features one click data transfers.

Formed by highly experienced IT professionals interested in Offshore Mobile Application Development, Aquilonis delivers high quality innovative solutions to today’s rapidly expanding global market.

Briefing on Aquilonis’ activities and market focus, co-founder and CEO, Rahuldev Rajguru said it started off as a mobile technology focused start-up company. Aquilonis is focused into providing cutting-edge technology solutions for mobile devices ranging from independent mobile phone users to a large scale enterprise. This can be in form of standalone software or a complex system with multiple interfaces and backend server.

“Our offerings are targeted toward mass users having mobile phones as well as for organizations that use mobile phones or handheld devices effectively – either for their employees or for their operations. Aquilonis’ technology and solutions are used by diversified clients across the geography and verticals. We have also filed the patent for our technology with the US PTO.”

Diverse mobile applications
Aquilonis offers diverse mobile applications development capabilities around its platform agnostic solutions. Its solutions are designed to meet customers’ requirements, irrespective of the nature of the application or platform they are looking at.

Rahuldev said: “We have developed mobile applications for platforms such as Windows Mobile, Symbian, Blackberry, iPhone, Palm OS, J2ME and Android. These mobile applications can be healthcare solutions, medical device integration, a multimedia application, telephony and messaging solution or even an enterprise application.”

The Aquilonis’ frameworks are capable of meeting specific customer demand and are flexible enough to customize as per the needs of the customers.

Solving data synchronization issues between client (handheld) and server
According to the company, Aquilonis has developed an exhaustive platform agnostic framework to help companies synchronize their data when they extend their software offerings onto the mobile, PDAs and handhelds.

“Having studied the customer requirements in detail, we have understood the core issue majority of them are facing in terms of integrating their back end data with the mobile application. When we looked at areas like enterprise mobility, healthcare mobility, mobile force, financial industry etc., we saw that they all have a mobile application or want to offer their services or products on the mobile, he said.

Some of the challenges these sectors face are:
* Integrating the existing data structure and synchronizing the data
* Avoiding duplication of data
* Prevention of data loss at the time of losing the network connectivity of intermittent outage of data channels
* Online authentication and validation of the data
* Accuracy and efficiency in data synchronization
* Data locking while accessing similar data fields by multiple mobile devices
* Speed of data transmission especially over GPRS/EDGE
* Existing database and platform where the server is hosted – customers are usually unwilling to make any changes in the database as well as the platform
* Existing platform on which the mobile application is implemented – customers prefer to integrate the existing applications instead of migrating them to a newer platform
* Flexibility to synchronize data real time, semi-real time or batch mode – this is crucial as it is unrealistic to expect that mobile device will always be connected on the Internet
* Security of data transmission
* Security in terms of mishandling of the mobile device by unauthorized personnel.

Aquilonis framework for data synchronization handles most of the pain areas listed above very well. The server component of the framework supports technologies like – J2EE, .Net and CC++

The framework is also capable of handling the data communication either via HTTP as web request or through socket connection using TCP/IP. The mobile device component of the framework supports all major mobile platforms including, but not limited to Windows Mobile, Blackberry and iPhone.

Aquilonis’ synchronization solution
This is Aquilonis’ major offering – in fact, it is said to be the first of its kind by any India firm.Aquilonis’ synchronization framework solution.

Rahuldev said: “This innovation of synchronization solution by Aquilonis is the first of its kind by any Indian firm. The data synchronization solution between the central server and mobile phones facilitates transfer of data between mobile phones and servers of all makes. This framework helps companies who want to reduce the duration of product development life cycle with aggressive ‘go to market’ strategy with fast, accurate and efficient data synchronization between their handheld or a mobile device and their remote database server.

“If you are developing software which is mainly going to be used by the personnel in the field, then your biggest challenge is to synchronize data of multiple handheld computers or mobile handsets with your remote server either on real time basis or with a batch mode. Our framework helps you build an exclusive data funnel, which supports transaction of multiple records of same of different tables and fields synchronously with the multiple handheld of mobile clients ensuring no data corruption and highest amount of data integrity with utmost speed, accuracy and efficiency.”

The Aquilonis framework relieves users from the worry of selection of technology or switching over to a different technology than what they are currently using.

“We have a blend of re-usability which adapts to any technology you currently work on as our framework supports all popular mobile platforms listed above. On the backend/server side, we support J2EE, .Net as well as C/C++ with database as MS SQL Server 2000/2005, MySQL and Oracle. You can enable your mobile data synchronization with the server over http or TCP/IP protocols which meet your business demand.

“You can use any communication medium provided by your handheld or mobile device like GPRS, EDGE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth etc. and our framework supports that as well. Virtually, we want to help our customers in reducing their “Go to Market” or “Ready for Production” cycle to a greater extent leaving behind all their worries with custom made solutions. Our framework is fully tested in the field by many of our clients, which ensures a safe and accurate data oriented business transactions at the end of the day,” he added.

The Aquilonis framework can be used (but not limited to) for the following applications:
* Field Auditors and Surveyors
* Sales Force/Field Force
* Market Research
* Online Casino and Lotto
* Healthcare and Patient Monitoring
* Content Manipulation and Delivery
* Rule based data filtering for Handheld and Mobile

Solutions for gambling and healthcare
Aquilonis offers synchronization solutions for gambling and healthcare, as well. In fact, it is doing quite well in these areas.

Rahuldev said: “The healthcare industry is moving faster towards extending the offerings to mobile devices, which includes legacy healthcare systems, patient monitoring systems, hospital management system as well as medical devices. Each of these verticals is extending its solutions offering to the mobile devices, and here again, the crux is data synchronization between the mobile device and the remote server.

“Our framework tunes itself as well as the mobile application in such a way that we deal with the existing database and the data structure of the legacy system. This allows us to take care of data security to a greater extent as we don’t create any intermediate data source for the mobile application to interact. Also, we have our custom developed protocols, which use XML as the underline markup language for secured data transmission between the server and the mobile client.

“Many gambling companies have started offering mobile-enabled or mobile-based gambling solutions. Our framework is quite useful to these companies as their requirement is to sync critical data on real time basis. At the same time, they want mobile gambling to also work on the semi-real time mode so that users are not required to have the data connection running all the time. Our framework addresses a complex requirement of syncing critical data on real time basis as well allowing user to use the remaining system on semi-real time basis.”

What else is in store?
Besides these, Aquilonis is offering diverse mobile applications which are platform agnostic. The other mobile applications are related to telephony and messaging solutions.
It also helps the advertisement and promotion management companies with multimedia delivery platform for mobile phones. The Aquilonis platform handles event-based video delivery and showcasing in order to catch user attention at the right time.

What’s ahead?
The Aquilonis Sync framework has evolved over a period of time and with customers demanding more features from it during each unique requirement of theirs.
“We plan to port the mobile client component of the framework to different mobile platforms like Android, Linux etc. Also, we are continuously adding more features and making it more and more robust even to handle unstructured data.

“Recently, we deployed the new version of our framework for one of the clients in Swaziland, whose data is quite unstructured. We implemented the whole solution without changing anything to the existing database and the data structure and still achieved 100 per cent functionality on the handheld device,” he concluded.

Mobile handset inventories bulk up

NEW YORK, USA: The handset vendors are still telling us it is a frosty market out there but there is a spring in their step as 2Q-2009 results start to pour in.

“269 million handsets were shipped in 2Q-2009,” says Jake Saunders, VP for Forecasting at ABI Research. “That bodes well for 2H-2009. Shipments should build sequentially in a constructive manner with 4Q-2009 potentially returning the industry to better sales form.”

North America may be struggling to shrug off its economic woes, but Asian economies have been lifted by regional stimulus packages and by an anticipation of improved retail sales conditions in the latter part of 2H-2009. ABI Research is revising downwards its forecast 2009 contraction to -7.5 percent from -8.1 percent (1.11 billion).

Samsung (19.4 percent) and LG (11.1 percent) did particularly well. LG notched up a 2.2 percent increase in percentage points, Samsung, 1.45 percent. Nokia staged a remarkable swing in fortunes to achieve a 1.67 percent percentage point increase to 38.3 percent. Nokia is doing all it can to get a number of smartphone models into the market.

It will be interesting to see how Nokia’s market share holds up in 2H-2009, as Samsung and LG have carried out major refreshes to their smartphone product lineups. Sony-Ericsson experienced a 0.56% percent point reduction in its market-share while Motorola and RIM also saw contractions.

“It is well documented that smartphones are proving to be one of the main engines of growth, but they are not just benefiting the Tier 1 players”, says practice director Kevin Burden.

“A number of Tier 3 vendors are also making headway in a competitive market, including Apple and HTC but also vendors such as Huawei and ZTE. While a consolidation is widely expected in the industry, it will not be happening in 2009.”

The pressures for consolidation may not necessarily come from tightening shipment volumes but also from greater integration of hardware, OS and applications development. ASPs for smartphones are higher than the overall average, and have supported R&D to date; but in such a competitive environment, the R&D pricetag can only go up.

CommunicAsia2009 balances mainstay business and technology issues

SINGAPORE: The CommunicAsia2009 Summit, held alongside CommunicAsia2009, Asia’s largest infocomm exhibition, will highlight infrastructure technologies and how to leverage on these to increase profitability.

The four-day Summit will feature a balance of mainstay business and technology issues. Delegates can look forward to exciting conference topics like Mobile Services and Business Models, Network Enablers and Architectures, Satellite Communications, Green Telecoms, Mobile Marketing and Advertising, Mobile TV and Entertainment, IPTV, Next Generation Broadband.

A new inclusion this year is the Next Generation Broadband Forum which will discuss issues operators face as they seek to meet the increasing consumer demand for bandwidth connectivity.

One of the recent significant developments in the global broadband landscape is the emergence of national broadband networks as governments recognise the potential of infocomm technology as a driver of a country’s economic growth and competitiveness.

Also new, is Green Telecoms, which will explore the benefits of controlling energy consumption, minimising carbon footprints and examine the ethical and commercial benefits of going green.

Mobile Marketing & Advertising, another new topic will address challenges faced by companies and how to leverage on these platforms to increase profitability. Key industry topics in mobile and wireless technologies from HSPA to LTE to WiMAX will also be addressed, and the business challenges and opportunities explored.

The Summit will feature more than 100 speakers from industry giants like Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, THAICOM, Telekom Malaysia, City Telecom (HK), Intel Corporation, TANBERG Television, and Yahoo!.

Scott Goodstein, the external online director of US President Barack Obama’s watershed online and social media campaign will be presenting his experience on integrating mobile marketing for Obama’s campaign. He will also be sharing on how companies can make use of mobile marketing to increase their brand share in the market, as well as capturing greater revenues.

“The CommunicAsia Summit provides delegates with the most up-to-date topics in the infocomm industry and an excellent platform to network with senior-level industry experts, peers, partners, and even competitors in the industry. The current economic climate compels companies to seek opportunities and higher profitability in the global marketplace. The Summit offers insights to addressing these issues.” said Victor Wong, Project Director for CommunicaAsia from show organiser, Singapore Exhibition Services.

The CommunicAsia2009 Summit is held with CommunicAsia2009, the largest infocomm exhibition and conference in Asia, and a must-attend event in the calendar for business leaders, government officials and trade professionals across the region. The show, together with BroadcastAsia are expected to feature about 2,000 exhibiting companies from 65 countries and regions from across the globe.

Telcordia gains in India through MNP initiative, customer wins

GURGAON, HARYANA: India represents one of the most dynamically evolving mobile markets in the world, with 10+ million new subscribers each month, and remains a strategic area of focus for Telcordia, a global leader in the development of fixed, mobile, and broadband communications software and services.

With its unmatched expertise in highly scalable communications networks, Telcordia is ideally positioned to help both the country's government and leading mobile operators successfully manage the sharply rising demands for advanced mobile services.

Recently, MNP Interconnection Telecom Solutions India Pvt Ltd, a joint venture of Telcordia, was selected by the India Department of Telecommunications (DoT) as the provider of number portability clearinghouse and centralized database services for the country's southern and eastern regions for the next 10 years. This will facilitate accurate number porting for subscribers, enabling the transfer of telephone numbers when subscribers want to keep their numbers if they move from one operator to another.

"Telcordia is committed to the India market and is helping operators successfully manage the unprecedented growth, realize operational efficiencies, and maintain a competitive edge that will drive communications usage and revenue," said Mark Greenquist, President & CEO, Telcordia. "The recent number portability clearinghouse deal will bring added choice and convenience to India's 400 million mobile subscribers and accelerate the rollout and adoption of brand-differentiating, value-added services."

Telcordia is a leading global provider of fixed, mobile, and broadband communications software and services. For 25 years, the company has created the innovations that have helped organizations deploy advanced networks and groundbreaking new communications services.

On the number portability front, Telcordia is the world's market leader in number portability clearinghouse and gateway solutions supporting fixed and mobile number portability services. Telcordia market leading number portability solutions are already deployed in 14 countries, including the United States, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Greece, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Turkey.

Telcordia's operator customers in India include:
* TATA Teleservices, which selected the Telcordia service delivery solution to grow its prepaid customer base, and introduce new and innovative value-added services in the converged environment.
* Idea Cellular, which relies on the Telcordia® Converged Application Server to consolidate prepaid services on a single real-time charging platform.
* Reliance Infocomm, which uses the Telcordia® Network Engineer planning and design solution to streamline the outside plant engineering process.

"Telcordia has made a substantial investment in India to fully understand the various cultures and business challenges that this hyper-growth market presents," said Greenquist. "We are seeing this commitment result in business opportunities throughout the country, highlighted by the recent number portability initiative."

Telcordia established an entity in India, Telcordia Technologies India Pvt Ltd, in 2006. The business is headquartered in Gurgaon, with program delivery offices in Hyderabad. The entity also includes Telcordia India Labs, a state-of-the-art facility based in Chennai. The office in Tidel Park provides dedicated software resources, including development, for mobile, fixed line and cable operators throughout India.

Welcome to PC's Telecom Blog!

Welcome to PC's Telecom Blog!

Hi friends, I've been thinking about adding a telecom blog to my network for a very long time! The reason being, I started my career in electronics and telecom back in 1989.

I had the privilege of being part of Asian Sources Telecom Products -- a site, which I managed and built, with the help of my team and colleagues at Asian Sources Media, and later, Global Sources. Later, I moved on to Wireless Week, USA, as Asia Pacific Editor for the Asian Edition.

Back in India, I managed Convergence Plus for a short while, before launching four sites for CIOL in 2004 -- Mobility, Networking, Storage and Security.

Given this background in telecommunications, it is apt for me to start a blog on this subject as well. Telecom has been my forte, and well, it is a subject that has also won me four awards in technology journalism, while at Global Sources.

Again, this blog has been spun out off my award winning blog! That blog remains unchanged, and will continue to carry top-quality, world class content!

This blogs will now include specific blog posts related to telecommunications, as well as press releases, industry updates, new products, features, statistics, etc. It will cover wireless, wireline, broadband, networking, optical networking, Test & Measurement, etc.

Thanks for your kind support as always. Suggestions for improvements are always welcome! :)