Md7 Blog

By Sudeep Gupta

It’s interesting that Apple has introduced their new iPhone 4 with a subtle change to its name. The previous versions Apple iPhone 3G and 3GS alluded to the generation of the wireless network that the phone supported, while with the fourth generation version does not. Is Apple trying to be sneaky? Trying to get people to think they have bought a “4G” phone, like the HTC Evo 4G? Not necessarily.

First, a little background.

EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, OMG

The first generation iPhone supported the EDGE data protocol. EDGE stands for “Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution” and is called a 2.5 generation wireless data protocol. It supports a pokey data rate of 236.8 kbps.

Apple followed up with the iPhone 3G, which supported the successor to EDGE called UMTS (“Universal Mobile Telecommunications System”) allowing for a greater data rate as UMTS slightly improved the data rate to 384 kbps. UMTS is considered to be a 3G wireless protocol, so the iPhone 3G name makes sense from that standpoint.

Next came the iPhone 3GS. Among other improvements, it supported High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), an improvement to UMTS increasing the downlink (base station to handset) up to 15 Mbps. HSDPA is still considered to be a 3G protocol. In fact, some people call it a “3.5G” protocol.

Finally, we have the iPhone 4, which I’ve heard some people erroneously call the “iPhone 4G” (mostly because the previous generation models had “G” in the name). However this confusion about the name makes people think that this is a “4G” phone, but it’s not. The iPhone 4 supports an improved data link protocol: HSUPA, which provides for the same downlink data rate, but improves the uplink (handset to base station) data rate up to 5.76 Mbps. But HSUPA is still considered to be a “3.5G” technology.

Since Apple is not calling it an “iPhone 4G”, they’re not being dishonest, although the name may cause some people to erroneously append a G to the name. Then they will think it supports a true fourth generation wireless data protocol, like the HTC Evo 4G. It turns out the HTC Evo 4G isn’t “4G” either.

The HTC Evo 4G, which supports WiMAX IEEE 802.16e, is not technically a 4G phone either. The confusion comes from what the wireless industry considers to be “4G”. When the 16e standard was first being finalized in 2005, some people called it a “4G” protocol. However, later on the industry consensus is that WiMAX will not be a true “4G” protocol until the next 16m standard. Similarly, some people called the successor to HSUPA called “Long Term Evolution” or LTE 4G, but now the industry has agreed that a 4G version of that protocol won’t exist until its successor LTE Advanced it out, leaving LTE as a “3.9G,” for what that’s worth. The reason is today the industry consensus is that “4G” implies a protocol that can support a data rate of 100 Mbps.

Consumers v. Operators

In the end, this alphabet soup doesn’t really matter to consumers. The reason is because the rules for what the industry considers to be 3G and 4G aren’t really germane for what consumers are looking for. The protocols matter a lot to the wireless operators, who must make significant changes to their network infrastructure to support the evolving protocols. But the “generation” of the wireless data protocol supported by the devices isn’t as important to the consumer as what the device is capable of doing.

By Sudeep Gupta

Starbucks announced yesterday that they will be providing free WiFi access to customers in all their US locations, with service provided by AT&T. Although WiFi never really succeeded as a replacement for cellular, operators are finding that it’s important to help offload the cellular network.

The reason is cellular networks were originally designed for delivering voice. They had large macrocells providing coverage across miles of area. The networks incorporated microcells and picocells in capacity-congested areas that would reduce the coverage area to a half-mile or even to a city block. However, the explosion of data means that operators have to rethink their networks again.

Data is generally an indoor technology. People play network games or surf the web on their Android phones when they’re waiting in line at the store. They’re watching videos or posting on FaceBook on their iPhones when they’re killing time in a waiting room. Trying to provide high data rates indoors with large macrocells is very expensive and difficult. Operators are turning to technologies such as femtocells installed in homes and distributed antenna systems (DAS) to support indoor data communications to support the growing data requirements.

The result is operators are looking towards alternatives to the large towers they traditionally built and towards techologies that allow for more concentrated coverage and capacity solutions.

By Tom Leddo

The business of business is no longer just business. In today’s workplace, companies are increasingly distinguished by the humanity of their corporate environment. “Best Place To Work” recognitions are worn like a badge of honor, and rightly so. A supportive workplace brings out the best in people—and in companies. While Md7 may not yet have been officially recognized for this workplace achievement, we knew we’d arrived when during a recent hiring spree the majority of applicants we interviewed were referred by current employees.

It speaks volumes when you realize that instead airing their workplace woes over chips and salsa with their buddies, your people are extolling the virtues of a company they feel connected to. “My friend has been talking about you guys for years!” was the most frequent response interviewees gave when asked how they heard about Md7. And from what they’d heard, these people wanted in—bad. It’s no secret that our core values are a driver of why Md7 is so successful. In our workplace we value a balanced life, integrity, respect for the individual and giving back. We’re an innovative company that strives for continuous improvement. All the people who have thrived in this dynamic environment are the same people who have helped Md7 become a leader in a continually evolving industry. Because we manage the unique real estate assets of wireless operators, countless conventional real estate and legal professionals have successfully re-purposed their skill sets as cell site lease negotiators with Md7.

We are growing at an exponential rate. Our success is evidenced by the recent addition of 20 new lease consultants, and we’re still looking for 40 to 50 more professionals—mortgage brokers, title officers, IT and paralegals are all a perfect fit for the management of cell site leases and cell tower leases. Thanks to a lot of smart people who love their job, we’re bursting at the seams. And it feels great.

By Tom Leddo

The mobile industry is tough. With only a handful of carriers each trying to parlay new customers out of a saturated and demanding marketplace, the business climate is competitive to say the least.  Wireless customers want cooler smart phones, more apps, more speed, more bandwidth, fewer dropped calls and they want it all for a lower monthly price. Being successful in this kind of environment requires extraordinary effort. So servicing this kind of a client can be a daunting task for the team at Md7 as we work with carriers to help them effectively manage their very large portfolios of wireless real estate in a way that’s never been done before.

When you’re helping people change the way they do business, customer satisfaction is no longer enough. A company must engender customer loyalty to make a difference. It’s not about responding to client needs, but anticipating them and then fixing any problems you encounter along the way. In short, it’s about giving a client more than they expect. In the end, a good deal or great results isn’t enough. At Md7, we call this “extreme service.”

A recent article “How Amazon Aims to Keep You Clicking” in BusinessWeek reminded me that it’s exactly this level of “extreme service” that distinguishes a company. BusinessWeek named Amazon #1 in this endeavor because of their overwhelming success in establishing trust with their customers who purchase products sight unseen. Because what we do is relatively new in the industry, Md7 works to earn this same level of confidence with our own clients by providing extreme service.

A comment we recently received from a client let us know we’re on the right track. He said, “I’ve never worked with a crew as fast as you folks at Md7…I feel like I’m sitting in a busy restaurant but I’ve got 10 waiters all focused on me.”

Whether it’s a cup of coffee or a 10-course meal, we want all our clients to feel just like this. It’s part of our core values and we intend to live up to it every time we gather around the table.

By Sudeep Gupta

While watching TV last night, my son and I saw the movie preview for Tim Burton’s much-anticipated revival of Alice in Wonderland. It got me thinking about my favorite idea from this classic called the Red Queen’s Race. In Wonderland, running a race doesn’t actually get you anywhere, as the Queen explains to Alice. In Wonderland, “…it takes all the running you can do to keep in the same place.” It occurred to me that wireless operators have been running the Red Queen’s Race for quite some time.

Keeping up with swiftly evolving technology— not to mention the public’s voracious appetite for the next course of mobile capabilities— keeps operators on the run just to stay in the race. Ten years ago it was all about voice communication; today, it’s a data-driven marketplace. Services have increased exponentially and operators continually invest billions in their networks to make sure of that. Yet operators’ ARPU (average revenue per user) has stayed about the same – about $50 to 60 per user. In other words, operators are running as fast as they can to keep in the same place.

At our end of the rabbit hole, the customer may be “queen,” but the reality in the wireless industry is that something’s got to give. And that something is operating costs. Operators are universally taking a second look at their expenses and trying to figure out how to keep up in an increasingly competitive market.

In the story of the wireless industry, I guess Md7 would be the Caterpillar who advises operators how to cope with the difficulties they encounter. Like Alice was instructed how to adapt her size to her changing environment, Md7 is helping wireless operators to do the same.