Quite a week in Telecoms

This week was a busy and eventful one in The Big World Of Telecoms, couple of significant announcements which will help shape the future of telecoms (and I'm not even gonna talk iPhone):

1. Open Handset Alliance (OHA) and the birth of 'Android'

Google has assembled the biggest hitters in mobile/technology (minus Microsoft and Nokia) to form the Open Handset Alliance - yes another industry alliance, but it has the power and brand of Google behind it. The OHA announced Monday that is working on a Linux-based operating system, the slightly disappointingly named 'Android'.

Getting down to detail, Android promises to rival other OSes out there by introducing an Internet based user-experience. Details are sketchy at the moment, although HTC announced it will bring Android-based devices to market in the second half of 2008. The company will also continue to drive Windows Mobile devices as part of its offerings.

Sounds good so far, it's also been endorsed by Symbian and Microsoft who have come out reminding everyone it is "just a press release" and "another Linux project". That saiud, award for quote of the week goes to Symbian's John Forsyth for this gem:

"It's a bit like the common cold. It keeps coming round and then we go back to business."

My tupence worth... this is a positive move the mobile industry. It's back by a heavy weighs in every part of the mobile ecosystem. Commentators have said that there are too many options in the OS field already - at worst it will make the likes of Symbian, UIQ and Windows Mobile up their game. At best, it will provide innovation and new ideas for an Internet-centric mobile user experience. I also believe it will aid the emeergence of converged PC/mobile devices.

2. WiMAX Woes Part II

Following the resignation of Sprint CEO Gary Forsee, Friday saw Clearwire and Sprint go public on the breakdown of their plans to share WiMAX networks.

This isn't the end of WiMAX, it's just more negative news on the technology, with many forecasting that the two companies may well work together again going forward.

This isn't a big surprise, and you cannot blame Clearwire (who I presume have led this move) given all the uncetainty at Sprint.

WiMAX will clearly play a part in advanced technologies, but not at the expense of more established 3GPP technologies. There are plus and negatives of both, but this long argument is for another day.

No round-up of the week would be complete without a mention of the iPhone. Well not here...everyone else is writing about it so go check somewhere else.