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Leading provider of LTE networks expands the
range of mobile broadband applications with innovative automotive connectivity
showcase on wheels
Alcatel-Lucent today highlighted its leading role in the development of the
LTE Connected Car concept, an in-vehicle broadband connectivity showcase
introduced by the ng Connect Program. The LTE Connected Car illustrates how
4G/Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile broadband access technology is poised to
bring a host of new applications and services to the automobile that are not
possible today with current wireless technologies. As part of its collaboration
with other ng Connect member companies, Alcatel-Lucent leveraged its unmatched
expertise in the development of sophisticated mobile broadband, triple play and
multimedia networks to create a powerful new category of mobile device.
Through the ng Connect Program, Alcatel-Lucent is leading the way in
fostering innovation and the creation of new applications integrated with the
end-to-end network. Alcatel-Lucent pre-integrates and tests this open ecosystem
of applications and devices with our end-to-end LTE all-IP network. In essence,
Alcatel-Lucent provides the “connected” in the LTE Connected Car concept
vehicle.
Alcatel-Lucent, one of the early leaders in the emerging market for LTE
mobile broadband networks, played a central role in the integration of this
concept vehicle, a virtual “smartphone on wheels.” For instance, Alcatel-Lucent
combined an LTE broadband radio link – which brings cloud-based multimedia
services into the car – with an in-vehicle WiFi environment to support easy
integration with traditional home-based services. Alcatel-Lucent also helped
manage the integration of the car’s wireless networks with the on-board
operating system provided by QNX Software Systems, a leading provider of
embedded systems. Additionally, the company managed the end-to-end integration
of the multimedia services – including mobile, multiplayer video gaming, video
on demand and more – that are available in the vehicle. Combined, these
capabilities enable this networked concept vehicle to offer a wide range of
navigation, personal security, vehicle wellness, and “infotainment” services to
drivers and passengers alike.
“The LTE Connected Car concept vehicle highlights just one of the exciting
new ways that mobile service providers can potentially expand the range of
connected experiences available to their subscribers,” said Derek Kuhn, Vice
President for Emerging Technology and Media with Alcatel-Lucent. “As we move
into the 4G era, where very high-bandwidth, IP-based wireless connections will
be widely available, service providers and their customers will be looking for
interesting and creative ways to take advantage of the new capabilities these
networks offer. Alcatel-Lucent has the vision of what is truly possible, and is
dedicated to harnessing the strengths of the most creative companies in every
industry to help make this vision a reality in the future.”
The LTE Connected Car showcase was developed through collaboration between
Alcatel-Lucent,Atlantic Records,QNX Software Systems, Toyota Motor Sales USA,
Inc., chumby and Kabillion. These companies, each leading players in their
respective industries, were brought together by Alcatel-Lucent, which has
extensive experience developing the multi-faceted “ecosystems” needed to
support sophisticated, multi-technology service offerings. The experience that
Alcatel-Lucent gained through its pioneering role in the establishment of
triple-play networks and services was applied directly to the challenge of
developing the LTE Connected Car concept vehicle, which was envisioned and
produced in just a few short months.
The LTE Connected Car concept highlights the kinds of profoundly enhanced
end-user experiences that can someday be made possible through Alcatel-Lucent’s
application enablement vision, which involves combining the trusted
capabilities of the service provider network with the open innovation of the
Web. This combination of openness and service intelligence allows service
providers to make information such as subscriber location, preferences and
other relevant information available – in a safe and secure way that protects
the privacy of individual subscribers – to application developers and content
providers to foster the creation of new services. The LTE Connected Car project
is a prime example of the potential for Application Enablement in action.
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