ArrayComm to Test Mobile Wireless Network
...vice. ArrayComm's system, if it is put into place, promises download speeds faster than this next generation of ordinary mobile phone service. But it will not function when subscribers are moving quickly, such as in cars or trains. The ability to deliver broadband Internet service to small devices has become a fixation for Internet, telecommunications and electronics companies such as America Online Inc., Nokia Corp., Qualcomm Inc. and Sony Corp., which invested $8 million in ArrayComm in April. Qualcomm already has held noncommercial tests of its own mobile high-speed technology. The company plans further tests in Japan, in partnership with Hitachi, later this year. AOL and DirecTV, a division of Hughes Electronics, plan to deploy a satellite-based wireless broadband system later this year, but because users would connect through a satellite dish, the system would not allow for mobile or portable applications. Companies such as OmniSky Corp. already offer limited wireless Internet to cellular telephones and handheld devices, but access is slow and typically limited to text messages. The cost to users will be about the same as an ordinary dial-up Internet subscription. Before entering the marketplace ArrayComm will be testing its wireless Internet product. Testing the product takes place after the product concept passes. The development of new products is an expensive and difficult undertaking. Only a relatively small percentage of new products are successful. Firms introduce new products to increase sales and profit and at the same time fill consumers needs. The new product development process consists of six major steps: new product objective and strategy, opportunity identification and idea generation, concept development and testing, product development, product design and testing, and commercialization. Firms cannot implement this process without a well-articulated set of objectives and a detailed product strategy. Developing the product generates product features from key benefits, positions the proposed product, and estimates the product’s potential. The product-design step engineers the desired product, which is use tested followed by simulated test marketing and field test marketing. Commercialization is the last step in new product development. it requires a detailed plan complete with sales forecasts and budgets covering a several year period. ArrayComm is testing its product. When the prototypes are ready, they must put through functional tests and customer test. Alpha testing is the name given to testing the product within the firm and Beta testing enlists a set of customers to use the prototype and give feedback on their experiences. Testing cutting edge product can take a variety of forms. In ArrayComm’s case some San Diego residents are given the high-speed portable Internet devise. These customers are to report all likes and dislikes of this product. This way the company could find out all about its product. This test has made ArryComm aware of several problems: This wireless Internet product had signal problems. ArryComm’s new wireless Internet devise would get disconnected and this would make it almost impossible to download and stay on line when traveling. During the beta testing ArrayComm’s engineers and technical people observe how this product is doing. This...