Three ZTE MF10 Dongle Adapter plugs in for mobile data

The message from Three is clear - it already records 97 per cent of its network traffic as data but it wants more. And to help it achieve its aims it has announced the ZTE MF10 Dongle Adapter, a device which takes a regular USB Wi-Fi dongle and turns it into a mobile hotspot. The Wi-Fi hub is compatible with the Huawei E122, E1550, E156G, E169, E1750, E1820, E353u, E367u, ZTE MF112 and MF627, and also includes an Ethernet port should you need a wired connection to the web. You can connect up to five wireless devices and it has a 30m range, meaning it should be sufficient enough for most homes and small offices. David Kerrigan, head of mobile broadband at Three said: "The ZTE MF10 Dongle Adapter is a fantastic addition to Three’s range of mobile broadband devices, offering people the flexibility of being able to create a Wi-Fi hotspot making their existing dongle even more useful, if they already own a mobile broadband dongle." No news on pricing just yet, or a release date - but we're told that it's coming soon.

AT&T Announces Improved Mobile Broadband Service in Gaithersburg

AT&T customers in parts of northern Montgomery County, including Gaithersburg, can expect to get their message across a little easier. Today AT&T announced it has added another layer of frequency, known as "carriers," to cell towers from Rockville to Germantown, and east to Olney. “Our network investments in Gaithersburg and across Maryland are one way we’re able to provide an enhanced customer experience,” said J. Michael Schweder, President of AT&T Mid-Atlantic. “As part of the Gaithersburg community, we’re always looking for new opportunities to provide an enhanced customer experience, and our investment in the local wireless network is just one way we’re accomplishing that." That added layer of frequency will add more mobile broadband capacity, the company said. AT&T's mobile broadband network now reaches about 80 percent of the U.S. population. With the company's recent acquisition of T-Mobile, that could soon increase to nearly 97 percent, AT&T says. Can you hear me now?

420m multichannel TV homes in APAC

CASBAA’s Q4 update on trends in multichannel TV distribution, audience data and viewership shows a 12 per cent industry growth in the past 12 months in terms of connected homes and an increase in dual subscription homes as channel choices increase. “As we head towards the close of the year it’s heartening to see multichannel TV in Asia experiencing impressive growth across so many fronts,” said Simon Twiston Davies, CEO, CASBAA. “And while the new data reflects traditional multichannel TV distribution, the industry is also benefiting from new (and legitimate) distribution via broadband, mobile, internet and wireless services.” With more than 420 million non-terrestrial TV connections across the Asia Pacific – multichannel TV is now found in 53 per cent of TV homes in Asia – there are more multichannel TV connections in the region than the rest of the world combined (source SNL Kagan). The economic impact of the growing power of TV is also reflected in double digit annual revenue growth in TV advertising in China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines and Thailand (source Nielsen). In 2010, Japan, India, and China were the leading Asian multichannel TV advertising markets, accounting for nearly 80 per cent of the region’s total (source PwC). On the other hand, tempering the good news, piracy in Asia remains a heavy concern, with signal theft estimated at over US$2.1 billion by the end of 2011. While some markets have seen tangible progress in the fight against piracy, the worst offenders continue to be saddled with year-on-year increases in losses. Estimates for Y/E 2011 see India experiencing nearly US$1.4 billion in losses to piracy of all kinds. Meanwhile the smaller markets of Thailand (US$261 million), Taiwan (US$136 million) and Pakistan (US$125 million) are also being held back by a lack of market transparency and a tolerance of line-tapping, individual homes illegally connecting to cable system. As technology evolves, most recent reports show pay-TV in all its forms embracing social media while building strong online communities and expanding its reach via new devices and channels as it delivers an intensity of experience and reach that other media struggle to match.