Micro-SIM supporting 3FF format for LTE testing

As mobile devices get more and more complex, the component used become smaller and smaller. With the launch of the new LTE Test (U)SIM supporting the 3FF, also know as Micro-SIM or Mini-UICC, COMPRION is responding to this trend. The LTE Test (U)SIM in the Mini-UICC format is only half size of a regular Plug-In card and can be used in very small mobile devices. The format is changed from 15 x 25 mm to 12 x 15mm

To ensure backwards compatibility to the Plug-In format, COMPRION also offers a Mini-UICC Adapter to turn the Mini-UICC into the Plug-In format. Hence, the Mini-UICC can also be used in today’s mobile phones.

Its interesting to see that the new SIM is around half the size of the original and provides the same functionality. Sign of devices and components evolving.

参考：http://itknowledgehub.com/networking-infrastructure/micro-sim-supporting-3ff-format-for-lte-testing/
参考：3g 4g wireless blog

Wi-Fi? 4G?

The difference between Wi-Fi and Mobile are following
WiFi: 1.Local, products 2. Data centric 3. Stationary or pedestrian speeds. 4.Many vendors, many market segments, billions of customers
Mobile: 1.Ubiquitous service 2. Voice centric 3. Mobile at auto speeds 4. 4-6 vendors, ~300 customers, 1 application

Wi-fi has additional Highlights in its history:
1. 1999: 802.11a --- 54 Mbps at 5.8GHz using OFDM modulation
2. 2003: 802.11g --- 54 Mbps at 2.4GHz using OFDM modulation
3. 2003-2009: Task Group n works to dramatically improve Wi-Fi performance, in part via MIMO and Beam forming
4. 2007: 802.11n draft 2 products certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance
Summary: Wi-Fi has pioneered commercial deployment of the key '4G' wireless technologies, such as OFDM, MINO, Beamforming.

What is "3G" Services
1. Video telephony
2. Location-based services
3. Push-to-Talk (VoIP w/o QoS)
4. Rich presence (instant messaging)
5. Fixed-mobile convergence (FMC)
6. IP Multimedia Services (w/QoS)
7. Converged "ALL IP" networks

Users use their smartphone to access internet. Therefore, the data traffic is increase very fast. Packet data = 3.3 x Per year

Compare to Femtocells, it is too little and too late.
1. Primary users of 3G/4G data also have Wi-Fi (Laptops, smart phones)
2. Corporate IT perfers Wi-Fi they control
3. Consumers deploying Wi-Fi anyway (For PC, for gaming, for home media)
4. Femtocell's do have value for voice coverage!

Public business in Wi-Fi
1. Retail business giveaway (Coffee shops, restaurants, hotel, retail)
2. Sponsorship (location, event)
3. Carrier supported

Wi-Fi will dominate off load
LTE network for coverage, but most data bytes via Wi-Fi
Operator take away: Sell ubiquitous service any place, any time while integrating seamless Wifi data offload.

Wireless tipping point
1. MIMO makes 5GHz more useful than cellular or TV specturm
2. Directional antennas or beam forming -> Spatial reuse -> incredible density increments.