Video is big challenge to networks: RIM
Tuesday, 20 April 2010, 15:36 IST
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Video is big challenge to networks: RIM
Toronto: Research in Motion (RIM), designers and manufacturers of BlackBerry smartphone, has said that it was far from certain that video will become the 'killer app' that defines smartphones. It is necessary to develop more efficient delivery to prevent video from choking airwaves. "I still don't know and I don't think anyone knows if video is a killer app for smartphones," said, Mike Lazaridis, RIM Co-CEO at a conference hosted by a unit of Toronto Dominion Bank on. "If you think that today's 3G as a browsing experience is a challenge to these data networks imagine what a video streaming or download experience is going to be as these screens start to look like HD televisions in terms of resolutions," said Lazaridis. Lazaridis said RIM would invest more in technology that provides efficiencies to carriers, including when it comes to video. He pointed to RIM's 2006 acquisition of SlipStream, which specializes in data acceleration, compression and network optimization technology. The popularity of feature-rich smartphones such as the BlackBerry, Apple's iPhone, and Motorola's Droid has surged, but they use as much as 30 times as much bandwidth as regular mobile phones to run the applications, or "apps," that make them so popular. The surge in traffic triggered by video and other apps has led to more dropped calls and choppy service. As video on smartphones becomes more popular, it is leading to more congestion, and forcing carriers to spend billions to upgrade networks and buy more wireless spectrum. Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM for its relatively bandwidth-light BlackBerrys, routes most emails through the company's own servers. RIM also sends web browsing, Facebook, Twitter and data from a wide number of BlackBerry apps through its own servers.

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