Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/264850
W i r e l e s s W o r l d 4 5 W e d n e s d a y, M a y 2 2 , 2 0 1 3 many CTIA 2013 attendees have seen our displays at Walmart, Best Buy and other merchants we work with regularly! At CTIA 2013, Origin Display and Fixtures (booth 1155) is launching an innovative store design program designed exclusive- ly for wireless retailers. WW: What's your company's vision for each client? AK: Origin's management team shares expertise in creative design, retail mer- chandising and strategic marketing, so we offer clients a unique perspective. Our primary goal is to increase sales for our clients by making their products the "star" which stands out from the rest. We also pride ourselves on an impeccable record of service – we're truly a trusted extension of our clients' businesses. WW: Your new venture, Origin Display and Fixtures (ODF), offers wireless retailers a customized, turn-key store design concept. It's geared to both new stores and those seeking a makeover. How did you decide to launch ODF? AK: During the past several years, senior management explored industries that would best fit our core capabilities while giving us the opportunity to develop a new business paradigm. After investigat- ing the wireless industry, we recognized that we could add considerable value to the retail community. WW: What benefits can ODF offer wire- less retailers? Origin (Cont'd. from p. 1) AK: During our research phase, the ODF team spent considerable time in wireless stores to better understand consumer behavior and buying patterns. We estab- lished a "retail advisory team" comprised of major carriers, private carriers, inde- pendent dealers, franchisees and corpo- rate stores. The main objective identified was to create a more relaxed, yet focused shopping experience that would increase intent to purchase. This includes: flexible store layouts featuring open, dynamic floor plans and enhanced traffic flow; stylish, secure displays for phones, accessories and product information – both behind the counter and on the floor; private transaction areas to give cus- tomers personal attention; and guest seat- ing areas, including safe zones for kids. Since words can't do justice to what our talented designers have created, I encour- age everyone to stop by our booth for a first-hand experience! WW: Tell us about ODF's turn-key design and delivery operation. AK: Once we receive a store's dimen- sions, our design team provides a recom- mended floor plan and renderings within five business days. Then, upon order approval, and the store being prepped for installation, the order can ship within two weeks. We currently have inventory in our Savannah, Ga. distribution center and are planning additional DCs in the near future. We have customer service specialists ready to assist at 1-855-782-9ODF (9633). For more information, visit www.origin- pop.com, call 855-782-9633, or stop by booth 1155 at CTIA. wireless networks through our innova- tions in both power and cabinet solu- tions. WW: What has happened at Alpha since last year's CTIA? JMB: 2012 was another successful year for Alpha. We continued to grow our tele- com business, adding a major wireless carrier and Tier II wireline carriers to our customer base. We launched several new product platforms, including products for switching centers, base stations and DAS networks. Our success was not only rec- ognized by our customers, but by third- party organizations. Alpha won the Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) Pacesetter Award for an organization with an estab- lished market presence whose growth has been outstanding and whose manage- ment team has driven its business for- ward to the next level. And we were named one of Canada's fastest-growing companies by PROFIT Magazine. WW: What trends is Alpha seeing in the wireless market? JMB: The network is continuing to move closer to the subscriber. Increasing the number of low profile, short-reach anten- nas is a means of adding capacity and coverage. Distributed antenna systems (DAS) are becoming mainstream archi- tectures, and other small cell technologies are beginning to gain traction. As a gener- al trend, the wireless network is extending out from the macro cell to a distributed network with radio access networks locat- ed closer to the network edge. WW: What technical challenges do these trends present? JMB: Moving the radio access network closer to the customer addresses the need to extend coverage and provide spectrum Alpha (Cont'd. from p. 1) relief by expanding capacity. There is also the important issue of how to power them. Distributed wireless devices come in many sizes and can be either AC or DC powered. Most carriers understand that customers reached by DAS or small cell networks are high volume, high data users; battery backup is necessary to ensure the high level of customer satisfac- tion resulting from continuous service. But batteries take up space, require bat- tery chargers, and must be maintained on a routine basis. The challenge for DAS power equipment suppliers is to develop low profile power equipment and enclo- sures that meet the technical needs of the network as well as the aesthetic require- ments of venue owners and operators. WW: What products has Alpha intro- duced to respond to these challenges? JMB: We have developed a new multi- purpose enclosure, the SE41-20, that can house either a UPS, for AC-powered DAS, or a rectifier for DC-powered DAS. Our rugged FXM line of UPS products comes in various sizes to meet the application needs. Likewise, we offer a variety of rectifier options to match the DAS power requirements. The SE41-20 can also hold up to two strings of batter- ies, for extended backup. In addition to our local powered solu- tions, Alpha pioneered the development of a line-powered product called the eLimiter™ for indoor DAS applica- tions. Instead of proliferating power conversion and batteries at each node, the eLimiter delivers power over copper cable from the host node. Classified as Class 2 circuits by the National Electrical Code, these power circuits are safe for installation by carrier techni- cians at a customer's site. For more information, visit Alpha Technologies online at www.alpha.ca, call 800-667-8743, or stop by booth 3019 at CTIA. consumer electronics. Interoperability will be a critical success factor for new devices targeted at these sectors and other emerging M2M applications. Vendors adding wireless connectivity to their products will improve their chances of success by engaging with the proven testing and certification practices devel- oped by the mobile industry. The converging trends of the shift to multi-mode devices and the increasingly widespread adoption of wireless connectiv- ity generally has encouraged the two princi- ple wireless certification organizations – the CDMA Certification Forum (CCF) for the 3GPP2 market and the Global Certification Forum covering 3GPP technologies – to get together to investigate how the certification process can be streamlined and simplified. The primary objective is to ensure CDMA (Cont'd. from p. 1) interoperability while avoiding duplica- tion of testing: a harmonized program covering both 3GPP and 3GPP2 tech- nologies will allow wireless profession- als to realize efficiencies and benefits across the mobile industry. The two organizations will build on the solid foundation of mature certifica- tion processes that have been developed over several years for their respective mobile technologies. By joining forces and experience, the intention is to inte- grate the schemes in order to create a one-stop-shop for the certification of all wireless devices and, specifically, to clar- ify and accelerate the certification process for multi-mode devices. For more information, visit booth 3258 or go online at www.globalccf.org. For more information on GCF, visit www.globalcertificationforum.org. its More-Time-To-Pay platform, con- necting lenders with service providers and retailers to offer customers instant financing in-store and online. The company's advanced technology – a proprietary real-time decisioning plat- form – helps expedite payment options for consumers and retailers. BillFloat doesn't rely on FICO scores or credit reports to approve financing, it lever- ages proprietary data sets and algo- rithms to decision consumers. WD: Where is your current product emphasis? RG: BillFloat recently launched SmartPay to offer flexible financing options to cus- tomers seeking to purchase new smart- phones. SmartPay helps drive smartphone sales to new customers and easily upgrade existing customers at leading carriers including MetroPCS, Virgin Mobile and CSpire. Instant financing and affordable monthly payment plans help carriers and dealers sell more smartphones and acces- sories, acquire and retain more customers, and increase same-store profits. WD: What products do you see as being hottest this year? RG: Financing solutions that help con- sumers afford the latest devices and smartphones. There's a lot of talk about payment plans and how carriers will be ending subsidies and passing costs onto consumers. BillFloat's SmartPay helps make smartphones and accessories affordable to consumers by spreading the costs across equal affordable automated monthly repayments. BillFloat (Cont'd. from p. 1) WD: Compare the position of your prod- ucts and their technology against the cur- rent market. RG: The smartphone retail market is rapidly changing. Consumers acquir- ing a new smartphone through BillFloat will save up to 30 percent compared to the costs of a two-year contract with a carrier. Consumers avoid long-term contracts and can upgrade devices without penalties at any time before or at the end of the SmartPay term, helping increase carri- er revenues and improve customer retention. WD: How do you see the next year in terms of economy, sales, technology, and product evolution? RG: Smart mobile devices are getting smarter and are the primary tool for daily living. Having the latest innovation is important for consumers. Consumers will be trading in and upgrading devices more frequently and will benefit from financ- ing options like SmartPay that focus on affordability. Carriers will look to third- party financial solution providers to dif- ferentiate payment options. WD: How can our readers find out more about your company? RG: Companies interested in SmartPay can learn more by going to www.more- time2pay.com/smartpaysignup or stop- ping by our booth #3521. For more information, visit www.more- timet2pay.com or www.billfloat.com, email partners@billfloat.com, call 925- 640-6141, or visit booth #3521 at CTIA.