Software Updates
The newest method for updating phones doesn't require expensive equipment, or even PCs - the new software is sent over the cellular network, or over the air (OTA), directly to mobile phones. While similar to preferred roaming lists (PRL) and other updates that carriers have been sending to CDMA phones and GSM SIM chips for years, OTA updates actually make changes to the phone's software, not just its settings. Although the term software is also used for applications that you can download from your carrier to your phone, in this case it refers to the operating system or other software that is a permanent part of the phone's memory.
Danger led the way, providing automatic, OTA updates for the Hiptop; and now similar technology will probably define how we get software updates for the foreseeable future. Sprint is the first US operator to launch OTA updates for their lineup. They are initially launching this feature on a handful of phones, but will include it on nearly all the phones they launch in the future. The first handsets capable of OTA updates from Sprint are the Samsung VI660, VM-A680, MM-A700, PM-A740 and RL-A760 as well as the Sanyo MM-7400 and LG PM-325.
Sprint is not alone, in fact it belongs to the OTA Flash Forum, a group of many carriers and manufacturers devoted to creating a standard for updating software over the air. Currently a number of solutions from different manufacturers, as well as different back-end server vendors exist. No carrier can afford or wants to maintain a different server for every different manufacturer they carry. Worse, no manufacturer wants to have to produce a different software version for different upgrade servers. After all, the whole point of OTA updates is to simplify upgrades. The Flash Forum is working together to develop a single standard which all parties can live with, so that any phone can be updated from any server the carrier chooses.
Many American carriers are members in the OTA Flash Forum, including Sprint, T-Mobile USA and smaller carriers like Alltel and US Cellular. However a carrier does not have to be a member in order to use OTA technology, just to help define the standard. In fact, Verizon has admitted on many occasions they are also evaluating OTA technologies although they have not committed to one.
With the support of so many major carriers and manufacturers, it's likely that some form of this technology will be present on all handsets in the near future. Even if a particular carrier hasn't warmed up to the idea, chances are the manufacturers will have built the technology into their handsets, giving the carriers a push to join the OTA club. It won't be ubiquitous in 2005, but it won't be long before phones of all types will be informing their owners that new updates are ready to install.
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