Verizon Wireless adds over-air updates

Verizon Wireless is launching InnoPath’s firmware over-the-air (FOTA) update technology, the companies said this week, phasing the technology into new phone launches throughout the remainder of the year and 2008.

Verizon joins Sprint and AT&T in using InnoPath’s solution, which is based on the Open Mobile Alliance Device Management (OMA-DM) standard. The client-server solution pushes new software configurations and releases directly to devices over the wireless connection, allowing carriers to update firmware, fix bugs and reconfigure devices remotely without the need to bring phones into retail locations.

“It’s reasonable to expect that, over the next couple of quarters, the FOTA capability will make it into all of Verizon’s new devices,” said Dave Ginsburg, vice president of marketing for InnoPath.

FOTA’s obvious advantages are in its ability to update devices remotely and automatically in many cases without the customer being aware the update is occurring. The application, however, may produce some ancillary benefits for Verizon and its vendors. Most phones must ship ‘as is’ with little possibility a customer will come to a store for an update unless a major firmware problem occurs. Verizon and its handset vendors therefore must go through rigorous testing to minimize any possible problems. FOTA allows customers to shorten that development and testing process, since the phone’s software won’t necessarily be locked in place after shipments begin.