Maxis first to activate 4G LTE for Apple devices - iPad 4, iPad mini, iPhone 5

In another first for Maxis, owners of Apple devices (at least the latest ones) will get to experience super-fast mobile connectivity now.

In short,

• Customers using the iPhone 5, iPad mini and iPad 4 (iPad with retina display), can now enjoy 4G LTE speeds in selected areas
• By the third quarter of 2013 more areas in Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Baru will be covered

Are you currently using one of these?

I suppose this is one of the key areas the telecommunications service provider is campaigning on, which is good.

In February 2013, Maxis launched two 4G LTE smartphones - the Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC One XL, -  the first two smartphones to be activated on Maxis' 4G LTE network


Maxis activates 4G LTE for Apple devices

MAXIS Berhad has announced that customers using the iPhone 5, iPad mini and iPad 4 can now enjoy the speed of its 4G LTE (Fourth Generation Long-Term Evolution) network.

In 2009, Maxis was the first to introduce the iPhone to Malaysia, said its joint chief operating officer (COO) Suren J. Amarasekera. It is now announcing that customers using the Apple iPhone 5, fourth generation iPad with Retina display and iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular model can use its 4G LTE network.

With 4G LTE, customers using iPhone 5, iPad mini and iPad 4 can experience download speeds five to 10 times faster than 3G, enabling them to upload pictures and video 10 times faster, Maxis claimed. Following the 4G LTE activation for these Apple devices, customers on Maxis iValue plans as well as data plans of 1G and above will receive an SMS requesting them to update the settings on their devices.

Once they do so, they will automatically be able to experience 4G LTE speeds in Maxis 4G LTE coverage areas. In areas where 4G LTE services are not available, the device will automatically and seamlessly fall back onto Maxis’ 3G network.


Areas covered by Maxis 4G LTE service:

• Bangsar, Mont Kiara, Desa Park, Damansara Heights
• Cyberjaya
• Damansara Utama
• Kota Damansara, Sunway Damansara
• Puchong (Wawasan Puchong, Bandar Kinrara 1, Bandar Kinrara 3, Bandar Kinrara 4, Bandar Puteri)
• Seapark, Dataran Prima, Tropicana
• Petaling Jaya Section 13, 14, 17, 19, SS2
• Sunway, Kampung Tunku, SS2, SS3
• Taman Desa, Pantai Dalam, Old Klang Road
• Taman Gembira, Desa Petaling
• Taman Kinrara 2, Taman Kinrara 3, Taman Kinrara 4
• Taman Megah (SS23, SS24, SS26), Kelana Jaya
• Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), Bandar Utama, Mutiara Damansara
• USJ3, USJ4, USJ5, USJ9, USJ11, USJ12, USJ13.

TheGreenMechanics: Let's hope the cost of data subscription will become cheaper, as increase of speed means more traffic in data exchange which translates to more revenue for the competing telco companies.

For more details, refer to www.maxis.com.my/4GLTE.

Solar panels now make more electricity than they use

"We are going into break-even" - Stanford University

Solar energy has short history in Malaysia, at least in terms of "installed capacity".

But when the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (KeTTHA) started promoting the renewable energy in 2009, many quarters started to became aware of the benefit and incentives available. Thanks to the ministry's (then) Chief Technical Advisor for renewable energy, Ir Ahmad Hadri Haris. He came to Sabah on few occasions to give talks and seminars on RE, and one of the inetersting topics is solar PV.

Then people started to ask question: Is the electricity generated by the PV panels more than the energy to make them?


Solar panels generate more energy than they used?

Solar panels make energy, but they take energy to make, too. It was thought that more electricity is used to produce them than electricity they generate during their lifespan. But according to Stanford University, by 2020, the industry is set to "pay back" the energy it used. [check out the above video clip].

A study by Michael Dale and Sally Benson looked at what went into building and installing solar panels all over the world, including everything from home installations to solar farms. Most solar panels manufacturers now consume lots of electricity, usually pulled from coal or other fossil fuel-burning plants.

Stanford News pointed to the example of melting silica rock to obtain the silicon used in most panels. The melting requires electricity to fire ovens to a temperature of about 3,000^o F.

"I think that this paper shows that actually the industry is making positive strides and it's even in spite of its fantastically fast growth rates, it's still producing, or it's just about to start producing, a net energy benefit to society."
-Michael Dale, climate and energy researcher, Stanford University

The researchers believe that solar panels' energy balance is now tipping, however, because newer technologies reduce that electricity consumption. For example, some newer panels require less silicon, or waste less material in the manufacturing process.


TheGreenMechanics' two cents:

This reminds me of the never ending argument on viability of using solar cells (PV) to generate electricity. Some people think that solar power is not viable yet as it is still very expensive. Take the subsidy out of the equation and the industry will take a massive tumble, they say.

The efficiency of solar panel is just about 21% to 25% at the moment, so, yes I tend to agree with the notion that we are forcing an inefficient technology on people.

But then again, if not now, then when? We can not wait for the fossil fuel to deplete before we embark on new alternatives, can we?


Refer: Video by Stanford Uni. Other story by Popular Science

Chinese volatile market drives solar PV downturn in 2013: Report

Solar PV demand in the first quarter of 2013 dipped due to the volatile market in China. The rest of the world, though, saw more stable growth - according to Solarbuzz.

Chart 1: Phases of PV demand from China, Europe and Rest-of-the-World. Source: Solarbuzz

“Chinese solar PV demand was the key global driver at the end of 2012, which helped to deplete upstream inventory levels that had accumulated over previous quarters. However, extreme swings in PV demand from China over the next year will make capacity utilization and inventory control particularly challenging.”
- Michael Barker, senior analyst at NPD Solarbuzz

The report says that, over the next four quarters:

• China will account for more than 20% of global PV market demand, i.e. 0.9GW to 3.6GW.


• Germany, Italy, France, and the UK will lead solar PV demand in Europe, accounting for over 65% of regional demand.


• Demand from European end-markets is expected to range from 2.7GW - 3.2GW


• New demand from the emerging PV markets, such as the Middle East and Southeast Asia (ROW)  demand will range from 2.5GW - 3.6 GW each quarter.


• The Japanese market is strongest during the first half of the year.


• The U.S. market is strongest during the second half.

TheGreenMechanics: Not a totally bleak year for the solar PV industry as some have predicted last year. China will come good eventually.


For your reading pleasure, jump to Solarbuzz Quarterly report.