The way we access the Internet and the choices that we have to access it … we can thank companies like Aptilo Networks.

Aptilo Networks, the global leader in pre-integrated solutions for control of billing, user services and access in wireless networks including WiMAX and Wi-Fi, announced today that the company is adding LTE to its portfolio of service management and policy control solutions for operators.

Aptilo’s new 4G service management platform with LTE support has a purpose-built PCRF (policy charging and rules function) that, unlike traditional solutions, is pre-integrated with optional Aptilo modules for the necessary subsystems that are usually purchased separately such as prepaid systems, subscriber database, WEB portals, statistics and reporting, voucher management and more.

More on this press release … and listen to the podcast talk between Suzanne Bowen of Techistan and DIDX and also Torbjorn Ward, CEO of Aptilo Networks on 4GWorld conference, the LTE announcement from Aptilo Networks, differences among different types of network access and how this has the world and how we live our lives.

Suzanne Bowen: Today we have with us Torbjorn Ward, CEO of Aptilo. I found out about him through 4G World, a very important October 2010 conference. Welcome, Mr. Ward.

Torbjorn Ward: Thank you. I’m happy to be participating in this podcast. It’s going to be great.

Suzanne Bowen: Would you give us a brief history of you and Aptilo for those who are not familiar.

Torbjorn Ward: Sure. I’m born and raised in Sweden. As many people over here have worked in the first years of their professional lives at Ericsson, and I’ve spent about ten years of my life working for Ericsson in the United States and in Canada. Then, about ten years ago, I came back to Sweden and founded a company with a few other colleagues, a company called Aptilo Networks.

What we wanted to do was address the fact that broadband is being deployed, and getting into ubiquitous state. At the same time, we are seeing wireless being built into many devices. We felt there was going to be a need for some good control systems. We wanted to help operators to be able to manage these wireless networks. That’s what we are all about here.

Suzanne Bowen: Yes … now … location, location, location. Well, how about strategy, strategy, strategy?

Torbjorn Ward: Strategy is one of the most important things we are working with on a daily basis. It is always a matter of staying abreast of the rest and making sure that we have the right solutions for customers.

What we are announcing is that we are not only supplying products and solutions for wireless networks such as WiFi and WiMax  and helping operators manage services and different kinds of controls for the users and how they receive the network. We’re adding LTE capability to our portfolio of the service management and policy control solutions. This is going to be in addition to what we already provide. Operators will be to use this for all three different kinds of network access technologies.

(Reason for the “dip” in voice here and there is that … yes, the interviewer Suzanne Bowen is mobile … road warrior status … and was sometimes in areas where the network was having a problem. )

Suzanne Bowen: LTE is a topic I wanted to learn more about. I can see this will give more choices. This fits right into the conference 4GWorld. Will you explain the advantages of LTE and how you guys will be participating.

Torbjorn Ward: We see 4G World as a very good platform for reaching out into the North American market. The fact that it’s not addressing only WiMax or LTE. We like how they are taking a more holistic approach to 4G. It is not so important about LTE or WiMax… actually the 4G brings a whole new world of bandwidth capabilities, a whole new world of quality of service, and even dynamics. Such controls really make so many advantages possible for the operators to optimize the networks for users.

So, since many people do not really care about the terms or terminology of access, then we think is a great platform to reach out to who we need to. That means that operators and customers that will be there… ARE interested in all these technologies. We want to supply the products for those who have needs for several technologies. We call it multi-access technology networks.

Suzanne Bowen: It looks you are a popular podcasting item because just like yesterday with Jari of Mobile Monday, someone just instant messaged me a new topic for you.

“What is the difference, in every day language, among WiFi, WiMax, LTE, and 4G?”

Torbjorn Ward: So, WiFi, that is the technology that has been predominantly built into laptops, smartphones and other devices. It is something that was brought forward as a way to kind of duplicate wireless network. You may have heard about LAN, where you connect computers in enterprise network and that is running through a cable.

The WiFi is essentially wireless networking. The issue is that it has a great bandwidth built into many devices. The problem is that it doesn’t extend as long. The range is really not more than in the order of 30 to 60 feet or so. Whereas, WiMax and LTE  … they are both addressing a sort of evolution of what we know of today as cellular.

The cellular networks out there, obviously, were all designed to carry voice and then, there were some capabilities to carry some limited data. The LTE and WiMax are both what is called a 4G technology as opposed to 3G which is the third generation. It predominately had some voice and some data. With the 4G, the focus is really data and mobile broadband.

The idea is that it should be almost as good in your home broadband connectivity, but you can take that device with you everywhere. Given that fact that WiFi has been built into devices for almost ten years now, it means that 4G is on the verge of doing the same thing.

You will not find 4G typically being built into a laptop. If you go down to Best Buy and buy a laptop, it may not be built-in.

In the beginning it may be an add-on via a USB modem or something to that effect. Give it a couple of years, and it will be built-in as well.

WiFi is evolving as well. There is a natural law between range and capacity, range and bandwidth. WiFi would always be 10 times faster, but it will always be for short range.  It will be a matter of switching between short range and long range. You have to make a selection of if you want the highest bandwidth or lower bandwidth.

Suzanne Bowen: Wow. I think you missed your calling as a professor. (chuckles from Torbjorn) But then professors have more homework than we have so … the lady (Lisa-Anne Lombard of Hitachi Electric) who asked the question of you will appreciate it.

Aptilo and our DIDX serve some of the same carriers and operators around the world. We serve what all some of the same wholesale level “movers and shakers” in IP communications and mobile.

Looking at what we do and what you do, how can we together with our mutual clients?

Torbjorn Ward: Good question. In the beginning, a lot of our mutual tasks are to raise the awareness of enabling technologies and tools and understanding, to help people to understand what they really can do if they have a fully mobile broadband connectivity. It is interesting to see how people really change in their work.

What they do, how they do things. We’re not addressing the end-users ourselves. We’re addressing and helping the operators to come up with good service for their end-users. There are big changes can be implemented here.

I was thinking about this yesterday. I needed to be on a commuter train for a while. I was sitting with my iPhone that has mobile broadband connectivity.

I could connect back over to Internet as we were driving on the train with IP radios … back to stations where I used to listen in Raleigh, North Carolina. Just the fact that I can do these things while going on a train at a fairly high speed. It’s absolutely amazing.

That’s an entertaining aspect. We shouldn’t forget about that. Not everything is about business efficiency. Alot of things are important.

People change their behaviors regarding not just business but also entertainment.

(I Suzanne Bowen was thinking … sometime there is no difference between entertainment and business for any of us.)

Suzanne Bowen: How to help wholesale companies enable their users to get more done with quality with mind, but like you said, why not enjoy themselves at the same time. One of the guys who spoke during the Avaya workshop in the week of ITEXPO West in Los Angeles. I forgot his name, but the name of his company had the word “frog” in it. (Frog Design’s Paul Pugh) He mentioned that the mobile capability and the better Internet connections available enable all of us in business and our personal lives to enjoy ourselves more.

We actually may say, “I like being available all the time.”

Torbjorn Ward: This is true. The WiFi market among hospitality, hotels, and so on … in the beginning, let’s say 8-9 years ago… when we were talking to CIOs of larger hotel chains… they would come back to us and say, “Well, you know, we are not really interested in these things because we are a resort. People come here to relax. They really don’t want to bring their work. Hence, since they don’t want to bring their work, they don’t want to bring a laptop or anything like that.”

Take a look at families or people today. They bring their laptops wherever they go. It’s not necessarily only for work. It’s for entertainment. It’s for things in their personal life as well.

Suzanne Bowen: Exactly. Please tell us how listeners can learn from Aptilo, contact information, etc.

Torbjorn Ward: We’re in www.aptilo.com. Much information is there to understand what we are providing and how we can help service providers or for example, those in the hospitality industry.

Suzanne Bowen: To see you, meet with you now at 4GWorld. That’s at www.4gworld.com. The ecosystem of wireless. It’s Oct. 18-21, 2010. The first day is a pre-conference day. Even more exciting is that people can visit Aptilo’s booth because you are exhibiting there. I am looking forward to meeting you guys there myself. I want to thank you for the education and information that you have shared with us today.

Torbjorn Ward: Thank you. It’s been a pleasure, and I’m looking forward to meeting you there, and everybody else that may be listening to this as well.

Follow Aptilo, 4GWorld, DIDX, Yankee Group (who produce 4GWorld), Emily Nagle Green (CEO of Yankee Group), and Suzanne Bowen on Twitter.