A Message from Rulei Ting

Chair, Communications Certification

In reflecting on 2012, I am happy to report to you that it has been a productive year for the WCET Certification Program and ComSoc Training and would like to thank you for your ongoing support.  In 2012 we proudly welcomed two new groups of professionals that have earned the Wireless Communication Professional (WCP) credential during the Spring and Fall testing windows; we established a strong partnership with NTUST to offer the WCET Certification Program in Taiwan; continued our relationship with MCPC to offer WCET in Japan,  and we provided ComSoc Training courses totaling more than 240 hours of instruction.  As we move into 2013, we will continue to meet your professional development and career advancement needs through new ComSoc Training course offerings, making combination training / certification exam seat pricing packages available, and keeping you up to date on the latest technologies and industry advancements.

IEEE WCET Certification continues to make its mark as the industry standard credential for wireless professionals worldwide.  7 April through 4 May 2013 will be the next testing window for the WCET Certification exam.  Applications to take the exam during this time must be received by 22 March so do not miss this opportunity to join the growing group of professionals who have demonstrated their excellence in wireless communication knowledge and experience.  2013 will also be the year that recertification is required for the first group who earned their WCP credential in 2008.  For those in this group, information on maintaining your certification and your WCP credential is now available on the Recertification page of the WCET website.

In support of your preparations for the WCET Certification Exam, there are a number of resources available, including updated versions of the Candidate’s Handbook and WEBOK.  The 2013 issue of the Candidate's Handbook is immediately available as a PDF download or you can request a print copy be mailed to you.  This handbook is an indispensible guide to understanding why the exam was created, the benefits of getting WCET certified, eligibility guidelines, application details, how to prepare for the exam, and the supporting resources. One of the best resources used by many preparing to take the test is the WEBOK, which is now available in its 2^nd edition in print and as an E-book.  WEBOK 2^nd Edition can be purchased directly from Wiley / IEEE Press.

More exciting news from ComSoc Training is that the following three new courses were just recently launched: VoLTE: Convergence of IMS-based Voice and LTE (23 January); Overview of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) for Engineers & Managers (6 February); and Self Organizing Networks (12 February).   In addition, ComSoc Training will again be offering special training / certification exam seat combination packages in response to customer requests.  The special combination package, Virtual 5 Day Training PLUS Spring 2013 WCET Exam Seat, will be offered again in April and includes:  a seat in the 5-day online course (1-5 April 2013) along with all the course materials and access to the streaming video recording for 7 days after the course; a free online practice exam ($50 value - 75 questions help you assess your areas of strength and areas where improvement is needed); and a seat for the Spring 2013  WCET Certification Exam.  As always, ComSoc Training will continue to offer both in-person and online courses to help you stay current in the wireless field.

This issue of WCP News is packed with the latest industry headlines to help you manage your career as well as keep you up to date with upcoming events such as conferences, the January / February ComSoc Training schedule, important dates regarding the Spring WCET Certification Exam, and helpful reminders.

Best wishes to you for a successful 2013!

In this issue:

• NTUST – IEEE ComSoc Agreement Signed
• Spring WCET Certification Exam Window
• 2013 WCET Candidate's Handbook Now Available
• 5-Day Course Combo Pack (With Certification Exam Seat
• Comsoc Training Courses
• ComSoc Conference Schedule for February, March, and April
• Industry News

NTUST – IEEE Comsoc agreemenT SIGNED

An exciting partnership between the IEEE Communications Society (ComSoc and the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) was formed in November 2012. Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IEEE ComSoc, NTUST, Taiwan’s first technical university, now has exclusive rights to offer the IEEE Wireless Communication Engineering Technologies (WCET) Certification Program in Taiwan. The MoU between IEEE ComSoc and NTUST supports ComSoc's vision that positions the IEEE WCET Certification Exam as the standard test and credential for wireless communication professionals worldwide.  IEEE ComSoc and NTUST believe this partnership will further support continued growth and high professional standards in the wireless communications industry.  Read the full press release or visit the NTUST of Taiwan page within the WCET website for more information.

SPRING WCET CERTIFICATION EXAM WINDOW

Make 2013 the year that you achieve WCET Certification.  Applications for the Spring 2013 WCET Certification Exam are now being accepted through 22 March.  The testing window will be held 7 April through 4 May 2013.  Visit the Application Details WCET web page for more information on the application process and how to apply for the exam.  There are many Resources available to help you Prepare for the Exam including a Practice Exam to help you gain a better understanding of how ready you are to take the exam. Still not sure if WCET Certification is right for you? Learn more about the Benefits of WCET Certification and Who Is Eligible.

2013 WCET CANDIDATE’S HANDBOOK NOW AVAILABLE

The 2013 edition of the WCET Candidate’s Handbook is now available in print or as a PDF download. The handbook provides you with some background on why the exam was created and what the benefits of getting certified are; as well as details such as, eligibility, application details (costs, deadlines, testing center locations, etc.), how to prepare and understand exactly what is tested on the exam, in addition to resources available to you.  Request your copy today.

ComSoc Training CourseS

Overview of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) for Engineers & Managers
In-Person Course at M2M Summit in Vancouver, BC
Wed, February 6, 2013 - 8:30am - 4:00pm PST
Instructor: Lee Vishloff
View more information about this course or Register Now.

Self Organizing Networks
Online Course; Tue, February 12, 2013 - 9:00am - 4:30pm EST
Instructor: Javan Erfanian
View more information about this course or Register Now.

Comsoc Conference Schedule for FEBRUARY, MARCH, & APRIL

Check out these upcoming IEEE ComSoc premiere conferences to stay up to date on the most recent advances in the industry:

IEEE CogSIMA 2013
26-28 February 2013, San Diego, CA, USA

OFC/NFOEC 2013
17-21 March 2013, Anaheim, CA, USA

IEEE ISPLC 2013
24-27 March 2013, Johannesburg, SA

IEEE WCNC 2013
7-10 April 2013, Shanghai, CN

IEEE LANMAN 2013
10-12 April 2013, Brussels, BE

IEEE INFOCOM 2013
14-19 April 2013, Turin, IT

INDUSTRY NEWS

Top Ten Wireless Predictions For 2013

Juniper Research has published its predictions for the top trends in the mobile and wireless industry for 2013.  Their top ten wireless predictions include: “1. Big Data to Become Big Business; 2. Smart Glasses & Other Wearables: 2013, the year of ‘announcements;’ 3. BYOD trend on the rise, as security issues escalate;

4. Retail to embrace the in-store mobile strategy; 5. Operators to adopt seamless Wi-Fi & LTE connectivity; 6. Mobile Becomes the Connectivity Hub; 7. The Year of Microsoft; 8. The multi-screen, seamless user experience becomes a reality; 9. New mobile and tablet form factors to emerge; 10. Social Gaming is on the Rise.” [Juniper Research]

Mobile & .NET Developers Among 2013's Top Hiring Priorities

Mobile developers, Java/J2EE developers and .NET developers are among the top five hiring priorities for 2013, according to a survey by Dice.com. Among the lowest-desired applicants: entry-level employees. [IT Business Edge]

Apple Seeking Test Engineers for 802.11ac

Is Apple already preparing to roll out IEEE 802.11ac wireless networking on its next wave of products? Recent job postings indicate that the company is seeking systems test engineers with experience in the new technology. The IEEE 802.11ac standard is scheduled for approval late this year. [TheNextWeb]

Brazil Has More Jobs than Candidates
Brazil's IT sector is growing so rapidly that it will need an additional 750,000 qualified professionals to meet the demand by the year 2020, according to industry reports. The country has set new goals to encourage more young adults to study IT subjects, even offering free courses in three programming languages. [RCR Wireless]

Nokia Drops 300 Jobs

Embattled Nokia Corp announced it will lay off 300 IT workers and move another 820 jobs to two partner companies in India. The company has now cut around 10,000 workers. [Wireless Week]

Mobile Payment System Spurs Economy in Zimbabwe

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe says its EcoCash mobile money transfer service has led to the creation of 5,000 new jobs in the country. The service is used by nearly 2 million people in Zimbabwe as their primary financial service. [AllAfrica]

Mobile Health Grew Nearly 22% in 2012

The number of patients that were monitored using m-health technologies grew from nearly 2.2 million in 2011 to 2.8 million in 2012, a count that only includes dedicated monitoring devices. The number is expected to grow to 9.4 million by 2017. [RCR Wireless]

Webinar to Cover Tracking Generator Applications

Steve Thomas, senior product manager for Anritsu, will present a webinar entitled "Tracking Generator Applications for RF and Microwave" on February 12. RCR Wireless CEO Jeff Mucci will moderate. [RCR Wireless]

China Changes Visa Policy

Starting this summer, foreign workers will be able to move to China on visas that will last up to five years, part of a move to "attract more top talent," according to China Daily. The Register says this corresponds with recent proposals to bring in more technology talent from overseas. [China Daily, The Register]

Samsung Shows Off Flexible Display Prototype

At this year's CES Samsung gave attendees a glimpse of a new flexible display for mobile phones. The OLED technology, called Youm, uses thin plastic instead of glass and will reportedly offer better power efficiency that current LCD screens. [Mobility Techzone]

Rise of the "Phablets"

Bigger than a smartphone but smaller than a tablet, so-called "phablets" are increasingly hot with consumers. A new report from IHS predicts that more than 60 million 5-inch or larger phablets will be sold in 2013, a number the analysis group says will rise to 146 million by 2016. [Silicon Republic]

Verizon Predicts Live Video Broadcasts Over LTE

At CES Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam announced that the company will be able to broadcast live TV over its LTE network as early as 2014. Verizon's LTE network now delivers speeds of up to 12 Mbps. [Multichannel News]

First 200 Trainees to Graduate Samsung Academy in Kenya

Samsung's Kenyan Engineering Academy is about to graduate its first 200 trainees, who have learned to repair and service electronic devices. Samsung hopes to graduate 2,000 people by 2015 to serve the growing market in Kenya. [Cellular-News]

First App-Enabled Toothbrush on Sale

A toothbrush with Bluetooth has hit the market. Beam Technologies' Beam Brush comes with an app to track and compare family members' brushing habits. The information gathered by the $50 device can also be delivered to participating dentists. Oh, and it plays music, too. [Mobile Health News]