Wireless Asia articles from August 2001

Wireless Asia archives from August 2001

Big, fat wireless pipes challenge 3G.(Street Wise)
August 1, 2001... Our feature interviewee this month, Ewan Sutherland, executive secretary of the International Telecommunications Users Group, made special reference to the role that WLANs, or wireless LANs, will play as a major competitor to future wireless...

CTM greets rivals with stalling tactics; Macau is opening its market in traditional fashion, with standover tactics by the incumbent operator.(News Analysis)(Hutchison and SmarTone are deadlocked in attempts to reach interconnection agreement with CTM)
August 1, 2001... An Interconnection dispute with incumbent CTM is threatening to delay the entry of two new Hong Kong-based operators into the former Portuguese enclave of Macau. The two carriers, Hutchison and SmarTone, are deadlocked in their attempts to...

Price and packaging have to be right.(News Analysis)(Hutchison's Macau operation will compete with network coverage, voice quality, service and competitive pricing )
August 1, 2001... Elizabete Lee, CEO for Hutchison's Macau operation, said the company would compete in the market with its "network coverage, voice quality, service as well as competitive pricing scheme". To kick off its market share drive, Hutchison is...

WAP 2.0 haunted by legacy issues; the release of the WAP 2.0 specification promises to bring struggling wireless Internet protocols in line with the mainstream Net, but it is going to have a hard time getting past legacy issues.(News Analysis)
August 1, 2001... A new version of the Wireless Application Protocol is aimed at bridging the gap between the wireless Internet and regular Internet standards. WAP 2.0 will bring support for XHTML, the next generation Web markup language recommended by the...

3G ready, set, bid! Hong Kong has joined the 3G auction bandwagon, with four licenses to be sold in a secretive process starting late September.(News Analysis)
August 1, 2001... After nearly two years of discussion, three rounds of consultation and five government white papers, Hong Kong's cellular sector finally has a framework for 3G. The regulator OFTA, last month handed down its giant 341-page paper setting out the...

Shakeout set to accelerate.(News Analysis)(3G spectrum auction looks to have accelerated rationalization of Hong Kong mobile market)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... The 3G spectrum auction looks to have accelerated rationalization of the Hong Kong mobile market--and it has certainly intensified merger discussions. With six operators running 11 networks to service 7 million people, everyone agrees that...

Saturation looming despite One.Tel abyss; the fall of the Australian subscriber-hungry One.Tel was expected to see its rivals swell customer numbers. But, as Lachlan Colquhoun reports, the opposite seems to be the case.(News Analysis)
August 1, 2001... The collapse of Australia's One.Tel showed the danger of driving almost exclusively for subscriber growth, and in the aftermath it seems that the country's A$7.6 billion ($3.92 billion) mobile phone market is already reaching subscriber...

HK cellco wheel of fortune.(News Analysis)(Hong Kong cellular market becomes sort of revolving door for senior management)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... What goes around comes around--or so it seems in the Hong Kong cellular market, which has become a sort of revolving door for senior management. Take Douglas Li, SmarTone's original CEO who left in 1996 only to return to his post last month....

Nokia fares comparatively well in the second quarter, reporting a 5% growth in overall sales, including a 10% increase in mobile handset sales.(Movements)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Nokia fares comparatively well in the second quarter, reporting a 5% growth in overall sales, including a 10% increase in mobile handset sales. Profit before tax and minority interests was just over $1b--a 20% year-on-year drop.

Motorola isn't so lucky, recording declines in nearly all industry segments and posting a 2Q01 net loss of $759m, compared to a profit of $204m in the same period last year.(Movements)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Motorola isn't so lucky, recording declines in nearly all industry segments and posting a 2Q01 net loss of $759m, compared to a profit of $204m in the same period last year. Total sales were down 19% year-on-year.

Ericsson has it even worse, reporting a 2Q01 loss of $1.31b, down from a $944m profit for the same period last year.(Movements)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Ericsson has it even worse, reporting a 2Q01 loss of $1.31b, down from a $944m profit for the same period last year. Mobile phones sales revenue slumped 39% to $749m. President and CEO Kurt Hellstrom said the company saw no end to the current...

Qualcomm reports a net loss for its third fiscal quarter of $275m.(Movements)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Qualcomm reports a net loss for its third fiscal quarter of $275m, compared to net earnings of $155m for the same period a year earlier and $149m the previous quarter.

Sony sees its fiscal first quarter operating income drop 90% to $24m--market analysts had expected at least $210m.(Movements)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Sony sees its fiscal first quarter operating income drop 90% to $24m--market analysts had expected at least $210m. Sony's troubles included a $106m charge to repair and replace over 1 million faulty mobile phones supplied to NTT DoCoMo and...

Vodafone CEO Chris Gent tells reporters in Japan that a lack of dual mode phones could delay the launch of 3G services.(Movements)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Vodafone CEO Chris Gent tells reporters in Japan that a lack of dual mode phones could delay the launch of 3G services. Gent says that Vodafone's Japanese asset. J-Phone, may have to further delay its 3G launch to 2003 if dual-mode handsets...

Nokia and Sonera, the largest mobile operator in Finland.(Movements)(Piloting Multimedia Messaging (MMS) technology and services)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001...

Microsoft takes a small stake in UK mobile phone maker Sendo.(Movements)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001...

Motorola is making all of its "essential" technology.(Movements)(Its 2.5G and 3G mobile phones is made available to independent manufacturers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Motorola is making all of its "essential" technology for making 2.5G and 3G mobile phones available to independent manufacturers.

Qualcomm expands its CDMA.(Movements)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001...

Beijing: China Mobile launches GPRS trials in 25 cities.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Beijing: China Mobile launches GPRS trials in 25 cities. About 2,900 subscribers are trialing the service, which is scheduled for Commercial launch after the two-month trial.

Beijing: many GSM users lose service for the better part of July 11 due to a glitch in China Mobile's network.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Beijing: Many GSM users lose service for the better part of July 11 due to a glitch in China Mobile's network. Service resumes the following mottling with help from system supplier Nokia. No official explanation is given, but unnamed sources at...

Shanghai: Shanghai Mobile has launched a GPRS trial in the city.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Shanghai: Shanghai Mobile has launched a GPRS trial in the city, with full commercialization of the service planned for October.

Hong Kong: Distacom Group the largest shareholder of Hong Kong GSM 1800 operator Sunday, sells its 49% stake in Indian cellco SpiceCell to another Indian mobile player.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Hong Kong: Distacom Group, the largest shareholder of Hong Kong GSM 1800 operator Sunday, sells its 49% stake in Indian cellco SpiceCell to another Indian mobile player, Bharti Group, in an all-cash deal meant to fund Sunday's bid for Hong...

Hong Kong: OFTA warns mobile phone operators not to mislead users about new surcharges.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Hong Kong: OFTA warns mobile phone operators not to mislead users about new surcharges, which the operators say are to cover high rental fees in tunnels--costs that operators have subsidized for years.

Hong Kong: over 1 million mobile users temporarily lose service after Typhoon Utor grazes Hong Kong.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Hong Kong: Over 1 million mobile users temporarily lose service after Typhoon Utor grazes Hong Kong. The problem isn't damage, but network overload after the Hong Kong Observatory lowers the typhoon warning signal. prompting millions of people...

Hong Kong: SmarTone restores founding chief executive Douglas Li to the company's top post.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Hong Kong: SmarTone restores founding chief executive Douglas Li to the company's top post, replacing Ian Stone who had been in the position less than two years.

Bangkok: Telekom Malaysia sells its 44.99% stake in Thai cellular operator Digital Phone Co. to Shin Corp for $245m.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Bangkok: Telekom Malaysia sells its 49.99% stake in Thai cellular operator Digital Phone Co. to Shin Corp for $245m. The deal gives Shin Corp, which already owns a 47.55% stake in DPC, almost fetal ownership of the cellco, which will be...

Bangkok: Thailand adopts a new national nine-digit telephone number system to cope with increasing fixed-line and mobile phone demand.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Bangkok: Thailand adopts a new national nine-digit telephone number system to cope with increasing fixed-line and mobile phone demand. TOT deputy vice president Rut Boonyakiat says almost 98% of mobile numbers nationwide have been taken.

Jakarta: Pasifik Satelit Nusantara faces delisting from the NASDAQ after missing two deadlines for filing its financial results.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Jakarta: ACeS' major shareholder, Pasifik Satelit Nusantara, faces delisting from the NASDAQ after missing two deadlines for filing its financial results. Also, its ADRs failed to maintain a minimum bid price of $1.00 per ADR for 30 days. PSN...

Kuala Lumpur: the Malaysian government maintains it will stay on schedule to hand out 3G licenses by the end of this year.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian government maintains it will stay on schedule to hand out 3G licenses by the end of this year, but Telekom Cellular chief Khir Harun is less than enthusiastic, saying that 3G is "still conceptual," and that "nobody...

New Delhi: Bharti Enterprises will build India's first nationwide cellular network after winning eight of 22 additional cellular licenses auctioned off by the government.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... New Delhi: Bharti Enterprises will build India's first nationwide cellular network after winning eight of 22 additional cellular licenses auctioned off by the government. The new licenses, combined with its existing networks and recent...

Tokyo: Matsushita the conglomerate behind the Panasonic brand, posts a first fiscal quarter net loss of $36,4m, due to the overall mobile phone market slump and several handset recalls in Japan.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Tokyo: Matsushita, the conglomerate behind the Panasonic brand, posts a first fiscal quarter net loss of $36,4m, due to the overall mobile phone market slump and several handset recalls in Japan. The report marks the first time Matsushita has...

Tokyo: NTT DoCoMo finds a new glitch in its Java-based i-appli service.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Tokyo: NTT DoCoMo finds a new glitch in its Java-based i-appli service. A gap in the timing of radio wave transmissions between phones and certain base stations causes around 100,000 Panasonic-manufactured Digital Mova P503i HYPER handsets to...

Seoul: a consortium led by LG Telecom is set to bid for Korea's third 3G license this month.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Seoul: A consortium led by LG Telecom is set to bid for Korea's third 3G license this month. The consortium, which also includes players like Hanaro Telecom and Powercomm, asked the government for a license fee discount because the license...

Taipei: Chunghwa Telecom awards Nortel Networks a GSM upgrade contract worth $250m.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Taipei: Chunghwa Telecom awards Nortel Networks a GSM upgrade contract worth $250m. The upgrade will expand capacity on Chunghwa's GSM network to an estimated 6.5m subscribers. Taipei: The Ministry of Transportation and Communications...

Melbourne: a federal court issues an injunction barring Telstra from making misleading overtures to One.Tel mobile phone customers.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Telecom New Zealand launches its CDMA network)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Melbourne: A federal court issues an injunction barring Telstra from making misleading overtures to One.Tel mobile phone customers. The ACCC alleges that Telstra call center representatives were telling One.Tel customers that they would be bit...

Singapore: Mobile One, SingTel Mobile and StarHub Mobile agree to develop a common mobile payment solution the behest of the Infocomm Development Authority.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Singapore; Mobile One, SingTel Mobile and StarHub Mobile agree to develop a common mobile payment solution at the behest of the Infocomm Development Authority. Proposals from interested mobile payment solution providers are due in August 2001...

Singapore: The IDA confirms that it will use an auction process for all future spectrum allocations.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Singapore: The IDA confirms that it will use an auction process for all future spectrum allocations, starting with LMDS spectrum and extra 2G spectrum in September, despite the objections of StarHub, which now has to bid for "top-up" spectrum...

Manila: Globe Telecom announces plans to spend some $742m to install 944 new cell sites, 17 switching centers and 37 new base station controllers.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Manila: Globe Telecom announces plans to spend some $742m to install 944 new cell sites, 17 switching centers and 37 new base station controllers. Globe has also applied to the government for "pioneer" status for the project, which would give...

Manila: National telecommunications Commission.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(licensing schedule pushed back two to three years)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Manila: The National Telecommunications Commission pushes back its 3G licensing schedule for two-to-three years. New NTC commissioner Eliseo M. Rio says there is a lack of immediate interest by the local cellular sector for 3G, and the extra...

Service--the key to success: to stay competitive today, operators must continually reduce costs and improve services. They also need the committed support of their vendors--not just in supplying boxes and solutions, but in quickly solving day-to-day problems.(advertorial)
August 1, 2001... Leading telecom equipment vendors like Huawei technologies must provide more than just off-the-shelf equipment and standard solutions. More importantly, they must always put customers' needs first, providing excellent after-sales services and...

China gets i-mode: Chinese cellular is about to reveal its potential as a mobile Internet market, with China Mobile and China Unicom fast-tracking their implementation of NTT DoCoMo's i-mode model.
August 1, 2001... With more than 110 million mobile users, China is about to surpass the US as the world's single biggest cellular market. in an industry where growth is flattening in major developed markets, it stands as a rare beacon of promise. Now, the...

The high cost of roaming: will operators be made to pay?(1_2_1)
August 1, 2001... It's conventional wisdom that international roaming is cellular's last high-margin segment, given that roamers will have no choice but to pay a premium to travel with their phone. Yet the suspicions that consumers are being ripped off boiled...

Lessons for 3G.(Wheels Of Industry)
August 1, 2001... While aspiring 3G network operators cast about for the killer app which will ensure the success of their expensive mobile multimedia investments, they would be well advised to bear in mind the lesson of WAP--over-promising could lead to...

The radiation debate: SAR info goes international; with the publication of a standard method for testing handset radiation levels, top handset manufacturers are preparing to include SAR data in their phone packaging. However, easily available SAR info is far from likely to settle the debate over cell phone health risks.(Wireless Biz)
August 1, 2001... Around this time last year, three of the top cell phone vendors--Ericsson, Motorola and Nokia--announced that they would start putting information on the Specific Absorption Rates (or SAR, which measures the amount of RF radiation absorbed by...

Peoples catches the millionaire craze.(Wireless Apps)
August 1, 2001... Hong Kong GSM1800 operator Peoples is cashing in on the popularity of the Who Wants to be a Millionaire television she with a new mobile gaming platform, developed completely in-house with the help development partner, mVantage. By sheer...

WiredPocket partners with HP Japan.(deals)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... WiredPocket has entered into a partnership agreement with HP Japan in which WiredPocket will make its WP.AutoMapping technology available to HP Japan customers, including distributors, system integrators, and group companies. WP.AutoMapping...

Philips/PipeBeach alliance extension.(deals)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Philips Speech Processing has formally extended its technical and commercial partnership with VoiceXML platform vendor PipeBeach. The new agreement extends an international strategic reseller alliance signed by both companies in June to deliver...

Multimedia module agreement for Openwave.(deals)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Openwave and wireless media technology vendor ActiveSky have entered into an agreement whereby ActiveSky will develop an optional multimedia plug-in module that allows device manufacturers to add ActiveSky's media platform to mobile devices...

Siemens selects SCM media readers for MP3 file transfers.(deals)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Siemens ICM has selected SCM Microsystems to supply MMC-form factor digital media readers for its high-end SL45 and upcoming SL45i cell phones, which come with MP3 players. The media readers connect to desktop computers or laptops via USB or...

M-commerce security package.(out now)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Security software vendor Baltimore Technologies, in partnership with Ericsson, Siemens, Gemplus, Oberthur, SchlumbergerSema and Giesecke & Devrient, has launched Telepathy QuickStart, which combines wireless PKI, handsets and smartcard...

Motorola, BT's Expidas solution.(out now)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Motorola's global telecom group and BT Wireless are co-operating to bring new digital wireless applications and solutions more quickly to the marketplace with Expidas. Expidas, created by BT wireless, is a new initiative designed to reduce time...

Kanji input made easier.(out now)(Zi Corp launches newest version of eZiText Japanese at Expo Comm Wireless Japan)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Zi Corporation launched the newest version of eZiText Japanese at Expo Comm Wireless Japan. EZiText Japanese version 4.5 offers multi-modes with one step prediction input and conversion capabilities, eliminating the numerous steps required in...

Smart parking.(out now)(Soprano Design enabled 400 parking meters in Sydney to accept payments by SMS or voice commands)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Australian wireless app vendor Soprano Design has enabled 400 parking meters in Sydney to accept payments by SMS or voice commands, and to send drivers alerts when meters are running out.

3G content management.(out not)(Unisys Australia introduces jointly-developed 3G content management solution )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... E-biz solutions company Unisys Australia has introduced a 3G content management solution developed in conjunction with Art Technology Group (ATG), Documentum, and Volantis. The solution enables service providers to develop and offer managed 3G...

i-mode image downloads.(out now)(Corbis and GignoSystem Japan launch Corbis' Gensen Sozai-shu (Corbis' Select Collection), Web site)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Digital media company Corbis and GignoSystem Japan have launched Corbis' Gensen Sozai-shu (Corbis' Select Collection), a new Web site that allows i-mode users in Japan to download Corbis images onto their handsets. Access to the library, which...

One-time passwords for mobile security.(out now)(Utimaco Safeware Asia launches mobile authentication server)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Security solutions company Utimaco Safeware Asia has launched its mobile authentication server, which is designed to secure mobile user authentication in Web servers, firewall systems, remote access systems and access systems in computing...

UMGPI becomes MGIF.(tools)(Mobile Games Interoperability Forum)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia and Siemens have launched the Mobile Games Interoperability Forum. Previously referred to as the Universal Mobile Games Platform Initiative, the new group will define interoperability specifications for games on mobile...

Java mobile platform group.(tools)(Open Contents Platform Association to push for standards in wired and mobile devices)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Over 25 Japanese electronics, software and content development companies have banded together to form the Open Contents Platform Association (OCPA), which will push for a global multimedia standard for wired and mobile devices based on UK...

Location-based service tool.(tools)(CMG Wireless Data Solutions)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... CMG Wireless Data Solutions has announced a comprehensive mobile location services solution created in conjunction with Webraska and SignalSoft. CMG Wireless says the solution enables operators to deploy and market different types of...

Value-based billing platform.(tools)(Narus' Internet Business Infrastructure platform)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Narus has announced the availability of its Internet Business Infrastructure (IBI) billing platform solution for mobile Internet service operators. Operators can use the IBI to bill mobile commerce and data service subscribers by various...

Founding CEO re-joins SmarTone.(Telecom Career)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Douglas Li, SmarTone Communications' founding CEO between 1992-1996, has taken over as head of the company from Ian Stone, who resigned to pursue other opportunities in late July. SmarTone's CFO Sue Yeung also resigned after her maternity...

Telstra director chairs Foxtel.(Telecom Career)(Sam Chisholm appointed as chairman and director to the Foxtel board)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Telstra director Sam Chisholm has been named chairman and director to the board of its 50% -owned pay TV business, Foxtel, succeeding Paul Rizzo. Before joining Telstra as a director in November 2000, Chisholm was chief executive and...

New men at AGC.(Telecom Career)(Asia Global Crossing)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Asia Global Crossing has appointed David Chan and Mark Simpson as vice president, enterprise sales, and vice president, customer service, respectively. Prior to joining AGC, Chan held key positions with Dell Computer and IBM in Asia. ...

Tom.com names new CFO.(Telecom Career)(Don Lee new Chief Financial Officer)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Li Ka-shing's Internet arm Tom.com has appointed Don Lee as the company's chief financial officer. Lee joins Tom.com from T Holdings, an incubator for technology-related projects and a company whose substantial shareholders are Cheung Kong...

Davnet makes CEO new chairman.(Telecom Career)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Struggling Australian telecoms provider Davnet has appointed chief executive Robert H. Turner as chairman, replacing Bill O'Shea. O'Shea has served Davnet as chairman for over two years, beginning with company founder Steven Moignard. ...

Optus promotes mobile chief to COO.(Telecom Career)(Cable & Wireless Optus )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Cable & Wireless Optus has promoted Paul O'Sullivan, the chief of Optus' mobile division, to the company's chief operating officer.

New Skies expands Asian sales force.(Telecomcareer)(New Skies Satellites)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... New Skies Satellites has appointed Ng Chin Hock media solutions director for Asia and promoted Chris Tarran to sales and marketing general manager for its Australian subsidiary. Before joining New Skies, Ng was director with Singapore...

Former Yahoo! exec joins Genie HK.(Telecom Career)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Former Yahoo! Southeast Asia general manager Christina Teo has been appointed managing director of Genie Internet (Hong Kong). Teo's priority will be to expand Genie's offerings and in particular seek opportunities in the China market. ...

QALA names Hong Kong marketing head.(Telecom Career)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Pan-Asian business communications service provider QALA has appointed Holly Leung marketing director for Hong Kong. Prior to joining QALA Leung was most recently assistant vice president for mass Internet access with PCCW's Interactive...

Telecom veteran joins Kantone Holdings.(Telecom Career)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... IT solutions and communications services provider Kantone Holding Limited has appointed Professor Liang Xiongjian as an independent non-executive director. Contacting TelecomCareer Advertising Leo Cheung Tel: 852 2589 1329...

Siemens' global roamer.(Terminal Devices)(Terminal Devices gets latest Siemens tri-band GSM handset, the S40)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Last month, Terminal Devices laid hands on the latest Siemens tri-band GSM handset, the S40, to prepare for future forays to North America. The handset is quite attractive, being translucent blue and silver in an iMac kind of way. While a...

Darlene talks the talk.(My Mobile)(Darlene Lee, president of Internet intelligence firm NetValue Ltd Hong Kong, talks about her mobile phone)
August 1, 2001... Darlene Lee, president of Internet intelligence firm NetValue Ltd Hong Kong, talks about life with her mobile phone. What kind of mobile phone do you use? Nokia 8150. How long have you had it? One year. What are your last five...

Cellular industry snake oil.(Unwired)(Customer needs and other issues)
August 1, 2001... How many companies claim to have "an unrelenting focus on the customer"? How many corporations routinely attribute their every move as a means of meeting customer demands and expectations? How often are we told that everything a large firm...

Just like 1997 all over again: two recent in Thai telecom suggest that the lessons of the last crash haven't been learned.(Lynch)
August 1, 2001... Remember crony capitalism? Well, many countries in Asia have learned their lessons, and the giant steps that have since been made in eliminating corruption and improving corporate governance have been impressive. Nevertheless, not everyone...

Art for phone's sake.(Short message: around the wireless industry)(Vodafone users in the UK can now download a range of paintings on their handsets)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... It's the latest in mobile phone downloads--artworks. Vodafone users in the UK can now download a range of paintings and other works by eight contemporary British artists on to their handsets for 36p (26 cents) each. Vodafone told BBC...

Hanging up.(Short message: around the wireless industry)(Interview with Nokia Networks' VP was interrupted by call to her mobile)(Brief Article)(Interview)
August 1, 2001... No-one can accuse Nokia of not making effective use of its own technology-at least not Nokia Networks vice president Sari Baldauf. An interview between Baldauf and Telecom Asia group editor Robert Clark recently was interrupted by a call to...

Market stimulation.(Short message: around the wireless industry)(Tring offers customers a new-service bundle-Een Prettig Pakket (meaning "One Pleasurable Package"), combining together a mobile phone service, a Nokia 3300 handset and a vibrator)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... The efforts by Tring, a Dutch mobile reseller, to excite the market haven't won support from all its partners. The Amsterdam retailer has been offering customers a new-service bundle-Een Prettig Pakket (meaning "One Pleasurable Package"),...

Wireless growth is in Asia--report.(Short message: around the wireless industry)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Hard-pressed vendors looking for growth opportunities should look to Asia, and in particular China and Japan. The latest Yankee Group report on Asia-Pacific cellular forecasts the number of mobile users in the region will top 575 million by...

Cell phone safety, Part 384.(Short message: around the wireless industry)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... The issue of using cell phones while driving resurfaced in late June after New York became the first state to pass a law banning cell phone use while driving. And, predictably, people on both sides of the argument have research to prove their...