Wireless Asia articles from June 2004

Wireless Asia archives from June 2004

Selling PoC.(Unwired)
June 15, 2004... The tech business is full of bright ideas, yet most of them fail commercially. Innovation aims to change people's behavior, but too often people have their own ideas; think SMS. Some great ideas are slowly strangled by entrenched interests,...

DoCoMo pulls out of 3 UK, seeks new UK partner.(News Analysis)
June 15, 2004... Confirming widespread rumors, NTT DoCoMo announced late last month that it had terminated its investment in Hutchison 3G UK Holdings, which operates 3 UK. DoCoMo's decision is related to the failure of 3 UK to introduce i-mode, and...

Moving toward seamless mobility.(Insight)
June 15, 2004... The upcoming release of the first WLAN-enabled smartphones by Motorola and Nokia marks the first step toward creating a handset capable of seamless mobility between networks and standards. Both devices provide data-centric WLAN connectivity,...

Stellar growth for WLAN switch vendors.(Insight)
June 15, 2004... Worldwide wireless LAN hardware revenue hit $696.4 million in the first quarter, up 2% from 4Q last year, and is expected to grow 2% to $713.6 million by 1Q 2005. While the overall WEAN market held relatively steady from the previous quarter, a...

US subscribers warming up to mobile video.(Insight)
June 15, 2004... Driven by the promise of greater bandwidth on 3G networks and rapid advances in compression technologies, mobile video services in the US are forecast to generate $5.4 billion in annual revenues by 2009 and account for 15% of total wireless...

Demand for UMTS handsets rebounds.(Insight)
June 15, 2004... After several years of slow growth, UMTS is now staging a comeback, fueled by new deployments in Europe and more competitive handsets. A report from ABI Research attributes the growth to UMTS' higher-level data and video services as well as its...

TCL and Bird eye global handset market.(News Analysis)
June 15, 2004... TCL Mobile and Ningbo Bird, China's two leading handset makers, made headlines last month after striking deals to form partnerships with Alcatel and Siemens. TCL, China's No. 2 handset maker with an 11% share in 2003, signed a MoU in late...

3G growth surge, but at what cost?(Metrics)
June 15, 2004... Hutchison's relentless 3G push finally appears to be paying off--or at least is now exceeding expectations rather than falling short. Between March and May, the company adding almost 700,000 subscribers to boost its worldwide customer base to...

EDGE: it's about commitment.(Metrics)
June 15, 2004... Despite having changed the focus of its EDGE operator forums to more general 3G issues, the Global mobile Suppliers Association has kept its EDGE PR juggernaut going full steam, with regular updates on its adoption. As usual, most of the...

World's first commercial GSM/W-CDMA network: GSM/W-CDMA inter-system operations are the key to the success of 3G rollout. Leveraging on its wireless expertise, Huawei Technologies transfers the widely discussed but not applied 2G/3G inter-working concept into a reality.(Advertorial)(Advertisement)
June 15, 2004... On December 24, 2003 Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat), one of the world's top 500 enterprises, officially announced its commercial operation of a nationwide W-CDMA network constructed by Huawei Technologies, the sole supplier...

Hungary will issue a tender.(Movements)
June 15, 2004... Hungary will issue a tender for four 3G licenses by August.

Vodafone launches 3G services.(Movements)
June 15, 2004... Vodafone launches 3G services in Spain in a move to counter rival Telefonica Moviles in the battle of next-generation mobile services.

Italy's TIM takes more than 450,000 orders.(Movements)
June 15, 2004... Italy's TIM takes more than 450,000 orders for 3G handsets from retailers on the first day of its 3G launch, according to chief executive Marco De Benedetti.

BT Group is to launch a new fixed-to-mobile service.(Movements)
June 15, 2004... BT Group is to launch a new fixed-to-mobile service that will use Vodafone Group's cellphone network and target 1b pounds ($1.76b) in annual revenue in five years.

Deutsche Telekom will pay about $2.5b to buy mobile networks.(Movements)
June 15, 2004... Deutsche Telekom will pay about $2.5b to buy mobile networks from Cingular Wireless to boost growth at its T-Mobile US unit.

Alcatel and TCL Communications sign a MoU.(Movements)
June 15, 2004... Alcatel and TCL Communications sign a MoU to form a $119m joint venture combing their respective mobile phone business.

UK Broadband, the British unit under PCCW, rolls out its Wi-Fi broadband service with a soft-launch in West London.(Movements)
June 15, 2004... UK Broadband, the British unit under PCCW, rolls out its Wi-Fi broadband service with a soft-launch in West London. The initial trials will target about 300,000 homes. The service is priced at $36-$72 per month.

Motorola expects India to be its biggest absolute growth market in the coming three years, according to president and COO Mike Zafirovski.(Movements)
June 15, 2004... Motorola expects India to be its biggest absolute growth market in the coming three years, according to president and COO Mike Zafirovski. He said Motorola currently controls 26% of the Indian mobile handset market, up from a 0% 18 months ago.

Siemens will increase its mobile phone production capacity in China to 20m units by next year from 14m this year.(Movements)
June 15, 2004... Siemens will increase its mobile phone production capacity in China to 20m units by next year from 14m this year. Meanwhile, in Indonesia the company plans to launch four new handsets.

A UK investment company acquires the Mobitex wireless data division of Ericsson for an undisclosed amount.(Movements)
June 15, 2004... A UK investment company acquires the Mobitex wireless data dvs on of Ericsson for an undisclosed amount. The business, which operates from Gothenburg and has approximately 100 employees, will be known as Mobitex Technology.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission charges nine current and former employees of Lucent Technologies.(Movements)
June 15, 2004... The US Securities and Exchange Commission charges nine current and former employees of Lucent Technologies and another individual with securities fraud for their roles in accounting problems at the company.

Vodafone signs up Sony Music Entertainment in a deal to beef up its Vodafone live! multimedia services with real music and more polyphonic ringtones, artist images, video streaming and short video downloads.(Movements)
June 15, 2004... Vodafone signs up Sony Music Entertainment in a deal to beef up its Vodafone live! multimedia services with real music and more polyphonic ringtones, artist images, video streaming and short video downloads. The deal would initially be...

Beijing.(around wireless asia)
June 15, 2004... BEIJING: Local media reports that all six operators in the mainland--China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom, China Netcom, China Railcom and China Satellite--began field trials of TD-SCDMA equipment in late May. China Mobile rolls out...

Hong Kong.(around wireless asia)
June 15, 2004... HONG KONG: Hutchison Whampoa chairman Li Ka-shing says the group's worldwide 3G subscriber base reached 1.73 million in late May. Separately, Hutch orders 3m 3G handsets from LG Electronics as part of its efforts to boost 3G subscribers. ...

Ningbo.(around wireless asia)
June 15, 2004... NINGBO: Ningbo Bird and Siemens form a strategic partnership to jointly develop and market mobile phones. The deal will give Siemens access to Bird's 30,000 outlets throughout China in return for Siemens' support to open overseas markets for...

Islamabad.(around wireless asia)
June 15, 2004... ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecom Authority issues another license to Pakistan-led and Dubai-backed Al-Warid group. The new license will be valid for 15 years. Norway's Telenor, which last month obtained a license to operate mobile network in...

Jakarta.(around wireless asia)
June 15, 2004... JAKARTA: Indosat awards Ericsson a $120m contract to develop and integrate its mobile network in Jakarta and surrounding provinces. Separately, the company signs a MOU with China Unicom to cooperate in the development of its CDMA-based Star1...

Kuala Lumpur.(around wireless asia)
June 15, 2004... KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia books an 81% year-on-year gain in profit for the first quarter, with its cellular arm Celcom the key contributor. Maxis Communications conducts a push-to-talk over cellular (PoC) trial with Motorola. ...

Seoul.(around wireless asia)
June 15, 2004... SEOUL: LG Telecom plans to spend 500b won ($430m) upgrading its cdma2000 services to EV-DV over the next three years. SK Telecom raises its stake in Hanaro Telecom to 4.78% alter buying $33 million of shams from Samsung Electronics. As a...

Tokyo.(around wireless asia)
June 15, 2004... TOKYO: NTT DoCoMo says it will sell its 20% 3 UK stake back to Hutchison Whampoa for 120m pounds ($220m). KDDI is in talks to sell its PHS unit, DDI Pocket to Kyocera and Washington-based Carlyle Group. According to local financial paper...

Sydney.(around wireless asia)
June 15, 2004... SYDNEY: Vodafone selects Nokia to build its 3G network in Australia and New Zealand. Vodafone Australia reports the first quarterly decline in its mobile subscriber base in over two years, falling 190,000 in the March quarter to 2.49m.

Wellington.(around wireless asia)
June 15, 2004... WELLINGTON: Vodafone New Zealand reports a 24.7% rise in customers for the fiscal year ended March 2004. The company's CUStomer base reached 1.607m, giving it a 54.6% share of the country's mobile market as of March, up from 50% a year earlier....

Bangalore.(around wireless asia)
June 15, 2004... BANGALORE: Tata Indicom launches push-to-talk services for its CDMA subscribers. The cellco aims to tap 10m users

New Delhi.(around wireless asia)
June 15, 2004... Bharti Tele-Ventures contracts Nokia to expand its GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks in five telecom circles, including the commercial hubs of Mumbai, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The deal is worth $275m. Bharti also signs a three-year service contract to...

Cracking open the future of corporate mobility: Wi-Fi has enabled portability for the enterprise desktop both in and out of the office, but that's just the start as more connectivity options emerge. The end game is simplified multiple access, but there's a ton of complexity to sort out first--much of it involving terminals, security and pricing schemes.(Cover Story)
June 15, 2004... There's little doubt that wireless has altered the way enterprises do business. First came cellphones, which untethered voice from the desktop. Then came Wi-Fi, which not only untethered the PC, but also highlighted the concept of...

Wireless for the workers: mobile technology in the enterprise isn't much good if employees have little use for it. With no all-purpose solution available, IT managers should ask employees what they want from wireless.(Wireless Biz)
June 15, 2004... Most enterprise CIOs and IT managers today are balancing the technology demands of the employees they serve with the business needs and cost structure of their companies. Mobile devices and their associated applications are, in many cases,...

India's growth pains.(1_2_1)
June 15, 2004... Indian cellular has grown exponentially in the last two years, with numbers today nearing 30 million. As the voice of the GSM sector, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has been in the frontline of the market take-off and the...

Reason for concern over churn: Asian cellular users are demanding more than ever of their mobile operator, according to a survey of end-users in 12 Asia-Pacific markets. Among the findings: more than 25% of mobile users are considering changing networks for more competitive prices and better coverage.(Asia Telecoms Index)
June 15, 2004... Mobile users in Asia are less satisfied with their network operators than a year ago, with 33% more people indicating they're likely to change networks within the next six months. Highlighting the level of uncertainly, three times as many users...

Partnering for success and survival.(Wireless Forum)
June 15, 2004... China's mobile handset makers are facing two big challenges today: a slowdown in the tremendous growth of the past two years and a shortage of key components. Despite these potential constraints, the three biggest players (Bird, TCL and...

Action Engine gains presence.(tools)
June 15, 2004... Action Engine will integrate Microsoft MapPoint Location Server (MLS) with its Advanced Data Services (ADS) platform to provide real-time location services, including the ability for mobile subscribers to determine the immediate location of...

Symbian / Series 60 apps for PXA27x.(tools)
June 15, 2004... Teleca says it will supply Symbian 0S and Series 60 support for the Intel PXA27x family of processors for mobile phones, PDAs and other wireless devices. Teleca has developed a Series 60 solution for PXA27x and has integrated applications that...

QoS data collection.(tools)
June 15, 2004... Comarco Wireless Test Solutions partners with SwissQual to introduce QualiPoc, a smartphone-based software app that allows wireless carriers to get QoS data from thousands of locations in order to assess user-perceived quality, In its automated...

Build a Linux smartphone.(tools)
June 15, 2004... Trolltech launches Qtopia Phone Edition, a mobile phone app stack that claims to bring smartphone functionality to lower-end, feature-phone class devices that support Linux. Qtopia Phone Edition delivers PDA-like features on feature-phone-level...

Apps developer for Palm OS 5.(tools)
June 15, 2004... NS Basic Corporation releases NS Basic/Palm 4.2, which allows developers who have used tools like Visual Basic to rapidly develop applications for Palm OS 5 and earlier devices as well as Cobalt. Features include databases, serial and IR...

Agere/Zi integration deal.(deals)
June 15, 2004... Zi Corp strikes a distribution deal with Agere Systems under which Agere will pre-integrate Zi's eZiText predictive text technology into Agere chipsets, software and reference platforms for multimedia-capable GPRS/EDGE mobile phones.

Bluetooth license.(deals)
June 15, 2004... Ericsson Technology Licensing signs a licensing agreement with Wavecom for Ericsson Core Bluetooth Software Stack B-C3, with special features for the automotive industry that enable hands-free telephony without the need to switch the SIM card...

New BREW publisher.(deals)
June 15, 2004... Yahoo! Mobile becomes an official BREW publisher and plans to create and offer BREW versions of its products, such as Yahoo! Messenger for Mobile, which would allow BREW-enabled handset users to instant message anyone on their friends list.

Mobile karaoke.(out now)
June 15, 2004... Thai mobile operator DTAC launches a mobile karaoke service that comes with a "recording studio" feature allowing customers to record and mix their own karaoke performances. Users can also dedicate their songs and forward them to any mobile...

Construction app.(out now)
June 15, 2004... BlackBerry systems integrator Advanced Technologies Support Group releases its Construction Quality Manager (CQM) application to field construction managers using the BlackBerry wireless platform from Research In Motion (RIM) and Flowfinity...

Java pulse meter.(out now)
June 15, 2004... MedicTouch and Sun Microsystems launch the Pulse Meter mobile health solution for Java-enabled mobile phones that allows users to monitor their pulse, view the results in a high-resolution screen on a Java technology-enabled mobile phone, and...

Show us your MMS.(out now)
June 15, 2004... Hong Kong cellco SmarTone launches its new "ishow" service, which allows mobile phone users to post MMS messages on the service's Web site, ishow.com.hk. The service, which is available to any mobile user, not just SmarTone customers, is...

Mobileway in China.(out now)
June 15, 2004... Mobileway adds China to its Asian service footprint. The company's Chinese operations include offices in Beijing, licenses, SMS and MMS connections, and a range of carrier contracts and revenue share agreements.

LG in speech/OTA deals.(deals)
June 15, 2004... LG Electronics licenses Bitfone's mProve solution, which will enable LG to update the entire firmware image on its mobile handsets over the air. The commercial launch of reProve on LG handsets is scheduled for the second half of 2004. In a...

GPS integration deal.(deals)
June 15, 2004... Trimble and u-Nav Microelectronics forge an alliance to jointly develop and market integrated GPS chipsets and software solutions, incorporating Trimble's core GPS software and u-Nav's ultra low-power GPS chipsets.

DoCoMo finds Connexion.(deals)
June 15, 2004... Connexion by Boeing and NTT DoCoMo sign an MOU for negotiating an associate service provider agreement that would make the Connexion by Boeing inflight broadband Internet service available to DoCoMo's Mzone wireless LAN service users....

Curitel supports BREWChat.(deals)
June 15, 2004... Qualcomm and Curitel Communications announce plans to develop new handsets to support Qualcomm's BREWChat push-to-chat solution, which is designed to seamlessly upgrade to and interoperate with Qualcomm's QChat. BREWChat is also designed...

Shadowkey on N-Gage.(out now)
June 15, 2004... Nokia says it will bring "The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey" RPG to the N-Gage platform. Based on the highly successful "Elder Scrolls" series by Bethesda Softworks, "Shadowkey" features four-player multiplayer gaming via Bluetooth and a...

Yoga goes mobile.(out now)
June 15, 2004... Mobile2win launches Mobile Yoga, which comprises different "yogic asanas" that appear on the mobile phone screen, along with details about the benefit of each exercise and the exact method of practice. Packages are available for download at...

English training.(out now)
June 15, 2004... Hong Kong based Artificial Life releases several new products for mobile phones that offer English training courses for native Chinese speakers via SMS, MMS and Java games.

Animate your message.(out now)
June 15, 2004... Philippines cellco Globe Telecom launches myGlobe FunCards, a new service that leverages conVISUAL's "VisualTXT" visual messaging service, which adds animated graphics and soundtracks to SMS messages. Users with Smart Messaging-capable devices...

DoCoMo roams with UIM.(out now)
June 15, 2004... NTT DoCoMo announces the World Walker G-Card, a user identity module (UIM) smartcard that enables DoCoMo mova 2G subscribers to roam overseas on GSM networks. Users can insert the UIM card, which stores the user's mova phone number and other...

PoC for the enterprise and beyond.(this month's model)
June 15, 2004... With push-to-talk over cellular tipped as one of the more lucrative wireless apps coming to town, Motorola now has a PoC solution that that aims to raise the value of PoC by making it transparent to the access link--to include enterprise...

2.4-GHz broadband wireless access product.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... Motorola Canopy Wireless Broadband is displaying at CommunicAsia2004 its recently launched 2.4-GHz wireless broadband platform. Motorola says the Canopy system is designed to help ISPs, enterprises and private network operators extend...

Licensed and unlicensed broadband products.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... Axxcelera Broadband Wireless is promoting a range of licensed and unlicensed fixed wireless broadband products at CommunciAsia2004. The AB-Full Access, for the unlicensed 5.7- to 5.8-GHz ISM band, consists of an indoor unit and outdoor...

Fixed wireless equipment for remote coverage.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... Cape Range Wireless' Arcadian wireless communications system enables telcos to extend their voice a data services to remote markets at a low cost. Cape Range says the system is suited for telcos to expand their network coverage and new...

Three-sector cross polarized wideband antenna.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... Racal Antennas is presenting at CommunicAsia2004 a low visibility antenna for three-sector wideband coverage for GSM and 3G base station sites. The antenna, touted as one of the smallest diameter antennas in the market place, is housed in...

Extending mobile coverage.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... India's Shyam Telecom is presenting a wide range of solutions that help operators cost-effectively extend their mobile network coverage. The company offers RF and optical repeater solutions, including frequency translating repeaters, band...

Radiating cable-based WLAN kit.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... The radiating cable-based WLAN kit, a new release from Radio Frequency Systems (RFS), offers plug-and-play connectivity to all commercially available 2.4-GHz radio access points. The WLAN-RCF12 provides smooth coverage to both sides along...

Connectivity between cellular and Wi-Fi networks.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... Calypso Wireless' patented ASNAP (automatic switching of network access points) communication system allows mobile users to seamlessly roam between cellular and wireless IP networks via a WLAN. Internet-ready devices, including mobile...

EDGE-enabled devices tester.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... Willtek has unveiled the 4468 EDGE system option for its Willtek 4400 mobile phone tester series. The testing option allows production and service centers to test and align the transmitters of new EDGE-enabled mobile devices such as mobile...

Ruggedized PDAs.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... Singapore Technologies Electronics' Ceteon range of ruggedized PDAs is designed for the workforce on-the-move and is suited for harsh environments. The company says the Ceteon 300 and Ceteon 310 are both compact, Light-weight yet...

Mobile content enabling solutions.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... Mobile Media Asia Pacific is presenting two key products that help extend the reach of content providers at CommunicAsia2004. MoConDi offers technology-independent content management, provisioning and distribution services to mobile...

Accelerating applications development.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... Accelero application development software, designed by IntelliNet Technologies, is suited for developing wireless and intelligent network applications. It incorporates all the necessary infrastructure components such as communications...

Small site indoor repeater.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... Romancell Technology has developed a repeater for smaller locations like garages, basements and small offices, with a coverage area from 20 to 100 square meters. Accessories include a unique five-color LED indicator, which make...

GPS receivers.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... Taiwan-based Rikaline International is presenting a range of GPS products to visitors at communicAsia2004. On displayed will be the best-selling GPS6010 G-mouse GPS receiver and the GPS-6022, the new clamshell designed CF card GPS receiver....

Network planning and OSS solution.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... Aircom International is showcasing the Aircom Enterprise, an integrated planning, provisioning and operations management tool suite for cellular networks. The Enterprise suite is made up of a number of modules, which can be used as...

VAS management automation solution.(CMMA04 Showcase)
June 15, 2004... The HYDRA service provider access gateway, developed by Mobile Cohesion, is designed to address the challenges facing mobile operators when delivering and managing a large portfolio of value-added services sourced from a variety of third...

Nintendo ups the ante.(Streetwise)
June 15, 2004... One of the biggest drivers for the mobile industry today is gaming. From DoCoMo and China Mobile, to Vodafone and 3, everyone is talking about the ability to pamper users with more and more intriguing games so they connect to the network and...

The end of warchalking.(Short message: around the wireless industry)
June 15, 2004... As wireless networking becomes more and more common, it is helpful to know where you'll be able to tap into a publicly accessible Wi-Fi signal. Yahoo! Maps now has a feature that allows users to identify all the hotspots in an area--at least in...

Preemptive ban.(Short message: around the wireless industry)
June 15, 2004... AFP reported last month that mobile phones fitted with digital cameras have been banned in US army installations in Iraq on orders from US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The Department of Defense, however, has denied it has adopted a policy...

Ringing up higher bills.(Short message: around the wireless industry)
June 15, 2004... Mobile phone users in Britain spend more on their phones each month than the average household spends on electricity and water, according to market research firm, JD Powers. Recent research shows that the average monthly mobile phone bill...

Time to promote the killer cocktail.(Short message: around the wireless industry)
June 15, 2004... After the runaway success of SMS--a money-spinner for all in the wireless value chain--mobile operators have been looking to migrate users from SMS-based applications to GPRS downloads and other data applications. But according to IDC, the...

Surveillance made easier and cheaper.(Short message: around the wireless industry)
June 15, 2004... Westminster City Council in London is now using wireless CCTV cameras to monitor activities in Soho Square. The pilot project, which started with five cameras, broadcasts images to the base using Wi-Fi technology. In the UK there is one...