Wireless Asia articles from May 2006

Wireless Asia archives from May 2006

Asia beckons for MVNOs.(UNWIRED)
May 1, 2006... Virtual mobile operators are taking the US market by storm. Asian carriers are right to be cautious, but inevitably they too will take the MVNO road It's a matter of finding the right one. The popularity of MVNOs (mobile virtual network...

KTF re-focuses on W-CDMA.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
May 1, 2006... KTF, Korea's second largest mobile carrier, will put increased focus on rolling out WCDMA and HSDPA services from the second half this year. Until now Korean operators have baulked at the prospect of the high investment cost of ensuring...

3G leaders not necessarily ARPU winners.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTHS WIRELESS RESEARCH)
May 1, 2006... While Japan and South Korea have consistently led the world in 3G with both already reaching 40% penetration, carriers in other countries should not just "blindly" follow their lead as they have not necessarily been big winners in terms of...

Handset proximity payment gains ground.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTHS WIRELESS RESEARCH)
May 1, 2006... As mobile phone capabilities continue to extend beyond telecom, handset proximity payments is now the industry's new target functionality. ARCchart says that while network operators stand to gain from this technology, these gains can only be...

Mobile email 'liberating' busy professionals.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTHS WIRELESS RESEARCH)
May 1, 2006... More than 70% of mobile professionals in the US, UK and Italy expect mobile email to "liberate" them and allow them to strike a better balance between their professional and personal lives. A Visto-commissioned Ronin survey reveals that 80% of...

3G drives base-station growth.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTHS WIRELESS RESEARCH)
May 1, 2006... While overall base station deployment has been declining for some time, W-CDMA and cdma2000 1x installations are actually growing in number worldwide. ABI Research attributes this growth to the progress these two technologies has made in key...

Bangladesh's cellphone growth slows on new subscription regulation.(NEW ANALYSIS)
May 1, 2006... Bangladesh's rapidly growing cellular phone industry, which added 10 million subs and grew 144% in 2005, could see four million fewer new customer adds this year than the 10 million projected as a new subscription regulation is expected to...

Poker invades mobile phones.(METRICS: Inside the wireless data numbers)
May 1, 2006... The popularity of poker is no longer confined to the casinos, to televised matches and online game rooms as it has already made its way to the mobile phone. According to Telephia s new Deck Monitoring Report, more than 20% of top deck slots...

Revenue per minute slips across Asia.(METRICS: Inside the wireless data numbers)
May 1, 2006... Mobile operators in the Asia-Pacific region showed extremely polarized effective price per minute (EPPM), or a measure of the overall level of revenue achieved by an operator for each minute carried on its network, with wealthier countries...

Seven Asian mobile operators form an alliance to work together in global roaming and other services to attract business travelers and tourists in the region.(Movements)
May 1, 2006... Seven Asian mobile operators form an alliance to work together in global roaming and other services to attract business travelers and tourists in the region. Joining hands are NTT DoCoMo of Japan, Hutchison Telecom Hong Kong, Far EasTone...

US regulators tighten rules to prevent big wireless companies from getting discounts on airwaves.(Movements)
May 1, 2006... US regulators tighten rules to prevent big wireless companies from getting discounts on airwaves sold at auctions by partnering with smaller entities.

Siemens is discussing the possible sale of its main communications unit to Motorola.(Movements)
May 1, 2006... Siemens is discussing the possible sale of its main communications unit to Motorola, which has expressed interest in the unit, but Siemens wants to include other struggling units in any deal.

Nokia agrees to pay $235m to InterDigital Communications to settle a patent dispute between the companies over licenses Nokia requires to sell GSM/GPRS/EDGE phones and network equipment.(Movements)
May 1, 2006... Nokia agrees to pay $235m to InterDigital Communications to settle a patent dispute between the companies over licenses Nokia requires to sell GSM/GPRS/EDGE phones and network equipment. The companies, however, have failed to re-negotiate a...

French President Jacques Chirac proposes a plan for the government to invest billions of euros in five projects.(Movements)
May 1, 2006... French President Jacques Chirac proposes a plan for the government to invest billions of euros in five projects that include an Internet search engine and a new mobile television standard.

Motorola reports a slight drop in first-quarter income despite a 23% jump in sales that helped it gain market share and close the gap on rival Nokia.(Movements)
May 1, 2006... Motorola reports a slight drop in first-quarter income despite a 23% jump in sales that helped it gain market share and close the gap on rival Nokia. Motorola shares tumbled as investors showed their disappointment that record first-quarter...

UTStarcom vice president and COO Michael J. Sophie resigns from his post on May 5.(Movements)
May 1, 2006... UTStarcom vice president and COO Michael J. Sophie resigns from his post on May 5. Sophie is the second senior management member to step down after Johnny Chou, COO for UTStarcom China operations, resigned late last year.

Ericsson announces the world's first HSPA demonstration with MIMO technology during the CTIA Wireless 2006 show.(Movements)
May 1, 2006... Ericsson announces the world's first HSPA demonstration with MIMO technology during the CTIA Wireless 2006 show. HSPA with MIMO can double the downlink speed of mobile networks up to 28 Mbps.

Samsung unveils what it is reportedly the world's first 2-Gb tememory card for mobile phones.(Movements)
May 1, 2006... Samsung unveils what it is reportedly the world's first 2-Gb tememory card for mobile phones. The new memory card will also have the highest transmission speed of any removable device.

China's homegrown 3G standard, TD-SCDMA, faces serious challenges in technology trials.(BEIJING)
May 1, 2006... China's homegrown 3G standard, TDSCDMA, faces serious challenges in technology trials. Analysts say TD-SCDMA still has many problems induding the lack of applications and operating modes.

A government report finds that domestic mobile phone brands in China are losing out heavily to foreign competitors.(BEIJING)
May 1, 2006... A government report finds that domestic mobile phone brands in China are losing out heavily to foreign competitors, controlling only a 30% share of the market now.

China Mobile's first-quarter net profit rises 28% as its subscriber base continued to grow rapidly.(HONG KONG)
May 1, 2006... China Mobile's first-quarter net profit rises 28% as its subscriber base continued to grow rapidly. Net profit for the three months ending March 31 was 14.36b yuan ($1.8b), up from 11.25b yuan ($1.4b) in the year-earlier period.

SmarTone-Vodafone partners with Microsoft on the launch of Windows mobile email.(HONG KONG)
May 1, 2006... SmarTone-Vodafone partners with Microsoft on the launch of Windows mobile email. The service will be supported by a wide range of mobile devices from five major brands including Dopod, O2, Nokia, HP and Sony Ericsson.

3 Hong Kong plans to upgrade its 3G network to HSDPA over the next six months.(HONG KONG)
May 1, 2006... 3 Hong Kong plans to upgrade its 3G network to HSDPA over the next six months. The operator commissions its existing 3G network supplier NEC and trial partner Siemens to immediately start the HSDPA upgrade, following a successful three-month...

The NTC issues an order to finalize the guidelines for implementing phone number portability within three months.(BANGKOK)
May 1, 2006... The NTC issues an order to finalize the guidelines for implementing phone number portability within three months for mobile users.

The Thailand Telecommunications Management Academy (TTMA) calls for a new standard contract for mobile users.(BANGKOK)
May 1, 2006... The Thailand Telecommunications Management Academy (TTMA) calls for a new standard contract for mobile users. The new contract will help prepaid users, who make up the majority of subscribers in the country, avoid paying higher rates than...

The board of TOT tires president Teerawit Charuwat as he failed to pass 15 performance indicators out of a total of 31.(BANGKOK)
May 1, 2006... The board of TOT tires president Teerawit Charuwat as he failed to pass 15 performance indicators out of a total of 31. In an official announcement, TOT board vice-chairman Somchai Thean-anant says Teerawit had failed to meet revenue targets...

VinaPhone and MobiFone, the mobile units under the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group, now have more than 7.2m subscribers.(HANOI)
May 1, 2006... VinaPhone and MobiFone, the mobile units under the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group, now have more than 7.2m subscribers. VNPT predicts the two networks could reach 10m subscribers by year's end.

SK Telecom posts an 8.7% rise in operating profit, supported by an increase in its user base and strong sales of data services such as music downloads.(SEOUL)
May 1, 2006... SK Telecom posts an 8.7% rise in operating profit, supported by an increase in its user base and strong sales of data services such as music downloads. Operating profit rose to 667.9b won ($706.2m) in the first quarter, but net profit fell 8.5%...

Taiwan Mobile and Internet auction operator eBay launch eBay Mobile.(TAIPEI)
May 1, 2006... Taiwan Mobile and Internet auction operator eBay launch eBay Mobile, which allows mobile users to buy and sell goods online using a mobile phones instead of a PC.

The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan reports an increasing number of complaints over international roaming services.(TOKYO)
May 1, 2006... The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan reports an increasing number of complaints over international roaming services. Many complaints were from people who had their mobile phones stolen while overseas and later received huge bills.

KDDI's profits falls 30% in the first quarter from a year ago, hurt by higher sales promotion costs and a special loss from writing down assets.(TOKYO)
May 1, 2006... KDDI's profits falls 30% in the first quarter from a year ago, hurt by higher sales promotion costs and a special loss from writing down assets. The carrier posted a group net profit of 32.56b yen ($283m) for the January-March period, down from...

NTT DoCoMo reports a group net income of 610.48b yen ($5.33b) for the fiscal year ended March 31, down 18% from 747.56b yen ($6.6b) a year earlier.(TOKYO)
May 1, 2006... NTT DoCoMo reports a group net income of 610.48b yen ($5.33b) for the fiscal year ended March 31, down 18% from 747.56b yen ($6.6b) a year earlier. Yearly sales fell 1.6% to 4.77 trillion yen ($41.6b), from 4.84 trillion yen ($42b) a year ago,...

Telecom Corporation of New Zealand plans to combine its fixed-line and mobile units as it moves to a business model that will be more tightly organized around customers.(WELLINGTON)
May 1, 2006... Telecom Corporation of New Zealand plans to combine its fixed-line and mobile units as it moves to a business model that will be more tightly organized around customers. The company will now be divided into residential and business divisions.

M1 lowers the cost of its 3G Internet service in a move to align the benefits of 3G mobility with that of fixed-line broadband.(SINGAPORE)
May 1, 2006... M1 lowers the cost of its 3G Internet service in a move to align the benefits of 3G mobility with that of fixed-line broadband. The company cut the monthly fee of its premium 3G SunSurf 100 data plan by 65% from 55199 ($124) to S$68 ($42.50).

Pacific Internet signs an agreement with Intel Technology Asia to develop Singapore's first mobile WiMAX infrastructure.(SINGAPORE)
May 1, 2006... Pacific Internet signs an agreement with Intel Technology Asia to develop Singapore's first mobile WiMAX infrastructure. The two firms will also work on applications and interoperability of mobile WiMAX between carriers.

Visa International and Nokia jointly launch a mobile wallet project, called Mobile Visa Wave Payment Pilot, in Malaysia, allowing consumers to shop and pay using their mobile phones.(KUALA LUMPUR)
May 1, 2006... Visa International and Nokia jointly launch a mobile wallet project, called Mobile Visa Wave Payment Pilot, in Malaysia, allowing consumers to shop and pay using their mobile phones. During the four-month trial period, 200 Visa Wave cardholders...

Bharti, Hutch, Idea, Reliance Info and MTNL are set to place orders for 150m to 180m additional lines, worth $15b over the next 12 months.(NEW DELHI)
May 1, 2006... Bharti, Hutch, Idea, Reliance Info and MTNL are set to place orders for 150m to 180m additional lines, worth $15b over the next 12 months. BSNL has already announced its plan to roll out 63.5m new lines, valued at around $5b.

Airtel signs deal with Disney to deliver "Disney Mobile Theatre" in India.(NEW DELHI)
May 1, 2006... Airtel signs deal with Disney to deliver "Disney Mobile Theatre" in India. Under the deal, Airtel will provide Disney-branded mobile entertainment content in the country for the first time.

US-based research firm Yankee Group predicts that sports, Bollywood, music and mobile gaming will offer Indian cellular operators a big opportunity.(NEW DELHI)
May 1, 2006... US-based research firm Yankee Group predicts that sports, Bollywood, music and mobile gaming will offer Indian cellular operators a big opportunity to push content over 3G networks and increase ARPU.

Country & wireless: why China and India are ready to chase the rural dollar.(Cover story)
May 1, 2006... The so-called "digital divide" is either narrowing or widening, depending on who you believe. Deloitte's Technology, Media & Telecommunications industry group, for example, said in a report last month that the digital divide has been widening...

Cellcos get the (instant) message: despite security concerns and interoperability issues, mobile IM is gearing up to be cellular's next big thing.(APPLICATIONS)
May 1, 2006... Although it has gained popularity on the computer desktop largely as a free software application, instant messaging (IM) is increasingly being viewed by many wireless operators and service providers around the world as the next developing...

Aligned with IT: CSL's director of IT Peter Smith faces the challenge of integrating the IT infrastructure of newly acquired New World Mobility into a single consolidated platform. Smith explains to senior reporter Sheila Lam how IT now provides in-depth insight into customer behavior for new marketing campaigns and product launches.(1-2-1)(Interview)
May 1, 2006... Wireless Asia: What is your major challenge as a CIO in the highly competitive Hong Kong mobile industry? Peter Smith: The major challenge is to effectively support the business in an industry that's very dynamic. There are also a couple...

The 3G home gateway: a 3G home network could potentially offer a dedicated connection to the 3G network when at home, for any 3G device, with a guaranteed data rate.(WIRELESS FORUM)
May 1, 2006... Several European mobile operators are investigating the possibility of integrating a UMTS base-station module into a home gateway connected via ADSL. The idea is to provide an extension of the 3G network, with a home gateway transformed into a...

CEO sessions kick off Summit program.(PREVIEW: CommunicAsia 2006 * Singapore Expo * 20-23 June)
May 1, 2006... The CommunicAsia2006 Summit, running June 20-22 in Singapore along with the exhibition, will pull together more than 100 panelists and speakers from across the telecoms landscape for its three-day conference program, which is split into three...

Enhanced handset apps suite.(tools)
May 1, 2006... Handset and carrier VAS solutions provider Jataayu Software has added the jSync DS Client to its handset application suite, offering fully featured SyncML Data Synchronization vi.2 functionality. The jSync DS Client offers a standards-compliant...

OMA accepts DRM 2.0.(tools)
May 1, 2006... The Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) has accepted the DRM Version 2.0 Service Enabler as an approved enabler release. The earlier-released DRM 1.0 was designed to meet interoperability requirements for light media content. DRM 2.0's premium content...

Content rating solution.(tools)
May 1, 2006... Tvidia has released Tvidia Secure--what the company claims as the first content rating solution that classifies online digital content and its suitability by age, similar to that of the movie industry. With Tvidia Secure, all online digital...

GPS navigation for BlackBerry.(tools)
May 1, 2006... Webraska is developing a version of Webraska Navigation 6 for BlackBerry devices that allows users to access maps of all streets and roads within almost 30 European countries, real-time traffic alerts, speed camera alert and advanced local...

SMS with voice.(out now)
May 1, 2006... Roamware's new Voice SMS product provides a non-intrusive "talk and listen" messaging mechanism that allows subscribers to deposit and exchange short peer-to-peer audio messages in near real time, of to deposit voice messages for convenient...

Hello Kitty mobile games.(out now)
May 1, 2006... Hong Kong-based MOffY has unveiled a new series of mobile games featuring renowned Sanrio characters such as Hello Kitty and Bad Badtz Maru. The new game titles include Hello Kitty Saves The Beach, Hello Kitty Calendar, XO-ICE Crashing, Hello...

Asian cellcos form alliance.(deals)
May 1, 2006... Seven Asian mobile phone operators have formed an alliance to work together in global roaming and other services to attract business travelers and tourists in the region. Joining hands are NTT DoCoMo, Hutchison Telecom Hong Kong, Far EasTone,...

Opera, JAJAH enter partnership.(deals)
May 1, 2006... Opera Software has entered a partnership with VoIP firm JAJAH to jointly optimize the JAJAH Web telephony solution for Opera's browsers. Under the partnership, JAJAH's services will be available through Opera Mobile and Opera Mini, while JAJAH...

ZTE, China Mobile jointly develop IMS apps.(deals)
May 1, 2006... ZTE Corp. and China Mobile are working together to develop desktop IMS applications. The PC client software that the two firms will jointly develop will give end-users access to features such as videoconferencing, white board, instant messaging...

Yahoo! Go for Mobile goes live.(out now)
May 1, 2006... Yahoo! Inc. has launched Yahoo! Go for Mobile in Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, allowing users to take their favorite Internet content and services with them anywhere they go via their mobile phones. The service, initially available...

3G CDMA UIM commercial card.(out now)
May 1, 2006... Axalto has released the first 3G CDMA user identification module (UIM) commercial card for KDDI's EV-DO handsets. According to Axalto, with the new UIM card, KDDI will be able to offer increased transaction security and deliver groundbreaking...

NTT DoCoMo unveils mobile credit card services.(out now)
May 1, 2006... NTT DoCoMo is launching DCMX consumer credit services via iD, DoCoMo's brand and platform for mobile credit cards. Users of Osaifu-Keitai phones with wallet functions can choose from two plans to make purchases from small to large amounts using...

eBay Mobile now in Taiwan.(out now)
May 1, 2006... eBay and Taiwan Mobile have launched eBay Mobile, which allows users to buy and sell goods online using their mobile phones. Taiwan is the third market in Asia where eBay Mobile has been launched, following Hong Kong and Singapore. The...

Siemens joins Bridge Mobile Alliance.(deals)
May 1, 2006... Siemens has joined the Bridge Mobile Alliance as an associate member. The associate membership scheme aims to foster closer collaboration between member-operators and technology players across the mobile service development value chain to...

Action Engine powers TiVo Mobile.(deals)
May 1, 2006... TiVo has chosen Action Engine to power its TiVo Mobile entertainment service. The TiVo Mobile service is delivered through a new downloadable application that allows TiVo subscribers to schedule recordings for their TiVo Series2 DVRs directly...

Mobile-to-mobile version of Chikka Messenger.(deals)
May 1, 2006... fastmobile and Chikka Asia have teamed up to create a downloadable, mobile-to-mobile version of the popular instant messaging application Chikka Messenger. This version will be launched with Philippine cellco Globe Telecom as part of an...

Malaysia trials Visa Wave phone wallet.(this month's model)
May 1, 2006... The dream of turning mobile phones into electronic payment devices took another step forward last month with the debut in Malaysia of the world's first Mobile Visa Wave Payment pilot project. Mobile Visa Wave Payment--developed and launched...

Handset makers muscle into new markets: with their global distribution channel, huge marketing war-chest and brand power, the big brand handset makers are certainly forces to be reckoned with.(STREET WISE)
May 1, 2006... About a year ago, I wrote about the fact that consumer electronic devices are increasingly threatening the mobile phone space. With the advent of wireless networking technology becoming an increasingly popular feature for devices ranging from...

Tingling ringtones.(SHORT MESSAGE: Around the wireless industry)
May 1, 2006... For the 0.75% of the world's mobile users who actually worry about their ringtones disturbing others in movie theatres, meetings and public transport, vibration mode is always an option, but even that's too loud for some people. Motorola has...

Podcasting to go truly mobile.(SHORT MESSAGE: Around the wireless industry)
May 1, 2006... Podcasting may have its roots in the iPod and other MP3 players, but by the end of this year, more people will be listening to podcasts on mobile phones rather than on iPods. That's according to Mike Chapman, an analyst with consultancy...

The phone's nose knows.(SHORT MESSAGE: Around the wireless industry)
May 1, 2006... Last month, short message reported that Samsung is developing a mobile phone you can smell (via perfume emitted when you receive a call). Not to be outdone, the boffins at Bell Labs are developing a mobile phone that can smell you. Bell...

Mobile's latest health risk: eye strain.(SHORT MESSAGE: Around the wireless industry)
May 1, 2006... Mobile phones mayor may not increase your risk of brain cancer, but some claim they pose another health risk: eye strain from trying to read text on tiny screens, especially for smartphone and PDA users. Consequently, reports the Wall Street...