Wireless Asia articles from November 2001

Wireless Asia archives from November 2001

GPRS struggles to spark interest.(Street Wise)
November 1, 2001... There certainly have been enough disappointments in the cellular industry over the past couple of years. WAP rode the crest of the dotcom wave to stardom, and then everyone found out it was not WAP, but crap. 3G was the miracle cure for a...

Virgin's virtual challenges: the MVNO model comes to Asia via Virgin, sparking a rare display of disagreement in Singapore. But bigger challenges are to come.(News Analysis)(Virgin Mobile prepares to become Asia's first mobile virtual network operator )
November 1, 2001... The usually-placid waters of Singapore telecommunications were ruffled by an interconnection dispute last month as newcomer Virgin Mobile prepared to become Asia's first mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). After weeks of contention...

Have 3G phone, will travel: third-generation terminals have been cleared for cross-border travel by the ITU--just as soon as there's someplace for 3G users to go.(News Analysis)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Telecom administrations and wireless industry representatives reached an agreement last month at an ITU meeting in Tokyo on an international framework for methods to support the movement of 3G terminals in and out of different markets. The...

Taiwan takes the plunge: in an effort to balance the books by the end of the year, the Taiwan government has decided that it's time to cash in on 3G.(News Analysis)
November 1, 2001... Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) opened the bidding on five 3G licenses on 19 October, and will see it closed on 18 December. But there have been complaints within the Taiwan telecommunications industry, with...

Portability shakes up mobiles Down Under: the arrival of MNP in Australia is putting pressure on smaller players, in particular Vodafone, now down to 19% market share.
November 1, 2001... Mobile phone number portability (MNP) began in Australia only on 25 September, but already consolidation has begun. Market leader Telstra is claiming "double digit" growth, while third-ranked Vodafone has switched strategies in the A$10...

W-CDMA Japan's emerging 3G markets: DoCoMo launched a snazzy 3G network not because it wanted to, but because it had to - KDDI and J-Phone are right behind with their own 3G networks.(News Analysis)
November 1, 2001... The world's first competitive 3G marketplace is emerging in Japan. On 1 October, NTT DoCoMo began selling 3G handsets. One allows for video calls, the most-hyped feature of 3G. However, domestic competition is fast on DoCoMo's heels. KDDI will...

Ericsson posts a pre-tax loss of 5.8 billion kronor ($549 million) compared with the market consensus of a 4.5 billion kronor loss for the three months ending 30 September.(Movements)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Ericsson posts a pre-tax loss of 5.8 billion kronor ($549 million) compared with the market consensus of a 4.5 billion kronor loss for the three months ending 30 September. The company, however, managed to maintain profitability for its mobile...

Ericsson also announces that its chairman, Lars Ramqvist, will step down from his post.(Movements)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Ericsson also announces that its chairman, Lars Ramqvist, will step down from his post. Michael Treschow, chief executive of Electrolux, is named by Ericsson as a possible replacement.

Nokia reports a drop in sales revenue and net profit in its third quarter results, compared to the same period last year.(Movements)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Nokia reports a drop in sales revenue and net profit in its third quarter results, compared to the same period last year. The company's net profit was down 18% at 760 million euros ($683 million).

Motorola says its handset group has returned to profitability, although the electronics giant has just posted its third successive quarterly loss.(Movements)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Motorola says its handset group has returned to profitability, although the electronics giant has just posted its third successive quarterly loss. The biggest hit was a $1.3 billion charge arising from a default by Turkish operator Telsim on a...

Siemens will cut as many as 7,000 jobs in its network and mobile phone divisions as part of its Operation 2003 initiative.(Movements)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Siemens will cut as many as 7,000 jobs in its network and mobile phone divisions as part of its Operation 2003 initiative, which aims to return the company's Information Communication division back to profitability.

Korea Telecom Freetel forms separate strategic alliances with three telecoms firms in China--Jinpeng Group, CEC Telecom, and GreaTom.(Movements)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Korea Telecom Freetel forms separate strategic alliances with three telecoms firms in China--Jinpeng Group, CEC Telecom, and GreaTom to create JVs whose collective development focus will range from CDMA handsets to wireless data services and a...

Nokia has confirmed chairman and CEO Jorma Ollila in his positions for the next five years.(Movemets)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Nokia has confirmed chairman and CEO Jorma Ollila in his positions for the next five years. Ollila, 51, has held both posts since 1999.

China Mobile signs GPRS roaming agreement with three Hong Kong operators--CSL, Hutchison and SmarTone--and another three in Taiwan--Taiwan Cellular, Chunghwa and KG Telecom.(Movements)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... China Mobile signs GPRS roaming agreement with three Hong Kong operators--CSL, Hutchison and Smartone--and another three in Taiwan--Taiwan Cellular, Chunghwa and KG Telecom. KG says it has successfully completed GPRS trials with China Mobile in...

Beijing: China will introduce new rules to protect the consumer rights of the nation's 120.6 million mobile users.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Beijing: China will introduce new rules to protect the consumer rights of the nation's 120.6 million mobile users. The new rules will give Chinese mobile users benefits such as the right to return or exchange faulty mobile phones, according to...

Shanghai: China Unicom launches a trial of its cdma2000-1x network, with an initial test in Shanghai's downtown area along the Huang Pu River.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Shanghai: China Unicom launches a trial of its cdma2000-1x network, with an initial test in Shanghai's downtown area along the Huang Pu River. Unicom says the company has invited several hundred end-users to participate the trial, which will...

Hong Kong: China Mobile decides to release only partial details for its third quarter results, and will do the same for its next first quarter results next April, in a bid to keep queasy shareholders more focused on the company's overall health rather than specific figures or market worries.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Hong Kong: China Mobile decides to release only partial details for its third quarter results, and will do the same for its next first quarter results next April, in a bid to keep queasy shareholders more focused on the company's overall health...

Hong Kong: OFTA wraps up the final "grant" stage of its 3G auction, clearing the way for new licensees Hong Kong CSL, Hatchison 3G Hong Kong, and SmarTone 3G and Sunday 3G (Hong Kong) to commence with their 3G buildouts.(Office of the Telecommunications Authority)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Hong Kong: OFTA wraps up the final "grant" stage of its 3G auction, clearing the way for new licensees Hong Kong CSL, Hatchison 3G Hong Kong, and SmarTone 3G and Sunday 3G (Hong Kong) to commence with their 3G buildouts. OFTA also grants...

Hong Kong: OFTA issues guidelines that provide the region's first official definition of a 3G MVNO.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Hong Kong: OFTA issues guidelines that provide the region's first official definition of a 3G MVNO. Under OFTA's criteria, a 3G MVNO must provide its own switching and gatewav for circuit and/or packetized traffic, establish its own...

Singapore: shareholders of cellco M1 call off their planned share sale, citing the current state of the market.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Singapore: Shareholders of cellco M1 call off their planned share sale, citing the current state of the market. SPH Multimedia, Keppel Telecoms, and Great Eastern Telecommunications--a JV between Cable & Wireless and PCCW--said in a joint...

Singapore: virtual cellco Virgin Mobile's Singapore launch dampened by a glitch that almost prevents new users from receiving calls from M1 and StarHub Mobile users for its first two weeks of operation.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Singapore: Virtual cellco Virgin Mobile's Singapore launch dampened by a glitch that almost prevents new users from receiving calls from M1 and StarHub Mobile users for its first two weeks of operation. The problem is that Virgin Mobile...

Singapore: the IDA makes available the 2.4 GHz band for Bluetooth, wireless LAN and other short-range devices.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Singapore: The IDA makes available the 2.4 GHz band for Bluetooth, wireless LAN and other short-range devices. The move follows the removal of Singapore's electronic road pricing (ERP) system from the 2.4 GHz band. The IDA also lifts indoor...

Singapore: the Infocomm Development Authority orders SingTel and StarHub to stop offering discounted prices for calls between their own mobile customers.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Singapore: The Infocomm Development Authority orders SingTel and StarHub to stop offering discounted prices for calls between their own mobile customers. IDA policy prohibits so-called differential pricing, although discounts for all calls...

Singapore: mobile operator M1 expects to trial 3G services at the end of 2002.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Singapore: Mobile operator M1 expects to trial 3G services al the end of 2002, chief executive Neil Montefiore says as the company launches an S$8 million facility for testing 2.5G and 3G applications called M1 Applications Developers...

Tokyo: Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., maker of Panasonic-branded mobile phones.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Tokyo: Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., maker of Panasonic-branded mobile phones, says it will fall short of its fiscal year-end goal to ship 12 million cell phones in Japan, thanks largely to recalls of Java-based handsets from NTT...

Seoul: KT Freetel and LG Telecom both report surges in profits despite lower overall revenues for the three months ending 30 September.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Seoul: KT Freetel and LG Telecom both report surges in profits despite lower overall revenues for the three months ending 30 September. KTF more than doubled its quarter-over-quarter profits despite a 14% decrease in revenue. LG Telecom records...

Seoul: Samsung Electronics' semiconductor business posts its first loss in 14 years for the third quarter of 2001, but overall manages to stay in the black despite lower profits.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Seoul: Samsung Electronics' semiconductor business posts its first loss in 14 years for the third quarter of 2001, but overall manages to stay in the black despite lower profits. The company's semiconductor and digital appliance divisions are...

Bendigo: AAPT launches its LMDS wireless broadband network in the Australian regional city of Bendigo in the state of Victoria.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Bendigo: AAPT launches its LMDS wireless broadband network in the Australian regional city of Bendigo in the state of Victoria. AAPT says the primary user of the network will be the Bendigo Community Telco, an alliance formed by the Bendigo...

Sydney: SingTel-owned Optus takes control of the Australian mobile business of ComVergent Telecommunications.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Sydney: SingTel-owned Optus takes control of the Australian mobile business of ComVergent Telecommunications. Optus will acquire a mobile user base of 120,000 customers. ComVergent has 140 retail outlets in Australia.

Sydney: Telstra places mobile phone recycling bins in its retail shops.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Sydney: Telstra places mobile phone recycling bins in its retail shops. The company hooks up with the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association, aiming to recycle 120 tons of mobile phones and mobile batteries annually.

Sydney: Singapore Telecom finally takes control of number two carrier Optus.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Sydney: Singapore Telecom finally takes control of number two carrier Optus, slashing 700 jobs in its first move.

Sydney: Hutchison Telecom sells its GSM resale business, comprising 260,000 customers, to Optus for $23 million.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Sydney: Hutchison Telecom sells its GSM resale business, comprising 260,000 customers, to Optus for $23 million. As part of the deal Hutchison enters into a $32 million long-term agreement to lease fiber capacity from Optus to support its 3G...

Kuala Lumpur: Alcatel signs an $85 million turnkey contract with Telekom Cellular to expand its GSM 1800 network and introduce GPRS initially in major cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Baru by the first quarter of 2002, and then nationwide by the end of the same year.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Kuala Lumpur: Alcatel signs an $85 million turnkey contract with Telekom Cellular to expand its GSM 1800 network and introduce GPRS initially in major cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Baru by the first quarter of 2002, and then...

Kuala Lumpur: Nokia and Malaysian operator TIMECel sign a frame agreement worth over $35.7 million to supply and install a full GSM 1800 infrastructure to expand the company's network capacity as well as improving coverage.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Kuala Lumpur: Nokia and Malaysian operator TIMECel sign a frame agreement worth over $35.7 million to supply and install a full GSM 1800 infrastructure to expand the company's network capacity as well as improving coverage. The network is...

Mumbai: in a breakthrough deal on the sub-continent.(Newsmap: around Wireless Asia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Mumbai: In a breakthrough deal on the sub-continent, Bharti Enterprises chooses Motorola to provide a GSM-GPRS system across western India in a three-year contract worth $70 million.

High noon on the wireless frontier: it's been a long and expensive ride for the mobile industry since it lit out for 3G territory. With its goal in sight it faces a potential showdown with the emerging cheap and ubiquitous WLAN technology.
November 1, 2001... As the cellular world rides on relentlessly towards its long-planned rendezvous with 3G, some are starting to wonder just what sort of reception it is going to get. Because away from the carefully-managed, monitored and regulated world of...

3G can wait LG Telecom cautious on the move towards next generation.(1_2_1)
November 1, 2001... After more than a year of haggling with the South Korean government, LG Telecom grudgingly accepted a 3G license early this year. But with cdma2000 1x already deployed on their existing spectrum and with the company hitting profitability ahead...

Wiretapping: the next generation: well before 11 September, telecoms standards bodies and law enforcement agencies in the US and Europe were hashing out ways to allow the lawful intercept of communications to continue in the digital age.(Tech Focus)
November 1, 2001... One of the selling points of digital cellular technology of any stripe since the early 1990s has been security. In the days of analog mobile communications, depending on the market in question, anyone who could afford the price of a radio...

Security rules--but where's the privacy?(Wheel Of Industry)(Deadline for launch of Enhanced 911 phase II, the FCC-mandated emergency public safety requirements, expired on October 1)
November 1, 2001... Living out of the USA you may not have noticed that another milestone along the road to location-based security has just been passed. Given the low profile of emergency wireless calling services elsewhere, it may have escaped your...

Mind your GPRS packets.(tools)(Nokia introduces new monitoring tool)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Nokia has launched a new monitoring tool that allows operators to view the performance of GPRS packet-switched core networks. The Nokia NetAct Traffica for GPRS promises real-time monitoring, problem-correction and troubleshooting.

M-apps development suite for China.(tools)(NEC Corp)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... NEC Corporation has launched its VS-7800 series of application software for developing mobile services. The series has four applications: a mobile digital rights management system for content encryption; a CRM analysis app for m-commerce and...

Intel PCA Development Network opens in Asia.(tools)(Intel Personal Internet Client Architecture Development Network)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Intel has launched the Asia-Pacific chapter of its Intel Personal Internet Client Architecture (PCA) Development Network. The network delivers technical support, development tools and an online forum for companies endorsing its PCA platform,...

VPN clients for WLAN security.(out now)(Certicom has begun shipping movianVPN 2.0)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... California-based mobile security vendor Certicom has begun shipping movianVPN 2.0--a new version of its wireless VPN client that provides VPN security for mobile devices using 802.11b Wi-Fi networks. movianVPN allows companies to extend...

M-commerce trials in Singapore.(out now)(consortium of Nokia Corp., DBS Inc., and Network for Electronic Transfers )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... A consortium led by Nokia and including DBS and Network for Electronic Transfers (NETS) is set to trial two new mobile payment solutions in an initiative from Singapore's Infocomm Development Authority. The first payment trial features a...

Wuhan WAP shopping trial complete.(out now)(GlobalAgora to launch mobile phone shopping service)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... US-based wireless retail company GlobalAgora has completed the technical launch phase of its WAP phone shopping service for Wuhan Plaza in China's Hubei Province. The service allows customers to buy over 40,000 items in the shopping mall via...

Be a better real estate agent.(out now)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... CRM software vendor 2hunters.com has launched an interactive bilingual edition for Palm OS-based handhelds, targeting real estate professionals in Hong Kong, combining a Palm m500 series handheld and AgentPro. AgentPro has six tailor-made...

Radius server.(out now)(Siemens introduces new version of its authentication software for mobile phones)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Siemens is offering a new version of Mobile Radius, a server that supports authorization, authentication and accounting for applications in mobile networks. It includes notification software that advises a user when a potential online game...

Sagem gets game.(deals)(Societe d'Applications Generales d'Electricite et de Mecanique adds gaming feature to its mobile phones)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... French electronics company Sagem has announced the integration of In-Fusio's ExEn download gaming engine into its 3000 mobile phones series. Java-based ExEn allows the users to download video games from a server onto their phones, after which...

WCITIES gets Nokia distribution deal.(deals)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Location-based information service provider and applications developer WCITIES has signed a global distribution agreement with Nokia. Under the agreement, Nokia will market WCITIES' mobile location applications to mobile operators globally as...

Debit transaction.(deals)(Visa International and United Overseas Bank)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Visa International and Singapore's United Overseas Bank last month conducted the world's first online debit payment using Visa's 3-D Secure technology to authenticate the cardholder, bank and merchant in the one transaction. In the trial, UOB...

Datang licenses eZiText.(deals)(licensing agreement between Datang Telecom Technology and Zi Corporation)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Datang Telecom Technology has signed a five-year licensing agreement with Zi Corporation for the use of its text messaging technology in English and Chinese with Datang's CDMA handsets.

France Telecom studies DragonBall chips.(deals)(partnership between Motorola Inc. Semiconductor Products Sector and France Telecom)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector and France Telecom R&D have announced a plan for prototyping future multimedia applications on 2.5 and 3G mobile phone platforms powered by Motorola's DragonBall MX1 microprocessors. France Telecom and...

Acer licenses iTAP.(deals)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Motorola has licensed its iTAP intelligent keypad text entry technology Acer Communications and Multimedia. Acer will use iTAP technology in the OEM and ODM mobile phones it builds for handset vendors, including Motorola. Acer has a three-year...

Former AIS COO joins Optus.(Telecom Career)(appointment of Allen Lew)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Australia's Optus has appointed Allen Lew managing director for the company's mobile operations. Lew join Optus from Thai mobile operator AIS, where he served as chief operating officer.

Nokia CEO extends tenure.(Telecom Career)(Jorma Ollila of Nokia Corp.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Nokia has confirmed chairman man and CEO Jorma Ollila in his positions for the next five years. Ollila, 51, has held both posts since 1999.

AGC CEO heads parent company.(Telecom Career)(appointment of John Legere to chief executive officer of Global Crossing)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... John Legere, president and chief executive of Asia Global Crossing (AGC), has been named chief executive office of parent company Global Crossing, replacing Thomas Casey. Separately, William Barney formerly head of WorldCom Asia Pacific,...

Ericsson chairman steps down.(Telecom Career)(Lars Ramqvist replaced by Michael Treschow; appointment of Brian Philips)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Ericsson said its chairman, Lars Ramqvist, is to step down from his post. Michael Treschow, chief executive of Electrolux, has been named by Ericsson as a possible replacement. Separately, Ericsson has named Brian Philips as its new New...

Level 3 North Asia sales head.(Telecom Career)(appointment of Mary Yeung)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Level 3 has appointed Mary Yeung as sales head for North Asia. Yeung joins Level 3 from Global One Communications Limited Hong Kong, where she was managing director. Before Global One, she worked with value-added service provider...

Motorola names new AP global customer head.(Telecom Career)(appointment of Gene Delaney)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Motorola has appointed Gene Delaney as president of Asia-Pacific and regional general manager of the company's global customer solution operation, replacing C.D. Tam who has announced his retirement following a 33-year career with Motorola. ...

i-Cable non-executive director.(Telecom Career)(appointment of Gordon Wu)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Hong Kong cable TV operator I-Cable has appointed entrepreneur Gordon Wu as non-executive director of the company board. Wu is the chairman and managing director as well as the founder of Hong Kong-based Hopewell Holdings Limited.

UbiNetics Asia head.(Telecom Career)(appointment of Robert Damjanovic)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Wireless communications technology company UbiNetics has named Robert Damjanovic as vice president, Asia Pacific, to oversee the company's entire Asian operations. Damjanovic joined UbiNetics in 2000 and prior to this appointment was...

Nortel replaces Roth.(Telecom Career)(Frank Dunn replaces John Roth at Nortel Networks)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Nortel Networks has announced that Frank Dunn, the company's current chief financial officer, will succeed John Roth as president and chief executive officer. Roth, who has served as CEO since October 1997, will continue to serve as vice...

New board members for J-Phone.(Telecom Career)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... J-Phone Co., Ltd., the newly consolidated wireless arm of Japan Telecom, announced two new board appointments, effective 1 November 2001. Yoshiro Hayashi, the former president of J-Phone East, will serve as board chairman of the new...

NDS Asia Pacific promotions.(Telecom Career)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... NDS Group Inc., a provider of conditional access systems and interactive applications for digital TV, has appointed Deog Yoo Kim as country manager for NDS Korea. James Field has been named director of solutions engineering, NDS Asia...

Tahoe Network marketing VP.(Telecom Career)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Tahoe Network, a company focusing on the development of a new category of networking infrastructure and operations at the Mobile Internet Edge, has appointed Alan Cohen, a former Cisco Systems and IBM executive, as the company's worldwide vice...

Data mining: the 3G goldrush.(Unwired)
November 1, 2001... Have you checked out GPRS? No, neither have I, but it's not been for a lack of trying. As I write, I am still waiting for my local cellular provider (a member of a prominent international telecommunications chain) to help me set it up. ...

Discarding protocol to be savior of 3G networks: the best way for 3G to succeed is first to get rid of the chipsets, and then the network itself.(Lynch)
November 1, 2001... If you want to ascertaln just one reason behind the uncertainty over 3G wireless' prospects, just follow the acronyms. That's right. They'll lose you fast. If the dead-heat between cdma2000 and W-CDMA in terms of their PR war isn't enough...

All thumbs or just 'thumbs up'?(Short message: around the wireless industry)(Mobile phone has changed every day life of people around the world )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Are you an "innie" or an "outie"? A starling or an owl? Are you a member of the thumb generation, or are you one of those with a second "secret" mobile phone for those private affairs? A report commissioned by Motorola has found that the...

Jail cell.(Short message: around the wireless industry)(Verizon Wireless helped put away Californian man for murder by proving he was near crime scene at the time it took place)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... US wireless companies may not yet have installed the mandatory 911 emergency-finding technologies, but Verizon Wireless recently helped put away a Californian man for murder by proving he was near the crime scene at the time it took place. ...

Faking Bluetooth.(Short message: around the wireless industry)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Never one to miss an opportunity, Beijing pirates have been selling fake and smuggled Bluetooth headsets, the Beijing Morning Post reported last month. The headsets were on sale in the capital from mid-September, even though Ericsson, the...

Military positioning.(Short message: around the wireless industry)(Pentagon limits access to GPS in Afghanistan)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... With the onset of hostilities in Afghanistan, is the Pentagon limiting access to GPS in the region? Lt. Jeremy Eggers, a USAF spokesman, said GPS can be selectively denied when national security is at stake, though he declined to specify...

Manual--or automatic.(Short message: around the wireless industry)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Tokyo is the world's first city to leap into the 3G future, thanks to NTTDoCoMo. But some consumers are surely wondering if being on the cutting edge is worth the effort. The NEC-made standard handset comes along with 945 pages of instructions...