Wireless Asia articles from October 2005

Wireless Asia archives from October 2005

The trouble with TD.(UNWIRED)
October 15, 2005... The delay in issuing new Chinese mobile licenses should have helped the home-grown 3G standard find its feet. It hasn't. MII official Zhang Qi predicted in June last year that TD would be ready by mid-2005. TD-SCDMA is a long way from being...

Optus mulls boosting stake in Virgin to fuel growth.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
October 15, 2005... Australia's second-ranked mobile operator Optus reportedly wants to take a controlling interest in the Virgin Mobile joint venture as a response to intense competition in the saturated market. SingTel-owned Optus, which currently holds 25%...

Wi-Fi hype fails to generate traveler interest.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S WIRELESS RESEARCH)
October 15, 2005... Despite the proliferation of Wi-Fi hotspots and the presence of built-in Wi-Fi radio antennas in laptop PCs, only 25% of US and 17% of UK business travelers are actually using the technology. Out of the 2,000 US and UK business travelers that...

Hotspot market to triple by 2009.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S WIRELESS RESEARCH)
October 15, 2005... From $969 million this year, global wireless data hotspot revenue is expected to rise to $3.46 billion in 2009, as the number of hotspot locations doubles from 100,000 in 2005 to 200,000 by 2009. Despite the rosy projections, In-Stat says...

SMS revenues seen reaching $50b by 2010.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S WIRELESS RESEARCH)
October 15, 2005... SMS will remain the most widely used messaging format for the next four to five years, according to a report from Portio Research. With a large proportion of global mobile sub growth in the next few years coming from emerging markets, there...

Japan gears up for mobile digital TV.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
October 15, 2005... The hot topic in Japan's mobile field these days is "one seg," which means one segment broadcasting and refers to the single segment set aside for customizable mobile broadcasting out of a total of 13 segments in each of Japan's terrestrial...

Taxes are hurting mobile growth: GSMA.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
October 15, 2005... The GSM Association continued its Emerging Market Handset push last month on two fronts by awarding a second handset tender to Motorola and releasing a study on the impact of taxation on handset costs. The taxation study, commissioned by...

Students grab lion's share of mobile content.(METRICS / Inside the wireless data numbers)
October 15, 2005... Young mobile subscribers, usually those below 25 years old, in Australia and the US use more mobile applications and consume more mobile content than any other age group. The Australian Mobile Phone Lifestyle Index by the Mobile Content...

China, Japan and Korea agree to jointly develop future 3G technologies.(Movements)
October 15, 2005... China, Japan and Korea agree to jointly develop future 3G technologies. The three countries will also host a "Beyond 3G" international conference on October 18 in Shanghai.

The GSM Association (GSMA) awards Motorola the second contract to supply 6m sub-$30 handsets to operators.(Movements)
October 15, 2005... The GSM Association (GSMA) awards Motorola the second contract to supply 6m sub-$30 handsets to operators in developing markets.

Hutchison pays more than $1b to acquire BPL Mobile Communications and BPL Mobile Cellular.(Movements)
October 15, 2005... Hutchison pays more than $1b to acquire BPL Mobile Communications and BPL Mobile Cellular. The acquisitions are subject to regulatory approvals.

Intel plans to start WiMAX service trials in Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia in December and aims to launch commercial services across the world over the next three years.(Movements)
October 15, 2005... Intel plans to start WiMAX service trials in Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia in December and aims to launch commercial services across the world over the next three years. The company will introduce WiMAX in South Korea, Indonesia and...

AT&T adds more than 2,100 Wi-Fi hotspots across China, Japan and Greece, and in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity.(Movements)
October 15, 2005... AT&T adds more than 2,100 Wi-Fi hotspots across China, Japan and Greece, and in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity from select European and Asian airlines.

Telefonica SA offers to acquire Dutch telecommunications group KPN.(Movements)
October 15, 2005... Telefonica SA offers to acquire Dutch telecommunications group KPN for about $20b.

Google wants to connect all of San Francisco to the Internet with a free wireless service.(Movements)
October 15, 2005... Google wants to connect all of San Francisco to the Internet with a free wireless service, creating a springboard for the online search engine leader to leap into the telecom industry.

Spice Nepal Private, a private-owned firm, starts offering mobile services in Nepal.(Movements)
October 15, 2005... Spice Nepal Private, a private-owned firm, starts offering mobile services in Nepal, breaking the monopoly held by state-owned Nepal Telecom.

Mobile TeleSystems launches i-mode service in Russia.(Movements)
October 15, 2005... Mobile TeleSystems launches i-mode service in Russia. The company will initially offer the service in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and eventually expand to other business areas.

Qualcomm collects a total 1.48 trillion won ($1.43b) in CDMA royalties from South Korean handset manufacturers.(Movements)
October 15, 2005... Qualcomm collects a total 1.48 trillion won ($1.43b) in CDMA royalties from South Korean handset manufacturers between 2002 and 2004.

DTAC in Thailand, Far EasTone in Taiwan and ePLDT in the Philippines selects solution provider Seven.(Movements)
October 15, 2005... DTAC in Thailand, Far EasTone in Taiwan and ePLDT in the Philippines selects solution provider Seven to provide push-based mobile email to customers.

Nokia launches a 3G-based mobile content development center in Taipei, the first of its kind in the world.(Movements)
October 15, 2005... Nokia launches a 3G-based mobile content development center in Taipei, the first of its kind in the world, to expand its relationship with local telecom carriers.

Tadahiro Ohmi, a Japanese inventor in Texas, sues Samsung over alleged infringement of his patented technology.(Movements)
October 15, 2005... Tadahiro Ohmi, a Japanese inventor in Texas, sues Samsung over alleged infringement of his patented technology related to semiconductor processing.

China plans to let mobile carriers set their own rates for mobile phone roaming charges.(BEIJING)
October 15, 2005... China plans to let mobile carriers set their own rates for mobile phone roaming charges under reforms that took effect October 1.

The Ministry of Information Industry asks four major TD-SCDMA equipment maker, namely TD Tech, ZTE, Datang Telecom and China Putian, to open "free labs" to test TD-SCDMA mobile terminals.(BEIJING)
October 15, 2005... The Ministry of Information Industry asks four major TD-SCDMA equipment makers, namely TD Tech, ZTE, Datang Telecom and China Putian, to open "free labs" to test TD-SCDMA mobile terminals, as part of the government's efforts to turn the...

PCCW offers HK$401.1m ($51.7m) to buy the remaining 20.65% stake that it does not already own in Sunday Communications.(HONG KONG)
October 15, 2005... PCCW offers HK$401.1m ($51.7m) to buy the remaining 20.65% stake that it does not already own in Sunday Communications. The offer is good until April 30, 2006 and is widely seen as an attempt by the incumbent carrier to buy itself time to...

Total Access Communication plans to set up new subsidiaries.(BANGKOK)
October 15, 2005... Total Access Communication plans to set up new subsidiaries, which are in the process of being registered, to apply for licenses from the Thai regulator to operate 3G, international gateway and ISP services.

National Telecommunications Commission will appoint a committee to draw up licensing regulations.(BANGKOK)
October 15, 2005... The National Telecommunications Commission will appoint a committee to draw up licensing regulations for 3G mobile services, satellite operations, international gateways and VoIP.

A pricing battle is escalating in Vietnam with simultaneous rate cuts by Vinaphone and Viettel.(HANOI)
October 15, 2005... A pricing battle is escalating in Vietnam with simultaneous rate cuts by Vinaphone and Viettel. Vinaphone cut monthly subscription charges to $4 from $5 for post-paid users. Viettel cuts subscription charges to $3.70 from $4.30.

The Minister of Communications and Information will hold a re-tender of the 1900-MHz frequency for 3G in November.(JAKARTA)
October 15, 2005... The Minister of Communications and Information will hold a re-tender of the 1900-MHz frequency for 3G in November, as Indosat and Telkom have agreed to move their fixed wireless service out of the 3G spectrum.

Digital Mobile readies $7.1m to offer 3G services once the Philippine government gives the go signal for its adoption.(MANILA)
October 15, 2005... Digital Mobile readies $7.1m to offer 3G services once the Philippine government gives the go signal for its adoption.

BSNL opens the bidding for a $5b tender for installing an additional 60m GSM lines to more companies.(NEW DELHI)
October 15, 2005... BSNL opens the bidding for a $5b tender for installing an additional 60m GSM lines to more companies. The decision is likely to benefit vendors such as Siemens, Lucent, Huawei Technologies and ZTE.

SK Telecom selects LG Electronics and Nortel to deploy HSDPA and WCDMA platforms in the country.(SEOUL)
October 15, 2005... SK Telecom selects LG Electronics and Nortel to deploy HSDPA and WCDMA platforms in the country. Nortel will provide the HSDPA infrastructure while LGE will provide the UMTS core network. The company will rollout commercial W-CDMA in November,...

VK of South Korea and Samcholli Technology of North Korea sign an agreement to jointly develop software for mobile phones.(SEOUL)
October 15, 2005... VK of South Korea and SamchoUi Technology of North Korea sign an agreement to jointly develop software for mobile phones. Under the agreement, Samcholli Technology will send ten research engineers to VK's laboratory.

The Ministry of Information and Communication grants a consortium called KMMB.(SEOUL)
October 15, 2005... The Ministry of Information and Communication grants a consortium called KMMB the sixth license for land-based digital television service on mobile phones.

Incumbent Chunghwa Telecom further outpaces its rivals in the local 3G market, as its 3G subscriber base exceeded 210,000 customers last month.(TAIPEI)
October 15, 2005... Incumbent Chunghwa Telecom further outpaces its rivals in the local 3G market, as its 3G subscriber base exceeded 210,000 customers last month. By comparison, Far EasTone and Taiwan Mobile both have subscribers in the low five-digits.

Vodafone KK reveals plans to launch a new service to make it easier for customers to buy minutes for their prepaid phone.(TOKYO)
October 15, 2005... Vodafone KK reveals plans to launch a new service to make it easier for customers to buy minutes for their prepaid phone. The offering, introduced on October 17, will enable users to top up their phones via cashpoint machines.

US investment bank Goldman Sachs will invest 25b yen ($221.2m) in a new mobile service.(TOKYO)
October 15, 2005... US investment bank Goldman Sachs will invest 25b yen ($221.2m) in a new mobile service that eAccess aims to start next year.

NTT DoCoMo develops the 3G FOMA P901iTV, its first mobile handset to receive terrestrial digital broadcasting signals, in addition to conventional analog signals.(TOKYO)
October 15, 2005... NTT DoCoMo develops the 3G FOMA P901iTV, its first mobile handset to receive terrestrial digital broadcasting signals, in addition to conventional analog signals. The phone is developed in response to the planned launch of mobile digital...

The House of Representatives passes legislation to sell the government's controlling stake in Telstra, clearing the way for the privatization of the incumbent.(SYDNEY)
October 15, 2005... The House of Representatives passes legislation to sell the government's controlling stake in Telstra, clearing the way for the privatization of the incumbent. The vote allows the government to proceed with plans to sell its 51.8% stake in...

Optus offers a combined mobile and home service with free line rental.(SYDNEY)
October 15, 2005... Optus offers a combined mobile and home service with free line rental, in a bid to grab market share from rival Telstra.

Telecom New Zealand and Vodafone New Zealand launch interoperability for their MMS services.(WELLINGTON)
October 15, 2005... Telecom New Zealand and Vodafone New Zealand launch interoperability for their MMS services. Then move allows the two carrier's mobile users to MMS services such as send photo/video messaging to each other across their respective networks.

Vodafone New Zealand reports an 18% increase in net profit to NZ$182m ($126.6m) in the 12 months to March 31, up from NZ$154m a year ago.(WELLINGTON)
October 15, 2005... Vodafone New Zealand reports an 18% increase in net profit to NZ$182m ($126.6m) in the 12 months to March 31, up from NZ$154m a year ago. Revenue rows 12% year-on-year to NZ$1.2b, from NZ$1.07b the previous year.

Singapore's mobile phone penetration rises from 97.5% in July to 98.1% in August, the Infocomm Development Authority says.(SINGAPORE)
October 15, 2005... Singapore's mobile phone penetration rises from 97.5% in July to 98.1% in August, the Infocomm Development Authority says. Singapore's mobile subscribers increased from 4.13m in July to 4.16m in August due to strong 3G take-up.

Spectrum standoff: why GSM and CDMA are squaring off over the 1900 band.(Cover story)
October 15, 2005... The GSM and CDMA camps are at it again, with the latest battleground in emerging markets where 3G spectrum is still up for grabs. The problem: GSM needs the 1900 MHz band to go 3G, CDMA-WLL operators need it to alleviate a capacity crunch, and...

ATCA find its place: ATCA is gaining momentum in the telecom industry. It is delivering faster time-to-market, greater cost-efficiency and more flexibility as wireless vendors move to a common, open-standard hardware platform.(WIRELESS TECH)
October 15, 2005... Advanced Telecom Computing Architecture (Advanced TCA or ATCA), an open standard architecture for building carrier-grade telecom equipment, is gaining increased interest from the telecom industry as vendors start to capture the benefits of...

Focus shifts to music and imaging.(1-2-1)(Interview)
October 15, 2005... After recovering lost ground this year thanks to a new line of smartphones and smarter designs, the world's leading handset maker aims to stay on top by enabling users to enhance the functionality of their devices over time. Nokia multimedia...

Feature-rich devices still leave consumers wanting: the annual TNS study of mobile usage across 15 markets finds that consumers' top priority for the ideal converged device is two days of battery life, enabling them to use advanced applications without worrying about draining their batteries.(TNS SURVEY)
October 15, 2005... As technologies advance, consumers demand more from their mobile devices. It is no longer enough to just have a mobile phone that can be used for voice calls and for SMS and MMS messaging. The devices also have to have high-resolution still and...

Monitoring system for roamers.(tools)
October 15, 2005... Sensustech's Roamer Performance Monitoring system, a new application for the firm's Insight Network Quality Management system, helps operators acquire and retain more visiting roamers. The system shows operators exactly where they are gaining...

Support for selected Sony GPS chipsets.(tools)
October 15, 2005... Fastrax has launched the iTrax130 development kit for the iSuite 3 SDK, providing support for selected Sony GPS chipsets. The development kit provides all the features of the iSuite 3 software, apart from full support for JTAG debugging. ...

Convergence location services.(tools)
October 15, 2005... Locatrix Communications has come up with a WAP application suite that integrates location and presence from any IP network with cellular WAP services. The company says its Locatrix/Finder will allow 2G and 3G mobile operators to...

Next-gen text-input technology.(tools)
October 15, 2005... Tegic Communications and Peking University have partnered to develop advanced and highly localized Chinese text input solutions, as well as sophisticated handheld terminals and new mobile phone applications. The Tegic-itABC Co-Lab is designed...

SmartTrust, F-Secure join forces.(tools)
October 15, 2005... SmartTrust and F-Secure have formed an alliance to provide mobile operators with better control over the management of anti-virus software among their subscribers. Web site: www.smarttrust.com,

Consumer mobile broadcasting.(out now)
October 15, 2005... Software and automated video delivery technologies provider ComVu is now offering a consumer mobile broadcasting service that allows mobile users to transmit live video broadcasts of any length and to any audience size with the firm's...

Jockey Club, SmarTone-Vodafone enhance betting service.(out now)
October 15, 2005... The Hong Kong Jockey Club and SmarTone-Vodafone will launch an enhanced version of their Mobile Betting Service, integrating Hong Kong's first application of digital certificate-based technology with a mobile phone's browser to deliver a secure...

Cellphone network gaming.(out now)
October 15, 2005... Mobile phone software publisher Digital Chocolate's new set of networked mobile games allows users to play and connect with members of the Digital Chocolate community. Web site: www.digitalchocolate.com

Warid chooses Teisis SMS solution.(deals)
October 15, 2005... Pakistan's Warid Telecom has opted to use Telsis' Intelligent SMS Routing solution for its new network instead of going for the traditional SMSC-based SMS architecture. The deal is part of a larger network supply contract awarded to Ericsson,...

Beijing Timespower, CPS forge integration deal.(deals)
October 15, 2005... Mobile data equipment and solutions provider Beijing Timespower will be integrating Cambridge Positioning Systems' (CPS) Matrix high-accuracy location technology into its products. Matrix will initially be integrated into vehicle tracking...

Donald Trump mobile content.(deals)
October 15, 2005... Warner Music Group and Donald Trump have entered into an exclusive worldwide licensing and distribution agreement for the official Trump Mobile content, including voice ringtones, wallpapers, video ringtones and voice ringback tones, through...

Info-capture function on cellphones.(out now)
October 15, 2005... NTT DoCoMo will be offering the ToruCa information-capture function in the "Osaifu-Keitai" when compatible handsets are released this winter. ToruCa will allow users to obtain information by simply waving their phones in front of dedicated...

Russia gets i-mode services.(out now)
October 15, 2005... Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), NTT DoCoMo's Russian partner, is now offering i-mode services in Moscow and St. Petersburg, with expansion to other areas expected soon. Web site: www.nttdocomo.com

Mainstream 3G/VoIP video calls.(out now)
October 15, 2005... Broadsoft and InnoMedia are jointly providing SingTel with the technology and the hardware to power its commercial 3G/VoIP video calling service, which allows users to make video calls between 3G mobile and IP phones. Web site:...

Album downloads on the go.(out now)
October 15, 2005... One2Free 3G's "Music Channel" service now enables customers to download full albums, some even before these are formally launched, through their mobile handsets. As its first offering, users can download Leo Ku's pre-release hits and even his...

'24: Conspiracy' on Vodafone 3G Japan.(out now)
October 15, 2005... Vodafone KK will soon be offering the made-for-mobile drama "24: Conspiracy" to subscribers of its Vodafone live! for 3G. The new mobile drama, inspired by the TV show "24," consists of 24 one-minute episodes that take place at CTU Washington...

Fathammer, KTF in game delivery agreement.(deals)
October 15, 2005... Fathammer, a publisher and developer of advanced 3D mobile game technologies and games, has entered into an agreement with Korean cellco KTF for the delivery of five advanced 3D mobile games through KTF game portal GPANG. KTF says the...

Telus commissions Gemplus for R-UIM development.(deals)
October 15, 2005... Canadian cellco Telus Mobility has commissioned smart card solutions provider Gemplus to develop removable-user identity module (R-UIM) cards that will tie together its CDMA and iDEN networks and allow worldwide roaming on GSM networks. Telus...

Rubberduck, Telenor collaborate for mobile TV service.(deals)
October 15, 2005... Norwegian cellco Telenor will be further deploying Rubberduck Media Lab's studio: 1 platform to enable it to bring all live, streamed content from Norway's three leading television channels to the country's expanding 3G audience. Content will...

The new, new journalism.(this month's model)
October 15, 2005... As has been demonstrated by recent news events like the London bombings, camera phones owned by non-journos can serve as a supplementary source, and sometimes as the primary source, of breaking news for new agencies. The snag is how to get...

Think outside the pod.(STREETWISE)
October 15, 2005... Rumors have been around in the industry for at least a couple of months already, but it's finally here--the world's first mobile phone to feature Apple's iTunes software. The Motorola ROKR comes preinstalled with iTunes software and has...

Prepaid blues.(SHORT MESSAGE: Around the wireless industry)
October 15, 2005... Prepaid cards continue to be a danger to society, judging from the growing attempts by Asian governments to control their dissemination in a bid to fight any number of things, from terrorism to spam and rumors. In Singapore, for example,...

Where am I?(SHORT MESSAGE: Around the wireless industry)
October 15, 2005... Warning: content piracy is not only illegal, it can also get you lost--at least in Shanghai, where many GPS navigation systems for sale use counterfeit electronic maps. Drivers tend to buy them because they're cheaper, according to the...

In search of mobile search revenue.(SHORT MESSAGE: Around the wireless industry)
October 15, 2005... Mobile versions of search engines like Google, Yahoo! and MSN are proving to be nowhere near as popular as their online counterparts, according to JupiterResearch. The fact that users have to pay to search is evidently a factor. Although...

Cellphone takes bullet for owner.(SHORT MESSAGE: Around the wireless industry)
October 15, 2005... LG Electronics says that one of its cellphones saved the life of a jeweler in the UK when he was shot during a robbery. Darren Prior was chasing a robber who'd stolen a bag of jewelry from a store in West Sussex when the robber turned to...