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Japan CDMA-based Cellular Launch Set for July 14 Despite Crisis DDI's Kansai Cellular Telephone Co. Ltd., Kyushu Cellular Telephone Co. Ltd. and Okinawa Cellular Telephone Co. are to become the first CDMA-based cellular operators. All 3 companies are affiliated with DDI. Network launches or new service are scheduled for July 14. In addition, DDI's five remaining cellular subsidiaries and IDO have recently submitted applications to provide cdmaOne services to the ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. Based on current deployment forecasts, Japan will enjoy nationwide cdmaOne coverage by April 1999. PDC, the existing system, is being replaced because of an inability to keep up with strong demand. DDI is actively working in the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses to led the standardization of CDMA system for Japan. Signifying significant growth opportunities for Japanese cdmaOne operators, the CDMA Development Group (CDG) announced that despite Japan's recent economic recession, the Japanese telecommunications industry continues to increase capital spending to support an increase demand for wireless services, and that the country continues to be an explosive growth market for cdmaOne technology. "In order to support demand for new digital communication systems, Japanese operators have already begun to increase capital spending by s much as 19 percent compared to last year. Clearly Japan's cdmaOne operators remain unaffected by the country's current economic condition," said Perry LaForge, Executive director of the CDG. As reported by CDMA association "In fact, at the end of March, published cellular subscribers reached an all time high of more than 31.5 million-the numbers are continuing to climb, and cellular operators DDI and IDO are on track to provide nationwide cdmaOne service in Japan." It is believed that cdmaOne's enhancements should enable DDI and IDO to provide the call capacity needed to meet projected levels of demand for cellular services into the 21st Century. Japan has over 31 million cellular telephone users and, with new subscribers joining the services at the rate of one million users per month, the system faces spectrum shortages in the Tokyo and Osaka areas. CDMA brings the added benefit of international roaming. Since the current PDC networks are exclusive to Japan, the country's mobile system was until now effectively a closed system with no roaming possibilities for Japanese subscribers going abroad for CDMA and GSM subscribers coming to Japan. To launch the new services, DDI, and IDO are receiving support from the CDMA Development group. Movie star Leonardo DiCaprio has agreed to feature in a series of television commercials that will promote the new service. Finally, NTT Mobile Communications Network, The remaining competitor, says it plans to begin Wideband-CDMA services in 1999.
GTE and Baja Celular Team for Smooth Handoffs May 8, 1998 -- GTE Wireless and Baja Celular of Tijuana, Mexico partnered to use digital networks that allow both American and Mexican cell sites to serve calls simultaneously without signal interference, said GTE. Both carriers contracted with Motorola Inc. to provide the networks for the two compatible systems. The partnership represents the first-ever Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) handoff between cell sites across international borders, said GTE. "If the strongest signal is achieved using a cell site in Tijuana, the network automatically recognizes and utilizes that signal in a seamless process," explained Lindsey Burroughs, San Diego area president for GTE Wireless. Calls will be billed based on where they originated, without roaming fees.
GTE-owned CODETEL invests $40 million to offer digital PCS in Dominican Republic; Lucent Technologies to build CDMA-based PCS network in Caribbean nation DALLAS - CODETEL, the Dominican Republic's largest telephone company, today announced plans to invest approximately $40 million over the next five years in new digital Personal Communication Services (PCS), strengthening its existing Latin American market presence and revolutionizing the Dominican Republic's wireless communications industry. CODETEL is a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S.-based GTE corp. As part of its far-reaching plan, CODETEL (Compania Domincana de Telefonos) selected Lucent Technologies to build its PCS network based on CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) technology. "This investment confirms GTE's commitment to the Latin American telecommunications marketplace and secures our place as the Dominican Republic's leading PCS provider," said Carlos Espinal G., president of CODETEL. "We are well-established in Latin America, and this investment strengthens our position." CODETEL has the broadest geographical coverage as well as the most extensive portfolio in the Dominican Republic's telecommunications market, providing local, long distance, cellular, paging, data services, off-shore data entry and internet access. Lucent will design and provide CODETEL's PCS network based on CDMA technology, which enables a wireless PCS phone to become a virtual moving office by allowing Internet access, as well as fax and data applications. "Lucent is happy to continue working with CODETEL as it offers advanced wireless services to the citizens of the Dominican Republic," said Tom Mader, Lucent vice president. "Our integrated solution - being able to use existing Lucent 5ESS switches - allows CODETEL to enter the PCS market with the lowest costs, greatest capability and fastest deployment." The use of digital technology enhances the reliability enhances the reliability of the wireless network and provides the capability to add new features, satisfying the most diverse customer needs. Among the value-added features are caller ID, call-blocking, Internet access, data transmission, sending and receiving faxes, voice mail service, answering service and other well-known features such as call-waiting, call-transfer, call-forward and call-conference. "Digital PCS will usher in a new era of wireless communications," Espinal said. "The CDMA technology allows us to build upon the high-quality, clear wireless communications our customers have come to expect from CODETEL." The first phase of CODETEL's network build-out will include the capital city of Santo Domingo, Santiago and the corridor linking these two metropolitan areas. Service is expected to begin this summer. The second phase is scheduled to be completed by year's end when service will extend along the south coast highway to the resort city of La Romana/Casa de Campo. Over the next five years, CODETEL will expand the Lucent-supplied PCS network to provide coverage in all the country's major commercial and tourism markets, as well as the main highways.
TORONTO, May 1, 1998 -- Bell Mobility announced today that the first phase of their 1998 expansion of digital PCS Plus coverage for both Ontario and Quebec is now complete and in service. "We leave committed to a very aggressive PCS Plus coverage expansion for 1998,'' says Randy Reynolds, President and COO of Bell Mobility. ``By year end, we will have digital service to 70% of the population in Bell Mobility territory.'' The company's PCS Plus™ service was launched in the fall of last year and provided digital coverage in major metropolitan centers such as Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City. Service outside of the digital coverage areas is provided to PCS Plus customers seamlessly through Bell Mobility's analog network. "We are very excited to be introducing digital PCS Plus service along with all of its benefits, to these communities as part of our 1998 expansion,'' said Charlotte Burke, Vice President of Services Development. ``We also have substantial expansion planned for the remainder of the year for Ontario and Quebec, along with continuous improvement programs within our current coverage areas.'' Burke also added, "We have an amazing array of new features and services coming on line - some of which are already available such as VoiceDial and Call Display. We understand that our customers want a full-service solution that best fits their lifestyle and business needs. And we understand that in order to do that we have to maintain a strong network capable of handling the wide range of personal communication services.'' Text messaging, receiving email to PCS handsets and customized content services such as weather, horoscopes, traffic reports and personal reminders will be available to customers in the very near future. PCS Plus coverage expansion will be taking place in three phases during 1998: Spring, Summer and Fall. The Spring coverage expansion for Ontario is completed as of today and now provides continuous digital coverage ranging from Oshawa to Fort Erie and north of Toronto to Cookstown. A complete list of PCS Plus coverage is attached. This summer the digital PCS network will be extended to Barrie, Brantford, Cambridge, Kitchener/Waterloo and London, just to name a few. Existing Digital Areas (1997) Ajax, Brampton, Burlington, Etobicoke, Hamilton, Markham, Mississauga, North York, Oakville, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Stoney Creek, Toronto, Alymer, Gatineau, Gloucester, Hull, Nepean, Ottawa, Rockcliff Park, Vanier, Bernieres, Cap-Rouge, Charlesbourg, Quebec City, Brossard, Chateauguay, Deux-Montagnes, LaSalle, Laval, Longueuil, Mascouche, Montreal, Varennes Spring 1998 - May 1 Ontairio Ancaster, Aurora, Bolton, Bradford, Cookstown, Fort Erie, Georgetown, Grimsby, Milton, Newmarket, Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Oshawa, St. Catharines, Stouffville, Whitby Quebec Beloeil, Carignan, Mont-Saint Hilare, Otterburn Park, Saint-Amable, Saint-Basile-le-Grand, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Saint-Hyacinthe, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Julie, Saint-Luc, Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu
Japan's DDI Signs DiCaprio To Star In Cellular Ads TOKYO -- Japan's DDI Corp., a long-distance and cellular telephone service operator, said Monday that it has signed U.S. movie actor Leonardo DiCaprio to star in a series of commercials for its new cellular phone system cdmaOne™. DiCaprio, who starred in the mega-movie hit 'Titanic,' will appear in print advertisements as well as television commercials for DDI. The commercials are scheduled to begin airing in June, DDI said. Terms of the contract weren't disclosed.
Thailand Announces First CDMA Service THAILAND, May 1, 1998 -- The Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) has officially launched its code division multiple access (CDMA) mobile telecommunications service. CAT has partnered with Lucent Technologies Inc. to establish the CDMA network, the first of its kind in Thailand. According to CAT statements, this will allow the state enterprise to capture a sizable share of the cellular market here. CAT is the owner of Thailand's international gateway and other telecommunications infrastructure, including both submarine cables and satellite networks. The body is also to be the service provider for an upcoming wireline intelligent network and nationwide asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching system. Covering an extensive part of Thailand's central region, the 800 MHz CDMA network will initially serve a maximum capacity of 150,000 mobile subscribers, much of the coverage focuses on the greater Bangkok Metropolitan area. A total of 69 CDMA cells have been installed in an overlay pattern with existing analog cells to allow interoperability with dual-mode handsets. At the heart of the network are two collocated mobile switching centers, the core of which is a Lucent 5ESS-2000 Switch. Statements from CAT indicate that CDMA can handle between 10 to 20 times the capacity of existing cellular systems with a more efficient spectrum usage. The CDMA network is capable of supporting up to 60 or more simultaneous conversations on a single base station using one CDMA carrier CAT's current CDMA architecture will also support data, integrated voice and data, and fax services, according to company statements.
France Telecom Trialing Lucent Technologies' CDMA Wireless System in Guadeloupe GUADELOUPE, FRENCH WEST INDIES—France Telecom (FT) has selected Lucent Technologies for FT’s first trial of cdmaOneTM wireless networking. This trial is taking place on the island of Guadeloupe and involves 500 users, all of whom are FT employees. The trial, which started in January 1998 with technical tests, will last approximately one year. Lucent deployed its AUTOPLEXTM 1000, WITH Series II and minicell sites, digital cellular switch with executive cellular processor, inter-processor message switch ring, and operation and maintenance platform. "Lucent Technologies is proud to have the opportunity to demonstrate its CDMA technology to France Telecom, with whom we already enjoy a very long standing relationship," said Michel Rouilleault, vice president of Lucent Technologies, France. "As a provider of all the leading wireless air interface standards – such as GSM, CDMA, TDMA and DECT – Lucent offers the choice of technology that will best work for its customers." cdmaOne, is a name created by the CDMA Development Group – a U.S.-based non-profit association of cdmaOne carriers, equipment manufacturers and other representatives - and is a digital wireless technology based on the IS-95 air interface. This technology allows improved use of the spectrum, while providing call quality tht is comparable to land line service. Lucent is an industry leader in CDMA technology, with more than 100 CDMA networks in commercial operation or under construction worldwide. The launch of the Guadeloupe trial network has been achieved thanks to the cooperation between the teams of Lucent Technologies and FT (including FT/Centre National d’Etudes des Telecommunicaitons, FT/Direction Regionale Guadeloupe, FT/France Caraibes Mobiles, and France Telecom Mobiles). Lucent Technologies has won major contract to build CDMA networks in countries such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, Indonesia, Thailand, and Philippines and Korea. In North America Lucent in a leading provider of CDMA infrastructure equipment for the largest PCS network providers - PrimeCo Personal Communications, Sprint PCS and others - and for cellular carriers such as GTE, AirTouch and Bell Atlantic Mobile.
Samsung Wins Chinese Mobile Phone Certification SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA -- Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. says it has become the first foreign company in the world to receive certification for mobile telecommunications switching systems from China's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. Samsung says certification was received for the No. 7 standard, which covers transmission of two-way data at high speeds. Foreign companies, including Samsung Electronics, have succeeded in gaining certification for wired line switching systems but this was the first time such recognition has been granted to a foreign company for a mobile switching system, said Samsung. "The certification will help Samsung Electronics to push forward more smoothly its pilot CDMA cellular phone service in Shanghai and Tianjin and to launch a full-fledged commercial service scheduled for later this year," said the company. "It will also give a strategic advantage to Samsung Electronics in the bidding on CDMA commercial service providers in the rest of China, including Greatwall and UniCom."
Alcatel and Samsung Telecommunications Offer Fully-Integrated IS-634 Architecture for Wireless Communications Networks DALLAS and RALEIGH, N.C. -- Alcatel Communications
and Samsung Telecommunications today announced the completion
of joint integration testing of their cdmaOne ™ IS-634
wireless network system, now ready for immediate delivery.
The This newly-introduced system provides wireless service operators
with an integrated solution based on an open architecture
and the use of industry standards at key interfaces. Instead
of being locked in to proprietary switch-based interfaces,
this new architecture gives carriers the flexibility to "mix
and match" the network elements that best "We believe in giving carriers the freedom to choose the infrastructure components that best suit their networks, and not locking them into proprietary systems," said John Kavulich, manager of CDMA products for the Wireless Systems division of Samsung Telecommunications. "Samsung now offers a total systems solution with a winning combination of performance and price for operators who need deployment flexibility." "Alcatel has put another piece of its emerging PCS (personal
communications services) strategy in place by completing this
joint integration testing," said Dwayne Ballew, VP/GM
of switching products for Alcatel. "Wireless service
providers have been held hostage by their infrastructure system
supplier because of the proprietary interface between the
radio and switching components of the system. Incorporating
another manufacturer's radio components because of improved
price or performance was not an option unless the operators
were prepared to swap out the entire network. Now, if they
use our switch, they can 'mix and match' their radio components,
based purely on technical and business Other components of Samsung's integrated wireless system include all of the network elements required for PCS operators, including indoor and outdoor Base Transceiver Stations (BTS), Base Station Controllers (BSC), Base Station Management System (BSM), and a full range of CDMA subscriber handsets. Since announcing the availability of its IS-634- and CDMA-based mobile switching product at the PCS '97 conference in Dallas, Alcatel has been lining up CDMA base station subsystem (BSS) suppliers as potential customers for its new product. Samsung now joins this group of BSS suppliers embracing the open IS-634 interface and committing to use the Alcatel MSC in its wireless systems solutions.
Lucent Technologies to Supply System For DDI/IDO Trial of Third Generation cdmaOne™ Wireless Technology Murray Hill, N.J. - Lucent Technologies today disclosed that it was selected as a supplier for Third Generation Code Division Multiple Access equipment for a trial to be conducted as a joint venture by Japan's DDI Corporation and IDO Corporation. In Tokyo, the two Japanese wireless companies announced they will conduct a trial designed to evaluate, research and develop a wireless transmission method that is an evolutionary step from the IS-95 cdmaOne standard technology. DDI and IDO are undertaking the project as part of an effort to evaluate next-generation services that are compatible with IS-95 systems and consistent with the goals of the International Telecommunications Union. The two companies said the joint laboratory will be established this month and field experiments will begin in the spring of 1999 and continue until the end of year 2000. Lucent Technologies has agreed to complete the supply of the necessary trial system by March, 1999 "We are extremely gratified that we were selected as a participant in this very significant project," commented Ken Trojniar, head of Lucent's Wireless Networks Group in Japan. "As a supplier of wireless systems to network operators across the globe, we are actively working with our customers to meet their needs for today and tomorrow as we evolve today's generation of system to the next generation." Scott K. Erickson, vice president of Lucent's Wireless Network Group for Asia Pacific, expressed his support for the efforts in Japan with DDI and IDO. "We are proud to be participating with DDI and IDO in the deployment of this Third Generation trial system for Japan. As the leading supplier of commercial cdmaOne systems throughout the world we have systems in Asia deployed in Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, India and China. Lucent Technologies is committed to the evolution from today's technologies to the family of Third Generation systems and our efforts in Japan support that strategy."
QUALCOMM Demonstrates CDMA Wireless Data on Live Moscow Network Moscow Consumers to Benefit from Leading Wireless Access Technology for Internet Access, E-Mail and Faxing SAN DIEGO, May 13, 1998 -- QUALCOMM Incorporated today demonstrated cdmaOne™ wireless data capabilities on JSC Personal Communications' live Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network at the Expocomm Moscow '98 Show, bringing Russia to the forefront of wireless telecommunications. Russia is a leading deployer of CDMA wireless local loop systems, with four networks supplied by QUALCOMM in Moscow, Chelyabinsk, Rostov and Krasnodar. CDMA wireless data offers consumers access to a range of data services, such as browsing the World Wide Web, sending and receiving e-mail, faxing from computers via a wireless link, downloading software applications from the Internet and transferring electronic files. "QUALCOMM is pleased at the opportunity to demonstrate
our extensive portfolio of advanced data services on a live
network in Moscow, including the first such demonstration
of packet data services over CDMA, as well as circuit-switched
data and digital fax capabilities," said Ron Uhlig, regional
vice president of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
and Baltic Countries for QUALCOMM's Wireless Infrastructure
Division. "These capabilities will give our customers
the ability to offer their The Moscow system has the capability to offer packet data,
circuit-switched data and digital fax at speeds up to 14.4
kbps. Digital fax allows customers to send and receive faxes
via their computers using their CDMA digital phone connection.
Circuit-switched data, also known as asynchronous data, allows
CDMA phone users to dial into an Internet Service Provider
(ISP) or into a corporate Local Area Network (LAN) to access
Internet or intranet services. Digital fax and circuit-switched
data both employ a technique that The CDMA wireless local loop system in Moscow, supplied by
QUALCOMM, provides exceptional voice quality and reliable,
secure residential and business telephone services. In a CDMA
wireless local loop application, a wireless link is used to
replace a traditional copper line to connect telephones with
a central switching office, providing an alternative to QUALCOMM's products optimize cdmaOne technology to its greatest
potential, QUALCOMM has emerged as a leader in the WLL arena with commercial
WLL
DDI/IDO Select Motorola CIG To Deploy Third Generation CDMA2000 Trial System ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., May 13, 1998 -- Motorola
Inc.'s Cellular Infrastructure Group (CIG) announced today
that it has been selected by two of Japan's leading cellular
service providers to deploy a trial version Third Generation
Code Division Multiple Access In a joint announcement earlier today in Japan, the two cellular
operators, DDI and IDO, said the trial system, also known
as Wideband cdmaOne™, will be based in the country's
Kanto region. DDI and IDO will operate under an experimental
license in the 2 GHz frequency band, which is part of the
proposed IMT-2000 frequency band reserved The goal of the system trial is to evaluate, research and develop the CDMA2000 wireless transmission method which has follow-on compatibility with cdmaOne, the method on which DDI and IDO are currently working together to achieve seamless, country-wide service. Last year, Motorola CIG was awarded a contract by DDI and IDO to deploy a nationwide cdmaOne network. Motorola CIG is a primary contractor to DDI and IDO in this research and development initiative. As a systems integrator, Motorola CIG is working with NEC, and specifically, NEC's NEAX 61 Sigma platform for portions of the experimental system. Ron Hamma, vice president and general manager of Motorola
CIG's Japan Cellular Infrastructure Division, expressed how
pleased he is to continue the team effort with DDI and IDO
in the deployment of CDMA2000 networks and in the development
of Third Generation wireless products and services. "Motorola
CIG is committed to the current
NEC do Brasil Signed Two Contracts to Supply 1.66 Million CDMA Digital Lines in Brazil Sao Paulo, Brazil -- NEC do Brasil signed two large contracts in April 1998 to deploy CDMA digital cellular mobile systems in two important Brazilian states, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. ° On April 9, NEC do Brasil and the Brazilian telecommunincations operator TELERJ CELLULAR signed a contract to deploy an IS-95-based digital cellular mobile system with a capacity of 650,000 lines ° On April 14, NEC do Brasil and the Brazilian telecommunications operator TELESP CELLULAR signed another contract to deploy a CDMA digital cellular mobile system with a capacity of one million lines Currently Bahia, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, all important Brazilian states, have CDMA digital cellular mobile systems. NEC do Brasil believes that CDMA is the best technology for digital cellular networks because it provides superior quality services to users and many advantages to operators. We also believe that CDMA is better prepared to support Third Generation Systems. "The result of these calls for bid shows the superiority
of NEC's CDMA solution, as compared to the solutions of other
wireless suppliers. Our CDMA solution can be used for 800
MHz and 1.9 GHz wireless networks, both fixed and mobile,"
commented Mr. William Nolasco Barreto, Director of the Wireless
Business Unit, NEC do Brasil. "NEC NEC's CDMA cellular mobile system's superior technological features provide several advantages to operators and users: ° Larger capacity Sigma Switch ° A complete family of Base Transceiver Stations (macro, mini, micro and pico - outdoor and indoor configurations) that accomodate various traffic and coverage needs ° Centralized operation, administration and maintenance - providing greater operational and cost efficiency ° Enhanced reliability with centralized HLR ° Excellent voice quality and inherent privacy NEC do Brasil is also deploying two significant CDMA cellular mobile systems in Brazil: one in the state of Bahia (capacity of 25,000) and the other in the state of Rio de Janeiro (capacity of 150,000).
Scalable CDMA solutions from Nortel (Northern Telecom) Provide Flexibility, Cost Effectiveness Wireless Operators Need LAS VEGAS, May 7, 1998 -- As wireless operators build out digital networks, the ability to cost-effectively deploy state-of-the-art technology is of the utmost importance. The latest enhancements to the Nortel (Northern Telecom) CDMA portfolio - a more scalable base station Controller (BSC) and a new Desktop Base Station Manager (BSM) - allow even the smallest wireless operators to quickly and cost effectively address individual market needs on a "pay as you grow" basis. Nortel's enhanced CDMA BSC and Desktop BSM were introduced this week at the sixth annual Rural Cellular Association convention and exhibition in Las Vegas. "Our experience and customer focus in rural analog markets allows Nortel to provide cost-effective solutions to operators wanting to upgrade to digital networks," said Richard Lowe, vice-president and general manager, CDMA Wireless Networks, Nortel. "With the breadth of our product portfolio, smaller operators can purchase the minimum equipment necessary to support market entry and grow their networks as business expands," Lowe said. "This approach helps Nortel customers reduce the risks of entering new wireless businesses and territories." The Nortel CDMA BSC can cost-effectively support as few as 20 base stations, and can grow as an operator's requirements change or as capacity needs expand. This gives operators a wider range of starting points for network build out. Nortel's CDMA Desktop BSM has a smaller footprint and twice the computing power of first generation models. This can help operators manage network performance parameters more quickly and efficiently. Also available in scalable configurations, Nortel's reliable and redundant CDMA Desktop BSM is ideal for any size network. "Nortel continues to offer timely and cost-effective solutions to help wireless operators maximize the value of their digital networks," Lowe said. "Tools like our CDMA Desktop BSM and a more scalable CDMA BSC give wireless carriers the flexibility to overlay existing analog networks and tailor digital systems when and how they need."
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