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Chinese Carrier Plans Huge CDMA Network China, May 27, 1999 -- China Unicom, one of the few rivals to state-run China Telecom, plans to establish a huge code-division multiple-access (CDMA) network with 50 million-line capacity and more than 35 million cellular phone users by 2003. Unicom's planned acquisition of a pager business and four CDMA trial services from China Telecom in Beijing, Shanghai, the southern city of Guangzhou and Xian in central China underscores its plans for greater competition in the Chinese telecommunications market. A source in Beijing said one key to meaningful telecom reform in China was promoting rapid growth for Unicom. Currently, China Telecom's Global System for Mobile (GSM) wireless network is 10 times larger than Unicom's. Unicom said it would also invest more than $240 million in IP telephony. Unicom will spend $870 million this year to build its CDMA network, which will initially serve 2 million customers. Network capacity will expand to 10 million users and cover 160 Chinese cities beginning next year. The company is aiming for a 30 percent share of the Chinese wireless-services market by 2003. CDMA's technical advantages and Unicom's heavy financial investment are expected to attract many Chinese users as the company attempts to knock down key technical barriers. For example, handsets initially available in the four major cities will have roaming capabilities all over China just as popular GSM services do, Unicom said. Moreover, Unicom will focus more heavily on third-generation wireless communications technology than other Chinese operators, said Li Zhengmao, Unicom's vice-chief engineer. China Unicom was formed by the former Chinese Ministry of Electronic Industry and other agencies to help break China Telecom's monopoly. Unicom initially challenged China Telecom by introducing its own GSM services. The company's CDMA announcement coincided with a telecommunications exposition hosted by Unicom at which several U.S. companies displayed CDMA-based systems. Lucent Technologies introduced a CDMA2000 switching system while Motorola displayed cdmaOne and CDMA2000 solutions along with its newest handsets. Local manufacturers have meanwhile announced advances in CDMA system design and production. Zhongxing Telecom, China's first CDMA research unit, said it had designed a system based on its own intellectual property. Growing demand for handsets is also expected to create new opportunities for telecommunications manufacturers here and overseas. Major Chinese handset suppliers include Motorola, Qualcomm, in San Diego, and South Korea's Samsung Electronics. Several local producers offer GSM handsets, and it is said they are interested in shifting to CDMA handset production. Industry experts here said some patents for CDMA handsets were held by Qualcomm. If patent issues were resolved quickly, they said, many Chinese manufacturers would jump into handset production. In that case, observers said it would create greater demand in China for new designs and CDMA chip sets. Unicom, Qualcomm and other technology companies are expected to play key roles during the fourth annual CDMA World Congress, to be held June 14-18 in Hong Kong.
Bell Atlantic Mobile to Purchase One Million CDMA Digital Wireless Phones From Motorola Bedminister, N.J., May 26, 1999 -- To meet the increasing demand for its high-quality CDMA digital service, Bell Atlantic Mobile today announced it has signed an agreement with Motorola's Personal Communications Sector to purchase one million wireless phones and accessories including the CDMA digital StarTAC(TM) ST7760 phone, the CDMA digital SC3160 phone and the StarTAC Clip-On Organizer. Among Bell Atlantic Mobile's new net subscribers for first quarter 1999, 40 percent chose one of the company's DigitalChoice SingleRate(SM) flat-rate pricing plans. The company expects to continue to add digital subscribers at a fast rate through the remainder of the year. The combination of handsets and Bell Atlantic Mobile's high-capacity network will ensure the company can stay ahead of demand for its popular digital price plans. "Customers are choosing Bell Atlantic Mobile for our superior network and great pricing options like SingleRate," said Jack Plating, executive vice president and chief operations officer for Bell Atlantic Mobile. "These savvy, high-usage customers want excellent service delivered over state-of-the-art wireless networks and phones. This agreement with Motorola ensures Bell Atlantic Mobile will meet customers' expectations for cutting-edge equipment now and in the future." "We are extremely pleased to work with Bell Atlantic Mobile on this strategic agreement," said Denise Gibson, Vice President and General Manager of US Strategic Account Operations for Motorola's Personal Communications Sector. "Bell Atlantic Mobile will offer its customers an array of innovative Motorola wireless phones and services to help meet the specific needs of each individual." The StarTAC ST7760 dual mode (CDMA and analog) phone weighs as little as 3.7 ounces and offers up to 90 to 250 minutes of talk time and up to 120 hours of standby time when operating in digital mode. Key features include: a display with multiple visualization options and various font sizes; VibraCall(R) alert; Caller ID; a Voice Mail icon; and text messaging system. The SC3160 CDMA phone, weighs as little as six ounces and includes such features as: VibraCall alert; a four line and 12-digit display with an extra line of icons that makes retrieving incoming calling information easier; and 99 alphanumeric memories that can store the last 10 numbers called and the numbers of the last 16 calls received. Additionally, the SC3160 CDMA phone is capable of Short Message Service (SMS) and Caller ID. The StarTAC Clip-On Organizer stores over 1,000 names and numbers, a year of appointments and hundreds of tasks and reminders. Built on Starfish's TrueSync(R) technology, the Clip-On Organizer synchronizes with popular Web-Calendars, desktop organizers and PDAs including Excite Planner, Yahoo! Calendar & Address Book, Microsoft(R) Outlook(R) and Lotus Organizer(R). The Clip-On Organizer is compatible with TDMA, CDMA and analog StarTAC cellular phones.
Hutchison To Launch Integrated Communications Service Australia, May 25, 1999 -- Sydney and Melbourne residents will benefit from a new, integrated communications service, which combines the functionality of a mobile phone with untimed local calls, Hutchison Telecoms announced today. Speaking at now99, Hutchison Telecoms Managing Director, Mr. Barry Roberts-Thomson, said: "Hutchison is investing $500 million in a CDMA network which will deliver the functionality of two phones in one, at a price that represents true value for money. "When the Hutchison CDMA service is launched next year, we will change forever the traditional view of what is a mobile call and what is a fixed call. "This is an exciting concept which customers tell us they welcome. It is seen as a common sense solution to their communication needs." Hutchison is pitching its new service at the second and third line market, which is fuelled by demand for dedicated Internet and data lines. "We are looking to increase the number of lines into people's homes with a product ideally suited to voice communications, leaving traditional fixed lines for data," Mr. Roberts-Thomson said. "Being a wireless solution, the Hutchison CDMA service avoids the delays, costs and inconvenience of installing additional fixed lines. "CDMA is the ideal technology for a combined mobile and wireless local service with fewer call drop outs, less background noise, greater capacity and in building coverage than GSM." Hutchison is on track for a full commercial launch in 2000 with final testing and some initial offerings likely to be completed in 1999. The company also announced installation of its switching technology had been completed in Sydney with the first calls successfully made on the new network last week.
All The Way With CDMA: Telstra Announces Test Results May 20, 1999 -- Telstra announced today results of recent testing on its new mobile phone network, CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), using its Extended Coverage features. The Extended Coverage enhancements delivered by Nortel’s CDMA Boomer Cell, extended coverage over long distances from the base station. This was achieved using handheld phones in standard car kits without the need for boosters. The coverage compared favourably with a boosted analogue phone. Telstra’s Managing Director, Mobiles, Mr Jonathan Marchbank, said recent testing at Mt Dowe and Peak Alone demonstrated that CDMA was capable of more than adequately meeting the requirements of regional and rural customers currently relying on the analogue network for extended coverage. "Telstra is the only carrier building a national CDMA network, and we are committed to ensuring that the network’s coverage and performance is of an extremely high standard and our ongoing testing is proof of this,"he said. "CDMA is achieving coverage performance at distances that are just not available from other land based digital technologies," he said. "Field testing of the Extended Coverage enhancement took place recently in two locations in New South Wales, one in a remote rural location and the second in a marine environment. "The results have been outstanding and we are confident that our customers will welcome the coverage and high voice quality CDMA will provide," Mr Marchbank said. The first test was conducted from a CDMA base station situated on Mt Dowe, a mountain top located 1500 metres above sea level in the Kaputar National Park, Northern New South Wales. Testing in this rural environment was conducted using vehicles equipped with both analogue and CDMA handsets. This was to compare the network coverage and voice quality of both networks over very long distances from Mt Dowe. -2- The tests conducted from Mt Dowe achieved coverage at distances up to 120 km from the base station. The test demonstrated that coverage and voice quality of CDMA compared favourably with that of analogue in this area. Testing was also conducted in a marine environment in Southern New South Wales, from a base station located on Peak Alone, another mountain top site 1000 metres above sea level, around 25 km inland from Narooma on the NSW coast. Testing took place on a boat off the coast of Ulladulla, over a range of distances using a standard car kit, without any booster. CDMA calls were achieved at distances in excess of 130 km from the base station. In a graphic demonstration of the performance of CDMA, handheld calls were made in both the rural and marine test on a CDMA handheld at distances in excess of 100 km from the base station. "Telstra is obviously delighted with the results as we believe our customers will be," Mr Marchbank said. "During the testing CDMA maintained excellent voice quality, and with its background noise suppression, CDMA will be particularly useful in a marine environment to help suppress the noise from engines, wind and waves at sea" Mr Marchbank said. CDMA will provide customers with a high quality replacement network with not only comparable coverage to the existing analogue network, but also additional features not currently available on that network, including security to protect against voice eavesdropping, calling number display (CND) and in the future, text messaging and data and facsimile transmission. More Details on Rural Coverage | More Details on Marine Coverage
Bell Mobility Signs Estimated US$200 Million Deal with Nortel Networks Supply Agreement Includes CDMA Metro Cell for Capacity, Wireless Internet Toronto, Canada, May 20, 1999 -- Bell Mobility has signed a three-year supply agreement with Nortel Networks - estimated to be worth US$200 million - which will enable Bell Mobility to significantly expand the capacity and coverage of its cdmaOne digital wireless network in Ontario and Quebec. This agreement is expected to bring Bell Mobility's six-year investment in Nortel Networks wireless infrastructure equipment to more than US$400 million. It includes Nortel Networks DMS*-MTX* SuperNode* digital switching equipment and Nortel Networks CDMA Metro Cell base stations, designed for cost-effective evolution to third generation radio technology and Wireless Internet services. "Bell Mobility continues to deploy state-of-the art wireless technology to meet current and future customer needs while helping to reduce operating costs," said Mark Rausa, vice-president, network engineering and operations, Bell Mobility. "We're committed to working with Bell Mobility to make feature-rich voice and Wireless Internet services available rapidly and cost-effectively," said Joe Sarnecki, vice-president and general manager, Wireless Solutions for Nortel Networks in Canada. Nortel Networks will continue to manufacture the equipment for Bell Mobility's wireless network in Calgary, Alberta and Raleigh, North Carolina, two of seven "systems houses" identified last week as part of the company's new three-year global operations strategy. The Bell Mobility family of companies provides a complete range of wireless communications solutions - cellular, paging, data, satellite, PCS and airline passenger communications services - to over two million Canadian customers. Bell Mobility Radio provides two-way voice and wireless data services to public safety and emergency services agencies. Bell Mobility companies are subsidiaries of BCE Mobile Communications Inc., a publicly traded company (TSE, ME, NYSE; stock symbol BCX) which is 65 percent owned by Bell Canada. Nortel Networks delivers value to customers around the world through Unified Networks* solutions, spanning mission-critical telephony and IP-optimized networks. Customers include public and private enterprises and institutions; Internet service providers; local, long-distance, cellular and PCS communications companies, cable television carriers, and utilities.
Nortel Networks to Supply US$86 Million CDMA Digital Wireless Network to Haitel Haiti's Largest Ever Private Investment to Provide Phone Service to 500,000 People Miami, FL, May 19, 1999 -- A new era of telecommunications is about to be forged in Haiti. Haiti Telecommunications International S.A. (Haitel) has selected Nortel Networks to build a digital wireless fixed and mobile telephone network in Haiti using advanced cdmaOne (IS-95 CDMA) technology. The contract, estimated to be worth US$86 million, represents the largest private investment ever made in the island nation. The Haitel network will have an initial capacity of 60,000 subscribers in the capital of Port-au-Prince, and is expected to grow over the next five years to support up to 500,000 subscribers throughout the country. "This truly marks a new era for Haiti," said Franck N. Cine, chief executive officer, Haitel. "Those seeking telecommunications services will have access to the most advanced digital technology available anywhere in the world." "We are investing in the technology to resolve Haiti's inadequate telephone infrastructure," Cine said, "and hope to reach 500,000 subscribers by 2004, Haiti's 200th year of independence." "We are excited to be part of this extraordinary investment in infrastructure that will truly benefit the country," said Dan Hunt, president, Nortel Networks CALA (Caribbean and Latin America). "Haitel's customers will enjoy the benefits of state-of-the-art wireless telephone service within a year." Haitel, a company comprised of several private investors including MCI Worldcom , was recently granted the right to operate in the 1900 MHz frequency band. Installation of the network began the first quarter of 1999. Haitel will deploy voice switch-based services such as call waiting, caller ID, credit card calling and call forwarding. Nortel Networks will implement a complete CDMA network including Nortel Networks DMS*-MTX* SuperNode digital mobile switching, base station controllers and CDMA Metro Cell and Minicell base stations. Nortel Networks will also provide network design, engineering, installation, commissioning, operations and maintenance services.
Live and Unplugged: Bell Mobility Launches Wireless Digital Data Applications Toronto, Canada, May 13, 1999 -- In a series of Canadian and worldwide firsts, Bell Mobility today announced a series of initiatives that will provide its customers with instant access to wireless Internet, e-mail and e-commerce applications from their handsets. Bell Mobility unveiled two new services, launched two market trials and announced plans to sell the latest - and smallest - Smartphones, all of which will provide the company's digital customers with powerful new productivity tools to help them manage their work . . . and their play . . . better. The services are: *Digital Data to Go - Canada's first full suite of innovative wireless data services that provides customers with a portfolio of personal productivity applications including wireless on-line banking, real-time e-mail and web browsing. The service -- which works across a variety of computing devices including Bell Mobility's PCS phones, most laptops, and handheld and palm-sized computing devices --helps business people on the go by providing continuous access to corporate resources such as e-mail, schedules and files through encoded data links to corporate Intranets and the Internet; and * PCS Mobile Browser - The first PCS browser to be launched commercially in North America, this will give subscribers instant access to real-time information through the Internet on their PCS handset. Customers can send and receive e-mail and gain access to a wide range of lifestyle information such as real-time stock quotations, news headlines and web-411 directory services. Both Digital data to Go and Mobile Browser are available to all Bell Mobility PCS subscribers with a data-capable phone such as the Qualcomm 2700. There are no monthly access fees or contracts. Customers pay only 15 cents a minute for airtime, billed by the second. The market trials also highlight digital data applications: * Veev - Developed in partnership with the Bank of Montreal and 724 Solutions, this service provides interactive access for customers to their Bank of Montreal, mbanx and Nesbitt Burns financial portfolios. The trial starts May 14. * Revolv - Bell Mobility is the first wireless carrier in the world to trial Revolv, a wireless productivity application that brings access to e-mail, scheduling and other personal information management tools to any wireless device. Revolv is the product of Wireless Knowledge, a joint venture of Microsoft and Qualcomm. As for the phones, * NeoPoint -- Bell Mobility said it has reached agreement with IGS to begin distributing the NeoPoint, the world's smallest CDMA Smartphone, starting in Q3, 1999 * PdQ -- Qualcomm's pdQ Smartphone, which combines state-of-the-art CDMA technology with the most popular palm-sized computing platform from Palm Computing, is also slated to begin shipping later this year. "Today we deliver on George Gilder's prophecy that the most common PC of the next decade will be the digital cellular phone," said Randy Reynolds, President and CEO of Bell Mobility. "We are dedicated to delivering to our customers the power and interactivity of the Internet from a range of wireless devices. Together with our partners, we have made the convergence of wireless communications and the Internet a reality." Charlotte Burke, Vice-President of Services Development, said Bell Mobility has listened to its customers in designing these services: "They told us they want convenience, ease of use, reliability, affordability and, most important, they want the applications to be relevant to their business and personal needs. "Today, we're delivering on all counts. With Digital Data to Go, for instance, what could be easier to use since our CDMA phones come with an IP address and built-in modem. All you need is a cable to connect from the phone to your laptop or palmtop computer." Ms. Burke said today's announcements reaffirm Bell Mobility's leadership as an innovator not just of new services but also of strategic partnerships. "The companies we're working with are leaders in their own right. We're putting it all together with them to unleash the extraordinary potential of wireless, wireline and the web to offer customers the widest array of wireless data solutions in this country. This launch is an important milestone in fulfilling our strategy to deliver leading-edge solutions to a wide customer base."
Bell Mobility and NeoPoint Inc. Agree to Market Digital Smart Phone Canadian Consumers to Gain Benefits from Next Generation Wireless Data Products and Services Toronto, Canada, May 13, 1999 -- Bell Mobility and NeoPoint Inc. (formerly Innovative Global Solution [IGS]) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together to bring NeoPoint's intelligent Smart Phone products to Bell Mobility Digital PCS customers. NeoPoint Inc. is a La Jolla, California based developer of innovative wireless voice and data products. An emerging player in the business of next generation PCS handsets, the young company has quickly gained widespread recognition as a market leader by building the first smart phone with mass appeal. Initially Bell Mobility and NeoPoint will focus their efforts on introducing the NeoPoint 1000 to the Ontario and Quebec markets. In the NeoPoint 1000 voice, text, email, internet access and personal information management are seamlessly merged into a pocket-sized phone. It is being hailed as the New Point of Communications for consumers, the "homebase" from which people will organize themselves, relay information and communicate. "NeoPoint shares many of the same ideas and visions of how we see Digital PCS evolving to include so much more than voice communications," said Charlotte Burke, Vice President of Services Development at Bell Mobility. "The functionality of the NeoPoint 1000 is so much more than what we have seen in conventional PCS phones - from email capability to internet browsing and scheduling - it encompasses many of the same services we are delivering to our customers through Digital Data to Go and the Mobile Browser." "We at NeoPoint are gratified to be among Bell Mobility's select group of partners in the historic launch of their digital data network. NeoPoint is the 'simply more intelligent' choice for consumers seeking a small, lightweight, and easy-to-use phone. With the integrated productivity tools such as contact management, schedule, email and Internet access capabilities NeoPoint is the perfect match for Bell Mobility's vast data network," said William Son, NeoPoint Chairman and CEO. The NeoPoint 1000 is a small, sleek phone that packs contacts, personal calendar, pager, email, internet browsing, digital data, wireless fax and modem capabilities into the palm of your hand. In 5.5 inches and 6.4-ounces, the NeoPoint has a large, 11-line back lit display that makes it simple to view and use NeoPoint applications. Completely menu-driven with easy-to-understand icons, the NeoPoint 1000 is simple to use. Consumers can use voice commands or enter notes easily due to its intuitive text entry features. Additionally, consumers can synchronize personal information on their phone with their PC's contact database and calendar in seconds using NeoPoint's SoftSync software shipped with the product. Bell Mobility and NeoPoint plan to introduce the NeoPoint 1000 to the Ontario and Quebec markets later in the summer of this year.
PRIMECO: Record-breaking quarter has PrimeCo gearing up explosive growth Dallas, TX,May 7, 1999 -- On the heels of its most successful quarter ever, PrimeCo Personal Communications, L.P., the premier regional provider of PCS/wireless service, today announced it will enlarge its footprint in 1999, offering service for the first time in new areas of Texas and Florida. In addition, PrimeCo will make significant capacity enhancements to the infrastructure in all of its existing markets to accommodate record growth, deploying a total budget for network expansion and growth of almost $250 million over the next three to nine months. During a record-setting first quarter, PrimeCo added more than 200,000 new subscribers, passing its 'one-millionth customer milestone' in the process. With a 2.7 percent penetration rate of the population covered by its network, PrimeCo now has the highest penetration rate of any of the new PCS entrants. This impressive growth is bolstered by one of the lowest churn rates in the PCS industry. These leading performance indicators, together with PrimeCo's excellent first-quarter results, are evidence the company is well positioned to reach its goal of turning cash flow positive by the end of the year. "PrimeCo is firing on all cylinders," said Lowell McAdam, PrimeCo's CEO. "We have an outstanding network, an excellent value proposition and impressive customer loyalty. Investing an additional quarter of a billion dollars in network expansion sends a clear signal to the marketplace that we intend to be there for our customers." The first major US PCS/wireless player to adopt a single-vendor strategy, PrimeCo has signed contracts with Lucent Technologies to provide all of the new network equipment. In mid-May, Lucent will begin installing base stations and 5ESS switches to power the new PrimeCo service areas. The network expansion and growth slated for 1999 mean more than 2.5 million additional people will have access to PrimeCo's digital wireless services. "This expansion will improve our service offering for existing customers and enable us to provide millions of new consumers a superior choice in wireless service," McAdam said.
U S West To Purchase Up To $120 Million Of Qualcomm Phone Handsets San Diego, CA, May 1999 -- U S West said Tuesday it signed a one-year, $120 million contract to purchase Qualcomm Inc.'s CDMA digital personal communication system phones. CDMA - which stands for code division multiple access - is the backbone of so-called third-generation wireless communications, which will allow for high-speed data and video in addition to standard wireless voice communication. Qualcomm will provide U S West with a variety of handsets for distribution throughout U S West's regional CDMA digital network. Qualcomm said its new handsets support phone, pager, e-mail, voice-mail and data transfer features.
Motorola, Sprint Wireless Network Expansion Deal Focuses on New Markets Kansas City, MO, May 3, 1999 -- Sprint today announced it has awarded a new three-year equipment supply contract to Motorola, Inc.'s Network Solutions Sector (NSS) with a minimum value of more than $220 million. The new contract award, part of Sprint's Phase III wireless network expansion plan, involves more than 1,200 new cell sites, additional RF capacity, base station controllers and interconnect switching equipment. This contract award, which will expand the Sprint PCS 100-percent digital, 100-percent PCS network in the Midwest and other parts of the country, complements Motorola's NSS's recent Phase II award in which it captured a 67 percent share. The Phase II markets include Chicago; Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio; Raleigh, Greensboro and Charlotte, N.C.; Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tenn.; Richmond and Norfolk, Va.; and Hawaii. "This major Phase III award to Motorola NSS is in recognition of their quality product and the operating performance of Motorola's systems installed in Phase II, and our confidence in Motorola as a systems supplier," said Keith Paglusch, senior vice president of Operations for Sprint PCS. "In addition, Motorola has made significant progress towards our goal of creating an interoperability standard among infrastructure suppliers to maximize our flexibility for systems growth and deployment over time." "Motorola is well-positioned and has worked closely with Sprint PCS to ensure that its infrastructure products operate with Sprint PCS' other infrastructure vendors," said Fred Wright, corporate vice president and general manager of North American Customer Operations for Motorola NSS. "We have been a leading proponent of an industry-wide interoperability standard (IOS) for Code Division Multiple Access, or CDMA, wireless systems. By putting our carrier customers first, we support an open architecture that provides more options and network design flexibility." Using Sprint PCS-developed interoperability specifications, Motorola NSS and Sprint PCS will begin the IOS field testing in September with Sprint's other vendors. Successful completion of IOS field tests will enable Motorola NSS to compete for additional business with Sprint PCS in areas currently served by other infrastructure suppliers. "Another major element of the Motorola NSS Phase III award will be the deployment of new single rank 1.9 GHz multi-carrier SC™4812 base transceiver station, which provides one of the highest-capacity and most space-efficient CDMA base station products on the market today," Wright added.
Ericsson, Qualcomm conclude purchase of CDMA infrastructure business May 25, 1999 -- Ericsson announced today that it has concluded its purchase of Qualcomm's terrestrial Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) wireless infrastructure business, including its R&D resources in San Diego and Boulder, Colo. The transaction, previously announced in March, also resolves all disputes globally between the companies relating to CDMA technology. Under the series of agreements, Ericsson and Qualcomm both support a single CDMA standard with three optional modes for the net generation of wireless communications, have entered into cross licenses for their respective patent portfolios and have settled the pending patent infringement litigation between the two companies. Approximately 1,200 Qualcomm employees in San Diego, Calif. and Boulder, Colo. are being transferred to Ericsson as part of the acquisition.
QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies Announces World`s First Third-Generation Chip for Base Station Equipment - CSM5000 Cell Site Modem Provides IS-95 CDMA Infrastructure Manufacturers San Diego, CA, May 24 -- QUALCOMM Incorporated, pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access digital technology, today announced the introduction of the world's first third-generation solution for CDMA digital infrastructure and test equipment products. The CSM5000(TM) Cell Station Modem (CSM(TM)) represents the first of a family of chipset and system software solutions to support CDMA2000(TM), the third-generation (3G) air interface standard that has been submitted by the U.S. Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). In a separate announcement, QUALCOMM also introduced the MSM5000(TM) Mobile Station Modem (MSM(TM)) digital baseband solution for application in CDMA digital consumer devices. Both the MSM5000 and the CSM5000 are compliant with spreading rate 1 of CDMA2000 Phase One and will begin field trials in early 2000 with commercial production following the trials. "The CSM5000 is our most advanced Cell Site Modem to date and leads the wireless industry in supporting the highest network data rates," said Don Schrock, president of QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies. "This major advancement will provide wireless infrastructure companies with the core technology they need to further accelerate the deployment of CDMA networks worldwide." Compliant to CDMA2000 Phase One, the CSM5000 solution provides operators up to a doubling of overall capacity of voice users over IS-95A and IS-95B systems. The CSM5000 supports up to 32 simultaneous users on a single chip, a four-fold increase over the previous generation CSM and exceeds the ITU's 144 kilobits per second (kbps) requirement for data rates in full wide area mobility by enabling data rates of 307.2 kbps on both the forward and reverse links. "With capacity that provides for up to 32 simultaneous calls on a single chip, the CSM5000 will enable design of new, much smaller and more versatile base station equipment," said Johan Lodenius, vice president of marketing of QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies. "Network operators will also benefit from the cost efficiencies and the rapid time to market that the solution delivers for next-generation services." The flexible architecture of the CSM5000 provides resource mapping of up to 64 forward link channels and 32 reverse link channels and provides base station manufacturers with an increase in the number of possible simultaneous calls per channel card. In addition, the channel card power consumption per call is greatly reduced, enabling design of very compact base stations. Each channel element performs CDMA searching, CDMA modulation and demodulation and Viterbi and Turbo decoding. The CSM5000 represents a new modem architecture for the CSM family, enabling an increase in integration, while reducing host processor loading and system power consumption. The CSM5000 integrates an ARM7(TM) microprocessor for reverse link processing and provides a PowerPC(TM) compatible synchronous interface. To support CDMA2000 Phase Two, a follow-up chip is planned for introduction subsequent to the CSM5000, which will be fully backward compatible with CDMA2000 Phase One, and IS-95A and IS-95B systems. CSM5000 Features -- RTT: Supports Radio Configurations one through five of
CDMA2000 (1-5 forward link, 1-4 reverse link); .
Tegic Communications Licenses Text Input Software to QUALCOMM; T9 Text Input Simplifies Text Entry On Wireless Phones Seattle, CA, May 24, 1999- - Tegic Communications today announced it has signed a licensing agreement with QUALCOMM Incorporated, pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology. Under the agreement, QUALCOMM will have the right to make the T9(tm) Text Input software available with its CDMA digital phones, enabling QUALCOMM wireless phone users to use wireless applications such as email, Internet access and short messaging more easily. "QUALCOMM is always interested in software that complements our handsets," said Gina M. Lombardi, vice president of product management for QUALCOMM Consumer Products. "T9 Text Input offers our customers another option to help make our phones more useful." "QUALCOMM's CDMA digital phones are characterized by superior quality and ease of use," said Don Davidge, vice president of sales and marketing for Tegic Communications. "T9 Text Input increases the ease of import for text messaging, giving users an even more powerful tool for mobile communications." About T9 Text Input
QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies Announces World's First Third-Generation Chip for CDMA Handsets MSM5000 Chipset and Software Solution Paves the Way for Next-Generation Applications Development With Initial Data Rates of 153 Kilobits Per Second San Diego, CA, May 24, 1999 -- QUALCOMM Incorporated, pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access digital technology, today announced the introduction of the world's first semiconductor and software solution for the third-generation (3G) air interface standard that has been submitted by the U.S. Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). The MSM5000™ Mobile Station Modem (MSM™) digital baseband solution, QUALCOMM's seventh-generation MSM, is the first of a new family of chipset and system software solutions designed to support the CDMA2000™ standard. In a separate announcement, QUALCOMM also introduced the CSM5000™ Cell Site Modem (CSM™) for CDMA infrastructure and test equipment products. Both the MSM5000 and the CSM5000 solutions are compliant with spreading rate 1 of CDMA2000 Phase One and will begin field trials in early 2000 with commercial production following the trials. "Our commitment is to lead the industry by supplying our partners with a clear roadmap and vision for the future and then delivering on our promise," said Don Schrock, president of QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies. "With this announcement, we will ensure the commercial availability of 3G chipsets, software and design tools in the near term. The MSM5000 solution gives our partner manufacturers a clear path forward to develop next-generation wireless devices while keeping full forward and backward compatibility within their product lines." The next-generation chipset solution is fully backwards compatible with existing IS-95A and IS-95B networks, providing a seamless migration path to 3G. Existing IS-95A and IS-95B handsets are also forward compatible with CDMA2000 networks, allowing operators to quickly and cost effectively introduce new 3G services for their IS-95 networks while maintaining existing wide area coverage for all subscribers. "We will de-mystify 3G and provide products that meet the real requirements, including fast time to market, low product cost, low power and the high data rates of 3G, of our customers and wireless consumers," said Johan Lodenius, vice president of marketing for QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies. "The MSM5000 architecture is a natural extension of our leading expertise in CDMA technology, as is our entire worldwide product plan for 3G going forward, making the transition to 3G easy and predictable, while maximizing our customers' investments in any CDMA product development." The new MSM5000 chipset and system software solution exceeds the ITU's 3G requirements for data rates in full wide area mobility of 144 kilobits per second (kbps) by enabling data rates of 153.6 kbps on both the forward and reverse links. Compliant with CDMA2000 Phase One, the MSM5000 gives operators up to twice the overall capacity of voice users over IS-95A and IS-95B systems through the use of features such as, fast 800 Hz forward power control and new modulation and coding schemes. Featuring support for Quick Paging Channel and a 24x searcher, the MSM5000 solution provides up to a 50 percent increase in handset standby time. The system software will include support for IS-95A, IS-95B and CDMA2000 as well as packet data, a full Internet protocol suite, voice recognition and many other features. The New Generation MSM Solution The MSM5000 interfaces to QUALCOMM's RF devices, the Q5312 Analog Baseband Processor (BBA2), along with the Q5500 IF Receive AGC Amplifier and Q5505 IF Transmit AGC Amplifier, or with the IFR3000™ and IFT3000™ IF to Baseband Converters. These devices perform all of the signal processing in the subscriber unit, from IF to audio for compliance with the third-generation CDMA2000 Phase One and IS-95A and IS-95B standards. To support CDMA2000 Phase Two, a follow-up chip is planned for introduction subsequent to the MSM5000, this device will be fully backwards compatible with CDMA2000 Phase One, IS-95A and IS-95B. MSM5000 Features
DSPC Announces D5431 cdmaOne Chipset With Data Speeds of Up to 115 Kbps New IS-95B Compliant WorldCDMA Chipset Provides Significant Power Savings For Business Editors/High-Tech Writers Cupertino, CA, May 24, 1999 -- DSP Communications, Inc. today announced its new generation cdmaOne™ chipset equipped with higher data speeds, bringing increased performance and capabilities to CDMA handsets. Engineering samples of the new multi-mode D5431, featuring enhanced voice recognition capabilities, will be available this quarter. "The new D5431 WorldCDMA™ chipset drives performance to a new level with higher data speeds for mobile data processing," said Arnon Kohavi, Senior VP, Strategic Relations. "The introduction of the IS-95B compliant D5431 demonstrates DSPC's ability to provide manufacturers and operators with a smooth migration path to CDMA2000, while minimizing development cost, risk and time to market." Specifically designed for advanced user interface CDMA handsets, the new D5431 WorldCDMA chipset supports new higher data rate services and data speeds of up to 115 Kbps. The D5431 provides an Ultra Fast Acquisition and a TwinFinger™ function, which allows sub chip time tracking. The new chipset is also equipped with advanced speech features including high performance voice recognition, acoustic echo cancellation and a hands-free echo canceler for the car environment in addition to its multi-vocoder support: 8 Kbps QCELP®, 13 Kbps QCELP®, and EVRC. The D5431 chipset comes with an integrated ARM7TDMI™ host microcontroller, a rich set of internal peripherals, and is available in compact FPBGA packages. Using 2.5V operation and advanced power saving techniques, the D5431 achieves low power consumption levels resulting in an optimum power/performance ratio for CDMA handsets. With new enhanced sleep controllers, the D5431 enables up to 350 hours of standby time. Connected through simple interfaces to the RF/IF unit, audio CODEC, and keypad, the D5431 is optimized for use with DSPC's WorldCDMA architectures, call processing, data stack and special services software, and reference design. DSPC's WorldCDMA family of chipsets are being designed to comply with IS-95B, and in the future with IS-95C and CDMA2000 networks to enable handset manufacturers to preserve the value of their CDMA investments and achieve compatibility with evolving wireless networks. WorldCDMA chipsets designed and developed by DSPC provide handset manufacturers with a faster time-to-market, cost-effective, and flexible solution for multi-mode CDMA and analog baseband processing. DSPC's chipset provides an ideal solution for worldwide implementation in markets such as United States, Korea and also in Japan, where DSPC is already a leading supplier.
QUALCOMM's Thin Phone Selected by Clearnet PCS Ultra-Thin CDMA Digital Wireless Phone Makes Canadian Debut San Diego, CA, May 21, 1999 -- QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, today announced that Clearnet Communications Inc. ("Clearnet") (Nasdaq: CLNTF; Toronto: NET.A; Montreal) has chosen QUALCOMM's new Thin Phone for the launch of its "Say When" pre-paid PCS offering. Clearnet's inaugural "Say When" campaign marks the Canadian debut of the QUALCOMM Thin Phone, which combines a sleek, lightweight design with an internal battery that supports extended talk and standby times. "QUALCOMM's new Thin Phone provides Clearnet's 'Say When' customers with an advanced CDMA digital phone that is ultra-thin, lightweight and affordable," said David McDowell, senior vice president of sales and marketing for QUALCOMM Consumer Products. "The Thin Phone's combination of sleek styling and advanced features fits every lifestyle, from the budget-conscious consumer to the mobile professional." "QUALCOMM's Thin Phone enables Clearnet to offer Canadians advanced digital features previously unavailable from any pre-paid offering in Canada," said Wade Oosterman, vice president of sales & marketing for Clearnet. "Standard service options such as caller ID, voice mail and short message service (SMS) provide mobile professionals and consumers alike with the flexibility they need, while the Thin Phone's light weight and ease of use makes it perfect for any user." The QCP-1960™ Thin Phone, a 1900 MHz single-mode digital PCS phone, is so thin and light-weighing in at just over 120 grams-that it is easily pocketable yet supports state-of-the-art features. The Thin Phone combines QUALCOMM's latest integrated CDMA Mobile Station Modem (MSM™) chipset with external battery options that provide either up to 10 hours of talk time or up to 17 days of standby time. A five-line backlit LCD display and two smart keys give users easy access to state-of-the-art paging, voice mail and data transfer features. The QUALCOMM Thin Phone incorporates a customizable phone directory with 99 memory locations and will also support a new generation of wireless microbrowsers for access to the Internet and information-based services.
QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies Delivers High-Speed Packet Data Capability To Japanese and Korean Customers *Industry Leader Provides Industry's Only Hardware and Software Solution Delivering 86.4 kbps Data San Diego, CA, May 19, 1999 -- QUALCOMM, pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, today announced it has shipped its new high-speed packet data (HSPD) software solution to facilitate service in Japan and Korea. Japanese and Korean wireless operators have announced plans to launch the high-speed data service before the end of this year. "We are very pleased the high-speed packet data software was delivered by QUALCOMM on time," said Akimasa Egawa, executive vice president for IDO CORPORATION. "We will be able to deliver strong data products this year which makes linking to the Internet with the speed of 64 kbps possible, meeting the expectations of our customers." "Thanks to the effort of the various manufacturers including QUALCOMM, we now have all of the necessary hardware and software to conduct the interoperability of the high-speed packet data system in the field," said Tadashi Onodera, executive vice president at DDI CORPORATION. "With this achievement, our current cdmaOne™ system will be enabled for high-speed packet data by the end of this year in the current handset form factor, allowing us to provide an exclusive service which will lead into IMT-2000." "We have forged an important partnership with our infrastructure vendor, Samsung Electronics, and QUALCOMM to ensure the success of our high-speed data network in a very aggressive timeframe," said Dr. Hong, Won-Pyo, vice president, planning and coordination group of KT Freetel. "Our customers have quickly adopted our initial data services and are looking forward to higher speeds and new capabilities." "The delivery of our high-speed packet data software solution represents more than a year of collaboration with network operators, wireless handset manufacturers and infrastructure vendors to prepare for the build-out of high-speed data-capable networks in 1999," said Don Schrock, president of QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies. "Our MSM3000™ system software enables our customers to develop new applications and expand their product lines beyond voice only devices by extending the core technical capabilities of CDMA technology into high-speed data." Included in the latest MSM3000 software release from QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies, this solution provides wireless handset manufacturers and network operators with the ability to deliver high-speed Internet access anywhere at speeds up to 86.4 kilobits per second (kbps), faster than is currently possible in most homes. The on-schedule software release follows the December 1998 on-schedule volume delivery of QUALCOMM's MSM3000 chipset solution to CDMA handset manufacturers around the world. Supported by this software, the MSM3000 is the first single-chip baseband solution for any cellular or Personal Communications Service (PCS) standard to enable data speeds up to 86.4 kbps. A maximum speed of 86.4 kbps is supported by simultaneous demodulation of up to six or eight channels, depending on rate-set used. The solution includes full interoperability specification for infrastructure requirements and provides for complete training and technical support to ensure manufacturers can quickly add high-speed packet data to their existing MSM3000-based handsets without requiring any new or additional hardware.
QUALCOMM Announces Strong Demand for CDMA Chipsets and Phones - Rapid Growth of CDMA Contributes to Strong Royalties San Diego, CA, May 18, 1999 -- QUALCOMM Incorporated today announced that demand for its Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) chipsets and phones in the third fiscal quarter is stronger than the second fiscal quarter ended March 27, 1999. Also, actual royalty reports received to date from the Company's licensees for the second fiscal quarter exceed the accrual for the corresponding royalties accrued in the second fiscal quarter. Based on current performance in each of its business units, the Company expects that third fiscal quarter performance will meet or exceed current analyst estimates, excluding non-recurring charges. ``We are pleased that CDMA networks have grown to over 30 million subscribers in 27 nations,'' said Richard Sulpizio, president and chief operating officer of QUALCOMM. ``This rapid growth has led to an increase in demand for CDMA products as reflected in the increased product shipments by ourselves and our licensees.''
U.S. Wireless Unveils CDMA Wireless Caller-Location Solution at CDMA Development Group Forum CDMA RadioCamera Field Trial Results Presented to Wireless Carriers and Other Industry Leaders at Recent CDMA Development Group (CDG) Forum in Baltimore, Maryland San Ramon, CA, May 12, 1999 -- U.S. Wireless Corporation today announced the successful completion of the first phase of field trial testing of its CDMA RadioCamera™, a high-performance wireless caller-location system. Test results were presented at a recent forum of the CDMA Development Group (CDG) in Baltimore, Maryland, where U.S. Wireless demonstrated the ability of the CDMA RadioCamera to successfully locate and track wireless CDMA callers. The CDG is an international industry association comprised of wireless service providers and manufacturers of Code Division Multiple Access systems worldwide. "CDMA deployment is rapidly advancing around the world and represents a sizable market opportunity for location information and value-added services," said Dr. Oliver Hilsenrath, President & Chief Executive Officer at U.S. Wireless. "Wireless traffic in the United States is rapidly converting to digital networks, and we are positioning our CDMA RadioCamera system to capture a significant share of that market." Field trial results presented by U.S. Wireless at the CDG forum were the culmination of a year-long development effort to overcome the unique challenges of locating wireless callers within a digital CDMA network. Live testing was conducted over the course of several weeks in downtown Oakland, California, where test results demonstrated that the CDMA RadioCamera provides accuracy far exceeding the performance required by Phase II of the Federal Communications Commission's E9-1-1 Mandate. The CDMA RadioCamera is being developed as a dual mode system, supporting both digital CDMA and the conventional analog AMPS standard. A CDG carrier-sponsored pilot deployment is planned for later this year in the Baltimore-Washington D.C. area.
QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies Announces Plans for CDMA2000 Chipset and System Software Industry Leader Will Provide World's First Third-Generation CDMA Chipset and System Software Solution San Diego, CA, May 11, 1999 -- QUALCOMM Incorporated, pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, today announced the development of the first of a family of new chipsets and system software solutions to support future CDMA2000™ products. The new solution, from QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies, will provide wireless manufacturers and operators with a significantly enhanced platform to launch CDMA2000 handsets and infrastructure products. It is expected to be compliant with the requirements that will be set forth by the U.S. Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) for CDMA2000. "QUALCOMM has demonstrated a clear roadmap for the global expansion of CDMA," said Don Schrock, president of QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies. "Leveraging our six generations of proven CDMA chipsets, this next-generation solution gives cdmaOne™ manufacturers a quick, low-risk path to third-generation technology, while ensuring that networks, handsets and applications developed now will be useable in the future." QUALCOMM's CDMA2000 solution covers Mobile Station Modem (MSM™) and Cell Station Modem (CSM™) chipsets and system software. The CDMA2000 solution provides for a doubling of overall capacity and faster time to market for new higher data rate services. With initial data rates of 144 kilobits per second (kbps) that will increase to 2 megabits per second (Mbps), manufacturers worldwide will be able to develop Internet-ready consumer products that provide voice, high-speed data and video over wireless networks. Network operators will also benefit from the cost efficiencies and the rapid time to market that the solution delivers for next-generation services. Product specifications and availability will be announced later this spring. QUALCOMM has developed a seamless migration path that will allow operators to move easily into the next generation of wireless communications. This path allows for compatibility among IS-95A, IS-95B and CDMA2000 networks. Manufacturers will benefit by deploying these networks that provide for shorter product development time and offer reduced costs for development and equipment by reusing hardware, software and network protocols. QUALCOMM currently supports IS-95B with its industry leading fifth-generation MSM3000™ chipset and system software, now shipping in production quantities. The MSM3000 is the only currently available hardware and software solution to support IS-95B with data rates up to 86.4kbps and 200 hours of standby time. The recently announced sixth-generation MSM3100™ chipset and system software will be fully IS-95B compliant and will support data rates up to 86.4kbps, have 300 hours of standby time, integrate advanced voice recognition and have a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface. The MSM3100 solution will sample in the third quarter of 1999.
Ericsson To Sell CDMA Mobile Phone Next Year; Qualcomm Pact Approved San Francisco, CA, May 1999 -- Swedish telecommunications-equipment giant Telefon AB LM Ericsson plans to enter the market for digital mobile telephones using the CDMA standard in the first half of next year, with a single model designed to sell "in good volume," the company's chief executive said Monday. The company also plans to be fully in the CDMA, or code-division multiple access, equipment business "in six months," Sven-Christer Nilsson, Ericsson's chief executive officer, told Dow Jones. Nilsson was visiting San Francisco as part of a nationwide trip to speak with potential investors. Nilsson said Ericsson's first entry into the market for CDMA wireless phones would resemble Ericsson's T28 model, a thin pocket-sized phone with voice-activation capability. "We'll probably have just one model" for CDMA users, he said. "A good volume phone, and very competitive." The T28 works on a standard called GSM, which stands for global system for mobile communication. Ericsson has historically preferred GSM to CDMA, a standard that is increasingly popular in the U.S. In March, however, Ericsson agreed to purchase the CDMA infrastructure assets of Qualcomm Inc., and signaled it would also enter the CDMA handset business. On Monday, Qualcomm said the Justice Department approved the infrastructure asset sale to Ericsson and the companion settlement of a patent infringement suit between the companies. Qualcomm expects the sale to be completed around May 24. Financial terms weren't disclosed, but analysts estimated that Ericsson is paying slightly less than $1 billion for the Qualcomm operations. For consumers, short-run benefits of the pact include more "multimode" phones that can work in more cities. Over the longer term, agreement on a next-generation standard could accelerate the development of products such as phone-based Internet browsers and laptop computers capable of videoconferencing from a remote location. Ericsson gained access to a big part of the U.S. wireless market where it was absent, analysts said, while Qualcomm sold a money-losing venture that had distracted it from technology-development efforts. The standards battle contributed to a proliferation of incompatible wireless systems, as well as phones that work in some cities but not others. CDMA elements also were slated to be used in a next-generation technology, dubbed 3G, that supports high-speed data and video as well as voice. The squabbles slowed progress on 3G, and led phone companies to worry that their existing equipment wouldn't work with future 3G phones. Qualcomm's infrastructure business, which Ericsson is buying, manages traffic from wireless handsets to regular phones and other wireless devices. Ericsson will employ more than 1,000 people now working for Qualcomm, which had 10,500 employees before the deal.
3Com to Spur Wireless Data Growth With High-Speed, Packet-Switched CDMA Platform System Will Boost Mobile Users' Data Access Speeds to 64 Kbps and Enhance Network Scalability for Service Providers Santa Clara, CA, May 3, 1999 -- A packet-switched wireless network platform from 3Com Corporation will soon deliver unprecedented wireless data access speeds and new network economies to service providers and their mobile subscribers. The 64-kbps wireless module for the 3Com Total Control(R)
multi-service access platform is scheduled to ship in the
fourth quarter to wireless infrastructure OEMs, as well as
to service providers who wish to offer wireless Internet/intranet
access services to their customers. The Yankee Group reported last month that it expects the mobile data market to ramp up over the next 24 months because of two trends: the convergence of wireless networks and the Internet and the deployment of packet-switched wireless systems that enable higher-speed networking. The Boston-based research firm predicts that the number of North American mobile data subscribers will triple between 1999 and 2002, for example, growing from 3.38 million to 10.64 million during that time period. High-Speed Wireless Access to Support New Applications Added Naqi A. Jaffery, wireless industry analyst for Dataquest, an information technology research firm based in Stamford, Conn.: "All the elements are falling into place for the accelerated growth of wireless data. CDMA operators are eager to quickly enter this market and are demanding data capabilities from their suppliers." The new wireless platform will join the Interworking Function (IWF) of 3Com's Total Control platform, which already accepts incoming circuit-switched CDMA signals and transports them over an IP backbone infrastructure to their destination at standard 14.4-kbps CDMA speeds. IWF enables service providers to converge voice PCS services with newer data PCS applications across an integrated infrastructure. Their customers can use CDMA data connections for sending and receiving fax messages and e-mail, browsing the Internet, and accessing their corporate intranets (see 3Com press release, "VPNs Go Wireless: 3Com Adds Tunneling To CDMA Data Networks," May 3, 1999). Both the circuit- and packet-switched versions of 3Com's IWF technology free users from telephone connect times and enable them to bypass the public switched telephone network (PSTN) for call completion, allowing them to save on PSTN toll charges. CDMA is a very efficient, high-capacity technology that spreads multiple conversations across a wide segment of the broadcast spectrum. Each telephone or data call is assigned a special code that identifies it as part of a unique conversation. Packet-Switching Boosts Scalability 3Com's award-winning Total Control multi-service access platform provides telecommunications carriers, service providers and large enterprises with a powerful and complete networking solution, including support for remote access, IP telephony and virtual private networking applications. The software-upgradable platform is designed for service reliability, using redundant power supplies and modular application cards to prevent a single point of failure.
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