Motorola Inc.’s International Cellular Infrastructure Division will deploy its Global System for Mobile communications-based cell site equipment to Namibia and Uganda, Africa, the company announced. Motorola values the two contracts at more than $14 million. Both networks will be installed in five phases. In Namibia, the Mobile Telecommunications Co. cellular network will first serve Windhoek, the capital city, as well as Okahandja and Rehoboth. The initial phase went into service in April. Upon completion of the Namibia system, scheduled for 2000, Motorola expects it will serve 15,000 subscribers. In Uganda, Motorola will provide cell site equipment to Celtel, the country’s cellular telephone operator. The first phase of the network was deployed for commercial service last month in the capital city of Kampala, as well as Entebbe, Jinja and Tororo.
Ericsson Inc. signed a memorandum of understanding with PT Asia Cellular Satellite System and Lockheed Martin Corp. for development and deliveries of satellite/terrestrial phones, Ericsson said. Ericsson values its portion of the agreement at $225 million. Lockheed will supply Asia Cellular Satellite with a cellular mobile satellite telecommunications system. Commercial operation is scheduled to begin in mid-1998 and cover India, Bangladesh, Burma, China, Korea, southern Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indochina and the Association of South East Asian Nations.
Costa Rica joined the International Mobile Satellite Organization and will be represented by Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad as the country’s shareholder organization. Inmarsat initiatives in Costa Rica include a pilot project in which the National Parks Service borrowed Inmarsat-C data messaging mobile terminals and Inmarsat-M briefcase satellite telephones to provide communications on the Cocos Island. Also, Inmarsat recently signed an agreement with COMTELCA, the telecommunications commission of Central America, to cooperate in furthering satellite communications in the region by offering technical assistance, advice and training. Dole Fresh Fruit International is Inmarsat’s largest Costa Rican customer and recently outfitted its fleet of 17 refrigerated ships with Inmarsat-A and -C systems, the organization reported.
Vietnam’s Post and Telecommunications has issued a contract to Motorola Inc.’s Paging Products Group for its first nationwide paging system. Motorola values the contract at more than $800,000. The system will consist of three advanced simulcast controllers and 28 Nucleus paging stations operating in the country’s 280 MHz band. In phase one of the contract, equipment will be installed in Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City and is expected to be operational by third quarter. Motorola said it expects alphanumeric paging will be the most popular type of paging in Vietnam and plans to develop a pager with Vietnamese character display.
Voice Systems Technology will provide voice processing systems to Cable & Wireless plc of Anguilla for its cellular and landline operations in the British West Indies, said VST. The VST EmfaSys system installed in Anguilla interfaces with both the T-1 and E-1 networks and will be used to provide voice mail to Cable & Wireless’ cellular and landline customers in the area.
