STOCKHOLM, Sweden-Dr. Nils Rydbeck, manager of Mobile Telephony research and development at Ericsson in the United States, was awarded the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences’ Gold Medal for an outstanding contribution in the development of mobile telephones.
The medal committee recognized Rydbeck for “significant contributions as a leading technologist for Ericsson in the field of radio communication, and in particular for the development of technical specifications and for the organization of the highly complex engineering work that have been decisive for the company’s successes with mobile telephones throughout the world.”
Rydbeck has been employed at Ericsson since 1976.
In other news, L.M. Ericsson has agreed to expand Guangdong Mobile Communications Corp.’s Global System for Mobile communications network in Guangdong Province, China, to include Digital Cellular System-1800 technology. The contract is valued at $280 million.
Once the expansion is completed, the GSM system will reach 2.5 million customers and the total mobile phone subscriber capacity in the province will be about 4 million, the company said.
“These contracts mark a new milestone in the development of mobile communications in Guangdong as they’re by far the largest we’ve ever had both in terms of size and investment,” said Cui Xun, director of Guangdong Posts and Telecommunications Administration.
Vari-L announces intent to enter Chinese markets
DENVER-Vari-L Company Inc. announced a letter of intent with Chen-Hui Co. in the People’s Republic of China to jointly manufacture wireless components for distribution in Chinese and worldwide markets.
According to the contract, which is subject to execution of a definitive agreement, Vari-L and Chen-Hui will manufacture Vari-L’s products at a state-owned factory in Beijing.
Products such as Vari-L’s Voltage Controlled Oscillators and Phase Locked Loop Synthesizers will be manufactured.
In addition, Vari-L has agreed to contribute a license of its proprietary processes and expertise in return for a 51 percent ownership of the company.
Chen-Hui will contribute the facility, equipment, labor and all necessary government approvals.
“We are particularly pleased with the relative speed with which we were able to reach accord with our Chinese partners,” said Dave Sherman, president of Vari-L. “And we are looking forward to moving ahead rapidly.”
Chinese will trail CMDA WiLL by ’97
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill.-China’s Directorate General of Telecommunications will trial Motorola Inc.’s Code Division Multiple Access Wireless Local Loop network in Tianjin, Shanghai, Fujian and Jiangsu.
The trials are expected to be complete by the end of this year.
Motorola’s Wireless Access Division will deploy 100 Fixed Wireless Terminals and one SC 4850 base station for the trials.
Each city’s Ministry of Post and Telecommunications will provide a V5.2 open Public Switched Telephone Network interface on its existing public switching platform.
China’s Ministry of Post and Telecommunications included wireless local loop networks in its five-year plan to install 14 million lines annually through the year 2000.
“In today’s hybrid networks, Motorola’s open standard CDMA WiLL technology can serve as a complement to PSTN in urban areas and an extension to PSTN in China’s rural districts,” said Richard Sell, corporate vice president and general manager of the company’s Asia/Pacific Cellular Infrastructure Group.
