WORLD BRIEFS

Italy

Telecom Italia Mobile announced it will begin a market trial of Unwired Planet Inc.’s UP.Link Server and software planet for wireless Internet access to mobile phones. Equipped with Unwired Planet’s UP.Browser microbrowser software, handheld phones can access Internet sites written in Wireless Markup Language or Handheld Device Markup Language. The agreement between Unwired Planet and TIM’s Global System for Mobile communications wireless network is compatible with the approach defined by the Wireless Application Protocol Forum, which Unwired Planet co-founded.

Canada

L.M. Ericsson said it won a contract to provide a $63 million private radio network to E-Comm in western Canada. The network will be in service this fall, said Ericsson. The wide-area system will provide wireless emergency communications for police, ambulance and fire department services, said Ericsson. After a fourth rollout phase, it will cover 33,670 square kilometers in British Columbia, including the greater Vancouver area.

Germany

Omnipoint Communications announced it has expanded its European Global System for Mobile communications roaming agreements through an international deal with DeTeMobil Deutsche Telekom MobilNet GmbH of Germany. The agreement adds Germany to the 66 roaming agreements Omnipoint has secured in 37 countries on five continents.

Russia

Vimpel Communications announced it launched the first phase of a new dual-band Global System for Mobile communications 900 MHz network in Moscow, as well as a new prepaid card program.

China

Glenayre Technologies Inc. announced it received a $1 million order to expand a high-speed paging system in China’s Hainan province. Under the contract, the company will provide infrastructure and support to Hing Tat Investments Ltd., which received the expansion contract from China’s Posts and Telecommunications Authority.

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