Hungary
Motorola Inc. said it is providing Hungarian mobile operator Westel 900 its Mobile Internet Exchange communications platform. The trial is Hungary’s first deployment of the Wireless Application Protocol. It will allow mobile users to access Internet content via Internet portals such as Yahoo! and SkyGo, Motorola said.
Israel
Cable and Wireless plc announced it is selling for $630 million its 19.5-percent stake in Israeli telecom operator Bezeq, which is a 50-percent shareholder along with Motorola Israel in cellular operator Pele-Phone Communications Ltd. Cable & Wireless agreed to sell 4.9 percent of its shareholding to Zeevi Communications Holdings Ltd., a company owned by businessman Gad Zeevi, and has agreed to grant an option to Zeevi Communications over the further 14.6 percent. The additional share sale would be subject to Zeevi receiving a permit from the Minister of Communications, according to Cable & Wireless.
Hong Kong
SmarTone chose L.M. Ericsson as its Wireless Application Protocol 1.1 system supplier. Ericsson will deliver WAP gateways and several applications and services, said SmarTone.
Italy
Omnitel signed a $457.3 million contract with Nokia Corp. to supply new base station equipment in Italy, Nokia said. Under terms of the contract, Nokia will supply its UltraSite solution, which offers a migration path to Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution and wideband Code Division Multiple Access services. Nokia said it also will supply its MetroSite high-capacity solution including base stations; MetroHub and MetroHopper, the new 58 GHz cellular transmission equipment; and new large capacity base station controllers for Omnitel’s network.
United Kingdom
Phone.com Inc. announced mobile operator BT Cellnet has licensed its UP.Link Server Suite to offer Wireless Application Protocol services. BT Cellnet plans to integrate WAP functionality with its Genie Internet Platform.
