British Telecom and AT&T said they are beginning trials to test roaming services for high-speed Internet phones. The tests will involve General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) technology and partnerships with wireless operators SmarTone of Hong Kong and Taiwan’s FarEasTone. The trials will begin in the second quarter.
Siemens announced an agreement with Phone.com that will allow commercial deployment of Wireless Application Protocol-based services by more than 10 wireless operators in Europe and Asia. Siemens said it awarded “commercial availability status” to the Phone.com UP.Link Server Suite R4. The company has entered into agreements with 20 GSM technology network carriers in Asia and Europe to implement Phone.com’s WAP technology for trials or commercial deployment. The status is earned “only by software that Siemens’ rigorous quality processes deem ready for commercial deployment in mobile networks,” the companies said.
Psion said it plans to jointly develop a range of mobile Internet access devices with Motorola. The devices would adopt the Symbian operating system called EPOC.
Ericsson awarded Intel a US$1.5 billion contract for the supply of flash-memory chips over a three-year period. The deal ensures Ericsson has a steady supply of flash-memory chips for its mobile phone sales, which Ericsson forecasts to reach 60 million units this year.
America Online announced wireless Internet partnerships with vendors Motorola, Nokia and Canada’s Research in Motion, in addition to agreements with U.S. operators Arch Communications, Sprint and BellSouth.
Japanese electronics maker Sharp said it will jointly develop mobile phones with Lucent. Sharp supplies phones to NTT DoCoMo.
