CAMBODIA
In a joint venture with Cambodia’s Royal Group of Companies and the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, Millicom International Cellular launched an international gateway in the country, the company said. The license was awarded for 25 years, and it is the second gateway in Cambodia. The government operates the first gateway. “We are pleased with our leading position in the Cambodian cellular market. The launch of an international gateway in Cambodia will enable us to further enhance the range of telecommunications services in the country,” said Marc Beuls, the company’s president and chief operating officer.
SOUTH KOREA
Ericsson announced details of two contracts with mobile operators in Asia. Ericsson will provide CDMA operator Korea Telecom Freetel with a packet backbone network for its new mobile data network, which will be deployed this year, Ericsson said. The network will allow the Korean carrier to evolve from a second-generation (2G) wireless network to a third-generation (3G) 3XRTT system. Ericsson also signed a US$210 million contract with Malaysia’s GSM 1800 MHz mobile operator DiGi Telecommunications for a GPRS network.
INDIA
Lucent said it completed the first phase of a US$35 million expansion and upgrade of Indian operator Escotel’s GSM mobile network in all three circles in which it operates. The carrier has extended its cellular services to an additional 30 cities, Lucent said. In the last 10 months, the carrier has doubled its subscriber base, a Lucent official said. Lucent will provide a GPRS system in the project’s second phase. Escotel operates in the state circles of Uttar Pradesh (West), Haryana and Kerala and has more than 235,000 customers.
CHINA
Motorola Inc.’s Computer Group held a two-day forum in Beijing with more than 50 leaders from China’s telecom equipment enterprises. The forum, supported by the electronic and information products management department of China’s Ministry of Information Industry, was held to share telecom infrastructure development technologies. Motorola said the forum covered topics such as high-availability platforms, CompactPCI, OEM services and integration solutions.
